Vol 13 No. 07 - April 1936

The Battle Of San Jacinto

This account of the battle that ended Texas’ great struggle for independence portrays the background to that battle in the spirit of patriotism that arose from the ashes of the Alamo.

The Story Of Old Fort Anahuac

Zephyr Kindel Williams

This is the story of the fort that was erected by the Mexican government who intended that it serve the double purpose of serving for a Custom House, and as a protection from the Indians. In the early days of the settlement this section of Anahuac was one of the few ports of entry along the Gulf Coast. The old fortress was built on a high bluff overlooking Trinity Bay and commanding the channel leading to the mouth of the Trinity river about three miles above. At present constant dredging is necessary to keep the channel open for navigation but it is said that in those days silt from the river had not begun to fill the channel and boats of considerable size could pass up the channel and the Trinity river as far as Liberty, smaller boats plied the Trinity as far as Dallas and Fort Worth. Considerable shipping was carried on over this water route, being one of the most important in this section of the state at that time.

Searching For Sam Bass' Gold

What did Sam Bass do with his stolen gold? Did the famous train robber bury in Texas his share of the $60,000 in twenty-dollar gold coins taken from the Union Pacific Express in 1877? This story offers suggestions.

Further Mentions: Squire Milliner's place near the mouth of Salt Creek * the Union Pacific Express * Wayne Gard of Dallas * A Denton saloonkeeper * loot was reported buried in Montague county northwest of Denton * cave near McNeil, a few miles south of Round Rock * Henry Chapman, who lived near Springtown, in Parker county * Harrison's gin, at the pool on Clear Fork * Skeen's Peak * , N. B. Hamilton, a Round Rock liveryman * B. H. Allen and George Townsley * the old Leander and Liberty Hill road, two miles northwest of Round Rock * Cove Hollow * Marcus Plowman * the Oak Cliff and of the Houston Street viaduct *

Jesse Chisholm, A Stalwart Figure In History

Pioneer, Peacemaker, Patriot, Pathfinder

By Joseph B. Thoburn, Historian of Oklahoma.

Jesse Chisholm was born in East Tennessee in 1805. His father was a white man, and like many of the Appalachian highlanders, was of Scottish extraction. The family surname would seem to indicate the possibility of Scandanavian blood in his ancestry. The mother was a Cherokee Indian woman. In the years of his early youth his parents migrated across the Mississippi and settled in a Cherokee colony which had located in West Central Arkansas. In 1829, these Western Cherokee people moved again, settling in the new Cherokee country in the Indian Territory west of the then Territory of Arkansas. Young Chisholm moved to the new reservation with his fellow tribesmen, being then about twenty-four years old. In 1831, he was said to have been employed as a guide by a party of white men who wanted to go to the vicinity of the site of the present city of Wichita, Kansas, in quest of some buried treasure, the existence of which he did not guarantee. As a young man, he was married to a Cherokee woman, one or two children being born to the union, which did not prove to be congenial, a separation ultimately taking place. He was a wanderer and became well acquainted with the Southwestern frontier, between the Arkansas and Red rivers. He also developed considerable ability as a trader with the Indians of the untamed tribes of the plains, which made his services in demand as a guide and interpreter for various Government expeditions. He lived a fruitful and eventful life. This is his story.

Further Mentions: Leavenworth-Dodge military expedition * Miss Edwards * the present town of Asher * the southern part of Pottawatomie county * Col. A. P. Chouteau * Council Grove * Albert Pike * James R. Mead * Daisy Lemon Coldiron * Neshusta Shinka * T. U. Taylor * Orange Jacket Club of the University of Texa * Fort Gibson * William Wallace and Robert Bruce, Bannockburn and Culloden * Joseph B. Thoburn * Johnny-Lefthand Spring * Bryan county, Oklahoma * Captain Henry Spekes *

Was Creed Taylor At San Jacinto?

By L. W. Kemp

Creed Taylor, a pioneer Texan, wrote a lengthy account of the services he rendered in the army of Texas in 1835 and 1836. The services Mr. Taylor claimed to have rendered are not substantiated in many instances by the official records in the General Land Office, and in the archives of the State preserved by the Texas State Library in the capitol. Nevertheless, he claimed to have fought at San Jacinto. This story gives details.

A Journey Through Texas In 1856

By Frederick Law Olmsted (Continued from Last Month)

The Lackey Tragedy In Blanco County

By Lee Brown.

August 24, 1885, witnessed the most dire tragedy of the history of Blanco county, when on the morning of that day Al Lackey maddened or demented slew six of his immediate family or relatives, on the Perdenales River and Hickory Creek, in the north end of the county. Saddling his horse and taking his Winchester rifle he started out to exterminate, seemingly, the entire Lackey connection. Going up the valley he shot his niece who was sitting near the front door of her little home, rocking and singing to her little baby, and when the body was found lying on the floor the baby was asleep against the body covered with its mother's blood. His brother ran in endeavoring to escape but tripped and fell, and as he begged for his life Lackey stuck the gun behind his ear and pulled the trigger. Mr. and Mrs. Stokes, an aged couple fell before the fire of his rifle, and then his own daughter and another relative were slain, and then to Lackey's chagrin he found he had no cartridges. He rode back to his own home where he tried to kill his wife and small baby with a knife; but she managed to escape from the house and ran to a nearby thicket where he chased her for some time, finally giving up the chase and she saw him slash his own throat. He seemed to back out after one deep gash had been cut: went to his horse and getting into the saddle headed in the direction of Johnson City. On the road he met a neighbor, Al Bundick, and asked him to ride to a spring with him. Bundick noticed that Lackey had a handkerchief to his throat but…This is a dreadful account of that tragedy.

Further Mentions: Johnson City * Hickory Creek, some two miles below the Sandy post office * Charlie Cabaniss * Brushy Top * Miller Creek * Phil P. Cage * Prof. W. H. Bruce * Esquire Lewellyn Robinson * John R. Robison * Alvin Wegner * The "Lackey tree" stands just north of Paradise Hollow, one mile north of Blanco, on highway 66 *

Running With The Mavericks

W. E. Rogers, Marlin, Texas.

This is the story of the "underground" church of pioneer Texas.

Texas was built up by plain people, committed to the soil, living along crooked streams and in quiet coves by the sides of straggling mountains. These calico and jeans people came from the states in lumbering wagons and settled in the midst of a virgin country filled with game and swarming with Indians.

They had a purpose and won their way per force of the truest valor, intending to the last to keep their pledge to their foster mother. There was a slight but permissable defect, however, with reference to their religious pledge, for in the beginning it was understood that the whole of Mexico was Catholic. That, in order to preserrve a homogeneous nationality, the Mexican republic exacted membership in the faith on the part of all immigrants; despite which, nearly everyone of those who broke away from their ancient fastnesses were staunch Protestants, hating the Catholic. For the purpose of slipping through the nose, they appeared before a bushwhacking priest, took the vows, contacted with a sprinkle of psuedo holy water, and repaired more strongly confirmed in the Baptist faith than ever before.

Quickly they began the erection of churches, drawing members from far and near. Where the "one-gallus" preachers came from, heaven knows, and how they got by is something to tell, unless they recanted for the moment their faith like their brethren did and winked their way by a fake priest. The vital facts are that, like the yellow-breasted lark that chirped out on a limb in the peach orchard after the first killing frost, they were there, breaking the bread of life to hungry communicants…

Lonely Memorial Marks Grave Of Belle Starr

Joe Synar and Richard Venator.

This is the story of Belle Starr, one of the most daring female desperadoes in history. This woman possessed a feminine appeal that rivaled that of Cleopatra, and a power of leadership comparable to the genius of Napoleon, she was one of the most agreeable, yet craftiest, persons of her sex. Her deeds of outlawry seemed to be more for the pleasure of excitement and chase than for the desire to take human life and, according to old timers who knew her personally, she never killed a man. This is her story.

Further Mentions: the tombstone which marks the grave of the Territorial outlawess is southwest of Porum on the quicksand banks of the south Canadian river * Belle Starr canyon * Myra Belle Shirley * Belle had a twin brother, Ed * Captain Shirley * Ed joined the Missouri bushwhackers and later became captain of the guerrillas under the dauntless Quantrell * Sam Starr * McCurtain * Watson, alias Charles Coleman, an Arkansas fugitive * Newtonia, Mo * Major Enos * the James boys, Cole Younger * Jim Reed * John Fisher * Ellis West of Muskogee * Tom Starr * the Ridge party * Briartown * Jim French, Jack Spaniard, "Blue Duck," * Greer county * George's Fork, between Porum and Warner * "Uncle" Billy Vann *

Trail Driver Relates Interesting Experiences

Fred Mosebach.

This is a very excellent account of Adolph Huffmeyer, cattleman of Frio county, TX , whose experiences date back to 1870 when he was a youngster of 15 years acquiring the art of twirling a rope and tying down and branding mavericks on the prairies of Frio county. He spent much of his life in the saddle rounding up cattle and made a number of trips over the old trail to Dodge City, Kansas City and Platte River, Neb., driving herds of Texas cattle through to the markets. He lived through the wild and wooly days when savage Indians infested southwest Texas and made heavy raids on cattle, and often exchanged shots with the redskins in a running fight, during which he had some narrow escapes.

He slept on the open prairies in all kinds of weather with a couple of blankets and a blue army overcoat as his bedding, and during severe rainstorms, before the yellow oiled slickers were made, he sat up all night wet to the skin and the rain pouring down and no protection whatever. Still, with all these hardships he never became seriously ill, which he attributed to the plain simple food he had, consisting of cornbread, beef and black coffee the year around, something for expert dieticians to ponder. "While the cornbread was baking, with tallow for shortening, the beef would be broiling on a stick," he said, "and I can assure you it tasted mighty good, since we killed nothing but the choicest heifer yearlings." There is some rich history of the area in this account.

Further Mentions: Henry Huffmeyer * Joe Beckmann * the Duerler homestead on South St. Mary Street, next to the Hermann Sons Hall * He also bought the property on the southwest corner of Commerce and Navarro Streets in 1848, paying $100 for it. * Baetz & Lange had their blacksmith and wheelwright shop, fronting on Navarro Street, near Market Street * Later he engaged in-farming in Kendall county, on the Guadalupe river, and here Adolph Huffmeyer was born on Nov. 25, 1855 * Castroville * Louis Oge * Albert Steves, Joe Braden, Bart DeWitt, Joe Monier, Charles Gersdorff and Bryan Callaghan * St. Mary's College * Brother Charles Francis, Brother Edwards and Brother Bertram of the faculty of old St. Mary's College * the Oge Ranch, which was about 35 miles southwest of where Pearsall now is * Friotown * Newt and Enos Wufter * the Wufter brothers * Emil Huffmeyer * Grover Cleveland * George W. Saunders * Will Rogers *

Mystery Of The Angel Of Goliad Unsolved

Marjorie. Rogers.

Account of the "Angel of Goliad", the beloved Mexican woman who saved the lives of twenty-five American soldiers that fatal Palm Sunday. A beautiful, kind hearted woman had come into Goliad with the Mexican soldiers. Some called her Madam Alverez, Alavez, Alvesco and Panchita. But whatever her real name was the Angel of Mercy graced her more perfectly. Evidently from the records Capt. Telesforo Alavez picked Panchita up on the road as he traveled with General Urrea. Whatever her legal status was she had influence enough with Colonel Garey, the Mexican officer, to save the lives of many Texas "rebels" when she learned that the prisoners were to be shot. This is her story.

Further Mentions: the old Mission LaBahia * Dr. J. H. Barnard * Miller and his men * Colonel Garey * John Henry Brown * Dr. Jack Shackelford * Colonel Holtzinger * Benjamin Franklin Hughes * General Urrea * Reuben R. Brown * Captain Telesforo Alvarez * Maria Augustine De Pozo * Toluca

"Home On The Range" Controversy Settled

Frontier Times for April 1935 carried a story called "Trailing a Ballad" which dealt with the history of "Home on the Range" and stated that the writer of this famous western song was unknown.

It is now a pleasure to report that the mystery surrounding the song's origin has been solved, thanks to the efforts of a New York attorney, Samuel Moanfeldt, who specializes in straightening out the legal tangles of music publishers. Mr. Moanfeldt represented the group of music houses which published "Home on the Range" and were sued for copyright infringement by William and Mary Goodwin of Tempe, Arizona. In 1904 the Goodwins had published "An Arizona Home," in its essentials much the same as "Home on the Range." When the latter became a popular song and a real money maker in the music trade, they sued in the United States District Court in New York City, asking half a million dollars damages…

Further Mentions: Dr. Brewster Higley, a physician who had homesteaded near Smith Center on Beaver Creek, a tributary of the Solomon River * Smith Center * Dan Kelly another Smith county homesteader * Mr. Clarence Harlan * the Smith County Pioneer

INCLUDED ARE THE REAL AND ORIGINAL LYRICS FOR THIS GREAT OLD SONG B. M. ROBERTS, MY HUSBAND

Brief account of Benjamin McCulloch Roberts, the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Roberts, who was born in 1847, near Lockhart, Caldwell county, Texas.

Further Mentions: Benevides' Regiment * General Lee * Captain Dan Roberts * A. A. Roberts * Mrs. Margaret Jane Roberts * Mrs. Sue Waxler * William Henry York and D. Stewart York

 

Some names mentioned in this volume:

B. H. Allen; Madam Alvarez; Captain Madam Alvarez; Capt Telesforo Alvarez; Andrews ; Col Austin; D. W. C. Baker; Dr Barnard; George Barnard; Dr J. H. Barnard; Dr Florence E. Barns; Bass; Joe Beckmann; Boone; Lois F. Boyle; Joe Braden; ; Lee Brown; Reuben R Brown. ; Robert Bruce; W. H. Prof Bruce; Al Bundick; Capt Edward Burleson; David G. Burnett; Burr; Frank Bushick; Charlie Cabaniss; Phil P. Cage; Bryan Callaghan; Carter; Melissa A. Castle; Fred Chabot; Henry Chapman; George Chisholm; Jesse Chisholm; ; Col A. P. Chouteau; Grover Cleveland; Daisy Lemon Coldiron; Capt Coleman; Charles Coleman; Capt R. M. ; D. E. Conwill; L. L. Cook; Cos; lt W. Cousins; Davis; Maria Augustine De Pozo; DeShields; Bart DeWitt; Duval; Chas Eckhart; Miss Edwards; Herman Ehrenberg; Tex Elam; Emmett; Maj Enos; R. J. Farr; Dr Field; Joseph E. Field; John Fisher; Fletcher; Henry Stuart Foote; Charles Francis; Jim French; Z. T. Fulmore; H. P. N. Gammel; Wayne Gard; Col Garey; Charles Gersdorff; Mary Goodwin; William Goodwin; Green; James K. Greer; Hamilton; N. B. Alexander ; Clarence Harlan; Harris; Harry Harter; Dr Brewster Higley; Higley; Holley; Col Holtzinger; Boyce House; Adolph Huffmeyer; Emil Huffmeyer; Henry Huffmeyer; Benjamin Franklin Hughes; Gen F. Huston; Jones; Jim July; Capt Henry Karnes; Dan Kelly; Kemp; Kendall; E. E. Kirkpatrick; Al Lackey; Lamar; Langford; Lee; Lewis; John J. Linn; Longley; Chief Jose Maria; Sam Maverick; McCulloch; Dr McDonald; James R. Mead; Roxylea Melas; Maj Miller; Samuel Moanfeldt; Joe Monier; H. A. Moos; Paul A. Morgan; Fred Mosebach; Neil; Newell; LouisOge; Olmsted; Peak; Gov Pease; Albert Pike; Marcus Plowman; Col Poe; George W. Poe; James K. Polk; Ed Reed; Jim Reed; Pearl Reed; John C. Reid; Sam C. Reid; A. A. Roberts; B. M. Roberts; Mrs B. M. Roberts; Ben Roberts; Benjamin Roberts; Mrs Jerry Roberts; Margaret Jane Roberts; Lewellyn Robinson; John R. Robison; Rogers; W. E. Rogers; ; Rose; Saunders; J. Schmitz; Florence Johnson Scott; ; D. Jack Shackelford; Lona Shawver; Capt Shirley; Ed Shirley; Eliza Shirley; John Judge Shirley; Judge Shirley; Myra Belle Shirley; Deaf (Erasmus) Smith; Smithwick; Jack Spaniard; Capt Henry Spekes; W. Preston Stapp; Belle Starr; ; Sam Starr; Tom Starr; Albert Steves; Joe Synar; Fred Thalmann; Joseph B. Thoburn; Thoburn; Eugene Thumim; Joseph Tomlinson; George Townsley; Twiggs; Lady General Urrea; Billy Vann; Richard Venator; Venator; Wade; Wallace; Ward; Mrs Sue Waxler; Alvin Wegner; Ellis West; Frank West; B. G. Wiemers; Wilbarger; Evelyn Kindel Williams; R. H. Williams; Zephyr Kindel; Enos Wufter; Newt Wufter; Yoakum; D. Stewart York; Meredith; William Henry; Younger; Youngblood