Vol 15 No. 03 - December 1937

"Three-Legged Willie" Williamson

By J. Marvin Hunter.

Among the early lawyers in Texas R. M. (Three-Legged Willie) Williamson was without doubt the most outstanding, and in many ways proved himself a man of noble and generous impulses. Robert M. Williamson was born in Georgia in 1806. When he was fifteen years old he was attacked with a disease known as white swelling, which made him a permanent cripple and rendered it necessary for him to wear a wooden leg, which gave him his common sobriquet "Three Legged Willie." He came to Texas in 1826 or 1827, and located at San Felipe, engaging in the practice of law, and some time later became an Alcalde, or Judge. In 1835 he commanded a company in a campaign against the Indians, and was one of the Committee of Safety at Bastrop, where he then lived. He was in the General Consultation that same year. In 1836, after Texas had won her independence he became judge of the third district of the Republic. In 1840 he was elected to the Texas Congress, and was re-elected to represent Washington county until annexation; and for several years he represented the same county in the State Senate after annexation. Of all the popular leaders during the period of the Texas Revolution none wielded a more potential influence than R. M. Williamson. This is his story.

Further Mentions: Colonel Edwards of Wharton county * John Randolph * Noah Smithwick * Frank Stephens *

Dr. Hill Corrects An Erroneous Statement

Mentions: Dr. F. W. Hodge, the eminent historian and ethnologist, * Mr. Paul A. Jones * Mrs. Stephens * Caddoan Indian houses in Central Kansas * Dr. J. A. Udden * Miss May Weldon, of Bandera * Marcus T. C. Gould * the Butterick Company * The Pittman system * Judge O. W. Williams, of Ft. Stockton, Texas * by J. C. Williams * Mrs. Chas. Welch, of Bandera * Mrs. L. J. Vasbinder of Center Point * Uncle Joe Anderwald of Bandera * Karnes City, Texas * T. M. Knatcher of Fredonio, Mason county, Texas * James Columbus Knatcher * the old Stein & Geiser store in San Marcos * Jim Knatcher, in Jackson county * T. H. Phillips, of Medina, Texas * Mr. Phillips * Mr. R. I. Nichols, of Louise, Texas * Mrs. Grace L. Harris, Santa Cruz, California * the U. P. Railroad * Andy Adams * Ike Pryor * Billie Tilghman * John Young * Mr. J. N. Millhollon, city clerk of Higgins, Texas * Mrs. O. L. Neyland, Mrs. Virginia Macdonald, Mrs. Geo. L. Kahle, and Mrs. Virginia C. Harris * Mrs. Neyland

John Simpson Chisum and his Kin

By T. U. Taylor.

Account details extensive genealogical and historical data on the John Chisum family line of Texas. In 1873 he moved his ranch and located at South Springs, five miles southeasterly from the present town of Roswell, New Mexico, and it was here that he became the cattle king of the Southwest, with a territory that reached from the Texas line to the mountains near Old Lincoln. Here he reigned as a feudal lord. He was forced, for protection, to employ many fighting men, and in the year 1878 was dragged into the Lincoln County War. In the West he was known as "Honest John Chisum."

Mentions: John Chisum of Amelia county, Virginia * John Simpson Chisum * Ellender Gilington * Elijah Chisum * Hardeman county, Tennessee * White County Tennessee * Bolivar * the present town of Denmark in the present county of Madison * Austin P. Foster * Benjamin McCarty * Governor Sevier: Thomas Henderson, Elijah Chisum, James Blair, John Estes, Phelps Read, Benjamin McCarty, James Moore, John Bomen, John Kidwell, John Sims, William Thompson, and Major Lea * Claiborne * John Ownes * Colonel McCrory and Captain Willis * Lavinia Chisum * Elizabeth Chisum * Nancy Epps Chisum * Thomas G. Chisum * Rebecca Chisum * Elizabeth, who married John Turner * Ben Turner * John D. Thomas * John Dyer * Mitchell McCuiston * James Stell * Thomas J. Towers * Mrs. Cynthia Latimer * Ben Bourland * John B. Denton * Village Creek * Epp Gibbons * Lavinia Pirtle * Dr. Henry Graham McDonald * William Johnson McDonald * Henry Dearborn McDonald * Maggie Moores * James T. McDonald * Howland * Mrs. Sarah Johnson Turner * Sarah Johnson Turner McDonald * Miss Isabella Roberts * Alex Wright * McKenzie College * Dr. John Witherspoon Pettigrew McKenzie * Dr. John Witherspoon * Pettigrew McKenzie * Bolivar Ranch

SONGS OF THE OPEN RANGE

Mentions: C. C. Birchard & Company * R. B. Cunninghame Graham * A. F. Tschiffely * Mr. Joe Benton, of Nocona, Texas

A Yacht Voyage To The New World

By Mrs. Houstoun.

Lengthy, detailed and thrilling account of voyage that was made by this intrepid young woman in September, 1843, on the schooner yacht Dolphin from England to the then struggling Republic of Texas. (Continued from Last Month)

The Seminole Indian Scouts On The Border

By Frost Woodhull

Very extensive and detailed account describing the use of the enigmatic Seminoles as Scouts for the United States Army.

"The Seminoles, before the removal of the main body from Florida to Indian Territory, consisted chiefly of descendants of Muscogee (Creeks) from the lower Creek towns, with a considerable number of refugees from the Tipper Creeks-together with remnants of Yamasee-and other conquered tribes and a large negro element from runaway slaves."

Mentions: Brackettville, in Kinney county, Texas * the Reservation at Fort Clark * Naciemento, Mexico * Eagle Pass, Texas * Jesse Sumpter * Fort Duncan * Wild Cat, the Seminole chief, and Juan Caballo, a Seminole negro * Charlie Dame * Renty Grayson * Charlie Daniels * John L. Bullis * Colonel R. S. Mackenzie * General R. S. Mackenzie * General C. C. Augur * Las Moras Creek * Remelino * Pompey Factor * Isaac Payne * John Ward * The murder of the McLauren family * John Cavillas * Mr. Harley True Burton in his "History of the J. A. Ranch" * Henry Breckenridge * Hon. John N. Garner

The 2nd United States Dragoons In Texas

By Colonel M. L. Crimmins.

The Second Dragoons were ordered to Texas and New Mexico after the Mexican War, and the War Department tried to get them back to their former standard of efficiency and again make them appear like the crack regiment they really were. They were ordered by' the Secretary of War to wear their hair "cropped," their whiskers not to extend lower than the tip of the ear; mustaches could only be worn by cavalry regiments, and all officers were enjoined to observe and enforce these army regulations. Their duties in Texas were to protect the settlements from the Comanches, Apaches, and hostile Indians of other tribes and to preserve our neutrality from violation by evil disposed white men or filibusters along the Mexican border. This is the story.

Mentions: General David E. Twiggs * Captain Thornton * Point Isabel * Palo Alto between the mouth of the Rio Grande and Brownsville * Major Samuel Ringgold * Resaca de la Palma * La Vaga * the Krag-Jorgensen * Captain Charles August May * General La Vaga. Lieutenant Zebulon Montgomery Pike Inge * Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Hardee * Brevet Captain Oakes * Brevet Major-General Phillip St. George Cooke * Major Crittendon *

MRS. SAM R. KONE DEAD.

Mentions: a sister, Mrs. Kate Pritchett of Huntsville * Miss Florence Kone of San Marcos, Mrs. Kate Campbell and Mrs. Laura Simms of San Antonio ; two sons, Spencer and Sam Kone, Jr., also of San Antonio

Frontier Times Museum Will Be Enlarged

By J. Marvin Hunter.

Mentions: Judge A. V. Pue, Bandera * E. B. Elam, Bandera * B. G. Wiemers, Bandera * Caddo Cameron * W. R. Fletcher * E. Buck * Charles Eckhart * W. M. Waide * Albert Maverick, San Antonio * C. E. Schoff, San Antonio * Mrs. J. M .Kincaid, San Antonio. Hon. Harry Hertzberg, San Antonio. W. E. Wrather, Dallas. R. S. Ellison, Tulsa, Oklahoma. L. A. Schreiner, Kerrville. W. A. Philpott, Jr., Dallas. Alex Brinkmann, Comfort. John E. Owens, Dallas. Miss Ruth Coit, San Antonio. J. Frank Dobie, Austin. Mrs. C. T. Traylor, Cuero. Dr. S. E. Thompson, Kerrville. M. S. Garretson, New York. E. C. de Montel, Wichita Falls. Dr. P. I. Nixon, San Antonio. Miss Isabel Allardyce,Dorval,Canada S. C. Butler, Kenedy. Louis Lenz, Lake Charles, La. Leslie Traylor, New York. H. N. Darst, Richmond. Judge O. W. Williams, Ft. Stockton Fred W. Croxen, Window Rock,Ariz W. S. Mabry, Selma, Alabama. R. I. Nichols, Louise. R. W. Nowlin, San Antonio. Gabriel Tibiletti, Victoria. Edgar Montieth, Houston. Dr. C. F. Lehmann, San Antonio. Ted Hillman, Bandera. C. Stanley Banks, San Antonio. * Mr. R. S. Ellison, Tulsa, Oklahoma * Mr. C. E. Schoff, San Antonio * Miss Isabel Allardyce, Dorval Canada * Hon. Harry Hertzberg, San Antonio * Albert Maverick, San Antonio * Mrs. J. M. Kincaid, San Antonio * Mr. E. C. de Montel, Wichita Falls * Mrs. C. T. Traylor, Cuero * Dr. Sam E. Thompson, Kerrville * Mr. M. S. Garretson, New York * Mr. W. S. Mabry, Selma, Alabama * Mr. Alex Brinkmann, Comfort * Miss Ruth Coit, San Antonio * Mr. Jno E. Owens, Dallas * Mr. Fred W. Croxen * Mr. Leslie Traylor, New York * Mr. Sykes C. Butler, Kenedy * Mr. Louis Lenz, Lake Charles, La * Mr. R. W. Nowlin, San Antonio * Dr. Walter Prescott Webb * George Hugh Banning

Let's Know Texas And Texans

BY WILL H. MAYES

Mentions: Camp Elizario * Chief Victorio * General Joaquin Terrazas * Col. Ernest 0. Thompson * Gov. Lubbock and Gen. Con Terry * John B. Jones * Winan's Creek, six miles above Bandera * Jack Phillips * Dr. M. A. Taylor * Capt. Bethel Coopwood