USA > Texas > Tarrant County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Tarrant and Parker counties; containing a concise history of the state, with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named counties, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 1
USA > Texas > Parker County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Tarrant and Parker counties; containing a concise history of the state, with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named counties, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
L
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02321 9055
V.
HISTORY OF TEXAS
TOGETHER WITH A.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
. OF
TARRANT AND PARKER
COUNTIES
CONTAINING A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE STATE, WITH PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS OF THE ABOVE NAMED COUNTIES, AND PERSONAL HISTORIES OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS AND LEADING FAMILIES
" Biography is the only true history."-EMERSON.
1
CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1895.
гартуЯотен
ДАЯ СИА ТИЛЯЯАТ
1940062
R976.4 H History of Texas. Biographical history of Tarrant
.
Dallas
1895
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historyoftexasto00unse
CONTENTS.
THE STATE OF TEXAS.
GENERAL, POLITICAL HISTORY:
The Name " Texas " 9
Topography. 9
Discovery.
13
Texas Unknown Until Recently
13
Political Parties 86
Signs of the Coming Storm 87
91
Philip Nolan. 18
Political Changes ..
21
The " Pirate of the Gulf" 25
Political Changes, continued. 26
The Austins.
29
Austin's Colony. 31
The Empresario System ... 34
Influence of the New Immigration. 35
The Labor System. 36
Political and Religious Intolerance. 37
Education
37
Religion. 38
Final Revolution 38
Separation of Texas from Coahuila. 43
Battle of San Antonio 48
50
The Goliad Massacre.
53
San Jacinto ..
55
The Independence Convention 59
The Declaration of Independence. 60
Flag of the Lone Star. 63
Foreign Relations.
63
Early Legislation
64
A Rebellion. 69
Indians 70
Santa Fe Expedition .. 71
Location of the Capital. 71
Recognition of Texas by Foreign Powers .. 73
Lamar's and Houston's Administrations .. 73 Mexican War 74 Suffrage. 243
"Moderators" and "Regulators " 75
The War Cloud.
76
Texas Annexed to the United States
78
To Armis.
78
Events after the War .. 81
Indian Colonization .. 83
Current of Events 85
The "Cart War" 86
Catholic Missions
17
New Civilization. 18
The Storm Begun
94
Reconstruction Period.
95
New Constitutions, Etc. 102
Greer County. 103
General Reflections. 104
Governors of Texas, List .105
Biographical Notices. 106
EDUCATION.
129
OTHER STATE INSTITUTIONS 142
RELIGION. 146
THE PRESS 147
RAILROADS. 147
MINERAI, RESOURCES. 149
AGRICULTURE 187
CLIMATE 199
PUBLIC LANDS. 201
THE COUNTIES.
206
CITIES AND PRINCIPAL, TOWNS 210
MISCELLANEOUS.
222
"Indian Depredations in Texas"-Wilbar- ger's Book. 222
The Fort Parker Massacre 222
Cynthia Ann Parker. 231
A Comanche Princess .238
Game Animals.
.241
Fearful Encounter with a Bear. 241
Yellow Fever .242
Dawson and Sims. 242
Texas Veteran Association 243
Exemptions from Taxation. 243
Exemptions from Forced Sale.
.244
Texas at the World's Fair
244
1/73
The Alamo
After the War.
1
OK
iv
CONTENTS.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
A
Adams, J. R. 426
Akard, B. W. 354
Albright, F. E 397
Albright, G. P 534
Alford, Ed L.
.583
Armstrong, Elmon
456
Armstrong, O. W 638
Arnold, Price .617
Atwell, L. H.
.399
Ayres, B. P.
.271
B
Bailey, B. R. 461
Bailey, O. L. 623
Baker, J. A. 644
Barthold, Charles.
413
Beall, E. J
532
Bean, F. G.
390
Bell, A. E
331
Bell, R. E 471
Benbrook, J. M. 563
Bidwell, B. G. 421
Billington, J. A 569
Bissell, F. E.
.633
Boaz, Richard. 502
Boaz, W. J.
.364
Boaz, Z ... 562
Boicourt, G. W 582
Brantly, F. M. 636
Brewer, W. P. 322
Brownfield, J. C.
553
Bryce, William. 403
Burbridge, T. B. 619
Burchill, Mrs. B. M. 258
Burgess, J. W. 422
Burgess, L. C.
478
Burke, F. M
565
C
Caffee, J. H. .614
Calloway, Hiram. 507
Campbell, Win. C. .605
Capps, E. D. 468
Carder, J. W
632
Carnahan, J. B.
.648
Carr, Wmn. H
476
Carter, A. M.
300
Cate, James.
.545
Cella, John C. .629
Chambers, Rufus
Chew, William.
463
Childers, J. A.
.603
Chiles, F. W. .628
Christian, L. W 589
Clark, S. P ..
551
Clements, J. T
356
Clingman, Adam.
600
Coleman, D. R. 387
Collins, T. B .339
Cooper, J. D. .317
Couts, J. R.
296
Cravens, M. H.
482
D
Darrah, R. R. .279
Davis, W. W. .575
Davis, Wm. H. 361
Daws, S. O.
4.52
Dillon, M.
334
Drake, C. C ...
.382
Durringer, W. A. 333
E
Eagle, Mrs. E. A. .587
Earl, Archibald. 522
Earle, Jefferson. 474
East, Joel.
487
Eastman, J. H.
5.59
Hudson, J. D.
494
Edwards, C. O 631
Elliott, J. A. 310
Elliston, Frank
500
Erwin, J. A.
550
Essex, W. S. . 269
Euless, E. A
424
Evans, E. S.
639
Evans, Samuel
536
F
Farmer, Jane . 539
Field, J. H 254
Finger, Mrs. C 374
Fowler, Joseph.
580
Furman, H. M. 593
G
Gantt, J. T. 479
Gause, G. L. 601
Gibson, T. L 624
Goforth, J. L.
.305
Gosney, T. J.
505
Grammer. R. B .306
Grant, G. W. 567
Green, A. A., Jr. 604
Green, A. M 375
H
Hackler, Troy .491
Hammack, J. W. 308
Haney, N. B. 454
Harcourt, J. T.
297
Hard, J. J. 526
Harding, Enoch 285
Hardisty, Charles 510
Hardisty, John. 511
Harris, W. D. 368
Harrison, John. 319
Harrison, Stuart 524
Harrison, Win .. .376
Harrison, Win. M. .319
Hartnett, C. D. 435
Hartnett, D. D
323
Hartnett, T. D. .412
Hays, S. W. .613
Henderson, J. M 506
Henderson, J. F 391
Hendricks, H. G. . 329
Henry, B. C.
581
Higbee, C. H. .286
Hightower, A. M. 546
Hill, A. L. 472
Hood, R. R .. .656
Hovenkamp, J. F 303
Hudson, H. M. 465
Huffman, P. A. 345
Huffman, W. A. .327
Elliott, J. M 509 Humphreys, D. W 447
Elliott, Win. F
272
Hunter, L. H.
630
Hurley, M. C. .263
Hutcheson, I. L
.268
Hutchins, J. A. .636
I
Ingram, J. C.
.282
J
Jarvis, J. J
437
Johnson, G. W 309
Jones, Jesse
253
Jones, L. W.
548
K
Keller, E. H.
337
Kelly, J. W. 310
Kennedy, O. S.
312
Kindel, R. W
656
L
Landers, J. H.
.503
Lanham, S. W. T. 408
Lassiter, N. H.
599
Lattimore, O. S
.654
Levy, George P.
427
Lewis, J. R. 420
Lilley, Charles H 336
Linch, Calvin. 606
Long, J. F.
641
Lowe, A. T
493
Lusk, C. D
380
ر
-
V
M
Maddox, J. H.
381
Maddox, R. E. 406
Maddox, W. T 362
Magers, S
572
Marlow, G. L.
548
Marshall, W. S.
.392
Matlock, A. L. ..
.535
McConnell, H. B 450
McFall,. W. C ... . 620
McGehee, C. W 409
McLean, J. B. .
426
Meeks, M. L.
.372
Melear, Z. T.
588
Middleton, A. K.
.293
Milburn, Eliza J.
.646
Miller, Henry
353
Miller, Wm B.
455
Mims, Shadrach. 298
Mitchell, C. G.
490
Mitchell, J. H. 486
Mock, J. L.
.652
Montgomery, J. T
441
Morison, R. E.
525
Murphy, W. T.
496
N
Nichols, J. T.
464
Norwood, W. L 480
Nugent, Joseph.
.517
0
O'Gwin, J. W.
.394
P
Paddock, B. B
347
Peacock, J. A .629
Petit, J. C.
499
Penn, G. S.
.657
Pickard, G. N.
.459
Pickard, T. J
.643
Pickard, W. S.
596
Pittillo, J. W. .653
Poe, Hence
481
Porter, Boyd. .359
Pressley, E. W
.635
Putman, J. J.
626
Q
Quayle, A. M
540
R
Randle, E. B
393
Rea, W. M. .349
Reed, J. N.
552
Rentz, J. A
.391
Reynolds, J. G
.578
Rice, J. M 571
Richards, J. M. .283
Richy, B. L
440
Roark, J. A. 316
Robertson, L. P.
.280
Robinson, W. A.
. 651
Rodgers, T. F 519
Rogers, W. B
324
Roy, J. C.
.273
Rudd, Edward.
.294
S
Sandidge, J. Q
249
Sawyer, B. F
332
Scott, J. C.
.378-1
Scott, J. J.
414
Shaw, T. J.
475
Silliman, C. H. .274
Simmons, J. F
Simmons, J. H. 586
Simmons, W. L
388
Sisk, Carey N. 647
Slater, J. T 603
Smith, H. T.
.334
Smith, J. P.
615
Spoonts, M. A
371
Stanley, F. B
.350
Starr, A. F. 433
Steinfeldt, H. 411
Stephens, I. W. 389
Stephens, J. T
.543
Stephenson, N
.621
Switzer, D. S
.385
Tarkington, B. C.
405
Tate, W. E.
432
Thomas, H. L.
.311
Thompson, H. J.
585
Thornton, W. A.
.627
Tolliver, Joseph
.307
Trigg, D. C.
.561
Tucker, William B
.366
Turner, W. R.
442
V
Vaughn, S.
.354
Vollentine, I. P
352
W
Wallace, F. R
256
Ward, W. H.
431
Watson, J. A
.649
Watson, J. H
252
Wheeler, W. B
.281
White, H. L ..
520
Wilcox, Frank.
529
Willburn, E. C. D
597
Williams, H. W .611
Witten, Thomas. 398
Wolfenberger, J. H. 449
Robbins, E. F
466
Woody, John.
445
Woody, William 568
Wray, J. W .403
Wright, J. I. .640
Wright, L. F. .323
Wynne, R. M
557
Wythe, T. A. 436
Y
Yates, Sanford.
266
Yeary, David.
.461
Young, J. B
607
Z
Zurn, J. F
.300
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Albright, F. E
.396
Armstrong, E.
457
Austin, Stephen F
29
Bell, R. E.
470
Carter, A. M.
301
Church of Alamo
50
Church of the Concepcion 17
Church of San Juan.
17
Drake, C. C ..
.383
Furman, H. M.
592
Higbee, C. H.
287
Huffman, P. A. 342
Huffman, Mrs. P. A.
343
Huffman, W. A
. 326
Hurley, M. C.
262
Kennedy, Oliver S.
.313
Nugent, Joseph.
.516
Nugent, Christina
516
Petit, J. C.
498
Ruins near San Jose, etc.
17
Sandidge, J. Q.
248
Santa Anna before General Houston 58
Scott, J. J. 416
Scott, Priscilla. 417
Silliman, C. H .275
Spoonts, M. A.
.370
Stanley, F. B 350
State Capitol. 71
Stephens, J. T 542
Turner, W. R
443
Ward, W. H .. 430
Wilcox, Frank 528
Wilcox, Katie
528
Wynne, R. M
556 .
CONTENTS.
. 255
Davis, W. W
574
Houston, Sam.
55
1
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
T HE State of Texas has had a career so remarkable that its study enchants the reader like the bewitching stories and legends of England, or of any great European country. It is with pleasure, there- fore, that the author compiles the following brief account, giving the substance of the best passages in the history of the Lone Star State:
THE NAME "TEXAS."
According to the varions anthorities, there are several origins to the name Texas. 1, Spanish, tejas (roof-tiles), because the inhab- itants had roofed houses; 2, old Spanish or Coltiberian, denoting a plain; 3, an Indian word signifying friend; 4, another Indian word meaning paradise, or a beautiful land; 5, a common termination of several tribal names in Indian, as Tlaxcaltecas, Chlolutecas, Cuitlachtecas, Zacatecas, etc.
TOPOGRAPHY.
Texas has an area of 271,856 square miles of land, and 2,510 square miles of water sur- fare, the latter consisting of lakes and bays, . making a total of 274,366 square miles, equal to about 8.7 per cent. of the entire area of the United States and Territories. It is much the largest State in the Union, being six times larger than New York and seven times as large as Ohio, and 100,000 square miles larger than all the Eastern and Middle States, including Delaware and Maryland. Compared to the
countries of Europe, it has 34,000 sqnare miles more than the Austrian Empire, 62,000 more than the German Empire, and nearly 70,000 square miles more than France.
It is located in the extreme southern part of the United States, between the 26th and 36th parallels of north latitude and the 94th and 106th meridians of longitude. The distance between the extreme northern and southern points is nearly 750 miles, and about 800 miles from east to west. It is bounded on the east by the State of Lonis)- ana, west by the Republic of Mexico and the Territory of New Mexico, north by the States . of Colorado and Arkansas and the Indian Territory, and on the south by the Gulf of Mexico. General custom has divided the State geographically into five parts, namely: Central, northern, southern, castern and west- ern Texas, though the dividing lines are not well defined.
The topography, like many other charac- teristics of the State, is but little understood, except in a general way.
The country lying east of the 96th degree of longitude and north of the 30th parallel of latitude, and known as "East Texas," is characterized by a long range of hills running in an irregular line from northeast to south. . west, and containing large deposits of brown hematite iron ore. It is also marked by a heavy growth of timber, consisting princi- pally of forests of pine, oak and hickory.
10
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
The Gulf Coast is thus described by Prof. Loughridge, of the United States Census Bureau:
" The coast of Texas presents features dif- ferent from those of any other State, for while in many other States the mainland coast is greatly cut up into large bays, extending many miles inland, it is here bordered by an almost continuous chain of islands and pen- insulas (the latter having the same trend as the islands). The Gulf border of this chain is a very regular line southwest from the mouth of the Sabine river or lake to near Cor- pus Christi, which occupies the highest point on the entire coast, and thence turns with a regular curve south and slightly southeast to Mexico."
The territory east of the timber region and north of the Gulf Coast, as above outlined, is a vast open plain composed of gently rohing prairies and gradual elevations. It is cov- ered with a luxuriant growth of native grasses and dotted by an occasional mott of timber, and extends to the Red river on the north and the mountain ranges of the west and northwest. The water courses and ravines are usually fringed with a growth of hack- berry, ash, elut, cottonwood, pecan, walnut and the various oaks.
West and northwest lie the hills and moun- tain ranges of the Stato, which are continua- tions of the mountains of Mexico, New Mexico and Colorado. In the extreme northwest, bordering Kansas on the south and New Mexico on the west, is the elevated table land formerly known as the Llano Es- tacado, or Staked Plains. It is now desig- nated as the Panhandle of Texas, and is destined to be one of the best agricultural and stock-raising sections of the State. On a line north of Austin and San Antonio, and running in a southwesterly direction, there is
a low range of hills that mark a change in the topography of the country. Westward it is more broken and the elevations more abrupt. Tho valleys are broad and the lands very fertile.
The water surface of Texas is estimated at 2,510 square miles. Of this number, 800 square miles are accredited to the rivers and smaller streams which drain the State. The balance consists of bays which lie along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and small inland lakes.
Chief among the rivers of the State is the Brazos, which drains an area of about 35,000 square miles, and is navigable as far up as Columbia (about forty miles) at all times. It has its source in the northwestern part of the State, at the foot of the Staked Plains, and flows in an easterly direction to Baylor county, thence sontheasterly to Brazoria county, where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Follow- ing its bends it is about 900 miles long. The Navasota river, which has its source in Lime- stone county, is its principal tributary, and drains portions of Leon, Robertson, Madison, Brazos and Grimes counties.
The westernmost branch of the Brazos has its source in an extensive salt region,-not Mr. Jefferson's "Salt mountain," of which so much was said and sung at the time of the Lonisiana purchase,-but a vast plain of 100 or 200 miles in extent, charged with mineral salt and covered in patches with nitre. The salt is washed out of this basin only by fresh - ets, through Salt branch, into the Brazos.
The shores of the Brazos are not flat, though never bold, but undulating and grace- ful. The trees of larger growth are some- times covered with Spanish moss, as on the shores of the Mississippi; but these bearded nondescripts are not so frequent as to give the sensation of gloom; nor is there any cypress
11
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
to increase that effect on the mind. Where the land is of comparatively recent formation, the growth is of willow and cottonwood, with occasional sycamores.
The Brazos never overflows its banks. The water in primeval times was slightly redder than was that of the Upper Mississippi, re- seinbling that of Red river. From the con- for both shores show to advantage. There is no caving.in or cut-off's, and in early days uo dead timber -- scarcely a snag. The surface of the gently flowing water is generally calin and beautiful, but in floods it is of course violent and darkened with mud.
The Red river is next in importance and forms the boundary line between Texas and the Indian Territory and Arkansas. It has Ito source in the Panhandle of Texas, formerly known as the Llano Estacado, and flows east- wurd through Arkansas and Louisiana, empty- ing into the Mississippi river. It drains about 20,000 square miles in Texas. The Big and Little Wichita rivers are among its principal tributaries on the Texas side.
The Colorado river rises in Dawson county, the highest point reached by any of its prongs, and flows in a southeasterly direction, emptying into Matagorda Bay, on the Gulf of Mexico. The Coucho, San Saba, and Llano rivors form its tributaries. It is over 900 miles long and drains a territory estimated at 25,000 square miles.
The Trinity river has its source in Archer and Denton counties, the two forks converg- ing in Dallas county and flowing in a south- easterly direction to Trinity bay, in Cham- bers county. It is about 550 miles long and drains an area of about 17,000 square miles.
The Sabine river forms the eastern boun- dary of the State from the thirty-second parallel of latitude to the Gulf of Mexico, and is navigable for about 300 miles. It has
its source in Hunt county, in the northeast- ern part of the State, and drains about 17,000 square miles in Texas, emptying into Sabine lako near the Gulf of Mexico.
The Nueces river has its starting point in Edwards county and flows southeasterly into La Salle county, thonce east into Live Oak county, and from thence south, emptying into Corpus Christi bay on the Gulf of Mexico. Together with its tributaries, the Leona, Frio, and Atascosa rivers, it drains an area estimated at about 16,000 square miles.
The San Antonio river has its source in Bexar county and flows southeasterly to Re- fugio county, where it unites with the Gua- dalupe river about twelve miles north of San Antonio bay, into which it empties. Its principal tributaries are the Medina and Salado rivers, in Bexar county, and the Ci- bolo river, in Karnes county.
The Guadalupe river rises in Kerr county and flows in an easterly direction to Gonzales county, thence in a southeasterly direction to' the point of junction with the San Antonio river, about twelve miles from its mouth on San Antonio bay. The San Marcos river, which has its source near San Marcos, in Ilays county, forms its principal tributary.
The Rio Grande forms the western boun- dary line of Texas and also the boundary line between the United States and Mexico. It has its source in the southwestern part of Colorado and flows generally in a southeast- erly direction to Clarksville, in Cameron county, where it ompties into the Gulf of Mexico. It is navigable for small steamers for about 450 miles from the Gulf, and drains an area on the Texas side estimated at about 18,000 square miles. During the greater part of the year it is fordable above the in- fluence of tide water.
12
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
The Pecos river rises in New Mexico, on the east slope of the Rocky mountains, flows through Texas in a southeasterly direction to a point near Painted Cave Spring, in Crockett county, where it empties into the Rio Grande. It drains an area of about 6.000 square miles.
The Neches river has its source in Van Zandt county and runs in a southeasterly di- rection parallel with the Trinity river, empty- ing into Sabine lake on the Gulf of Mexico. The Angelina river, which rises in Rusk county, forms its principal tributary, and, to- gether with the Neches, drains a large scope of country between the Trinity and Sabine rivers.
The Sulphur Fork runs nearly parallel with Red river in an easterly direction, passing out of the State at Sulphur Station and empty- ing into the Red river at Dempsy, Louisiana. It drains a large part of the northeastern counties of the State.
On Caney creek there was originally an immense cane-brake one to three miles wide and seventy miles long. It was on both sides of the creek, extending from near its source to within twelve miles of its mouth, and scarcely a tree was to be found within that ocean of cane. It was called the Great Prai- rie Canebrake, and the stream originally Canebrake creek.
There are many unequivocal evidences that this creek was once a branch of the Colorado, constituting another mouth for that stream. The bed of the creek is of equal depth and width with the river, and the appearance of the banks, the nature of the adjacent soil, etc., are the same in both. A strongly con- firmatory evidence is the abrupt termination of the deep, wide bed of the Caney within less than 200 yards of the river, in an allu- vial bottom nearly ten miles in width. Thus iwas an island formed with a coast line of
twenty-five miles. It is now called Bay prairie.
There are a large number of small inland lakes scattered throughout the State. Sabine lake, lying between Texas and Louisiana, is the largest of these and is about eighteen miles long by nine broad. It is fed by the Neches and Sabine rivers and discharges into the Gulf of Mexico.
All of the principal rivers of the State flow in a southeasterly direction and empty into the Gulf of Mexico, except the Red river, which flows east into the Mississippi river.
As a general rule the streamns east of the Brazos river are sluggish and muddy; those on the west side clear and swift running. Many of the streams in western and north- ern Texas contain pure, clear water suitable for domestic purposes, and abounding in tine fish. Some of the streams, however, are de- ceptive. The water is inviting to the eye, but is strongly impregnated with minerals and brackish to the taste.
The streams in eastern Texas also contain large numbers of fish of the varieties com- mon to sluggish waters. Some of the smaller streams in that section, however, are fed from the springs and lakes of pure, clear water found among the sand hills.
The bays along and near the Gulf coast are: Trinity, Lavaca, Matagorda, San Anto- nio, Espiritu Santo, Copano, Aransas, Nue- ces, Corpus Christi, Alazan, and Laguna del Madre.
The soil of Texas and its products, timber growth, mineral resources, etc., are treated on subsequent pages.
The figures in the following table denote the elevation above sea level, in feet, of points named:
Galveston 40
Indianola 26
Brownsville. 43
.
-
18
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Palestine
495
Corsicana
448
Denison
767
Austin. 513
San Antonio. 676
Fort Ewell.
200
Fort Chadbourne.
2 120
Jacksboro.
1,133
Henrietta.
915
Fort Concho
1,888
Fort Stockton
3,050
El Paso
3,370
Fort Davis.
4,918
Eagle Pa-s
800
Fort Elliott
2,500
Silver Falls
3,800
Midland.
2,779
DISCOVERY OF THE REGION.
Robert Cavalier de la Salle, the noted French explorer of the Mississippi valley, etc., came down the Mississippi river in 1683, and returned to France. In 1685, hav- ing obtained royal letters patent, and pro- vided with four vessels, he set sail to discover the mouth of the great Father of Waters, but, drifting too far west, he landed in Texas, supposing Matagorda bay to be the point he was looking for. After exploring the country he conceived the bold project of traversing the country northward to the Illinois river, a distance of 2,000 miles. Selecting a few of his friends, he started, but on March 20, 1687, fell a victim to the treachery of his own men. Hle was slain by a musket ball fired by Duhaut, who had become jealous and dissatisfied with him and others in the party. This unjustifiable deed was com- mitted somewhere in the region of the Bra- zos river: it is impossible to identify the ex- act point. It "was several days' journey
west of the Cenis Indians," whose dwellings at that time were on the Trinity river.
La Salle was "saturnino in temperament, reserved in his communications, asking coun- sel of none. There was a certain hardness in his manners, a tone of lofty self-reliance, which, though it commanded the obedience of his followers, did not gain their good will. On the other hand, his capacity for huge de- signs has had few parallels. He has been called the Columbus of his age; and had his success been equal to his ability, this distinc- tion might justly have been awarded him. Cool and intrepid, never for a moment yield- ing to despair, he bore the burden of his calamities manfully, and his hopes expired only with his latest breath."
TEXAS COMPARATIVELY UNKNOWN UNTIL RE- CENTLY. .
Mary Austin Holley, a resident of Texas, in 1833 penned the following, to the effect that Texas, in its merits, was not really dis- covered until a comparatively late date:
" Texas, until within the last few years, has been literally a terra incognita. That such a region existed has indeed been known, but in respect to its geography and natural resources, clouds and darkness have rested upon it. This is the more remarkable, lying, as it does, contiguous to two enlightened nations,-the United States on the one side and Mexico on the other, both by land and sea. While Britons, impelled by a daring spirit of enter- prise, have penetrated to the ice- bound region of Melville's Island, and our own New Eng- landers have encountered all the hardships and hazards of the western desert, the Rocky mountains and hostile Indians, to find a home at the mouth of the Columbia river, this most inviting region, lying just at their doors, has been altogether overlooked.
, 14
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
" Quite unexpectedly, as it were, a report has reached the public ear that the country lying west of the Sabine river is a tract of surpassing beauty, exceeding even our best Western lands in productiveness, with a cli- mate perfectly salubrious and of a tempera- ture at all seasons of the year most delightful. The admirers of this new country, speaking from actual knowledge and a personal in- spection, are not content, in their descriptions of it, to make use of ordinary terms of com- mendation. They hesitate not to call it a splendid country, an enchanting spot. It would seem as if enchantment had indeed thrown its spell over their minds, for with very few exceptions all who return from this fairy land are perfect enthusiasts in their ad- miration of it. Whatever qualifications to its excellence the most cautious of them are disposed to make, have reference to those in- conveniences which unavoidably pertain to every country in the incipient stage of its settlement.
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