The following biography was printed in Goodspeed’s History of Williamson County and published in 1887.
“Reuben Borton, miller and dealer in real estate, was born November 17, 1822 in Guernsey County, Ohio, the eldest of eight children (three deceased) of James Borton and Mariah Wilson Borton, the former of English origin, born in 1801, in Mount Holly, N.J., and the latter in 1802 in Loudon County, Va. In 1820 they were married in Guernsey County, Ohio where they were reared from childhood and the father here farmed and distilled essential oils, he died in 1864. The mother died in 1855. Our subject, educated in the home schools of his native county, married when twenty three and followed his father’s business. In 1850, he went to California and mined extensively, paying some men as high as $10 per day. He returned from Acapulco, Mexico City and Vera Cruz, Mexico via New Orleans to his native county.
In 1859, four years after his wife’s death, he mined in Colorado four years, then in Montana four years and after a winter’s visit home he went to California and engaged three years in the lumber business at Truckee, California. For five years after he was a San Fransisco hotel proprietor. While in Colorado, he married his second wife, who died at San Francisco in 1872. Their children are Arthy, in Washington Territory, and James, a druggist in St. Louis.
In 1877 he came by rail to Marion and began milling and distilling essential oils. In 1880, he married Mattie Simmons, daughter of Levi and Fannie Cole Simmons, born about 1840 in Obion County, Tenn. Their children are Maud and Wetzel, the latter a namesake of the famous Indian fighter. In 1885, he abandoned his business and became a county commissioner and dealer in real estate. In 1886, he bought Stoller’s half interest in the Prindle & Stoller Mills in Marion. Josephine, now with her grandmother in Ohio, was his first wife’s only child. Notwithstanding an adventurous and changing career, making and losing fortunes in the mines, our subject now owns 300 acres of fine land, is stockholder in the Creal Springs Improvement Company, beside other property and mining claims in Colorado. He is an alderman of Marion and will probably continue so. He is a staunch Democrat, first voting for Polk. He has been a Mason for forty-two years. He has been a good traveler in every State and Territory in the United States, in Mexico and Canada. The Bortons have always been Quakers. His wife if a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.”
Reuben married Ann Credalia Brown on December 4, 1845 in Guernsey County, Ohio and only appear to have had one child, a daughter named Josephine.
His presence and marriage in Colorado or the name and death date of his 2nd wife in California have not been found. However, his presence in California was recorded in street directories and voter registration records. He was recorded in Sonoma in 1871 and San Fransisco through 1877.
His presence in Marion in 1877 was recorded in an article written in the Marion Monitor newspaper indicating his leasing of McInturff’s Mill here in Marion. Another article appearing in January 1879 said he leased the Frame Mill located SW of the square in Marion where he would manufacture meal, flour, bran, ship stuff, chop Corn and feed, sassafras oil and other standard oils. Another article in August of 1879 said that he had been robbed of $125 from under his pillow where he was staying at the Pulley House. A peddler was arrested and jailed for the theft.
The 1880 federal census could not be found for Reuben but on July 11, 1880 he married Mattie Simmons as mentioned in the biography. They were married at the bride’s home, the Pulley House and they honeymooned in Chicago. Also, when a non-population census was taken in 1880 Reuben was mentioned as a manufacturer of essential oils operating here in Marion.
An article appeared in the August 1881 newspaper stating that any farmers who have Pennyroyal growing on their land to harvest it, can sell it to Borton at the Frame Mill for top prices. Pennyroyal is a flowering species of the mint family which when crushed releases a spearmint scent. In another August 25th article, it was noted that Borton of the Frame Mills were creating corn meal, the earliest harvest of corn meal known to Williamson County.
An article released in February 1882 noted the arrival of a baby girl to Reuben and Mattie.
In 1882 Reuben served as city alderman under Mayor Leroy A. Goddard and again in 1883 under Mayor James C. Jackson. In 1883 Borton was elected as a Williamson County Commissioner and served that post until 1886. Also, in 1883 while serving as alderman, the city began to draft plans for a city cemetery, later to become Rose Hill Cemetery. Reuben, G.W. Evans and T.J. Goodall were appointed to draft plans for the cemetery and create a plat for it.
Mortgage records indicate that in February 1885, Borton and his wife purchased 120 acres just on the south side of Creal Springs from Charles H. Denison for $500. This was likely related to his interest in the development of Creal Springs as a resort town.
In 1886 or 1887, Goodspeed’s history noted that Borton took over Stoller’s interest in the Prindle & Stoller Mill on W. Main Street for it to become the Prindle & Borton Mill.
In 1887 and again in 1888 Borton served as alderman again for the city of Marion under Mayor Brice Holland.
Reuben Borton died at his home in Marion on September 2, 1889. Three children were born to him and his wife Mattie. According to his obit, funeral services were conducted by Rev. N. Bascom of the Methodist church and his body was laid away in the tomb by his Masonic brethren at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Matttie Borton died November 30, 1946 at the age of 85 after breaking a hip. She was born in Union, Tenn. March 30, 1861. She lived in Marion until around 1920 and then went to live with her daughter, Mrs. Maude Henderson of Kansas City, Mo. where she died. She was also survived by a son Baker Borton of Berkley, Calif. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery next to Reuben.
Notes on Children:
Louis Wetzel Borton, born May 31, 1883, died july 26, 1916 in Asheville, NC of tuberculosis. He had spent 3 months in a sanitarium. Traveling salesman for mining equipment. His wife was listed as living at 500 Thorne Place, Marion. Burial was In Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion.
Maude Borton Henderson, born February 1885, lived in Kansas City, Mo
William Baker Borton, lived in Berkley, California
(Sources: Federal census records, Federal non-Population census records, The Leader and Marion Monitor and Marion Daily Republican newspapers. 1905 Historical Souvenir of Williamson County book, Goodspeed’s History of Williamson County, FindaGrave.com, Williamson County Mortgage Records, N.C. Death records, California voter registration records. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 3/9/2024)