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

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company, 1895
Number of Pages: 1272


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


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74



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.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.