Vol 17 No. 10 - July 1940

Heroines Of The Hills

By T. U. Taylor, Austin, Texas

In this series of accounts, T. U. Taylor describes the early settling, dangers, and development of the Texas Hill country, especially focusing in on four valleys; the Pedernales, an oval valley some twenty miles across, the valley of the Guadalupe, the beautiful Bandera valley, and the valley of the Sabina. The account was originally a public address and the following excerpt reveals the sad circumstances under which the address was offered.

It is with a sad heart that I greet you, fellow pioneers, today. Last Monday the thread of the life of my only son was snapped in the twinkling of an eye, and three days ago we lowered his body into Texas soil in the City of Austin. Had I consulted my own feelings, I would not have appeared here today, because it is with a sore heart that I look into your faces. But again, I thought of the homes in Bandera, Kerr, and Gillespie counties where great tragedies had occurred, where the red warriors shed the blood of some pioneers, captured children and murdered not only the father, but the mother and often little children, and in all cases the survivors of the family never retreated, but took up their duties the next day and carried on the part of your ancestors, I stifled my grief and came to mingle again with you.

In my talk today I shall distinguish between the pioneers and the frontiersmen. A man can be a pioneer and never run into danger, but a frontiersman was in danger from the lurking savage and the red warrior every minute of the day. He never went without his sixshooter, his rifle, or shot gun. He was always ready, and every stream and spring in Bandera county has been dyed by the blood of the frontier pioneers—your ancestors—from Fredericksburg to Uvalde...

Further Mentions: In 1846 German immigrants settled the county of Gillespie * New Braunfel * Mrs. Clara Feller * Mr. Deitert * Herman Dittmar * Old Indianola * William A. Peril and .his bride, Olive Lock * Kerrville * Harper * Old Horse-head Crossing * John Chisum * Oliver Loving * the Peril Trail * the Schreiners, the Reals, the Starkeys, and the Reeses * The Rees family settled in Bandera in 1851 * Martha Rees * Turtle Creek * Judge James Monroe Starkey * Grandma Jones, the Thalmann family * Jack Stevens * Lucy Wells * Pleasanton * Grandma Moravietz * Spring Creek, in Polk county, Tennessee * Maggie Harris * William Ware * John C. Ware * the Wares and Thompsons and Fenleys * Waresville *

HISTORY OF THE GREEN FLAG

The state of Texas has been ruled under seven different flags, the last of them the green flag, raised by a group of revolutionists in the early part of the nineteenth century. The history of the state under all of these flags, but particularly the last one, is told by Dr. Kathryn Garrett, who received her doctorate from the University of California in 1934 and is now a school executive of Dallas.

Dr. Garrett's work throws new light on the interest of President Madison in the various revolutionary movement in Texas. It appeared that the American government welcomed the spread of revolutionary struggle from Mexico, seeing therein an opportunity to…

"COWBOY SONGS."

Mentions: John A. Lomax and Allan Lomax * Mr. Edward N. Waters * Professor George Byman Kittredge

NEW HONOR BESTOWED ON "THE GRAND OLD MAN."

The famous watch chain worn by "the Grand Old Man of Texas" is going to sag a little lower—he's got another medal. T. U. Taylor, for more than a generation dean of engineering at the University of Texas, has been informed that the University of Virginia at its commencement exercises, awarded him a new prize—the badge of membership in the Thomas Jefferson Society of

Patriarchs. The honor is …

Captain John Reagan Baker

Houston Wade, Author of "Notes and Fragments of the Mier Expedion"

(Continued from Last Month.)

Account of Capt. John Reagan Baker, soldier and son of Peter and Margaret Laura (Reagan) Baker. He was born near Blue Springs, Green County, Tennessee, on August 6, 1809 and made his first visit to Texas in 1836. In 1839 he returned to Texas and became a member of the Texan auxiliary corps of the Federalista army encamped at Fort Lipantitlán. Later he went to Refugio County and settled in Aransas City where he was elected sheriff of Refugio County on February 1, 1841, and organized a company of minutemen, of which he was captain. After gallant service, Baker returned to Refugio County and established a mercantile business at Saluria, on Matagorda Island. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he organized a home-guard company and was elected its captain. After the war he lived in Goliad County for a while, then moved to Indianola and again entered the mercantile business. In 1876 he moved to Wilson County, to a ranch near Stockdale, where he died on January 19, 1904. This is his story.

Further Mentions: Captain Ryan * Colonel Wm. S. Fisher * Captain Cameron * John Rufus Alexander * George Lord * Captain Charles Keller Reese * C. K. Reese * Samuel Hamilton Walker * Mr. A. L. Baker * Alfred A. Lee, Second Lieutenant of Company A * Dr. Richard Fox Brenham * Captain Archibald Fitzgerald * John Higgerson * Captain Dawson * Lorenzo Rice * John Lyons * Ferdinand Brey, W. H. Cody, A. J. Lewis, Wm. Mitchell, Jonathan T. Morehead, Perry D. Randolph and Stanford Rice * John Rufus Alexander, George Anderson, John L. D. Blackburn, Thomas Washington Cox and William Oldham * James C. Wilson * Col. Wm. S. Fisher * Fenton M. Gibson * Captain John Reagan Baker was married to Miss Avis Emory Brown * Reverend Thomas Moody Brown * Harriet Jane * Samuel Carroll * Alonzo Wheeler of Wilson county * John Morgan * Minnie Mann * Allen Lewis * Ida Worsham * Robert Lott * Hynesville * Robert Wilkinson * Hynes Bay * a ranch on the Cibolo about six miles from Stockdale

Pioneer Points On The Pecos

By T. U. Taylor

The Pecos river, from its headwaters at Truchas Peak to the mouth of the Rio Grande, has certain definite strips or stretches that are distinctive. In this account, the author describes characteristics both historical and geographical of some of the more notable stretches of the great Texas River. This is a multi-part article and in this first installment details the following areas: POPE'S CROSSING, MOUTH BLACK RIVER, EDDY, CARLSBAD, LAKE AVALON, SEVEN RIVERS, RIO PENASCO, LINCOLN ON THE BONITA, SOUTH SPRINGS RANCH, BOSQUE GRANDE, FORT SUMNER, ANTON CHICO, PIEDMONT SECTION, SAN MIGUEL, CANYON SECTION.

Further Mentions: Gregg's western trip, in 1840 * Marcy's trip west from Fort Smith * in 1846 Doniphan's expedition * The Hondo, Penasco, Seven Rivers, the Delaware, and Toyah creek * Black Beaver, a Delaware Indian and a celebrated scout and guide * the Guadalupe Mountains * Pecos City * Sheffield * Connelly's trail * the Truchas Peak * Jicarillo * the old town of San Miguel * W. W. H. Davis * the Del Norte * Josiah Gregg * General McLeod * Captain R. B. Marcy * John Chisum and. Charles Goodnight * Tucumcarri * Old Fort Smith * Rio Gallinas * Pat Garrett * Ash Upson's store, now the City of Roswell * Bosque Grande * South Springs * Pioneer Point * west Rio Felix, Cottonwood Creek, the Penasco, and Seven Rivers * McMillan Reservoir, Lake Avalon * Monahan's Crossing * Black River * Lieutenant Withey * Bill Wilson * Judge James C. Wilson * Pope's Crossin * The Emigrant Trail * the present town of Barstow *

Indian Raid In Hamilton County

By J. M. Franks

Account of Indian raid that occurred in August, 1863, about eight miles northeast of Hamilton in Hamilton county, Texas where lived Mr. Green and Mr. Austin, their ranches being about 400 yards apart. These ranches were on a little creek known as Boggy, a tributary of the Leon River.

Further Mentions: An old bachelor by the name of Billie Ellison * the old Tom Moss ranch * Erath county cow punchers * an old man by the name of Cox * the Cowhouse Mountains * young man named Hollis

Alamo Might Have Been Saved

Accounts mentions discovery of valuable and informative papers bearing on plans which might have changed the outcome of the Alamo "massacre" and other events in early Texas history. The papers, classified as the Ira R. Lewis papers and which have been erroneously called the Austin papers, were discovered in the basement of an El Paso optometrist's shop, and were in possession of Lillian Fleck, El Paso high school student and descendant of Moses Austin, "father" of Texas.

Mentions: Mrs. Leita Small * S. Y. Reams * Miss Pica * Ira Randolph Lewis * Beauregard Bryan, late grandfather of Miss Fleck * Guy M. Bryan *

Old Fort Richardson

By Colonel Martin L. Crimmins

This post was located in Jack county, Texas, November 26, 1867, in latitude 33 degrees 15 minutes north longitude 21 degrees 15 minutes. west, on the south bank of Lost Creek, a branch of the Trinity river, and abandoned May 23, 1878. The town of Jacksboro is half a mile from the post. This account describes the geography and historical relevance of the old fort.

Mentions: Flat Top Mountain * Weatherford * Fort Concho, Texas * Jefferson and Montague * Lost Creek * wagonmaster, named Warren * Capt. Benjamin Tucker Hutchins * Lieut. Col. Theodore Maitheny * Captain C. B. McCellan * G. W. Haldi * Henry Pratt Perrine * Doctor Haldi * Major General B. H. Grierson * Captain W. A. Rafferty * Captain Clarence Mauch * Sergeant Louis Strupp * Lieutenant Henry B. Meller *

Bigfoot Wallace, The Daniel Boone Of Texas

By J. Marvin Hunter.

Account of William A. A. Wallace, better known as "Big-Foot" Wallace, real Texas frontiersman and Indian fighter. Frontier Times Magazine has printed numerous more lengthy versions of the life of this great man. In this account, the editor himself offers an excellent introductory sketch and overview of the man.

Mentions: Misses Rebecca Smith and Mabel Ma * William A. A. Wallhce was born near Lexington, Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1817 * W. D. (Seco) Smith * Mr. Dee Cochran * Devine * Mary Jackson * Capt. E. R. Tarver of Laredo *

The Editor’s Box

Mentions: Louis J. Kettner * Fredericksburg * Governor Coke R. Stevenson * Governor W. Lee O'Paniel * Dr. Summerfield Taylor * Mrs. E. E. Townsend * H. P. Hornhy * Mrs. Florence Fenley

Partial list of names mentioned in this volume:

Alexander; George Anderson; Gen Armijo; A. L. Baker; Allen Lewis Baker; Harriet Jane Baker; J. R. Baker; John Morgan Baker; John R. Baker; Lt John R. Baker; John Reagan Baker; Capt John Reagan Baker; Kate Baker; Lt Baker; Mary Haws Baker; Samuel Carroll; Bertillion; John L. D. Blackburn; Prof Herbert E. Bolton; Dr Richard Fox Brenham; Ferdinand Brey; Miss Avis Emory Brown; Rev Thomas Moody; Beauregard Bryan; Guy M. Bryan; Cameron; Capt C. H. Campbell; Israel Canfield; Chisholm; ; Sally Miss Chisum; Dee Cochran; W. H. Cody; Conwill; Cook; Thomas Washington Cox; Crimmins; W. W. H. Davis; Dawson; Capt Dessechi; Herman Dittmar; Dobie; Duval; Billie Ellison; Fannin; Mrs Clara Feller; Mrs Florence Fenley; Col Wm S. Fisher; Capt Archibald Fitzgerald; Lillian Fleck; Fletcher; J. M. Franks; Dr Kathryn Garrett; Fenton M. Judge Gibson; Goodnight; George Green; Joseph Gregg; Gen B. H. Grierson; G. W. Haldi; Maggie Harris; Hays; John Higgerson; H. P. Hornby; Huson; Capt Benjamin Tucker Hutchins; Mary Jackson; Louis J. Kettner; Prof George Byman Kittredge; Chief Kwech-Quash; Lamar; Langford; Alfred Alonzo Lee; A. J. Lewis; Ira R. Lewis; Ira Randolph Lewis; Olive Lock; Allan Lomax; Lord; Robert Lott; Loving; John Lyons; Pres Madison; Col Theodore Maitheny; Miss Mabel Major; Minnie Mann; Marcy; Capt Clarence Mauch; Capt C. B. McCellan; Capt Curwen B. McClellan; McCoy; McLeod; J. S. Jr McNeel; Lt Henry B. Mellen; Wm Mitchell; Moore; Jonathan T. Morehead; Tom Moss; Navarro; Neighbors; O'Daniel; William Oldham; Ollinger; Billy Peril; William A. Peril; Lt Henry Pratt Perrine; James K. Pres Polk; Pope; Capt W. A. Rafferty; Perry D. Randolph; S. Y. Reams; Martha Rees; C. K. Reese; Capt Charles Keller; Lorenzo Rice; Stanford; Rose; Ryan; Saunders; Mrs Leita Small; Miss Rebecca Smith; W. D. (Seco) Smith; Sowell; James Monroe Judge Starkey; Jack Stevens; Lt Gov Coke R. Stevenson; Sgt; Louis Strupp; Capt E. R. Tarver; Dr Summerfield; ; ; Mrs T. U. Taylor; Thalmann; Mrs E. E. Townsend; Capt Tullius Cicero Tupper; Ash Upson; Wade; Samuel Hamilton Walker; Wallace; ; Ware; William; Edward N. Waters; Lucy Wells; Alonzo Wheeler; Wiemers; Robert Wilkinson; Bill Wilson; Lt Withey; Woll; Ida Worsham;