Col. Robert J. Sledge is one of the most extensive planters and stock raisers in the State of Texas, and every enterprise, public or private, that has come within the reach of his grasp and aid has received the impress of his versatile genius and indomitable energy. Of vast mental and practical resources and wonderful combination of executive powers, he has contributed as much or more than any one man to the splendid development of his adopted State. This may seem mere hyperbole to a casual observer, but after he has ascertained the different capacities in which Col. Sledge has served public and private enterprise and industry, it will not seem an exaggeration but a due meed of praise for his services, and one to which he is properly entitled.

        Robert John Sledge is the son of Robert and Frances Sledge, his mother having been a Miss O'Brien, whose grandfather was the identical O'Brien who lead the Irish rebellion of 1798.

        The subject of this sketch was born in Warren county, North Charolina, on the 31st of July, 1840, and educated at the celebrated private school of Ebenezer Crocker, at Whitis Creek Spring, near Nashville, Tenn.

        The teachers of these ante-bellum schools were fully competent to teach the entire college curriculum, and it was their pride to send out to the world the best educated young men. Young Sledge took advantage of his opportunities and entered the conflict of life fully equipped with a thorough English and classical education.              

        He came to Texas in 1865, aud settled first at Chapel Hill, Washington county. At that time the H. & T. C. railroad had just commenced to reach out its iron arms to gather in the carrying trade of Texas. Col. Sledge was employed on the Central branch of that road for two years, and at the same time was engaged in farming.

         He soon perceived that he could enlarge the scope of his operations by resigning his railroad employment and removing farther into the interior of the State.

        In 1875 he purchased 10,000 acres in Hays county, which has turned out to be the very best ranch for his purposes in Texas. He has since somewhat curtailed its area to give it better and more convenient proportions. The ranch is known over the State as the "Pecan Springs Ranch." Its splendid grass and cereal capacity has enabled him to develop stock raising to great perfection; especially has he paid attention to breeding and raising mules, and such has been his success, it may be regarded as a mule ranch. His mules equal in muscle, sinew, bone and size the celebrated Kentucky mules, and he has been able to realize an average of $400 per pair for them.

        He also has herds of fine cattle of imported origin that command the highest prices in the market as superior stock.

        Col. Sledge was a Confederate soldier during the inter-state conflict, and served with Gens. Polk and Cheatham. As a soldier in every position in life he did his duty faithfully and gallantly.

         On the 25th of July, 1867, he married the daughter of Col. Terrell Jackson, of Washington county, Texas.

             Outside of his private enterprise he has been a representative man of the agricultural interests and development of his adopted State.

         For the last eight years he has been the Texas representative in the "Farmers' National Congress," of which Col. Beverly, of Virginia, is President. This body is composed of the wealthiest and most intelligent farmers from every agricultural section of the Union, and by its co-operation and publications has done more than any body of men to elevate farming into a science, and crown the efforts of the most modest farmer with success. It has codified and applied the great laws of nature and chemistry to the highest producing power of the different soils.

         Col. Sledge was a member of the Congresses that assembled at Atlanta, Nashville, St. Paul, Indianapolis, Topeka and other points, and has been an enthusiastic and most useful contributor to its literature. Under his management, as has been generally admitted by the representatives from other States, Texas is better organized than any other State represented in this Congress.

         He is also a member of the Board of the National and State Alliance, and he has contributed a majority of the stock to the establishment of the Economic Publishing Company of Washington, D. C, which company publishes a weekly newspaper with that name, devoted to the furtherance of the interests of the order and the promulgation of scientific facts connected with the culture of the soil, of which company he is President.

         Colonel Sledge is also one of the three who composed the National Cotton Committee, and was one of the active founders of the New Orleans Exposition.

             It would not be in the design and compass of this work to deal in detail of all the services rendered by the distinguished gentlemen whose biographies compose it. Many of them, as the subject of this sketch, deserve, and will doubtless receive posthumous biographical honors more worthy of their services, but it will be seen that the busy life of an active brain has been used largely by Colonel Sledge for implanting those truths of science that relieve to such a large extent the manual labor of the farmer and yield him larger and more remunerative crops for the market.

         Such a man it has been attempted to give an idea of; wide in mental scope and purpose, earnest, zealous and intelligent, he spares no work or energy to elevate and bring to perfection the independent life of the farmer, and to make him what he ought to be, not the slave of the plow, but the intelligent and philanthropic country gentleman, whose ideal has so often been realized, especially in our glorious Southland, and of whom Colonel Sledge stands forth a prominent and conspicious member.

         Colonel Sledge has no political ambitions; the halls of legislation have no charms for him, and he can only be found there when some member needs information, or bills proposed for the welfare of the farming interests of the country are to be prepared by him for some member to introduce and have all the honor pertaining to it.

         Colonel Sledge is six feet three inches in height, compactly built and well proportioned, erect and imposing in appearance, and highly cultivated in the amenities and manners of social intercourse. He is a fluent and piquant controversialist, and able by his ready powers to lead the subject of discussion, and by his fine intelligence to control the minds of his auditory. He has a large head, ample brow, keen eyes and prominent features, and would be remarked upon in any assembly of gentlemen, however distinguished.

             He is in the vigor and prime of physical and intellectual maturity, and stands to-day the foremost man in his occupations and designs in the State of Texas, the embodiment and illustration of the independent farmer.