USA > Texas > A pictorial history of Texas, from the earliest visits of European adventurers, to A.D. 1879. Embracing the periods of missions, colonization, the revolution the republic, and the state; also, a topographical description of the country together with its Indian tribes and their wars, and biographical sketches of hundreds of its leading historical characters. Also, a list of the countries, with historical and topical notes, and descriptions of the public institutions of the state > Part 28
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Considerable dissatisfaction was expressed with the Con-
We copy one paragraph from the message of the Governor to the Legis- lature, in January, 1873: " When I commenced the performance of the duties of Governor, I proposed to myself these main purposes: On the one hand to restrain that tendency to extravagant squandering of public money, and running into debt, which has disgraced many of the govern- ments and legislatures of the (so-called) reconstructed States-a tendency, however, that was to be expected of that demoralization which the tremen- dous convulsion of the war caused to permeate, more or less, all parties and classes in those States. On the other hand, to restrain that lawlessness which always unfavorably distinguished our people, but had become shock- ingly intensified by the habits taught our young men in military camps."
437
HUBBARD BECOMES GOVERNOR. .
stitution formed under the auspices of General Reynolds ; and at the second session of the fourteenth Legislature, held in March, 1875, provision was made for calling a Constitu- tional Convention. The Convention met on the 6th of September, and organized by electing E. B. Pickett Pres-
ident, and Wm. Leigh Chalmers Secretary. Having completed its work, it adjourned on the 24th of November .*
The fifteenth Legislature met on the 12th of April, 1876, and on the 25th, Messrs. Coke and Hubbard were reinaugu- rated to their respective offices. On the 5th of May, Gov- ernor Coke was elected to the United States Senate; but he continued to exercise the functions of Governor until the 1st of December.
On the first of December, 1876, Richard B. Hubbard, the Lieutenant-Governor, became Governor by the resignation of Governor Coke.t
* At the election, August 2d, 69,583 votes were cast for the Convention, and 30,549 against it. At the election, February 15th, 1876, 136,606 votes were cast for the Constitution, and 56,652 against it. The regular Demo- cratic State ticket was elected. For Governor, Richard Coke received 150,418, and William Chambers 47,719 votes.
Executive Officers: Wells Thompson, President of the Senate; A. W. Deberry, Secretary of State; H. H. Boone, Attorney-General; William Steele, Adjutant-General; Stephen H. Darden, Comptroller; A. J. Dorn, Treasurer; J. J. Croos, Land Commissioner.
Thomas H. Duval, Judge of the United States Court, Western District; and since 1872, Amos Morrill, of the Eastern District.
By an amendment to the Constitution, in 1874, the Supreme Court was composed of one Chief Justice and four Associates: O. M. Roberts, Chief Justice ; W. P. Ballinger, George F. Moore, Reuben A. Rives, and Thomas J. Devine, Associates. Vacancies having occurred, P. W. Gray and John Ireland were appointed Associate Justices.
A new organization took place under the Constitution of 1875: O. M. Roberts, Chief Justice ; George F. Moore and Robert S. Gould, Associate Justices. By the Constitution, a Court of Appeals was created; and John P. White, C. M. Winkler and M. D. Ector, appointed Judges.
+ A good many topics of interest, connected with the administrations of Coke and Hubbard, are treated under special heads-as railroads, peniter. . tiary, public debt, &c., &c.
Executive Officers: Wells Thompson, Lieutenant-Governor; Isham G.
438
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Searcy, Secretary of State; A. J. Dorn, Treasurer; S. H. Darden, Comp- troller; J. J. Croos, and W. C. Walsh, Land Commissioners; William Steele, Adjutant-General; H. H. Boone, Attorney-General; V. O. King, Commissioner of Insurance, Statistics and History.
U. S. Senators : M. C. Hamilton, 1870-1878-succeeded by Richard Coke. J. W. Flanagan, 1870-1874-succeeded by S. B. Maxey. Members of the House: The State was entitled to four members in 1870, and they were George W. Whitmore, John C. Connor, William T. Clark, and Edward Degner. In 1871-72: W. S. Herndon, D. C. Giddings, (two terms), and W. P. M'Lean. In 1873, after the new apportionment, the State was entitled to two additional ; they were R. Q. Mills and Asa C. Willie, John Hancock, (from 1871 to 1876) ; D. C. Giddings, (1877-78 ;; John H. Reagan, (1874-78) ; David B. Culbertson, (1874-78) ; J. W. Throckmorton, (1874-78) ; Roger Q. Mills, (1873-78) ; G. Schleicher, (1874-78) .
LAWLESSNESS .- At the close of the Pease administration, mention was made of the prevalence of lawlessness and crime. It was hoped that after the restoration of civil law there would be an abatement of this lawless spirit. But unfortunately there was not. Under the Davis administration various excuses were offered for its continuance. Party spirit ran high. The partizans of Mr. Davis charged that the disorders of society were chargeable to the war spirit still rampamt among their political opponents ; while the Democrats charged that these disorders were greatly aggravated by the State police. It is not possible, at this time, to fix the blame upon the guilty parties; nor is it necessary. It was fondly hoped that with the inauguration of Governor Coke, who was elected by such an overwhelm- ing majority, the civil law would reassert itself, and arrest the spirit of insubordination. But it did not. On the 13th of June, Governor Coke issued a proclamation denouncing the severest penalties of the law against transgressors, and exhorting civil officers to do their duty in the premises. This had some effect, as the Governor says, in his message to the ensuing Legislature, that in one year 853 convicts were sent to the penitentiary ; and in about one-third of the State from which partial reports had been received, out of 1,561 trials for criminal offences, there resulted 981 convic- tions. There were, however, instances in which the civil law was still powerless ; and in July, 1876, the Governor sent Captain L. H. M'Annelly, from Washington county, with fifty men to preserve the peace in De Witt county. Peace was restored there; but the presence of Captain M'Annel- ly's company was demanded in other places, and up to the present time it has been found necessary to keep a few men in the Governor's employ to enforce civil law. During the summer of 1876, the worst band of robbers that ever infested our State was broken up. The time has come when all good, law-abiding citizens, of all parties and nationalities, appear to be willing to unite in sustaining the officers of the law, and bringing criminals to justice. The most aggravated case of lawlessness during Governor Hub- bard's administration occurred in El Paso county, when a mob displaced the civil officers and committed a number of murders. Many land-forgers have been sentenced to the Penitentiary ; and the bands engaged in robbing stages and railroad trains, it is believed, have been broken up.
439
LIST OF OFFICERS ELECTED.
Officers of the Legislature since secession: Of the Senate-President elect, 11th Legislature, R. H. Guinn; 12th, Don Campbell, Webster Flana- gan; 13th, E. B. Pickett; 14th, John Ireland; 15th, Wells Thompson. Secretaries: 10th, P. De Cordova; 11th, William Leigh Chalmers; 12th, C. M. Campbell, and C. C. Allen; 13th, William Leigh Chalmers; 14th, J. F. Beall; 15th, William Leigh Chalmers. Officers of the House-Speakers: 9th session, C. M. Buckley ; 10th, M. D. K. Taylor; 11th, N. M. Burford; 12th, Ira H. Evans; 13th, M. D. K. Taylor; 14th, Guy M. Bryan; 15th, T. R. Bonner. Chief Clerks: 9th Legislature, William Leigh Chalmers; 10th, J. H. Herndon ; 11th, J. V. Hutchins; 12th, John G. Boyle; 13th, 14th, and 15th, W. C. Walsh
At the election held November 5th, 1878, the candidates nominated by the State Democratic Convention, which met in Austin July 16th, were elected, receiving about two-thirds of the votes cast. The other third was divided between the candidates of the Greenback and the Republican parties. The following are the officers elected :
O. M. Roberts, Governor; Joseph D. Sayers, Lieutenant-Governor; S. H. Darden, Comptroller; F. R. Lubbock, Treasurer; W. C. Walsh, Land Commissioner. George McCormick, Attorney-General; George F. Moore, Chief Justice ; M. H. Bonner, Associate Justice.
The Congressmen elect are: John H. Reagan, (Dem.), First District ; D. C. Culberson, (Dem.), Second District; Olin Wellborn, (Dem.) Third District ; R. Q. Mills, (Dem.), Fourth District; George W. Jones, (Ind.), Fifth District; G. Schleicher, (Dem.), Sixth District.
PART VII.
TEXAS INDIANS.
٠ ٠٢ ٠١٠٠٠٠٫٠٠
CALMAI
COMANCHE WARRIOR.
1
CHAPTER I.
THREE GENERAL CLASSES OF INDIANS-1, PUEBLAS-2, INDIANS THAT CULTIVATE THE SOIL-NASSONITES, CENNIS, CADDOS, WACOS, INTRUSIVE TRIBES-3, NOMADIC, OR MIGRATORY INDIANS, THAT LIVE BY HUNTING: COMANCHES, APACHES, LIPANS, ETC., ETC
W E propose in this chapter to give a brief sketch of the Indians of our State. This does not include a much earlier race of aborig- ines-the Mound-Builders, whose monuments of earth-works are found on our coast as far as the Nueces river. Nor do we propose to enter the domain of the antiquary, to inquire whence our Indians came, by what route, and who were their ancestors or their kinsmen.
In the popular mind, there are erroneous impressions of our Indian races. It is generally supposed that Indians are all very much alike. On the contrary, they differ as widely in manners, in language, in religion, and in political institutions, as the peoples now inhabiting this continent-peo- ples who have migrated from all the nations of the Old World. In general, the Indians found in the South were less barbarous and cruel than those of a more northern latitude. Captive children and feeble women were sometimes put to death because they impeded travel, but such a barbarism as running the gauntlet was unknown here. In war dances, the Caran- chuas and some other tribes drank the blood of their enemies, and tasted the flesh, but there is no evidence that any Texas tribes were cannibals.
Our Indians may be classed under three general divisions : 1. The Pueblas, or village Indians. 2. The tribes who lived by agriculture and stock-raising. 3. The nomadic, or hunting and migratory tribes.
I. PUEBLAS .- In 1537, seventy-five years before the English settled Jamestown, Marcus De Niza, a Franciscan missionary from the city of Mexico, crossed the Rio Grande and entered the village now known as Isleta, the present county seat of El Paso county. He found it then, as it is now, occupied by Puebla Indians, probably belonging to the Aztecs, or ancient inhabitants of the continent. They lived in comfort- able houses, dressed in a coarse kind of cloth made from cotton produced in the neighborhood, and had an abundance of corn, vegetables, etc. Very pacific, they readily accepted the new doctrines introduced by the missionary, and conformed to the rites of the Church
Three years later, Isleta was visited, " captured, " in the pompous lan- guage of the narrator, by the Spaniards sent from Mexico under Coronado, when the innocent natives became Spanish subjects. Coronado conferred upon the settlement the inestimable blessing of introducing sheep, cattle
446
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
and horses. From the supply thus introduced have sprung the immense herds and flocks and caballados of horses in New Mexico. These Indians probably occupied their village for centuries before the discovery of the continent by Columbus. Neither the revolutions in Mexico, nor the people of the United States, have produced any material change in the habits or customs of these Pueblas during the last three centuries. They are now loyal and peaceable citizens of the United States, and of the State of Texas.
The Aranamas, near Goliad, were also Pueblas; and all are said to have been farther advanced in civilization than those of the upper Rio Grande. If tradition is to be credited, they used glass windows in their two-story houses. They were pacific, and early fell a prey to their more belligerent neighbors, the Caranchuas. The mission near Goliad, established for the Aranamas, was after annexation converted into a college building, and is now, we believe, private property.
II. TRIBES THAT CULTIVATED THE SOIL .- There were some twenty differ- ent tribes and bands that subsisted, in part, by cultivating the soil ; though all, of course, engaged in hunting and fishing. The earliest discovered and most numerous, and most civilized of this class, were the Nassonites and Cennis tribes on the Trinity and Neches rivers. The Orquizacos, on San Jacinto River and Bay belonged to the same general class. When visited by La Salle, in 1685, the Indians received him kindly, and entertained him with genuine hospitality, and furnished him provisions and horses to continue lis journey across the continent. A quarter of a century later, the same vil- lages afforded a refuge to Belisle and La Harpe. They ever proved faith- ful allies to the French. These tribes, so numerous and so noble, disappeared during the last years of the last century ; and their disappearance and fate are involved in almost as much mystery as the fate of the ten lost tribes of Israel. It was during an era of wars and revolutions. The long contest between France and Spain for the ownership and possession of Texas had - finally been settled in favor of the latter; and these Indians, the ever-faith- ful allies of the French, are never more heard of. Yoakum suggests that possibly the intrusive tribes from the United States had a hand in their destruction. But it is useless to speculate on a subject which offers no rational prospect of solution.
When the Anglo-Americans reached this country, they found the old villages of the Nassonites occupied by small bands of Alabamas, Coshatties, and Muscogees, who had been driven from their rest ou the Alabama River, and sought a new one here. These Indians have always been friendly with the whites, and in the days of the Republic four leagues of land were set apart for their homes; but the whites have squatted upon the most valua- ble portions of the land, until now they have but a few hundred acres left; and it is too poor to attract the cupidity of settlers. It is probable the small remnant of these Indians will soon be transferred to the Indian Terri- tory. These are now the only Indians claiming a domicil in Texas.
The Caddos were a powerful tribe inhabiting East Texas and Louisiana. They were brave and warlike-possessed extensive fields of corn, large stocks of cattle, horses, etc., and were allies of the French. When driven
.
447
INDIANS THAT CULTIVATE THE SOIL.
from East Texas, they formed a large village near where Fort Worth now stands.
The Tehas (or Texas) belonged to the Caddo family. This was once a powerful band. Coronado, in 1850, found the Tehas or Tayos on the upper Red River. He speaks in high terms of this tribe. They proved faithful guides. Joutel, the surviving companion of La Salle, found a vil- lage of this name on the Sabine. The map of Bellin, (Paris, 1744) locates the Tehas or Teijas village on the Trinity, near the present town of Crock- ett. An old map in our possession locates their village on the east side of the Neches River, at the old crossing of the San Antonio and Nacogdoches road. Their tribal existence was soon lost, but they have left their name inscribed upon one of the most brilliant stars of the great American con- stellation.
The Naugdoches, or Nacogdoches, were another band of Caddos. One of the earliest missions established in Texas was for this tribe, which has left its name to the county in which their principal village was located. In San Agustine county there was another band of the same great family-the Ayish ; for whom there was also a mission established.
" The Keechies," says Judge Burnet, " were a peculiar race. Their lan- guage differed radically from all others known in Texas. The Comanches held them in singular abhorrence, believing them to possess and exercise the power of witchcraft." They left their name on the creek on which they lived in East Texas. They were not very highly esteemed. Their men were conjurers, and their women fortune-tellers. After being reduced to a few families, they sought a home across Red River. The Quapaws were another peculiar tribe. They were said to be a kind of Quakers, and were non-combatants. The Shawnees had a village near the present town of Henderson, Rusk county. The Tehuacanies gave their name to a range of hills in Limestone county. A university located in their old range now bears their name.
The principal village of the Wacoes was on the Brazos River, where the city of the same name now stands. This was a large tribe, and their vil- lages were found in several localities.
The late George Wilkins Kendall, in his Santa Fe Expedition, gives a pic- ture of a Waco village which that party found on the Trinity River. " In a large bend of the stream the village was situated, and all around were the corn-fields and pumpkin and melon patches of the inhabitants. Although the bend must have been five or six miles in length, by nearly two in breadth in the wider parts, every portion of it appeared to be in cultivation; and the land was extremely fertile. The purlieus of the village appeared to be kept clean. The wigwams, or houses rather, for they deserve that name, were built in rows and had an air of neatness and regularity about them, such as I had never before observed in an Indian village. They were of conical shape, some twenty-five feet in height, and of about the same diame- ter on the floor; the materials used in their construction being poles, buffalo hides and rushes. The poles were stuck in the ground, and after running up perpendicularly some ten feet, were bent over so as to converge to a point at the top, thus giving a regular dome-like roof to carry off the
448
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
rains. Over these, buffalo hides in some instances were made fast, and these again were covered with'long rushes-thus making thatched cottages impervious to dust and rain.
" Within many of the houses, at an elevation of four or five feet from the ground, was a row of berthis extended nearly the whole circuit, and very neatly got up. The bottom of these berthis appeared to be of rough basket work, the frame which supported them being of long poles. The inhabit- ants had carried off a principal part of their furniture, but had still enough left to convince us that, for Indians, they lived in much comfort and not a little style. Attached to each residence, and immediately in the rear was another building of smaller dimensions, the lower part of which was evidently used for a corn-crib and store-house. In these buildings we found a quantity of corn and pumpkins, besides finely-cured venison, ante- lope and buffalo meat. Above the corn-crib was a species of balcony."
In one of these buildings was found a musical instrument, not unlike a fife, which Mr. Kendall suggested some love-sick Romeo used to charm his Juliet. A house of much larger dimensions was found near the centre of the village; probably the residence of the chief. Mr. Kendall adds: "I confess that I saw evidences of a more elevated kind of humanity than I had supposed was to be found anywhere among the original Americans."
Higher up on the river, the Pawnees had extensive villages and culti- vated fields ; while the home of the Anadaquas was on the Upper Brazos. Their principal village was near the present town of Graham, in Young county. Hosea Maria, one of the chiefs of this band, once with his warriors surprised and killed a party of fourteen surveyors in Limestone county.
The Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws and Delawares were Indians belonging to the United States. Driven from home, they sought a settlement in Texas. They became a source of trouble, and were, in 1839, expelled from the Republic.
III. We now come to the third class, the Nomads-the real live Indians- the Comanches. In their own language, they call themselves Naini, or live people, intimating that other nations are growing effete. This is the Indian that fills up our ideal of true savage life-the Arab of the prairie- the model of the fabled Thessalian "Centaur," half horse, half man, so closely joined and so dexterously managed that it appears but one animal -fleet and furious. This is the class that has hung like a dark and threat- ening cloud over our frontier, disputing every inch of ground with the no less brave and determined pioneer settler.
COMANCHES .- This was the most powerful and warlike of all the native tribes of Texas. They are offshoots from the great Shoshone family. From the earliest settlement of the country they were hostile to the Spaniards; but, up to 1836, were on friendly terms with the people of the United States. Their range extended along the entire frontier of Texas, but their principal villages were on the Upper Colorado. The San Saba Mission was established for their benefit. Their government was a mixture of the Patriarchal and the Republican. Their chiefs were elective, and exercised a paternal, rather than a despotic authority. Difficulties were settled
449
WARLIKE TRIBES.
generally by arbitration. On foot the Comanche is ungainly and awkward, but is perfectly at home on horseback. They are considered the best horse- men in the world. The women perform the drudgery, and as described by Mr. Catlin, in 1833, wore slips made of dressed skins. They practiced polygamy, and divorces could be readily obtained, especially by the hus- band. Mr. Catlin said they had no system of worship, and but very indis- tinct ideas of a future state. But Captain Marcy, who spent months in the tribe, says they are Theists, worshipping one Supreme Being, and believe firmly in a future state. Various estimates are given as to their numbers. In 1833, Mr. Catlin estimated them at from 30,000 to 40,000; but Captain Marcy puts the number at from 12,000 to 18,000. " They have," continues the Captain, " three local grand divisions: Northern, Middle and Southern ; designated by them as, Tennawas, Yamparicks and Comanches. These again, are subdivided into smaller bands, each having its separate chief or captain. The southern Comanches alone remain permanently in Texas. They consist of two bands. The names of their two principal chiefs in 1854, were Shascahco aud Ketumse. The aggregate number in the two bands at that time was about 1,100 souls. The middle band numbered 3,500, and resided on the Canadian river, but sometimes followed the buffaloes to the Brazos river. The northern band, which was much larger than either of the others, seldom entered Texas."
APACHES .- A brave and warlike tribe of hunters, whose principal village was at the Bandera Pass. For a century this tribe depredated upon the citizens of San Antonio. They were generally in close alliance with the Comanches, a kindred tribe.
LIPANS .- This was a numerous and warlike tribe of migratory Indians, inhabiting the country between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers. They belonged to the same great family with the Comanches and Apaches. They early acquired the Spanish language and became Spanish subjects. In 1811, 300 Lipan warriors fought in the ranks of Ma Menchaca, when he captured Hidalgo In 1813, 100 of them fought in the Republican ranks at the battle of Rosillo, near San Antonio. The Lipans, being Mexican subjects, found a home on the west side of the Rio Grande. It is supposed that they still occasionally visit Texas in small thieving bands:
TONKAWAS .- A small tribe on the Colorado. They were in mortal dread of the Comanches, and always lived near the American settlements. They sometimes committed petty thefts, but were never openly hostile. Their principal chief, Placido was implicitly trusted by Burleson and other Texans, when fighting the Comanches and other hostile tribes. During the late war a number of the Reservation Indians enlisted in the Union army; Placido absolutely refused to enlist, as he said he could never fight against Texas. In a melee which ensued, he and a number of his men were killed. There is a small remnant of this band in the Indian Territory, that desires to return to Texas.
KICKAPOOS .- A band of this tribe, belonging to the great Algonquin family-came first from Illinois to Missouri, thence into the Indian Terri- tory, and finally into Texas, and established a village in the neighborhood of Crockett, in Houston county.
450
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
KIOWAS .- This brave and powerful tribe did not belong to Texas. Their home is in the Indian Territory and Arizona. They, however, occasionally followed the buffaloes to the Brazos, and committed depredations on Texas settlements.
We have now enumerated the principal tribes of Texas In ians. When the Spanish and French adventurers and explorers visited the country, they found these Indians friendly, and were treated with hospitality. Are the Indians alone responsible for subsequent scenes of blood and carnage? We subjoin the testimony of one American :
Captain Randall Jones, one of Austin's first colonists, and a gentleman of unimpeachable veracity, spent the years from 1813 to 1818 as a trader among the Indians of Texas. In his journal he says: " I have now been five years trading among the Indians and Mexicans. During the whole of this period, I can say with truth, that I was always treated with respect and attention. In all my transactions, either with Mexicans or Indians, I endeavored to act justly, and was never insulted or mistreated by them."
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