Vol 26 No. 07 - April 1949

Sam Houston's Spirit Lives Forever

“Sam Houston was surely the most gloriously romantic and glamorous figure who ever stalked across the western hemisphere. His nearest rival was probably Simon Bolivar, Venezuela patriot; but Houston had all those characteristics and qualities which inflame the imagination and make for greatness and immortality and Bolivar lacked them.

Houston was of the earth and human in a way that Lee and Washington never were. He had a beauty of face and of figure that contrasted ridiculously with the man whose place he might have easily held, Lincoln. He had all the dignity of both Washington and Lee, but it lacked the unbending quality of the other two great Americans. He lacked completely the aristocratic conceit of Washington and the cold austerity of Lee.

Houston's familiarity with the classics of antiquity gave him a gift for words, written and spoken, and he was not above the use of occasional adjectives and adverbs. Like Lee, Houston had a keen eye for a pretty girl but his approach was the flattering approach of a suitor and of an admirer and had nothing of the patronizing paternity that Lee bestowed on bright eyes and a pretty face.

All things pertaining to Houston were lavish and wide and heroic and they were deliberately meant to be so... “

Mentions: Sam Houston was born at Timber Ridge, Va., March 2, 1793, , Stephen F. Austin and Lorenzo de Zavala , Eliza Allen , Horseshoe Bend , Nacogdoches , Beauregard at Shilo , Miss Margaret Lea of Alabama

The Story of Old Indianola

Dorothy Noble

The fact that Indianola was once one of the most important seaports of Texas comes as a surprise to many students of Texas history, who fail to find any mention of it in most of their text books. A thorough search reveals that Indianola in a brief span of time was able to rank with the most important cities of Texas. In fact, "few sections in Texas are more historic than this former port, and, indeed, the whole stretch of the west slopes of Lavaca and Matagorda Bay." While facts about the later history of Indianola are easily available, information about the beginning of Indianola is scare. Here is the story.

Mentions: Houston Wade , Karankawa tribe , La Salle , Captain Hurrier, a member of La Salle's party , explorations of Llanos, Sabinas, and Cardenas , Mr. J. V. Hecke , Mr. R. V. Moore , Spaniards, Mendez and Gonzales , Captain Jerry Smith , the Morgan Line , A small wharf was built at Indian Point in 1848 by Runge and Poole , A man by the name of Vanderbilt built the Vanderbilt Line , the San Antonio and San Diego Overland Mail Line , the Indianola Railroad , Jacob Mass , Lichenstein and Alexander also built a retail store , The first business houses were established by Runge, Frommes , H. Runge and Company's Bank , an Englishman named Williams moved to Indianola , first county seat of Calhoun , Richard West was elected first sheriff, , Henry I. Huck the first probate judge , Isaac Baugh was the first county clerk , the first mayors were Mr. Barlow, Mr. Cleveland, Dr. F. E. Hughs and Mr. Charles Hogan , The first district clerk was J. H. Davis , Sam T. Watts , Dr. D. Lewis and T. R. Thelkeld , a man by the name of Deitgh , Henry Mendez, Dr. Rose, George Halzheuser and Dr. McFarland , Henry Runge , Charles Morgan , Dr. J. M. Reuss, and George Lewis , Henry and Herman Runge , August Windberg , Frederick Geophard , Miss Smith , Mr. Yates and Mr. Cleveland , Mrs. Willis , The Indianola Bulletin , Mr. Ogsbury , Mr. Elder's warehouse , the "Casino Society" , Dr. Ohr. James Hawerton, Sr. , Rev. Daniel Baker , Rev. Holcinger, a Lutheran , Father Serra , Mr. Leobold , Prince Carl's house , Olmsted , Victoria , Linnville , Prince Solms , Captain Wayne , Captain W. K. Bakkelen , Camp Verde , Captain S. T. Brackenridge , Don D. Shea, Q.C.S.A. , Pass Cavallo , Fort Esperanzo , Captain George , General Banks , Captain Hugeley's company of Confederates , Lawler's division , Decro's Point on Matagorda Island , Col. Oran Perry , General Warren , Dick Taylor , Messrs. Dull and Ashworth , John K. Drele, W. P. Milby , Murdock & Milby , Shipley & Company , Ohler house , Carmine Hotel , Shultz grocery , Taylor-Sutton feud , Charles Taylor , William Sutton , Bill Sutton , Captain Reed.

The Comanches and the Comanche War Trail

Dr. Ferdinand von Roemer was a German geologist, who spent several years in Texas, in the 1840's, visiting the unexplored regions and gathering knowledge that formed the basis for much of the research that followed in after years. Von Roemer, whose relations with the Comanches covered an extended period, gives in this article, an interesting and informative account of a visit to the Comanches, under the chiefs, Ocol, Buffalo Hump, and Santa Anna.

Mentions: Oswald Mueller , the Terlingua district, Brewster County, Texas , Judge O. W. Williams, who died at Ft. Stockton , Llano Estacado , the Castle Gap , Horsehead Crossing , Comanche Springs , Chihuahua City , Durango.

Rumors of Second Invasion by Mexico

The Battle of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836, won the independence of Texas. Santa Anna was a prisoner in the hands of the Texians, and it was believed that the war between Texas and Mexico was at an end. But less than two months later there came rumors of a second invasion of Texas by the Mexican forces and caused great excitement among the people. Here is the story.

Mentions: John Henry Brown , Filisola , Henry W. Karnes and Henry Teal , Urrea , Copano , Velasco , Thomas J. Rusk , Thomas J. Green , General Felisola. , Major Miller , Captains Carnes and Teal , Vera Cruz , Cox's Point , La Baco , Col. Mirabeau B. Lamar , Manuel Flores , General Green , Colonel Whistler , Dr. Abel Stevens , General Felix Huston.

The First Camp Meeting in America

It was late in the year 1799 that two brothers, John and William McGee, the first a local Methodist preacher, the other a Presbyterian, started on an evangelistic tour from Tennessee into Kentucky. On their way they attended a sacramental service held by a Presbyterian minister named McGreechy, on the Red river. The events that followed were a new experience to the brothers, and were never forgotten. So begins the history of the Camp Meeting.

Mentions: Rankin and Hodge , John McGee , Rev. Thomas L. Douglas.

My Mother -- Ella Byler Dobie

J. Frank Dobie

“My mother, whose maiden name was Ella Byler, was born on her grandmother Byler's plantation in Fayette County, Texas, the year the Civil War broke out. When she died, November 22, 1948, she in her long span of years had seen more changes in the ways of living in this country than had taken place between the discovery of America and her own entrance upon the scene.”

Mentions: Rufus Byler , Hood's Brigade , Rancho Seco in Nueces' county , Friendly Dubose , the Kellett ranch , `female college' at Chapel Hill, Texas. , her sister Fannie , Lagarto College , Richard J. Dobie , Lagarto in Live Oak county , the Dobie ranch , Beeville , Kerrville , her younger daughter Martha , Charles Lamb's immortal Mrs. Battle , Duff Hale , Bud Wright , Stonewall Jackson Wright , Long Hollow , Braxton Bragg.

Place Names of Nueces County

Cyrus Tilloson

"What's in a name?" This question has been asked, and discussed pro and con for hundreds of years. So, we will not attempt to discuss it here, but, will state that 99.44 per cent of place names and names of geographic features, were given their names for a specific reason. In most instances those reasons seemed very important to the persons who bestowed the names upon the places in question.

This especially seems to be the case in naming the newly discovered physical features and newly established towns and settlements of the Western United States, more so than of any other parts of the world. This is probably because of the fact that they are of more recent date, therefore, more is known about the circumstances connected with their naming. And, for this very reason that they are of comparatively recent date, believed that more effort should be made to ascertain the reason for which they were named, the dates and the person who named them, while the information is still fresh and available.

In the case of my own county, Nueces, it was created by the first legislature of the State of Texas, and named for...”

Mentions: Alonzo de Leon. , Edwards Plateau , the Spanish explorer, Pineda , Henry Lawrence Kinney , Wm. P. Aubrey , Z. H. Clark , the Texas-Mexican Railway , Clark and Clarksville , J. A. Fiester , Robert Driscoll , Driscoll's ranch , the town of Bishop , F. Z. Bishop , Robstown , Clarkwood , the village of Violet , Violet Fiester , the village of Banquete, near Banquete Lake and creek , Matamoras , Agua Dulce , Alaban Bay , Dr. James Grant , William Bluntzer , Hew Noakes , Thomas J. Noakes , Charley McKenzie , Aransas Pass , The Motts , Nuecestown , Bluntzer , our Lady of Aranzazos , Padre Nicholas Balli , Pat Dunn ran a ranch , the King Ranch , Lagunna Grande , Chapman Ranch , P. A. Chapman , the village of Petronila , Petronila Creek , Agua Dulce Creek , Santa Cruz , the Luby oil field , J. O. Luby , Turkey creek , Oso Bay, a , "Peg-Leg" Thomas William Ward , Ward Island , Laguna Madre , Flour Bluff , Domit Island , Philip Dimmit , Calallen , H. L. Kinney , Pita Island.