Vol 08 No. 06 - March 1931

Henry Smith, First Governor of Texas

HENRY SMITH, the first governor of Texas, was a native of Kentucky, but moved to Missouri in early life. In 1821 he arrived in Texas and after spending some time in the settlement on Red River, he became a permanent resident of Brazoria county, where he taught school in 1827. He was in the Battle of Velasco in 1832, in which engagement he was wounded. In 1833 he was a member of the Convention, and the next year he was an Alcalde and acting political chief.

Mentions Further: General Consultation, Provisional Governor, Mexican Confederation, Sam Houston, John G. and James Smith,

Southwestern Author is Honored

Notable Texas Historian, J. Frank Dobie is honored for his book, "CORONADO'S CHILDREN," published by the Southwest Press of Dallas. This marks the first time a volume by a Southwestern author has been selected by one of the national monthly book clubs and the only time in the history of the clubs a book has been chosen from the lists of any publisher outside of New York and Boston. Book contains full page map: Book is about lost mines and buried treasures.

Mentions further: "Coronado's Children", Montezuma, Lafitte, Santa Anna, Maximillian and Jesse James, Nigger Mine, Rio Grande Big Bend-country, Lost Bowie Mine, Llano and San Saba Rivers, University of Texas, Texas Folklore Society, A Vaquero of the Brush Country, John Young, Nueces River and the Rio Grande., Golden Fleece, El Dorado-the Gilded Man, Ben Carlton Mead of San Antonio, Literary Guild, Carl Van Doren, Julia Peterkin, Burton Rascoe, Joseph Wood Krutch, Los Olmos Ranch, Salle County, Contains Photo of J. Frank Dobie. Mr. Dobie, seen on the street or in conversation, would never be taken for a college professor. He wears sagging trousers and a moderate-sized sombrero and walks with the unmistakable gait of a cowboy. A curved pipe is invariably in his mouth and he keeps it there while talking. His spare time from teaching has been devoted, not to research in scholarly subjects as he first planned, but to digging for stories of his own Southwest, sometimes reading books for material, sometimes sitting on ranchhouse galleries and listening to tales by the hour. He is a treasure mine of these stories. He can tell of trail driving or branding, of fence wars or the bide-and-tallow Austin, of Pecos Bill and Roy Bean, the first a legendary strong man of the Southwest and the latter a determined Justice of the Peace who set himself up as "the law west of the Pecos." He has spent weeks in the Big Bend and Mexico punching burroes over pack trails in search of stories…

Wonderful Changes Have Taken Place

Longtime Texas resident, R. A. Pearson, Perryton, TX tells of changes seen Texas lifestyle over many years.

CALLAHAN'S BODY TAKEN TO AUSTIN

Brief account of James Hughes Callahan, Texas patriot and Indian fighter, was born near Marion, Ga., Sept. 10, 1814, and came to Texas in Deecember, 1835, as third sergeant in Capt. James C. Winn's company of the Georgia Battalion. He was taken prisoner at Coleto at the surrender of Fannin but escaped the massacre at Goliad on account of being a mechanic, whose services as such were needed by the Mexicans. After his release he settled first at Gonzales and later at Seguin. Further mentions how in May, 1841, Capt. Benjamin McCulloch, Callahan and 14 companies while marching from Gonzales to where Johnson's Fork of the Llano empties into the Guadalupe, in search of Indians who had stolen horses at Gonzales, they surprised and attacked an encampment of 22 of the "redskins" at dawn, killing five of them and wounding many more. Further Mentions how On Nov. 9, 1841 Callahan was elected captain of a company of "minute men." In 1842 when he learned of the capture of San Antonio, Sept. 11, by Gen. Adrian Woll, he enlisted in, and was elected first lieutenant of Capt. James Bird's volunteer company, which helped to expel Woll's army from Texas.

Further Mentions: Young B. Eustace Benton, whose brains were oozing through a bullet bole in his eye was carried by Capt. William A. Pitts, who placed the unconscious boy in his saddle rode behind him on the same horse, holding him in his arms. "The enemy," continues Brown, "expected to greatly cripple Callahan's force, while recrossing the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, but in this they were disappointed by the timely action of Capt. Sidney Burbank, commander of Fort Duncan, on the Texas bank, who turned his guns so as to rake the western bank, and by this demonstration, said to the pursuers: "If you attack my countrymen whil6 they are crossing the river, I shall pour shot and shell into your ranks.' The admonition had the desired effect, and unquestionably saved many I lives. " with W. S. Johnson and E. Clement Hinds, Woodson Blassingame and his son, Calvin. Capt. Callahan in 1841 was married to Sarah Medina Day, who died of a broken heart, Sept. 26, 1856, a few months after the tragic death of her husband.

Cattle Trail To Louisiana in 1866

Very gripping moment by moment account as Told by Judge Ed Kone to T. U. Taylor Contains small map. Story of the establishment of cattle drive trail from Hays county, Texas, to New Iberia, Louisiana following Civil War. Contains photo of Judge and Mrs. Ed Kone.

Further Mentions: Texas Military Institute at Bastrop. Caten Erhart, (who was one -of the old Mier Prisoners), Jack Combs who had already made several trips with droves for the Southern Confederacy. David S. Combs, who made a deal with David R. Cochrehan, Dr. David Darby, Bird Owen, George K. Perkins, and Major E. Nance, to drive their cattle to New Iberia and sell the same on commission. They also made a deal with Samuel Mathews and J. S. (Springer) Davis to allow them to drive the Mathews and Davis cattle with their herds… the David Cochrehan ranch, located on the Old Spanish Trail, the Kone ranch., the San Marcos River crossing, at what is known as the Westerfield Crossing, about a half-mile below the Thomas G. McGehee homestead, Gus Kone, George Connally, Henry Richardson, G. Proctor and Berry Durham, Plum Creek, the old Russell Ranch, the valley of the Colorado River, opposite Bastrop., the Brazos River, Sam R. Kont and Rebecca Pitts' son, Colonel and Mrs. Meecham, the Sabine River, to Vermillionville (about 15 to 20 miles west of New Iberia), Orean Arcen, "Red Buck" Archibald Arcano. Niblet's Bluff on the Sabine, Captain Henry P. Davis, a cousin of J. S. Davis, Mrs. Hopkins, John S. Ogletree, Lula Martin, the descendants of General Ed. Burleson, General John D. Pitts, Jobn W. Brunton, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, Dr. David W. Daily, whose wife was the sister of Mirabeau B. Lamar, Dr. P, C. Woods, -who commanded the 33rd Texas Regiment during the Civil War, Clayburne Pyle, Major Snowden Dickson (the father of 27 children), Major S. R. McKie, W. W. Haupt, an eminent surgeon, and Dr. Manlove. There never were, there is not now, and never will be more noble, true, honest, brave, and manlier men and gracious women than those among whom I was reared.

The Adventures of Big-Foot Wallace

By John C. Duval. (Continued from last month) Here we follow Wallace and the other prisoners on the march from Sacata to Monterey, and then to Rinconada where they attempt another counter-attack, but are betrayed by one of the company, and so at length reached Saltillo, and then continued our route through a desolate and barren country, toward the city of San Luis Potosi and to Salado where…

As soon as we had secured the guns, the Mexicans fled in the wildest confusion, leaving ten of their number dead upon the ground. Our loss was five killed-Dr. Brennan, Fitzgerald, Rice, Lyons, and Haggerty; wounded -Hancock, Captain, Sansbury, Harvey, and another, whose name I have now forgotten.. We captured all the guns t1fe Mexicans had, and ninety-seven horses and mules, and all their baggage and equipments. Having selected the best guns for our own use, we broke up the balance. I think I destroyed nearly a cart-load myself. I took an especial pleasure in demolishing the "scopets," remembering the kicking I got from one of them on a former occasion...

Mentions further: Captain Cameron, Colonel Barragan, Agua Nueva, Monclova, San Felipe,

W. J. Morgan Tells of Texas Cow Country in 1853

By Cora Melton Cross. Lengthy and detailed account of Ellis and Hamilton County resident pioneer, Bill Morgan. This story is excellent early Ellis and Hamilton county history.

"I got my first glimpse of the Far West when I was barely 9 years old, and I was miserably disappointed in it, for it was nothing like I had pictured in my mind from reports that neighbors who had previously pioneered had sent back. I was fully expecting to see Indians pop out from behind every tree… but afterward I thanked my stars that it was we didn't scare ‘em up. Prairie travel was much more to my notion, for wild game of the kind that was new to me was abundant. I remember that buffalo herds just about scared me to death, and that when I was told to hands off of 'em, it just about took my life to do it, for the idea of sending a bullet whizzing at one was extremely fascinating. But my father, Evans Morgan, was a man who thought much and said little, and, I knew what was coming to me if the finger that I had on the trigger of my gun every time I got a chance to handle it accidentally tightened to killing pressure...

Further Mentions: Sarah Moore, John Gates, later known as 'Bet-a-Million' Gates, the town of Midlothian, Parsons' Brigade, Baxter Springs, Miss Sarah Ground, daughter of Squire Ground of the Cedar Hill community, Dallas County, Hamilton County, Jim Newton, the town of Mullen, in Mills County, Williams' Ranch, Eastland County.

Noted Badger Fight Started City of Taylor

Story of the founding of the city of Taylor, Texas, which from all accounts, had its begining in a badger fight. Good early Williamson County history.

Further Mentions: O. A. Schill, A. Womack, Homer Rankin, Duffy's. B. F. Rowe, Jason Forwood, Dan Murphy, B. F. Rowe, J. M. Holder, Leon Melasky, A. E. Dabney, H. C. Reno, Jake Bowers, George Avery and Dan Murphy, Hoiner Rankin, , Dr. A. W. Gould, Hood Mendel, Mexican Mack's old gun-shy, toothless bird dog, G. Avery and J. W. Council, Marshal Lowe, Jim Heap, Sanderson,

Texas Cattle Trails

By Harry Williams. Story of Mr and Mrs. S. G. Miller pioneer ranchers on the lower reaches of the Nueces River. Mentions local tragedies and troubles of early cattle ranchers in the region. Further Mentions: Old Lagarto. Frank Skidmore, Buck Pettus, etc.

Scorns New Viands For Old Vittles

By Earle W. Walker. Story of Mrs. Melvina Chessher of Jacksonville, Texas, Fabulous old Texas pioneer and reknown cook. Mrs. Chessher began life as Melvina Ingle, on her father's farm near the Blackwater Creek, in Alabama, November 21, 1833. At the age of 3, she ,moved with her mother and father to Mississippi, settling on a place five miles from East Fulton and three miles from West Fulton, near the Tom Bigby River. On the trek from Alabama to Mississippi, her little family presented a typical picture of the covered wagon days. They traveled. in an ox wagon, Melvina's mother riding behind the wagon on a horse and herding several head of cattle. Aunt Viny, as she is known to the hundreds of friends who swear by her, says she has cooked 80 Christmas dinners, no two of them in one year, everybody knows she is telling the truth. And when she points out that those dinners for many years were prepared over a wood fire in a big, old-fashioned fireplace…

Further Mentions: A. J. Chessher, David George, the marriage of Mrs. Melvina Georae to Anderson Chessher. Jack Ingle,

A GOOD DOCTOR MADE TEXAS A STATE

Eighty-six years ago a joint resolution providing for the annexation of the then Republic of Texas to the Union was passed by Congress. On the following day President Tyler gave his official assent to the measure. So -was taken a step that led not only to the acquisition of the vast Lone Star State but also to the. Mexican war and the consequent expansion of the United States over a tremendous western territory, including the present State of California, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. Yet if a sick man in Indiana hadn't bad a good physician all the tremendous course of events might have been changed.

In 1843' Daniel Kelso, a prominent Hoosier lawyer, was running for State Senator from Switzerland county, Indiana. The district was close and great interest was manifest in the election, since the Indiana Legislature would be called upon to choose a United States Senator. The sick man referred to had once been charged with murder and had been acquitted. Kelso had defended him, and the man naturally felt under great obligations to the attorney. A week before the election the doctor told the patient that his end was near. The sufferer begged him to use every means to stave off death until he could cast his ballot for Kelso. On election day the sick man was carried to the polls, cast his vote and immediately collapsed, dying in a few hours. When the ballots were counted it was,

found that Kelso had won by one vote. Then came the election of a United States Senator by th'e Hoosier lawmakers. The annexation of Texas was the great issue before the people. The South favored the measure, but in the North there was bitter opposition, on the ground that such. action would increase the area and political strength of the South and certainly lead to war with Mexico.

Indiana, as always, was it doubtful State, and the Legislature was evenly divided…

A Splendid Patriotism

Very interesting story of Mr. L. W. Kemp, patriotic Texan who discovered the burial places of early Texans and had them removed to the State cemetery at Austin, or re-buried in a proper manner in their home counties. Mr Kemp was born at Cameron, Milam County, on, September 4, 1881, and has all his life been deeply interested in the romantic history of Texas. After locating a number of the graves, he decided to attempt to get an appropriation from the Legislature to remove the remains from, the abandoned cemeteries to the beautiful State cemetery at Austin. In this work he found the members of our Legislature heartily responsive to the patriotic duty, and the work began. Mr Kemp includes, in this article, a list of these re-burials with a brief history of the patriots. Here is an excerpt:

-Removed the remains of James Pinckney Henderson, First Governor of Texas, from the old Congressional Cemetery at Washington to Austin and there erected a monument.

-Removed the remains of Peter Hansbrough Bell (inote the spelling of Hansbrough commonly misspelled Hansborough) from Littleton North Carolina.

-Erecting a $600.00 monument to Kenneth L. Anderson, last Vice President of the Republic, at his grave at Anderson, Texas.

-Removed the remains of Jesse Billingsley, a Captain, at San Jacinto, from McDade, Bastrop County, Texas.

-Removed the remains of Jesse Grimes, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, from a cemetery near Navasota.

-Removed the remains of Oliver Jones and wife from an abandoned cemetery in the heart of the City of Houston,. Jones was one of the congressmen during the Republic who designed the flag of the Republic, and now the State flag of Texas.

-Removed the remains of Moseley Baker and wife from this same cemetery. Captain Baker commanded a' Company at San Jacinto,

-Removed the remains of John. A. Greer from land belonging to a negress near San Augustine. Greer was a senator in the congress of the Republic from the 2nd to the 9th session, inclusive. Greer County, Texas, now Oklahoma, was named in his honor.

-Removed the remains of Richard Ellis from an abandoned cemetery near New Boston, Bowie County. Ellis was President of the Convention that declared the Independence of Texas and he was a signer of that instrument.

-Removed the remains of Governor Hardin R. Runnels from an abandoned cemetery near New Boston.

-Removed the remains of Rev. James C. Wilson from an abandoned cemetery near Gonzales. Wilson was a Mier prisoner. Wilson. County was named for him.

Removed the remains of Robert M,. Williamson (Three-legged Willie) from Wharton.

-Removed the remains of Robert Potter from an abandoned cemetery in Marion County. Potter was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independeince.

-Removed the remains of Edwin Waller and wife from Waller's former plantation in Waller County. Waller was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence.

-Erected a monument at the grave of Alexander Horton who is buried near San Augustine. Horton was an Aide de Camp to General Houston at San Jacinto.

-Removed the remains of Edward H. Tarrant from an abandoned cemetery near Italy, Ellis County, to Fort Worth.

-Removed the remains of William B. Scates and wife from an abandoned cemetery in Montgomery County. Scates was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence.

-Erected a monument to Robert J. Calder at Richmond, Texas. Calder was a Captain at San Jacinto.

-Erected a monument to Stephen Crosby at Oakwood Cemetery at Austin. Crosby was an early State Comptroller and Crosby County was named in his honor.

-Erected a monument at the grave of Robert A. Irion at his grave in Oakhill Cemetery at Nacogdoches. Irion was a cabinet member under President Sam Houston.

-Removed the remains of Captain James H. Callahan from Blanco. Captain Callahan was a famous Indian fighter for whom Callahan County was named.

-Removed the remains of Captain Benjamin T. Bryant from an abandoned cemetery in-Milam County. Bryant was a Captain at San Jacinto.

-Erected a monument to Captain Matthew Caldwell at the cemetery in Gonzales, Captain Caldwell ("Old Paint") was Captain of the Santa Fe Expedition in 1841.

-Removed the remains of Royall T. Wheeler, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. of Texas, from an abandoned cemetery near Galveston.

-Erected a monument near the last resting place of Erasmus (Deaf) Smith at Richmond, Texas.' The exact location of Deaf Smith's grave is lost but a $1,000 monument will be placed in the vicinity of the spot where his remains lie buried.

-The following men were years ago buried in the State Cemetery but no marker had been placed at their graves, and appropriations were made for that purpose.

-Win. L. Hunter;' Survivor of the Fannin Massacre.

-Etc, etc, etc

SOME NAMES MENTIONED IN THIS VOLUME:

Barbara Allen; Jim Allen; Kenneth L. Anderson; Archibald Arcano; Orean Arcen; Austin; G. Avery; George Avery; Dr Moseley Eugene C. Baker; Col Barragan; Barragan; Bean; Peter Hansbrough Bell; B. Eustace Benton; Lee Bertillion; Tom Bigby; Jesse Billingsley; Hawkins Billy; Capt James Bird; Calvin Blassingame; Woodson Blassingame; Jake Bowers; Dr Brennan; Brown; John W. Brunton; Capt Benjamin T. Bryant; Capt Sidney Burbank; Burleson; Burnet; John Butterfield; Robert J. Calder; Capt Caldwell; Hinton Caldwell; Capt Callahan; Capt James H. Callahan; James Hughes; Cameron; ; Capt Carnes; A. J. Chessher; Anderson Chessher; Mrs Melvina Chessher; Viny Chessher; ; M. Cinnamon; David Cochrehan; David R. Cochrehan; Carl F. (Frank) Collins; W. L. Collins; David Combs; David S. Combs; ; Jack Combs; George Conally; George Connally; J. W. Council; Stephen Crosby; Cross; A. E. Dabney; Dr David W. Daily; Dr David Darby; Capt Davis; Capt Henry P. Davis; J. S. Davis; J. S. (Springer) Davis; Sarah Medina Day; Mrs S. V. Devany; Snowden Maj Dickson; Dixon; Dobie; Berry Durham; Duval; ; Henry Eiholt; Ellis; Caten Erhart; Gen Felisola; Fisher; Jason Forwood; Forwood; Hugh Francis; John Gates; David George; Mrs Melvina George; Gillett; Goodnight; Dr A. W. Gould; Gen Thomas J. Green; John A. Greer; Jesse Grimes; Miss Sarah Ground; Squire Ground; Capt Hancock; Edward A. Hannigan; Hardin; W. W. Haupt; Hayes; Jim Heap; Henderson; E. Clement Hinds; J. M. Holder; Joe M. Holder; Alexander Horton; William L. Hunter; Jack Ingle; Melvina Ingle; Robert A. Irion; James Irion; N. A. Jennings; Francis W. Johnson; W. S. Johnson; Oliver Jones; Daniel Kelso; L. W. Kemp; Lou Kemp; Ed Kone; Judge Ed Kone; Mrs Ed Kone; Gus Kone; Sam R. Kone; Joseph Wood Krutch; Lamar; Charlie Leake; Rosa Lee; Lehmann; Lemley; Bill Longely; Marshal Lowe; Dr Manlove; Lula Martin; Jim Mast; Sam Mathews; ; Samuel Mathews; Capt Benjamin McCulloch; Thomas G. McGehee; Maj S. R. McKie; Gen Hugh McLeod; Capt L. H. McNelly; Ben Carlton Mead; Col Meecham; L. Melasky; Leon Melasky; Hood Mendel; Mendel; Milam; Len Miller; Maj Miller; S. G. Miller; Sarah Moore; Bill Morgan; Dave Morgan; Evans Morgan; W. J. Morgan; Dan Murphy; E. Maj Nance; Jim Newton; Ben Ogletree; Miss Emma Ogletree; John S. Ogletree; Bird Owen; Kate Patterson; R. A. Pearson; George K. Perkins; Julia Peterkin; Buck Pettus; Gen John D. Pitts; Rebecca Pitts; Capt William A Pitts. ; Robert Potter; G. Proctor; Clayburne Pyle; Homer Rankin; Burton Rascoe; H. C. Reno; Henry Richardson; Felix D. Judge Robertson; Gen Felix H. Robertson; Gen Jerome B. Robertson; T. D. Robinson; Chipita Rodriques; Rose; B. F. Rowe; Hardin R. Runnels; T. J. Rusk; ; Harvey Sansbury; ; W. H. D. Saunders; Dr Sayers; William B. Scates; O. S. Schill; Frank Skidmore; Erasmus (Deaf) Smith; ; James Smith; John G. Smith; Smithwick; Arthur Stilwell; Edward H. Tarrant; Capt Teal ; Blount Turner; Capt Turner; Pres Tyler; Carl Van Doren; Earle W. Walker; Wallace; Edwin Waller; Maj Ward; Martha Washington; Royall T. Wheeler; Bob White; Williams; Rev James C. Wilson; Capt James C. Winn; Adrian Gov Woll; A. Womack; Miss Robbie Woodruff; Dr P. C. Woods