Written by Connie Wallace Perdue
Jane Elizabeth Van Zile Oliphant (1821-1867)
Jane was born May 27, 1821 in Pennsylvaniaburg, Adams, Indiana to Peter Van Zile and Ruth Dingee Rogers, respectively from New Jersey and New York. She married William Oliphant on December 6, 1840 in Lawrenceburg, Ripley, Indiana. William emigrated from Scotland in 1833. He was a watchmaker and a jeweler.
In 1852, William and Jane decided to move to Texas to be in a warmer climate. They started out in a sleigh but when they got as far as St. Louis, they realized the sleigh would be of little use to him and sold it. William, Jane and their three young children intended to settle in Houston but because of the prevalence of yellow fever, decided to move to Austin. They arrived on January 10, 1853.
When the Oliphant family arrived in Austin they stayed at Bullock's Hotel until a home was built. It was a gray cottage located on Brazos St. just north of East 6th. William also eventually acquired the land on which the Driskill Hotel now stands and built a two-story brick building which housed his jewelry store and (later) a photography store for his son William.
Jane preceded her husband in death on February 8, 1867 in Austin, Travis, Texas. Per the Oakwood Cemetery Burial Ledgers, she died of dropsy.
Oakwood section 1, lot 203
Eliza Jane “Jennie” Oliphant Stuart (1848-1931)
Eliza was born July 16, 1848 in Lawrenceburg, Dearborn, Indiana to William Oliphant and Jane Elizabeth Van Zile. She came with her parents and siblings to Austin in 1853 at the age of 4. They were pioneer residents of Austin when it was just a frontier village. She married first to Irvine Holman Bradfute on March 13, 1865 in Georgetown, Williamson, Texas. He had lived in Louisiana prior to the Civil War so Jennie and Irvine moved to New Orleans after the war ended. They had two daughters but only one survived. Irvine died in 1870 and Jennie returned home to Austin.
Eliza Jane, William James & Margaret Frances Oliphant
Jennie married John Arthur Stuart on June 5, 1872 in Travis County, Texas. John had many business ventures, in Weimar and Austin and was also a Justice of the Peace in Austin for many years. They had 5 children together.
Jennie collected a Confederate pension after John’s death in 1910 and also resided in the Confederate Women’s Home. Jennie passed away at the Home at age 88 on April 9, 1931 in Austin, Travis, Texas after an illness of two weeks.
Oakwood section 1, lot 203
Jane Elizabeth Oliphant Webb (1889-1960)
Jane was born February 4, 1889 in Austin, Travis, Texas to William James Oliphant and Alice Olive Townsend. Her maternal grandmother’s family came to Texas in 1821 and her father’s family came to Austin in 1853.
Jane was a graduate of the University of Texas and was a former teacher in the Texas School for the Deaf. She was a member of the University Methodist Church.
Jane married Walter Prescott Webb, an eminent University of Texas historian, on September 16, 1916 in Austin, Travis, Texas. They had one daughter, Mildred Alice Webb Bugg.
She and her husband traveled to many places and she usually could be found researching in a library as evidenced by her membership in many historical societies.
Jane E Oliphant Webb - daughter of William James Oliphant
She was known statewide for her leadership in historical societies, e.g. the Thankful Hubbard Chapter, daughters of the American Revolution, the Embassy chapter, Colonial Dames of the 17th Century and was state president of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas from 1943 through 1945. Jane was also instrumental in restoration of the French Legation in Austin, and in the restoration of the old state Land Office Building.
Jane suffered a heart attack on June 17, 1960. She preceded her husband in death on June 28, 1960 in Austin, Travis, Texas.
Oakwood section 3, lot 758