USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee from the earliest time to the present : together with an historical and a biographical sketch of from twenty-five to thirty counties of east Tennessee, V.2 > Part 33
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Mexicans. Santa Anna's army, flushed with victory, captured Harris- burg. the capital, and burned it, also New Washington. On April 10 Houston received two six-pound guns from Cincinnati. His forces now numbered 783 men; Santa Anna 1,600 veterans. Houston attacked him at San Jacinto March 21. He opened with grape and cannister then charged with the cry, "Remember the Alamo." Houston had his ankle shattered by a ball and his horse mortally wounded, but urged him up to the works which were instantly scaled. The Texans having no bayonets used clubbed muskets, bowie knives and pistols. Few Mexicans escaped; 630 were killed, 208 were wounded, and 730 were captured. The next day Santa Anna was captured in disguise. Houston exerted all his influence to stay the butchery of the Mexicans and saved Santa Anna. While prisoner Santa Anna acknowledged the independence of Texas and agreed to withdraw his forces therefrom. Houston resigned his posi- tion in favor of Gen. Rusk and went to New Orleans for treatment for his wounds. On his improvement he returned to his old home in Texas.
A call was made in July for the election of a president of the repub- lie in September. Houston was selected to be a candidate, but with great reluctance consented. He was inaugurated October 22, 1836, and took his old competitors, Gen. Austin and Hon. Henry White, into the cabinet. He released Santa Anna and sent him to Washington to con- fer with President Jackson. He soon opened communication with the Washington government with a view to the annexation of Texas. His administration was as brilliant as his military career. The constitution prevented his re-election in 1838, when he was succeeded by M. B. Lamar. In 1841 he was again called to the presidency. In his inaugural address he said: "There is not a dollar in the treasury; we are in debt $10,- 000,000 or $15,000,000. We are without money, without credit, and for want of punctuality are without character." On the annexation of Texas he was chosen one of the United States Senators from that State. and was elected again in 1858 to serve till March 4, 1859. He was defeated for re-election in 1858, but was chosen governor again in August, 1559. He opposed the Kansas-Nebraska bill in a great speech March 3, 1354, and lamented the repeal of the Missouri compromise. He was a friend to the American or Know-nothing party. He favored the Lecompton constitution in the Kansas difficulties, and opposed secession at the out- break of the war. He resigned his office rather than subscribe to the oath presented by the convention. His death occurred at Huntersville, Tex., July 25, 1863. Personally Houston was a man of great courage. and was the soul of honor. While in Congress he made charges against Col. Irwin, postmaster at Nashville. These charges were resented by a
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challenge sent to Gen. Houston from Col. Irwin by the hand of Col. John Smith, of Missouri. This Houston refused to receive from Smith. The act of Houston was criticised by Gen. William White as being discour- teous to Col. Smith. A dispute arose which resulted in a challenge and duel. Gen. White was severely but not fatally wounded.
Col. David Crockett,* son of John Crockett, of Irish birth, was born at Limestone, on the Nollichucky River, in Washington County, Tenn .. on August 17, 1786. His mother's maiden name was Rebecca Hawkins. After some youthful adventures, a little schooling and a third courtship, young Crockett married a beautiful Irish girl. About 1808 he with his wife and two children moved to Lincoln County, Tenn., where in the two following years he began to distinguish himself as a hunter. In 1810 or 1811 he moved to Franklin County, and soon after the massacre at Fort Mimms went as a volunteer to the Creek war, participating in most of the important battles until its close in 1815. Soon after the close of the war his wife died, leaving three children, and in a short time he married as his second wife the widow of a soldier, who had two children, and by whom he had three more. He subsequently removed to the country purchased of the Chickasaw Indians, in what is now Lawrence County, and became successively magistrate, colonel of militia, and member of the Legislature. Having lost his property, failed in business, and given up all to his creditors, he determined to go farther West, especially as game was becoming scare in the locality where he lived.
In 1822 he removed to West Tennessee and settled in what is now Gibson County, but at that time Weakley County. Here he engaged in his favorite sport, bear hunting, and thus supplied his family with an abundance of meat. He also secured a large quantity of peltry, which he exchanged for coffee, sugar, powder, lead and salt. He was now elected for a second term of the Legislature, serving during the years 1823-24, voting against Gen. Jackson for United States Senator. In 1825 he became a candidate for a seat in Congress against Col. Adam R. Alexander, then serving as the first representative to that body from West Tennessee, but was defeated by two votes. For the next two years he was engaged in the lumber trade and in bear hunting, killing in one season no less than 105 bears. But his speculation in the lumber trade was a total failure. He then became a candidate a second time for Congress and defeated Col. Alexander and Gen. William Arnold by a majority of 2,748 votes. He acted with the "Jackson party" during the administration of President Adams, but during his second term he voted against the Indian bill. a favorite measure of President Jackson's.
*From a manuscript in possession of the Tennessee Historical Society.
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1830 he was a candidate for a third term in Congress, but owing to his opposition to the administration party he was defeated by his opponent William Fitzgerald. Two years later, however, despite the efforts of the partisans of the administration, he defeated Mr. Fitzgerald by a majority of 202. He co-operated with the Whig party forming the rechartering of the United States Bank, and opposing the removal of the deposits.
In the spring of 1834 Col. Crockett made a trip through the Northern States, visiting Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and other cities, and was everywhere received with marked attention, especially by the Whigs. He was presented in Philadelphia by the younger Whigs with a very fine rifled gun, a present he prized very highly, and which he subsequently bore with him in many a bear hunt, as well as during his campaigns in Texas. Retiring to Washington, where he remained until the close of Congress, he returned home, and was a candidate for re-election, Adam Huntsman being his opponent. Crockett was defeated, having not only Huntsman but the influence of Andrew Jackson and Gov. Carroll backed by the Union Bank at Jackson to contend against. Feeling that "Crockett's occupation was gone " and being disgusted with the ways of scheming politicians, he determined to go to Texas. He made a parting address to his constituents, in which he reviewed his course in Congress and warned them against the policy of "the Govern- ment " and the President's disposition to nominate Mr. Van Buren as his successor. He also alluded to the unfair means used to defeat him in his late canvass, and closed by telling them that he was done with politics for the present, and that they might all go to h-I and he would go to Texas.
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Taking leave of his wife and children, and shouldering his rifle "Betsy." he started at once on the highway to Texas, to a heroic death and to a fame as lasting as the memory of the bloody Alamo itself. He made his journey as rapidly as he could, and reached San Antonio in time to join the patriots before Santa Anna's army, previous to the siege of the city. He was one of the six Americans who survived the assault upon the Alamo on March 6, 1836. The prisoners were taken before the Mexican chief, who gave orders for the massacre of the whole number. Col. Crockett, seeing their treachery, sprang like a tiger at his foes, when a number of swords were sheathed in his indomitable heart. His body, with others of the slain, was buried in a heap in the center of the Alamo. Thus ended the life of Col. David Crockett, the celebrated bear hunter of Tennessee, the eccentric congressman from the West and one of the heroes of the Alamo, whose fame is as immortal as history.
On the 11th of September, 1777, was born Felix Grundy, the young-
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est of seven sons of George Grundy, of Berkley County, Va. He was of English parentage. The family moved from Virginia to Browns- ville, Penn., in 1779, and 1780 to Kentucky, which State was then indeed a "dark and bloody ground." At least three of the family fell victims to the tomahawk and scalping knife of the savage; not only were several of the family victims of the savages, but their home and household ef- fects were swept away also. This was a time according to the language of himself when "death was in every bush, and when every thicket con- cealed an ambuscade." He was placed in the academy at Bardstown, Ky .. under that eminent educator, Dr. Priestley, who afterward became presi- dent of the University of Nashville. Being the seventh son the mother destined him for a physician, but that profession being distasteful to him he chose the law. He entered the law office of Col. George Nicholas, a gentleman who stood at the head of the Kentucky bar at that time. In 1798 he began practice and soon attained eminence as a criminal lawyer. It was in this department of the law that he r? zed highest and in which he had few if any equals and no superiors.
He was chosen a member of the convention to revise the constitution of Kentucky in 1799, and the same year became a member of the Legis- lature of that commonwealth, where he remained for several successive terms. In 1806 he was appointed judge of the supreme court of errors and appeals and on the resignation of Justice Todd Mr. Grundy became chief justice of the State, at the age of twenty-nine. The salary of the office being small, he resigned and moved to Nashville in 1807, to enter a broader field of usefulness. He was admitted to the practice of law in the several courts of the State on Saturday, November 14, 1807. Of his professional ability Hon. John M. Bright, who delivered an oration on the "Life, Character and Public Services of the Hon. Felix Grundy," says: "At the first step in his profession, he took rank with one Haywood and Whiteside, and as an advocate he rose in time far above competition. and challenged every age and every country to produce his peer. After his settlement in Nashville, it is said, out of 165 individuals whom he de- fended on charges of capital offenses, one only was finally condemned · and executed. His name was a tower of strength to the accused, and his retainer a city of refuge. At his bidding prison doors flew open, and the captive leaped from his falling chains into the arms of his swooning wife. At the bar he was always dignified in his bearing, conciliatory in his address, Saxon in his diction, and never stooping to coarseness in his allusions. His speeches not only breathed a high tone of morality, but the purer essence of religion. He was fa- miliar with the Bible and perhaps drew from it the sparks that kindled
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into the boldest imagery that ever shed a luster on the bar. Although he sometimes indulged a pungent humor and a caustic wit, he ever held a resort to vituperation and abuse as dishonorable as the chewed bullets and poisoned arrows of savage warfare. I have sought in vain to find some clue to the secret of his success." Doubtless his earnestness, com- mand of words, his pictures from nature, his consciousness of his own strength, his ability to read human nature and power to portray charac- ter had much to do with it. On December 4, 1811, Mr. Grundy became a member of Congress where he remained for two terms, positively refus- ing to accept the nomination in 1815. This was during the period of the second war with Great Britain, when great questions were de- bated and there were great men to discuss them, i. e., Clay, Webster, Cal- houn, Randolph and others.
The interval from 1815 to 1819 Mr. Grundy spent in building up his profession and his fortune. In 1819 he became a member of the State Legislature, where he remained for six years. While a member of the Legislature he, with Mr. William L. Brown, was made a member of a committee with unlimited power to settle the very delicate question of the boundary line between Tennessee and Kentucky. This question had caused some bitterness between the sister States but was amicably settled February 2, 1820. At a called session of the Legislature of 1820 to de- vise some means to release the public from financial distress, Mr. Grun- dy was the author and successful advocate of a bank, founded exclusively upon the funds of the State. On the death of those two eminent states- men, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, on July 4, 1826, Mr. Grundy was chosen to deliver the funeral oration for the State. The effort was one worthy of the occasion. Following the election of Gen. Jackson to the presidency came the election of Felix Grundy to the United States Senate. He was re-elected in 1833 and served in that body till 1833. He was a member of the committee, with the great "Pacificator," which shaped the compromise tariff bill of 1833. He was made Attorney-Gen- eral of the United States in September, 1838, by appointment of Mr. Van Buren. He resigned this office in 1840 and was again elected to the United States Senate, but his death occurred before taking his seat. In 1840 Mr. Grundy took a very active part in the presidential campaign of that year in favor of Martin Van Buren against Gen. Harrison. Al- though suffering from physical infirmity, he entered into the canvass with all the ardor of his youth and in the full vigor of his great intellect. He survived this work but a short time. At 4o'clock of Saturday after- noon, December 19, 1840, was witnessed the closing of the earthly career of this great man.
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Hugh Lawson White was the son of Gen. James White, one of the earliest pioneers of East Tennessee, and in many respects a remarkable man. Gen. White was born of Irish parentage, and spent the early part of his life in North Carolina, where in 1770 he married Mary Lawson. During the Revolutionary war he served as a soldier from that State, but at its close removed with his family to Fort Chissel, Va. In 1787 he immigrated to Knox County, Tenn., and in 1792 laid the foundation of the present city of Knoxville. He was a member of the Franklin con- vention in 1785; of the Territorial Assembly in 1794, and the Constitu- tional Convention of 1796. During the Creek war, although advanced in years, he served with distincton as brigadier-general of militia. Taken all in all he is one of the most conspicuous figures in the early history of East Tennessee.
Hugh Lawson White was born October 30, 1773, and was conse- quently a lad of fourteen when with his father he came into Tennessee. His early life was spent in hardy toil, with very limited facilities for ob- taining even the rudiments of an education. At the age of fifteen, however, by earnest effort, he had sufficiently advanced to take up the study of the ancient languages, which he did under the direction of Rev. Samuel Carrick, with some assistance from Judge Roane. His studies were soon in- terrupted by Indian hostilities, and he volunteered as a soldier under the leadership of John Sevier. In this campaign he distinguished himself, not only for bravery, but for strength and endurance. At the age of twenty he was appointed private secretary to Gov. Blount, with whom he remained until the close of his term of office. He then went to Phila- delphia where he took a course of. study, after which he engaged in the study of law with James Hopkins of Lancaster, Penn. In 1796 he re- turned to Knoxville, and at once assumed a leading position at the bar. Five years later, at the age of twenty-eight, he was elected judge of the su- perior court, then the highest judicial tribunal in the State. He resigned in 1807, and was elected to the State Senate. He was re-elected two years later, but did not serve the second term, as he was elected by the Legislature one of the judges of the supreme court. He continued in that capacity until December 31, 1814, when he again resigned. He had been elected president of the Bank of Tennessee in November, 1812. and from that time until July, 1827, he continued to direct the operations of that institution. In 1820, his health being impaired, he returned to his farm, but the country had need of his services, and he was not al- lowed to remain in seclusion. The next year he was appointed by Presi- dent Monroe one of the three commissioners to settle the claims under the treaty providing for the transfer of Florida from Spain to the United
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JOHN BELL
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States. This occupied his time and attention for three years. In 1825 he was elected to succeed Andrew Jackson in the United States Senate, and continued as a member of that body until 1840.
During his senatorial career he delivered but few speeches of any considerable length. He usually spoke briefly and to the point, and his opinions were always received with marked respect. On most questions he was in harmony with the Democratic party. He opposed the Federal system of internal improvements, the rechartering of the United States Bank and the sub-treasury bill. He voted against the famous "expung- ing resolution" on constitutional grounds, but offered a set of resolutions in lieu of it. In 1836, through the influence of certain members of his party, he was prevailed upon to take a step which embittered the few re- maining years of his life. It had become evident that President Jackson wished to make Mr. Van Buren his successor in the presidential chair. This was distasteful to a large element of the party, especially in the South. In October, 1835, resolutions were passed by the General Assem- bly of Tennessee nominating Judge White for the presidency, and he finally consented to make the canvass. For this step he was bitterly de- nounced by President Jackson, Judge Grundy, Cave Johnson, James K. Polk and many others, heretofore strong friends. Yet with all the lead- vers of his own party in Tennessee against him, and with no chance of success, he carried the State by a majority of 10,000 votes-a magnificent testimonial to the high estimation in which he was held. The General Assembly of 1839-40, having passed certain resolutions of instruction to its senators in Congress, which the latter could not support, Judge White resigned his office and retired to private life. He died very soon after -April 10, 1840.
In his domestic life he met with much affliction. In 1798 he married Miss Elizabeth M. Carrick, the daughter of Rev. Samuel Carrick, his former instructor. To their union were born four sons and eight daugh- ters, two of whom died in infancy. Of the remainder eight died just at the threshold of adult life, and all within the short space of six years. His wife also died of the same desease, consumption, March 25, 1831. In November, 1832, Judge White was again married to Mrs. Ann E. Peyton, of Washington City, at whose house he had boarded for several years.
John Bell was born about six miles from Nashville, Tenn .. on Febru- ary 18, 1797. He was the son of a farmer, Samuel Bell, a man of mod- erate means, who gave him a good education at Cumberland College, then under the presidency of Dr. Priestly. His mother's maiden name was Margaret Edmiston, a native of Virginia. At the age of nineteen
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he was admitted to the bar, and located at Franklin. The next year he was elected to the State Senate, in which body he served during that session, but declined a re-election. The next nine years he devoted ex- clusively to his profession. In 1826 he became the candidate for Con- gress against Felix Grundy, then in the zenith of his brilliant career, and was elected over his distinguished competitor by a majority of 1,000 votes. He continued in Congress by re-election for fourteen years. At first he was an ardent advocate of free trade, but afterward changed his views and favored protection. He was made chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary when the "Force Bill" and the question of nullifica- tion were before the courts. Upon the question of the removal of the deposits of the United States Bank he took issue with President Jack- son, and in this breach great results were involved. Henceforth, Mr. Bell ceased to act with the Democratic party, and in 1834 he defeated James K. Polk for the speakership of the House. In 1836 he strongly advocated the election of Hugh L. White in opposition to Van Buren, and succeeded in carrying Tennessee for his candidate. In 1838 he voted against the resolution excluding anti-slavery petitions from Congress. For ten years he was chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs, dur- ing which time the Cherokees were removed from Georgia.
In 1841 he became Secretary of War under Harrison, but resigned. in the fall of the same year upon the separation of Tyler from the Whig party. He was soon after offered a seat in the Senate by the Whig majority of the Tennessee General Assembly, but he declined an election in favor of Ephraim H. Foster. He remained in retirement until 1847, when he was elected to the State Senate, and during the same year was chosen to the United States Senate. He was re-elected in 1853. Dur- ing his service in the Senate he delivered some of the most able and ex- haustive speeches ever listened to by that body. His speech on the war with Mexico was pronounced by Calhoun the ablest delivered upon the subject. In 1860 he was nominated by the Constitutional Union party for the Presidency, with Edward Everett occupying the second place upon the ticket. They received the electoral vote of Virginia, Kentucky . and Tennessee. When secession was proposed as the result of the election of Lincoln to the Presidency, Mr. Bell threw his whole influence for the preservation of the Union, but after the call for troops by President Lin- coln he took strong grounds for secession. He assumed the position that no ordinance of any kind was necessary to sever the connection of the State with the Federal Government, and that the Legislature was alone competent to declare the Union dissolved and Tennessee an inde- pendent sovereignty: During the war he took no active part in either
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political or military affairs. After its close he was engaged in business until his death, which occurred at Cumberland Iron Works September 18, 1869.
In December, 1818, Mr. Bell was married to Miss Sally Dickinson. a daughter of David Dickinson, of Rutherford, and a granddaughter of Col. Hardy Murfree, of Revolutionary distinction. She was a woman of refinement and superior education. During her youth she attended one of the famous educational institutions of the Carolinas, making the jour- ney from her home, a distance of about 406 miles, on horseback. Among her schoolmates was Mrs. James K. Polk, who probably accomplished the journey in the same manner. Mrs. Bell died leaving four children. who yet survive. Mr. Bell was married a second time, about 1535. to Mrs. Jane Yeatman, a daughter of Mr. Ervin, of Bedford County, who survived her husband until 1876. She was an accomplished lady of re- markable intellectual vigor, of fascinating powers of conversation and possessing an energy of character quite phenomenal. For more than a quarter of a century she was a conspicuous and charming member of Washington society. She left two daughters, both of whom reside in Philadelphia. The home life of Mr. Bell was of the most pleasing char- acter. Whatever were the cares of the day, all were banished when he entered the sacred precincts of home. There his hours were passed in the kindly and sympathetic interchange of conversation upon domestic topics and the news of the day, varied at times with instructive discus- sions upon more important themes. There was no affectation of supe- rior wisdom; no claim made or even suggested for deference to him or his opinions. He was natural and simple as a child, and affectionate as a woman. A pure, chaste man, no scandal ever smirched his reputation. Late in life he became a member of the Presbyterian Church, and while residing in Georgia, during the civil war, he spent much time in reading the Bible.
As a statesman it is doubtful if Tennessee has produced another man his equal. "He resembled Halifax, as described by Macauley, as one who always saw passing events, not in the point of view in which they commondy appear to one who bears a part in them, but in the point of view in which after the lapse of many years they appear to the philosophie historian." His love and devotion to his native State was one of his leading traits. and he loved to be called "John Bell of Tennessee," sometimes using the phrase himself in his popular addresses.
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