Vol 18 No. 04 - January 1941

William B. Travis, Hero of the Alamo

By J. Marvin Hunter.

All patriotic Texians revere the name of William Barrett Travis, who at the age of only twenty-seven, made the supreme sacrifice for the liberty of Texas. When he came to Texas in 1831 he found a Mexican province, dominated wholly by a tyrannical Mexican government, which seemed to throw every obstacle in the way of development of the country by the American colonists who had come in. Stephen F. Austin had settled several hundred families in Texas only five years before Travis came, and the treatment accorded those colonists by the Mexican government brought about the revolution that finally won independence from Mexico. This story records the role that Travis played in the great destiny-shaping events of those days.

Mentions: * Travis was born in Edgefield District, South Carolina, August 1, 1809 * Abbeville District * Mark Travis, the father of the subject * Edgefield * Jemima Stallsworth * Conecuh county, Alabama * Prof. McCurdy * Miss Lucinda Cato * Patrick C. Jack * President Busta­mente * J. B. Bonham

Henry Hartman, Medina County Settler

By A. J. Sowell

Account of some of the life experiences of Mr. Henry Hartman, who offers details of early history in the Medina county, TX region and also of one of the most desperate encounters with Indians, one such as but few of our most noted and famous Indian fighters have passed through. Mr. Hartman came from the princi­pality of Schaumburg Lipe to New Fountain in 1860.

Mentions: * the Galveston News in Medina county * Judge M. Charobiny * the Verde Creek * the German Methodist church * Quihi * Castro's colony * the sailing vessel Wesser * he moved to the upper Guada­lupe, twenty miles above Kerrville * Chris Wachter * Louis Hartman, Fred Folk, Charles Martin * The Hondo River * Captain Richarz * the terrible battle near Carrizo * Sam H. Dickey * S. M. Dickey * Judge L. Gough

Obituary of Mrs. Amasa Clark

Brief obituary and bio. of the wife of frontier veteran Amasa Clark, long-time Bandera, TX resident. Mrs. Clark was born in Jackson coun­ty, Mississippi, January 7, 1859, and came to Texas in 1881, settling near Sabinal. She was married to Amasa Clark, a Mexican War veteran, on May 4, 1885. Her husband died in January, 1927, at the ripe age of 102.

Mentions: * Mody C. Boatright and Harry H. Ransom * G. C. Robinson, J. W. Moses, O. W. Nolen, Thomas W. Dwyer, Florence Fenley, Frank Collinson, Homer Hoyt, Frank M. Lockard, Thomas James, Hortense L. Sanger, Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance, J. Frank Dobie, R. B. Cunninghame Graham, Robert M. Denhardt, W. A. Whatley, George Pattulo, Ruth Dodson, Frank Goodwyn, W. H. Hudson, Lincoln A. Lang. W. J. Powell, James K. Greer, Helen Michaelis, L. A. Guajardo, Riley Aiken Frank Bryan, Frank S. Hastings, John A, Lomax, Arthur Babb, Jovita Gonzales de Mireles, D. C. Earnest, Badger Clark.

Dr. James C. Nowlin, Pioneer

By A. J. Sowell

Dr. James Crispin Nowlin was born in Caldwell county, Kentucky, April 16, 1817. In 1821 he went with his parents to the western district of Tennessee, but came to Texas from Mississippi, by way of Missouri and Kansas, in 1855. Dr. Nowlin was a slaveholder but not liking the situation in Kansas, came on to Texas and first settled in Gonzales county, and in 1856 moved to Kerr county and settled near the present town of Center Point. Here is his story.

Mentions: * the Rees family * Dr. Ridley and family, Joshua Brown and family and De Witt Burney. Tom Saner * George Phillips and Dr. Scott and family lived at the mouth of Silver Creek and Mrs. Denton lived, at the mouth of Cherry, below the present town of Center Point * Mr. Long and George Nichols lived on Verde Creek, and Nichols had a sawmill there * Captain Parmer. Henry Moore, * Henry Moore. Captain Parmer * Rodrigues, a Mexican guide and trailer * the pasture of Alonzo Rees * A Mexican named Jim Tafolla * Fort McKavett * Curry's Creek * Mr. Ammond's, on the Guadalupe River, * Francis Keiser and Charley Williams * John W. Sansom * Judge Jones * Capt. John W. Sansom * The Tonkaway chief, Castile, * William Causten * Neal Coldwell's company of rangers * Alexander Merritt * Devil's River * Bear Creek, fifteen miles from the present Junction City * Wallace Creek * Pink Jones and a Mexican named Serelda *

Suggestions About Family Histories

By Edwin Starkey, 706 N. E. 18th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Excellent advice from an experienced Genealogist on best methods of acquiring useful and meaningful data, especially geared toward frontier and pioneer research.

The Killing of Jesse James

The account of Jesse James death from the April 15, 1882 issue of the Runnels County Record, published in the now defunct town of Runnels, Texas.

Mentions: * World's Hotel * Robert and Charles Ford * The Home of the Fords * Jim Cummings * Bob Ford * Jefferson City * Mr. Howard * Wood Hite * N. H. Rose, Photographer

Heroines of the Hills

By T. U. Taylor, Autsin, Texas

This is excellent early history and genealogy of Gillespie County, TX. Because it deals with the earlies events and origins of the region, it contains much valuable history of the hardy German families who settled the region.

Mentions: Louis Jordan, a German-American * Grandma Klingelhoefer * The Klingelhoefers were among the first German settlers who came to Texas and settled at New Braunfels * John O. Meusebach * Dave Dillingham * Ben Thompson * Mrs. Robert Lewis * Mrs. Clara Resseman Feller * John Peter Resseman * the Meusebach treaty * William Feller * Mr. Pellet * Peter Burg * Mr. Kirchner and Mr. Blank * Martin Dittmar * Annie Elizabeth Dittmar * John George Dittmar * Reverend Rode * a beautiful young lady by the name of Eckert * Beaver Creek in Mason county * Billy Peril, known as William A. Peril * Mary O11ie Lock

Abel Morgan, Soldier and Romeo

By Grace Miller White, San Antonio, Texas

Account of eccentric frontier soldier and enigmatic figure, Abel Morgan who was born in February, 1790 in Hopkins county, Kentucky. As a soldier, he followed Ben Milam at Bexar; cared for the wounds of Colonel Fannin at Goliad; listened to General Sam Houston deliver an impassioned speech to his men; and in later years visited with John C. Duval, the father of Texas literature," who not only made his getaway at Goliad but lived to write an account of it, (Early Times in Texas). Abel remembered them all. But what was his true legacy? What happened in Mexico while he was there fighting for the cause of Texas freedom? Who was Thomas Smith? Here is the story.

Mentions: * the famous Morgans of North Carolina * Doctor Stuart, a wise old Scot who had come over from Edinburgh to become a frontier doctor * Shiloh community * Honey Grove * Shiloh graveyard * Paducah, Kentucky * Thomas Smith * Concepcion * General Cos * William Scurlock * Doctors Barnard and Shackleford, * Clarence B. Wharton * the Lovings, the Millers, the Pratts, the Littlepages, and the Morgans

When Populism Was in Flower

By J. Marvin Hunter

Account of Populist party activities in and around Mason county, TX and their encounter with the Mason Herald newspaper in the 1890's.

Mentions: * Coxey * Menardville * John Warren Hunter * the People's Party, or the Populist Party * . V. Wood, E. L. Sewalt, L. B. Earnest, J. W. Baker, O. L. McMahan, J. W. Reeder, W. A. Hall, J. D. Patterson, A. J. Boston, T. H. Westbrook, Baker Batterton, and William Lackey * D. C. Broyles * William Jennings Bryan * Thomas E. Watson * Sewell * Dr. D. J. Grandstaff, a leading physician of Mason * Mark M. (Brick) Pomeroy * Brick Pomeroy

The Bloody Days of Bastrop

By John Henry Brown

“Before and immediately after the Texas revolution of 1835-6, Gonzales, on the Guadalupe, and Bastrop, on the Colorado, with the upper settlements on the Brazos, were more exposed to Indian depredations than any other distinct localities in Texas. These sketches have more fully done justice to Gonzales and the Brazos, than to Bastrop, the home of the Burlesons, Coleman, Billingsley, Wallace, Thomas H. Mays, Wm. H. Magill, the brothers Wiley, Middleton and Thomas B. J. Hill, Washington and John D. Anderson, Dr. Thomas J. Gasley, L. C. Cunningham, Wm. A. Clopton, Bartlett Sims, Cicero Rufus Perry, the Wilbargers, Dr. J. W. Robertson, John Caldwell, Hurch Reed, John H. Jenkins, Hon. William Pinkney Hill, for a time Robert M. Williamson, the eloquent orator and patriot, Highsmith, Eblin, Carter Anderson, Dalrymple, Eggleston, Gilleland, Blakey, Page, Preston Conley, the Hardemans, the Andrews brothers, the Crafts, Taylor, the Bartons, Pace, John W. Bunton, Martin Wolper, Geren Brown, Logan Vandeveer, George Green, Godwin, Garwood, Haldeman, Miller, Holder, Curtis, Bain, Hood, McLean; Graves, Allen, Henry Jones, Thomas Nicholson, Vaughan, Hugh Childers, Hancock and John Walters.

Aside from many important battles, in which a large per cent of those men and others not named, participated, as at and around San Antonio in 1835, at San Jacinto in 1836 (in which fifty of them fought under Col. Burleson in Capt. Jesse Billingsley's company, and in which Lemuel Blakey was killed, and Capt. Billingsley, Logan Vandeveer, Washington Anderson, Calvin Page and Martin Walter were wounded), at Plum creek in 1840, in which a hundred of them and thirteen Toneahua Indians fought under Burleson, and other important contests, for fifteen years they were exposed to Indian forays and had numberless encounters and also fruitless pursuits after those ever active and cunning enemies. Some of these sanguinary incidents have been described; but, many have not and some, from the death of the participants and failing memories, never will be. But enough has been preserved to shed a halo of honor on those pioneers, by this writer many years ago styled—"The brave men of Bastrop."

In this chapter, availing myself somewhat of the recollections of Mr. John H. Jenkins, I will briefly sum­marize some of the incidents not heretofore given.”

Further mentions: * Lieut. Wrenn, of Coleman's Company * Mr. Gocher (or Gotier) east of Bastrop * Mrs. Crawford * Mr. Spaulding, a trader * Piney creek * Mrs. Hart and Weaver * Messrs. Robinson and Dollar

BUILDING OF STATE CAPITOL

Account of William Bouldin of West Oakland, California, whom as a brakeman on the Houston & Texas Central railway in the early 1880s helped haul the stone for the statehouse from the quarries at Burnet 75 miles away. Describing the capitol construction from the angle of the men who transmitted the materials, Bouldin said the blocks of granite were so large and the grade so difficult two engines were required to pull five loaded cars from Burnet to Austin. More than 15,000 carloads were brought to Austin and shunted to the building site on a specially constructed spur. The cornerstone weighed 16,000 pounds.

An Escape From the Alamo

Prairie Plains, Grimes County, Texas,

This account embraces a report of the last scene in the Alamo that has ever been made known to the survivors of those who fell in that fortress.

Mentions: * Moses Rose, a native of France, was an early immigrant to Texas * Rose was a warm friend of Col. James Bowie * Tapley Holland * W. P. ZUBER * Prairie Plains, Grimes County, Texas * William P. Zuber * MARY ANN ZUBER

Some Tragedies I Have Witnessed

By J. Marvin Hunter

From the author's vivid recollection, certain tragedies of which he was an eye-witness are recalled.

Mentions: * the shooting of John Vaden at Fort McKavett in 1886 * Lige Reynolds * a man by the name of Lowrey * Mrs. Reynolds * Sulphur Springs in Hopkins county * Ben Daniels * Sam Wallick's store * P. C. Baird, * John Simmons * Jesse Simmons * Sheriff John Butler * Drs. Gatliff and Beck * Devil's River News office * Decker Hotel in Sonora, Texas * Mayer Bros. & Co's. store * Walter Sapp * Ollie Sapp * Charlie Adams * Frank Johns * Jim Hunter * Mayer Bros. store * a restaurant in Clifton, Arizona, in July, 1900

Indian Attack Upon the Gregg Family

By Judge Rufus Y. King

This account is taken from a paper by Judge Rufus Y. King which was read before the Bell County Old Settlers Association, 1903. It concerns the bloody and brutal Indian attack upon the family of Judge John Gregg who came from Alabama to what was then Milam county, about six miles northeast of the town of Caldwell in the present county of Burleson. The event takes place early in the spring of 1841.

Mentions: * Claiborne Fitch * Sterling Fitch, a brother of Claiborne Fitch * Lucinda Gregg, Martha Gregg and Mary Gregg * Thaddeus Gregg, Ellis Gregg, John Gregg * Henry Gregg * Mrs. Jacob Reed * Mrs. King * Gabriel Jackson * John E. King * Capt. J. D. Black of Fannin county * Phantom Hill * Tom Cade

A Report on yellow Fever, Made in 1853.

This article detailing the tragic yellow fever plague of Selma, Alabama is a report made to the Sanitary Commission of New Orleans by Dr. A. G. Mabry, in 1853, and was sent to Frontier Times by his son, Colonel W. S. Mabry of Selma, Alabama.

Mentions: Valley Creek * Beach Creek * Broad and Water Streets * John Erhart, a German, a clerk in a grocery store on the corner of Broad and Water Streets * Mr. Nilands, a clerk in a clothing store on Broad Street * McCraw and Prestidge's building * Mr. Smith, * Col. Burr * blackvomit * Mr. Blevins * Mr. Mitchell, a young lawyer * Maj. Gee of the Dallas House * Mr. Bradshaw * Mr. White, Mr. Atkinson and Dr. Barnum died, two or three with black vomit

Murder of Mrs. Hunter and Daughter

By John Henry Brown

Account of assault and murder that occurred in the year 1840, in the valley of Red River, about eight miles east or below the trading house or village of Old Warren and several miles from any other habitation.

Mentions: * Mr. William Lankford of Warren * the first settlements along Red river in the counties of Fannin and Grayson

News Items of Half a Century Ago

News items from old Texas newspapers, circa 1850's-1880's, are gleaned many notable incidents.

Mentions: * Leonard Haynes, son of Collector Haynes of Brownsville, Texas * District Attorney W. E. Cummings * The Ballinger and Menardville United States catamaran mail and stage line * Jose Maldonado * Paint Rock * George Thomerson * Judge J. D. Scruggs * Mr. Maldonado * Mr. Ramirez * Barber Amarine * Justice Wilkinson * Captain Lee Hall * Miss Bessie Weidman * Bandera Bugle, December 4, 1880 * HYMEN'S ALTAR * Hal L. Gosling * Miss Nellie Mayes * A tragedy was enacted at Hondo City, Medina county, which shocks all who hear it. W. D. Ward, formerly editor of the Castroville Quill, and at present traveling agent of the San Antonio Daily Express, and Robert G. Fly, son of Rev. B. F. Fly of Gonzales county, entered a saloon to get a glass of beer. Ward had been drinking to excess and was crazed from the effects. After the drink they had a short controversy, when Ward without provocation... * W. F. McNealy, head boss for Schreiner, Lytle & Light * Mr. R. S. Davis * Deputy U. S. Marshal Fred Niggli * Sheriff Foster, of Medina county * Bob Moris * W. D. Burnett * Emil Bader captain of the German squad * Captain Joe Shely's company * Brown Litburu