A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 9

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 954

USA > Texas > Henderson County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 9
USA > Texas > Freestone County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 9
USA > Texas > Leon County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 9
USA > Texas > Anderson County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 9
USA > Texas > Limestone County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 9
USA > Texas > Navarro County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 9

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Though the great Civil war had been ended for years, contention had not ceased. In the political arena Republicans and Democrats, respectively representing the old Unionists and secessionists, carried on the strife, and displayed toward each other feeling as bitter and hostile as ever had been entertained by Federals and Confed-

erates in their conflicts on the battlefield. Governor Davis had been a general in the Federal army, while the larger portion of the people of Texas had been Confederates. His election to office, as well as that of the members of the legislature, had not been an expression of the will of the majority, but was due to the pressure of the recon- struction laws. Party spirit, therefore, was violent, and the action of the Repub- lican party in power was watched with critical scrutiny by the Democrats, whose rivalry was intensified by the humiliation of defeat. The provisions of the militia and police bills, and especially that au- thorizing the governor to proclaim martial law, gave dissatisfaction to botlı conserva- tives and Democrats. A large portion of the police force was drawn from the black race; and the reader will doubtless cor- rectly estimate the passionate indignation of the white man on being interfered with in his conduct by a low, impudent negro.

The growing strength of the Democratic party, however, -- or rather its natural strength when released from coercion, -- showed itself in time. in November, 1872, from the 5th to the 8th inclusive, a general election was held for electors of president and vice - president of the United States, for members of Congress to fill vacancies in the State senate, for rep- resentatives to the Thirteenth Legislature, for district attorneys, and for county offi- cers. The late constitution having pro- vided that the governor should hold office for the term of four years, the election for the executive did not take place till De- cember, 1873. The result of the election of 1872 was that the Democrats returned

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

to Congress the six representatives to which Texas was now entitled, and a ma- jority of the State legislature.

At the same election, according to a provision of the constitution, the vote of the people was taken for the permanent location of the seat of government, the city of Austin being chosen by a large majority as the capital.

The Thirteenth Legislature met Janu- ary 14, 1873, and the Democrats at once exercised their controlling majority, by causing obnoxious laws to be repealed. The militia bill passed by the last legisla- ture was so changed as to deprive the governor of his power to declare martial law; the objectionable State police force was disbanded, and material changes were effected in the election laws. Measures were also adopted to reduce the expenses of government.

Governor Davis called attention, in his annual message, to the unsatisfactory con- dition in which he found the State treas- ury. The treasurer had vacated his office under suspicious circumstances, where- upon the governor investigated the mat- ter, and found that profits had been made by the late treasurer to the amount of $30,000, and directed the attorney general to. sue him and his securities for that amount. On the suggestion of the gover- nor, the two branches of the legislature appointed a select joint committee to ex- amine into the condition of the offices of the comptroller and treasurer and report mpon it. From this committee's report, sent in June 2, 1873, it appears there had been much irregularity; that the books in the comptroller's office were kept in an

inaccurate and confused manner, and with such a reckless disregard of system as to render extremely difficult any attempt to obtain from them a correct statement of the State's finances; and that a deficit in the treasury actually existed.

The legislature having thus effected many desirable reforms, the Democrats next determined to reform the govern- ment. The governor was a stanch Re- publican, and there was a Republican ma- jority in the senate; but the Democrats readily perceived that the thumb-screw of obstruction would compel their opponents to yield to a measure which would over- throw them, and the house refused to vote money to carry on the government until it had succeeded in the scheme planned by it. It was a well conceived political stratagem. Confident that at the polls the Democratic majority would be overwhelming, the House decided to pro- cure a new election, though it would thus be legislating itself ont. An act was ac- cordiugly passed April 24, 1873, making a new apportionment of the State, and changing the senatorial districts, which change necessitated a new general election. On May 26, following, another act was forced through the legislature, prescrib- ing that the election should be held on the first Tuesday in December, the day on which the election for the new governor would take place.

On the appointed day the election was held, and in all three branches the Demo- crats were triumphant. But the Republi- cans were not disposed to yield withont a struggle. The constitutionality of the law under which the election had been held

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

was brought before the Supreme Court, which decided that it was unconstitutional, and Davis, on January 12, issued a procla- mation prohibiting the new legislature from assembling. In defiance of this in- terdict, however, it met on the following day and organized. Much aların was entertained that a collision would take place between the two parties, and not without some cause. The two branches of the legislature occupied the upper story of the capitol, with a company of the mi- litia as guard; at the same time Davis and the other executive officers held possession of the lower story, with a company of col- ored soldiers under the adjutant general. President Grant was appealed to, but re- fused to sustain Davis. Fortunately moderation prevailed and no conflict took place. J. P. Newcomb, the secretary of State, permitted, under protest, the elec- tion returns to be delivered to a commit- tee of the legislature. The votes having been counted, Richard Coke was declared elected governor by a majority of 50,000 and Richard B, Hubbard lientenant gov- ernor. For some days the public was agi- tated by a doubt and apprehension as to the probability of a peaceful solution of the dispute, but on the 19tli Governor Davis vacated the executive office without making a formal surrender. Governor Coke took undisputed possession, and the excitement was allayed. Thus terminated this contest for supremacy between the Republican and Democratic parties, hap- pily without bloodshed. The least spark, however, would have exploded the maga- zine of animosity on both sides.

LATER HISTORY.

During the first session of the Four- teenth Legislature no extraordinary meas- ures worthy of especial mention were adopted, with the exception of granting pensions to Revolutionary veterans, and the reorganization of the Supreme Court, the number of judges being increased to five by an amendment to the constitution, which had provided that the court should consist of only three members. But there was manifested a growing discontent in regard to the constitution, which had been, as it were, thrust upon the people of Texas; and when the legislature met, in January, 1875, on the occasion of its second session, Governor Coke recom- mended it to make provision by appro- priate enactment for assembling a conven- tion to frame a constitution of government for Texas. The existing constitution, he said, was by general consent admitted to be a defective instrument; many of its provisions were incongruous and repug- nant; its restrictions were so many as to present incessant embarrassments; and while some provisions were oppressive or inconvenient, others were positively ob- structive to legislation.

The governor's message was a lengthy document, and entered fully into every subject to which he called the attention of the legislature. All internal matters were considered, and some space devoted to the condition of the frontier, in connec- tion with Indian and Mexican border troubles. The expense to which the State was put owing to the inadequacy of the United States military establishment, was a very onerous, and the governor recom .

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

mended the legislature to memorialize Congress, setting forth the losses of life and property on the Mexican border, and asking that the obligations of the general Government to protect Texas against for- eign enemies be redeemed, and that the money expended by the State in defense of her people be refunded.

According to Governor Coke's report of January, 1874, and that of the comptroller of February 10th, following, the public debt was $1,668,131. In this message, the governor stated that the entire public debt of Texas up to January 1, 1875, according to the comptroller's report, was $4,012,- 421, of which $976,988 represented the floating debt, leaving a bonded debt of $3,035,433. He then explained how so large an increase in figures appears in the report. He said: "The increase in the public debt since the report in January, 1874, is represented by the bonds and cer- tificates granted to the Revolutionary veterans of Texas, by act of April, 1874, amounting to $899,389, and a few thou- sand dollars of miscellaneous indebtedness. The remainder was incurred before Jan- uary, 1874, and is due to school-teachers and others for services in 1873, and in the confusion of the records when the last re- port was made, was not noted; and in fact much of it was not reported until subse- quent to that time."

With regard to the pensions granted to veterans, it is necessary to explain that by an act of August 13, 1870, it was briefly provided that the surviving veterans " of the Revolution which separated Texas from Mexico, including the Mier prisoners," and no others, should have certain pensions.

Comptroller Bledsoe, however, misappre- hended the law, and extended its provisions to persons not properly entitled to the benefit of it. At least such was the reason given by Governor Davis, May 19, 1871, on the occasion of his vetoing two itens of appropriations to pay claims of veterans, by which act he exposed himself to the attack of his Democratic enemies, who charged him with entertaining hostile feel- ings toward the veterans. By act of April 21, 1874, the Legislature, however, ex- tended the list of classes entitled to pen- sions, and by the end of the year the Gover- nor became reasonably alarmed at the rapidly increasing number of claims; in his message, he urged the immediate repeal of the act which, if left on the statute book, afforded an opening for the perpetration of frauds on the State. The act was repealed March 13, 1875.

In March, also, provision was made for submitting the all absorbing question of a constitutional convention to the people, and an election was ordered to be held for that purpose, and for delegates on Angust 2d. On the appointed day 69,583 votes were cast for the convention, and 30,549 against it. The delegates having been duly elected, the convention assembled at Austin, Sep- tember 6, 1875, and completed its labors November 24th, on which day it adjourned. The constitution which it framed was sub- nitted to the people for ratification Feb- rnary 17, 1876, when 136,606 votes were cast in favor of it, and 56,652 against it. A general election was held on the same day, and the regular Democratic State ticket elected. Coke was re-elected governor by

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

a majority of over 102,000 votes, having polled 150,418 against 47,719 cast for William Chambers.

Some very striking changes are notice- able in the constitution of 1876. In the bill of rights, the provisions of the consti- tution of 1869, that declared secession a heresy, and that the constitution and laws of the United States are the supreme law of the land, are stricken out. With respect to the legislative department, provision was niade to increase the number of mein- bers of the house of representatives to 150, at the rate of one additional member for each 15,000 inhabitants at each freslı apportionment. The number of senators was permanently fixed at thirty-one. The legislature was to meet every two years, and whenever especially convened by the governor. The governor's term of office was reduced to two years, and his salary from $5,000 to $4,000. All vacancies in State or district offices were to be filled by appointments of the governor, with the consent of two-thirds of the senate. The judicial power was vested in one supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and two associate justices, a court of appeals composed of three judges, and district, county, and other courts. The State was divided into twenty-six judicial districts, and the office of district attorney was abol- ished. Article VI of the constitution of 1869, respecting the right of suffrage, was stricken out, and another substituted, in which no mention is made of " race, color or former condition." Provision was made that separate schools should be provided for the white and colored children; and foreign immigration was discountenanced.

The Fifteenth Legislature met in April, 1876. In his message to the legislature, Governor Coke criticised the new con- stitution, pointing out defects, and recom- mended that the legislature propose the necessary amendments which it was em- powered to do. The judiciary article occupied his special attention. He con- sidered the system framed in it so faulty, inefficient, and expensive that in his judg- mient it would be better not to attempt to amend it but to substitute an entirely new article.

On the subject of taxation, he called at- tention to the glaring inconsistency in the rates assigned to cities and towns of 10,000 inhabitants and less, and those containing more than 10,000 inhabitants. Sections 4 and 5, article XI, provided that the maxi- mium rate of taxation for the support of the municipal government of the former should never exceed one-fourth of one per centum, and for the latter two and one-half per. centum. The enormous difference be- tween these rates, he remarked, the utter inefficiency. of the one, and tlie excessive- ness of the other, are suggestive of inad- vertence or mistake. His views with respect to the constitutional prohibition upon the encouragement of immigra- tion were condemnatory. He regarded it as unwise and contrary to the plainest dictates of a proper policy. No amend- ments of the constitution in conformity with his suggestions have hitherto been made.

While the Governor was able to report a greatly improved condition of affairs on the Indian frontier, he could not make a similar favorable statement with regard to

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

the Mexican border troubles. Unfortu- nately the depredations of Mexican robbers on the east side of the Rio Grande had continued almost without interruption, and with increasing boldness and audacity. Murder, robbery and conflagration had marked the track of their raids; the ener- gies of that portion of the country were paralyzed, its wealth was destroyed, and the terror under which people lived threatened depopulation.

On May 5th Coke was elected senator to the United States Congress, but continued to exercise the functions of the executive till December 1, when he resigned, and Lieutenant Governor Hubbard succeeded to the office.

During Governor Hubbard's administra- tion a serious trouble arose between the Texan and Mexican citizens of El Paso county, with reference to the right of Mexican citizens of Texas to the free nse of the Guadalupe salt lakes, lying ninety miles east of that town. So great did the excitement become, that the United States' district commander, Colonel Edward Hatch, hastened with troops to San Elizario, where he arrived on the 22d of November, 1877. He made such a disposition of his soldiers at Socorro, Ysleta and Franklin as to stop all further violence, and restore order and confidence.

At the election held November 5, 1878, Oran M. Roberts was chosen Governor, Joseph D. Sayers, Lieutenant Governor, S. H. Darden, Comptroller, F. R. Lub- bock, Treasurer, and W. C. Walsh, Land Commissioner. Geo. McCormick, Geo. F. Moore, and M. H. Bonner were elected respectively attorney-general, chief justice

and associate justice. All these success- ful candidates were nominated by the State Democratic convention, which had met at Austin in July.

On retiring from the executive office, January 14, 1879, Governor Hubbard, in his message, supplied the legislature with a succinct and clear account of the finan- cial condition of the State during the period from August 31, 1876, to Sep- tember 1, 1878, from which it appears that the total receipts were $4,306,059.82 currency, and $81,297.10 in specie; the disbursements for all expenses of the gov- ernment, including public schools and frontier defense, amounted to $3,227,362 .- 55 currency, and $49,880.77 specie, leav- ing a balance in the treasury of $78,697.27 currency and $31,416.33 specie. With regard to the public debt, he reported that it amounted to $5,086,783, of which $5,- 034,109 were bonded, and $52,674 float- ing, showing a decrease of $123,290. In- deed, the financial condition of the State was very favorable, her credit being such that her bonds, bearing an interest of six per centum, sold in New York at a pre- minm of two and a half per centum.

The policy of Governor Roberts, as ex- pounded in his inaugural address, aimed at important changes. He objected to positive laws limiting judicial discretion from fear of abuse of power; he depre- cated the present system of procrastina- tion in the sale of the public lands, there- by burdening the present generation with taxes for the doubtful benefit of future generations; and he advocated the dis- posal of the public lands at a fair value as soon as practicable, so as to meet the obli-

LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.

gations of the government, increase the school and other funds, and relieve the present generation from an onerous tax- ation, imposed for the dim prospect of a future good which would never be realized.

On January 27, he sent a special mes- sage to the legislature on the judiciary, in which, like Coke, he advocated amend- ments of the constitution, one of which savored somewhat of a dislike to the utter overthrow of everything in the form of centralism. He was, however, unsuccess- ful in his attempt to have the constitution amended.

On June 10, 1879, Governor Roberts convened an extra session of the legisla- ture, and submitted no less than thirty- nine different matters for its action thereon.

John Ireland was governor from Jann- ary 16, 1883, to January, 1887; then L. S. Ross, two years, and James S. Hogg two years, -- extending to the date of the present publication. During their terms of office there have occurred no exciting events. In politics the " farmers' move- inent " at times has threatened to make considerable inroads into the dominant party, and also the Prohibition inovement has indefinitely divided the vote on many candidates for office.

THE PRESENT.

The present condition of the State of Texas is better in all respects than it has ever been, with a very promising outlook for the future. The public institutions of the State are fully equal to the demands of the times.

The new State capitol at Austin is a beautiful and commodious structure, 566 feet and six inches long, including porti- cos, 288 feet and ten inches wide at the widest point, and having a dome, sur- mounted by a statue, whose summit is 311 feet from the grade line. The building contains 258 rooms, is second in size only. to the capitol in Washington, and is the. seventh largest building in the world.

The free-school system is as good as that of any other State; and Texas has a State University near Austin, the Sam Houston State Normal School at Hunts- ville, the Prairie View State Normal School, six miles east of Hempstead, in Waller county, the Agricultural and Me- chanical College, in Brazos county, the Blind Asylum, the Deaf and Dumb Asy- lum, at Austin, the Deaf and Dumb and Blind Institute for the colored youth near Austin, the State Lunatic Asylum, about two miles north of Austin, the North Texas Hospital for the Insane at Terrell, Kaufman county, the State Orphan Asy- lum, at Corsicana, the State House of Correction and Reformatory, two and one- fourth miles northeast of Gatesville, in Coryell county, etc.

PRESIDENTS AND GOVERNORS OF TEXAS.

David G. Burnett 1835-'36

Sam Houston . 1836-'38

Mirabeau B. Lamar 1838-'40

Sam Houston 1840-'44

Anson Jones 1844-'46

J. Pinckney Henderson 1846-'49

P. Hansborough Bell 1849-'53

Elisha M. Pease. 1853-'57

Hardin R. Runnels 1857-'59

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

Sam Houston 1859-'61

Edmund J. Davis 1870-'74

Edwin Clark 1861

Richard Coke.

1874-'76

Francis R. Lubbock 1861-'63

Richard B. Hubbard 1876-'78

Pendleton Murrah 1863-'65

Oran M. Roberts

1879-'83

Andrew J. Hamilton 1865-'66

John Ireland

1883-'87

J. W. Throckmorton

1866-767

L. S. Ross 1887-'91

Elisha M. Pease

1867-'69

James S. Hogg

1891-'93

RAVARRO COURTY

GEOLOGY.

HE name East Texas is generally ap- plied to that part of the State lying east of the Brazos river. This terri- tory is bounded on the north by the In- dian Territory and Arkansas, on the east by Louisiana, on the sonth by the gulf of Mexico, and on the west by the great prai- rie region of Central Texas. A large part of this region is a heavily timbered tract and marks the southwest terininus of the great Atlantic timber belt, extending from the Arctic regions continuously along the coast of the Atlantic ocean and the gulf of Mexico, until it finally disappears in the mesquite and cactus prairies between the Colorado and Rio Grande.

So says Geologist Penrose in a recent report outlining the region now under con- sideration in this volume, and he proceeds in the following interesting manner: "The country consists largely of the in-shore part of the bottom of the old Tertiary sea, which once covered the whole gulf coast. This area has been elevated into a table land one hundred to seven hundred feet above the present sea level, sloping gradu- ally to the southeast, and emptying its waters in the same direction into the gulf of Mexico. Since its elevation it has un- dergone great erosion, and is still being divided at a tremendous rate. The strata

are all composed of sands and clays, and succumb very readily to the eroding action of the atmospheric agencies. The result is that all that is left of this once level table land are a few flat-topped hills and ridges, such as are seen in the northeastern counties. East Texas, as thus defined, com- prises a coast prairie region on the south, a great timber region in the center, and an interior prairie country in the north and north west."

Turning from this comprehensive pic- ture of its surface, he indicates its means of disposing of a tremendous drainage: "The main rivers of East Texas are the southwesterly (coastward) continnation of the great rivers of the prairie country. They all preserve an easterly or southeast. erly course, and in the low coast or prairie country, as they reach base level, become very crooked and meandering. In the rivers of Texas there is no well-defined " fall line," as described by McGee and others in the Atlantic States. The rivers are often very swift in their upper courses, and become more and more sluggish as they enter the timber and approach the gulf, but the transition is gradual and it is impossible at any place to draw a sharp division that might represent the "fall line" or line of separation between the highland and lowland. These rivers rise

HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,

in various parts of the State, and hence the sediments which the comparatively swift waters of their courses carry down and deposit in the quieter basins of East Texas a vary considerably in character. The Red, Colorado and Brazos rivers rise in the eastern slopes of the Staked Plains, in Northern Texas, pass through the Red (gypsiferous) beds, the Paleozoic rocks, and the great Cretaceous area in Central Texas, and finally deposit in East Texas a sediment composed of these materials from these regions, in the form of a highly calcareous red silt. The Trinity rises in the Carboniferous rocks of Northern Texas, but far east of the Staked Plains, and, pass- ing down through the cretaceous prairies, become charged with calcareous matter. Hence its sediments, though often calcare- ons, do not have the red color of the Red, Brazos, and Colorado rivers.

The Trinity river thus geographically described has an immense valley to drain that, large as it is, is still estimated as but about half that of the Brazos, which scores an area of 35,000 square miles. The Trini- ty's 16,600 square iniles, however, does not prevent it from being the most navi- gable internal river of Texas. "All the Texas rivers are navigable," says Mr. Pen- rose, "to a greater or less extent, and until the introduction of railroads an extensive shipping business was carried on in trans- porting the cotton production of the region. Of course, the amount of freight that could be carried depends on the high and low condition of the water. Now, however, boats rarely go up them for any consider- able distance, as the journey takes a long time on account of the currents in the

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A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 9

Author: Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 954

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 954