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 42
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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
The loss of his first wife, and death of a charming daughter, cast a cloud over the early years of General Lamar's manhood. Nor did the cares of public life seem to dissipate his gloom. At that period, those in his com- pany often noticed a deep-drawn sigh, as from a bosom still pierced with anguish. Such was the state of his mind when the writer first formed his acquaintance. In later years the elasticity of his spirits returned. He possessed a fine literary taste, and wrote some popular poetry. We tran- scribe a stanza, descriptive of his domestic state, published in 1857 :
" Like yon declining sun, my life Is going down all calm and mild, Illumined by an angel wife, And sweetened by a cherub child."
र्क
Edson . N.Y.
R. M. WILLIAMSON,
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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
LA SALLE, ROBERT .- Cavalier de La Salle was a native of Normandy France. Abandoning the priesthood, for which he had been educated, he appeared as an adventurer in Canada, in 1668. He soon entered the service of Governor Frontenac, and was placed in command of a fort named in honor of that functionary. Visiting his native land, he made a favorable impression upon Louis XIV, who conferred upon him a title of nobility, and gave him a monopoly of the fur trade of Lake Onta- rio. His speculation proved unfortunate, and he turned his attention to other and grander schemes. West of the great lakes a river had been found flowing to the south ; ten degrees lower down, DeSoto had discovered a large stream flowing in the same direction. La Salle conjectured that the two rivers were identical, and flowed, not as supposed, into the South Sea, but into the Gulf of Mexico. If so, a new city, opening up a new route for the commerce of the Western Continent, might be founded near its mouth. Collecting a few men, he embarked in some small boats, and started down the stream, which he named Colbert, after the great French Minister of that name. He reached the Gulf of Mexico in April, 1682. Taking possession of the country by what was called the " process verbal," " Henceforth," said he, " my God and my king are supreme, forever, over the innumerable souls and immeasurable lands of this great Continent."
La Salle immediately returned to France, where the importance of the discovery he had made was duly appreciated. Louis furnished him with the men and ships to plant a colony on the banks of the great river. The voyage was unpropitious; one of his ships was captured by the Spaniards; they were unnecessarily delayed at the West India Islands; and when they reached the Continent, were driven too far down the coast. According to the journal of Joutel, they first effected a landing near Corpus Christi, and entered a river, which they named the Oro, (Nueces). This was early in January, 1685. Re-embarking, they sailed up the coast, making an occa- sional landing ; and on February 13th, (says Joutel, but other accounts say the 18th), the " Belle," one of the ships, entered Pass Cavallo, and landed on the west side of a bay named San Bernardo, (Matagorda). On the 20th, by the obstinacy of the Captain, the " Amiable " was lost in trying to cross the bar. At first the Indians were friendly, but subjects of controversy arose, and on the fifth of March two of La Salle's men, Ory and Desloges, were killed by them. There had never been a good understanding between La Salle and Beaujeau, his naval commander. The latter was a pompous little man, proud of his epaulettes, and unwilling to submit to the authority of one whom he regarded as of inferior rank. On the 14th of March, Beaujeau, with the best remaining vessel, the " Joli," sailed for France with a portion of the ammunition and stores intended for the colony. La Salle now had but one vessel left, the " Belle," which the king had given him as a personal present. There were with him about one hundred and eighty persons. For a better location than that which the coast afforded, he, in June, with about seventy persons, crossed the bay, and ascended a river, which, from the number of buffaloes on its banks, they named the " Lavaca." (Joutel calls it the River of Beeves. It may be remarked, that Joutel everywhere calls the buffalo beeves, and the deer wild-goats).
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Joutel, with thirty men, remained at the fort, near Alligator Head, until July, when they joined their companions at Fort St. Louis, (now Dimitt's Point). During the summer, various parties were. sent to hunt for the Mississippi river. In one of these excursions, the " Belle " was sent across Matagorda bay, and was lost somewhere near Dog Island. This left the little party with no means of leaving the coast.
In January, 1686, La Salle left Joutel in charge of the fort, and, with twenty companions, started to the castward. He went as far as the Brazos river, which, as he had the misfortune to have one of his men devoured by an alligator, he called the " Maligne." He returned to the fort in March, having lost five of his men; but he had satisfied himself that he was entirely too far west for what Joutel calls the " fatal river." The subsequent events of his expedition have been reviewed in the early chapters of this volume.
La Salle was one of the most distinguished of that class of adventurers that Europe, in the seventeenth century, sent to- make explorations in the wilderness of the new world. IIe was a knight of spotless purity, of dauntless courage, and of unbounded self-reliance. His loyalty to his sovereign was of the nature of a religious sentiment; while his devotion to the Church would have stood the test of martyrdom. "For force of will and vast conceptions," says Bancroft, " for various knowledge and quick adaptation of his genius to untried circumstances, for a sublime magna. nimity that resigned itself to the will of Heaven and yet triumphed over affliction by energy of purpose, and unfaltering hope, he had no superior among his countrymen. * * After the beginning of the colonization of Upper Canada, he projected the discovery of the Mississippi, from the falls of St. Anthony to its mouth; and he will be remembered, through all time, as the father of colonization in the great central valley of the West."
LATHROP, J. T. K .- A Captain in the Texas Navy. In 1840 he was in command of the steamer Zavalla. After the loss of that vessel he entered the merchant service, and took command of the steamship Neptune, run- ning between New Orleans and Texas. He died in Houston in 1844.
LESTER, JOHN S .- Came to Texas in 1834; the next year he went on an Indian campaign with Colonel John H. Moore, and was in the Consulta- tion, as a representative from Bastrop; in 1837-38, he was in the Texas Congress, and was afterwards Chief Justice of Fayette county, in which he still lives.
LEWIS, IRA R .- A prominent citizen of Matagorda, who acted a conspic- uous part in the Revolution of 1835-36. He died in 1867, at the residence of his son-in-law, Major M. Austin Bryan, at Independence.
LEWIS, WILLIAM P .- The betrayer of the Santa Fe expedition, was a native of Philadelphia. Before he appeared in Texas he had been a mer- chants' clerk in Constantinople and various points on the Mediteranean sea, and in France. in 1835 he was in the employment of William H. MaGoffin, then engaged in the Santa Fe trade. He started from Santa Fe to
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Texas in the spring of 1836; nad four companions, Wallace, Howland, Beaumont and Laws; on the way, in a fight with the Indians, Laws was killed and Howland wounded; (the latter was afterwards killed in the Santa Fe expedition). Wallace died just after reaching Victoria, and Beau- mont was killed by the Indians in 1837. Lewis was a Captain in the expe- dition to Santa Fe; and as he was well acquainted there, and could speak the language, he was sent with the advanced party. He secured his own safety and a share of the goods taken out, by betraying his companions. His treason excited the disgust of the citizens of Santa Fe, and he left the Continent for the Sandwich Islands.
LINN, JOHN J .- A native of Ireland; engaged in mercantile business in Victoria in 1831; in 1832 was Mayor of Victoria; in 1836 he was in the Executive Council at San Felipe, and in the Texas Congress in 1838. He still lives in Victoria.
LIPSCOMB, ABNER S .- Was born in South Carolina in 1789; studied law in the office of John C. Calhoun, and commenced to practice in Alabama in 1810; in 1819 he was District Judge, and from 1823 to 1835, held the office of Chief Justice of Alabama; came to Texas in 1839, and was Secretary of State under Lamar; was a member of the Annexation Convention in 1845, and was appointed one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court at the organization of the State government, and held this office until his death in 1856.
LUBBOCK, FRANK R .- Was born in South Carolina; came to Texas and commenced a mercantile business in Houston in 1836; in 1837 he was a clerk in the Texas Congress; in 1838 he was Comptroller of the Treasury; from 1841 to 1857, he was District Clerk of Harris county ; in 1858, Lieu- tenant-Governor; in 1860, a delegate to the Charleston Convention; in 1861, Governor of Texas; in 1864 he was on the staff of President Davis, as volunteer aid; since the war he has resided in Galveston, where he fills a city office.
LUBBOCK, THOMAS S .- Brother of the above; came to Texas with the New Orleans Greys in 1835; in 1840 he was a Lieutenant in the Santa Fe expedition, and while a prisoner made his escape by leaping from the bal- cony of the Convent of Santiago; he was a Captain in the Somervell campaign in 1842 ; in 1861 he went into the Confederate army as Lieutenant- Colonel of the Terry Rangers. At the death of Colonel Terry, he was elected Colonel of the regiment; but he was then in feeble health, and died at Nashville, Tennessee, in January, 1862.
MANCHACA, ANTONIO .- A native of San Antonio, born in A. D. 1800; was Sergeant in Seguin's company, in the battle of San Jacinto; in 1838 sent to Nacogdoches to pacify Cordova, and other dissatisfied Mexicans.in East Texas. Mr. Manchaca still (1878) lives in his native city.
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
MARGIL, FATHER .- A zealous Franciscan Missionary, who visited Texas from Mexico in 1718. " He found thousands of people scattered up and down the valley of the San Antonio river, for twelve or fifteen miles, and soon saw that it was a suitable position to establish churches." Through his influence the Government of New Spain undertook the grand enterprise of establishing " missions " in Texas. He died in the City of Mexico, in August, 1726.
MARTIN, WYLIE .- Was born in Georgia, in 1776. In early life he taught . school, was clerk in a store and a soldier. In 1805, became connected with Aaron Burr; in 1812 a scout under General Harrison in the army of the Northwest; 1814, with Jackson at the battle of the Horse Shoe; was pro_ moted for gallantry ; subsequently, fought a duel in which his antagonist was killed; resigned his Captain's commission, and, in 1825, immigrated to Texas. He was soon appointed an Alcade in Austin's colony, and became acting political chief of the Department. At the breaking out of the Revolution, he opposed the Declaration of Independence, as premature ; but raised a company, and joined Houston's army at Columbus. Martin's company was sent to Fort Bend, to guard the crossing of the river ; but had too few men to guard both ferries, and while the enemy engaged his company at the upper ferry, some of the Mexicans crossed at the lower crossing, where Richmond now stands. He was chagrined that so small a force had been sent to so important a place, and when he reached General Houston's headquarters, east of the Brazos, he gave up the command of his company, and was sent by the General to assist families in crossing the Trinity and escaping from the country. Captain Martin died in Fort Bend county, in 1842. He was at the time of his death a member of the Texas Congress.
MAVERICK, SAMUEL A .- Became a citizen of San Antonio in 1835; was a member of the Convention in 1836; after annexation served several terms in the Legislature; and at the secession of the State, was appointed one of the Commissioners to receive the public property turned over by General Twiggs. Mr. Maverick was the owner of an immense stock of cattle, and his stockmen claimed all the unbranded yearlings in the range. From this circumstance, unbranded yearlings are commonly called " Mavericks." He died in San Antonio, in 1870.
M'CULLOCH, BENJAMIN .- A native of Tennessee ; came to Texas to par- ticipate in the Revolutionary struggles; enlisted as a private, but was ordered to the command of one of the cannon in the battle of San Jacinto; in 1840, represented Gonzales county in Congress, and was most of the time on the frontier, as Captain of a ranging company. He was a Quartermaster during the Mexican War; in 1853, United States Marshal of Texas ; in 1855, sent by President Buchanan to settle a difficulty among the Mormons in Utah. At the breaking out of the Civil War, a few hundred men rallied to M'Culloch, to assist, if necessary, in capturing the Government stores in the neighborhood of San Antonio. He was appointed a Brigadier General in
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the Confederate ranks, and ordered to Arkansas; fought bravely in the battle of Wilson's creek, where the Federal General Lyon was killed. General M'Culloch was killed in the second day's fight at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, March 24, 1862. His remains were brought to Austin for interment.
M'HENRY, JOHN .- Was a pilot in Long's expedition to Goliad, in 1819, and with the other members of that unfortunate expedition, was sent a prisoner to Mexico. In 1837 he was Chief Justice of Victoria county, in which he died in 1878. Mrs. Long is still living.
M'FARLAND, THOMAS S .- Was aid to Major Bullock in the fight with Piedras, at Nacogdoches, in 1832. In 1833, he laid off the town of San Augustine; in 1836, in the army under Rusk; in 1842, in the Texas Con- gress ; afterward served several terms as Chief Justice of San Augustine county ; lives at Bleakwood.
M'KINNEY, COLLIN .- Was one of the earliest settlers in Bowie County ; was in the Convention of 1836, and served several terms in the Texas Congress. Died in 1861, aged 85 years.
M'KINNEY, THOMAS F .- A merchant formerly engaged in the St. Louis and Santa Fe trade. During the revolutionary period, he was an agent of the Provisional Government; bought the first vessels for the Texas navy; and the firm of M'Kinney & Williams transacted nearly all the financial business of the new government. The same firm built one of the first wharves on Galveston Island. After annexation, Mr. M'Kinney removed to Travis county, which he at one time represented in the Legislature. He died at home on Onion creek, in 1873.
M'LEOD, HUGH .- A graduate of West Point; became identified with Texas during the Revolution; was aid to General Rusk, in his fight with the Kickapoos, in 1838, and in the fights with the Cherokees, in 1839. In 1840, he was commander of the Santa Fe expedition. In 1844, settled in Galveston, and after annexation represented that city in the Legislature. In 1861, entered the Confederate army, as Colonel of the First regiment of Texas infantry, in the army of Virginia; died at Dumfries, Virginia, in 1861. His remains were transferred to Austin for burial.
MENIFEE, WILLIAM. - Was one of a large company of Manifees, Heards, Whites, Devers, Sutherlands, etc., that immigrated from North Alabama to Texas in 1830. He was a member of the Convention in 1836; and of the First and Second Congresses ; the first Chief Justice of Colorado county, and one of the commissioners to locate the new capital. It was largely through his influence that Austin was chosen. He first settled on the Navidad, in Jackson county ; removed thence to Egypt, on the Colorado, and, after annexation, to Fayette county ; and represented that county in the Legislature in 1853; died October 28th, 1875.
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
MEXIA, JUAN ANTONIO .- First appeared in Texas in 1832. He had been sent by Santa Anna in charge of a naval force for the capture of Matamoras. Having accomplished that, he received Stephen F. Austin, just returning from a session of the Legislature at Saltillo, on his ship, and ran up the coast of Texas and entered the Brazos river. He, as well as Santa Anna, then professed to be ardent Republicans. He visited New Orleans in the fall of 1835, to fit out an expedition for the capture of Tampico. By the aid of William Christy, Captain Hawkins and others, a small schooner, the Mary Jane, was secured, and a promiscuous crowd of Americans, French and Germans embarked upon her. These men understood that they were to sail for Texas, and a free passage was offered. Instead of entering a Texas port, the Mary Jane steered for Tampico, where they found a steamer ready to tow her into the harbor. Here the men were first informed that there was a Revolutionary General and his staff on board. Partly by force and partly by persuasion, the men took guns in their hands, though they had never gone through the manual of arms. A fort was occupied without opposition. The population did not rally to his standard, and when they were attacked by the Centralists, Mexia and most of his men seized a ves- sel and fled. Thirty-one, however, fell into the hands of the Centralists. Three of the prisoners died, and the others were condemned to be shot. Twenty-eight of these men, a few hours before their execution, signed a declaration that they had been deceived as to the object of the expedition, and abducted from their country.
Mexia returned to Texas, and on the 6th of December the Executive Council passed a resolution instructing William Pettus and Thomas F. Mc- Kinney to aid him in getting up an expedition to operate against Santa Anna in the interior of Mexico. The capture of the city of San Antonio soon afterward, by the Texans, changed the whole aspect of public affairs, and Mexia's enterprise was abandoned. In 1839, Mexia was again at the head of the Revolutionary party in Tampico. There, he was for a time suc- cessful, and captured and shot his former Texas friend, General Piedras. After some advantages gained, he was joined by General Urrea, who still claimed to be a Republican. To meet the formidable army thus arrayed on the Revolutionary side, Bustamente left Santa Anna to manage the gov- ernment in Mexico, and took command in person of the Centralist troops. The two armies met near Puebla, at Acajeta. Bustamente gained a com- plete victory. Urrea made liis escape, but Mexia was captured, and, ac- cording to Mexican precedents, soon afterward marched out and shot.
MILAM, BENJAMIN R .- The hero of San Antonio, was a genuine son " of the dark and bloody ground." He distinguished himself as a soldier in the war of 1812, and at its close became a trader and an adventurer among the In- dian tribes, on the head waters of the Texas River. We next read of him at Galveston, in 1816; then on his way to Mexico to enlist in the ranks of the Republicans, who were trying to disengage themselves from the Spanish yoke. After having rendered valuable services in Mexico, in 1819, be vis- ited New Orleans, where, in conjunction with Trespelacios, he organized an expedition for the capture of Tampico. When Iturbide proclaimed himself ·
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. Emperor, Milam joined the party opposed to these pretensions. He was taken by the Imperial troops and thrown into prison, where lic languished for a year, and was finally released by an uprising among the people. For his services in the Republican cause, he received, first, one league of land, which was afterward increased to eleven; but unfortunately hie located too far east, and when the boundary line was run, Milam's invaluable tract of land was in Miller county, Arkansas. He was interested in the colonial contracts with General A. G. Wabell, an Englishman, in planting a colony on Red River. At his invitation, a good many families came in, and be- came permanent settlers. This was in 1828. He was then an inmate of the family of Judge Ellis, though lic had opened a ranche of his own, on land which proved not to be in Texas. He subsequently obtained an empresario contract for settling the country at the head of the San Marcos River. Dr. Beale was probably interested in this, as it is marked in some of the old maps as Beale's grant. It was sold to the house of Baring Brothers, London. Nothing was done toward introducing colonists. Milam was in the fight at Nacogdoches, in 1832. In 1835 he was at Saltillo, and pro- cured from the Legislature the exclusive right to navigate the Colorado River. While there, the despotic plans of Santa Anna began to be unfolded. These were denounced in unmeasured terms by the stern and incorruptible Milam. The result was, Milam was again arrested and thrown into prison at Monterey. He soon won the confidence of the jailer, by whose conniv- ance, and the assistance of an outside friend, who furnished a fleet liorse, he made his escape and fled toward Texas. He reached Texas at a most opportune moment. It was just after the skirmish about the cannon at Gonzales. Captain Collinsworth had raised a company for the capture of Goliad. Milam was stealthily making his way eastward, when he fell in with Collinsworth's men. He at first supposed they were Mexican soldiers, and prepared to sell his life as dearly as possible, preferring death to another imprisonment. Listening closely, he thought he heard his own language spoken, and to his inexpressible joy soon discovered that he was among friends. Nothing could have afforded Milam more pleasure than to become one of the storming party that captured Goliad.
We have but meager accounts of this most distinguished patriot. He once remarked to Judge Durnet that he had been in almost every prison be- tween the Rio Grande and the city of Mexico. He was now in Texas, and Texas was struggling to resist the usurpation of Santa Anna. After the capture of Goliad, Milam went to the Texas army, then preparing for the capture of San Antonio. The prospect was disheartening. The city was well fortified; with a garrison of veteran troops, numbering largely more than the Texans could muster. A council of war in the Texas camp had decided that the attempt to carry the place by storm would be too hazard- ous. At this juncture, when the army appeared undecided, and was in dan- ger of disbanding through dissensions, by the advice of Burleson, Milam stepped out in front of the headquarters, and announced that Old Ben Mi- lam was going into San Antonio, and wanted volunteers to go with him. With a shout, the men rallied to the standard of the brave okl soklier. In the hour of victory, when reconnoitering with his glass for the final assault,
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he was pierced with a rifle-ball, which instantly killed him. He was tem- porarily buried in the yard of the Veramendi House, where he fell. His remains were subsequently transferred to the Protestant burying ground in the city.
MILLARD, HENRY-Was a member of the Consultation, from Liberty. At the organization of the army, he was appointed a captain, and commanded the Regulars in the battle of San Jacinto. He was subsequently connected with the attempt to arrest President Burnet. He died in 1842.
MILLER, DR. JAMES B .- A native of Kentucky; came to Texas in 1829; first engaged in the practice of his profession with Dr. Peebles; subse- quently became a partner of Alexander Somervell in a store in San Felipe; was a member of the Convention at San Felipe, in 1833, and of the Legis- lature at Saltillo, in 1834. While in the Legislature, the Department of the Brazos was created, and Dr. Miller was appointed Political Chief. With many others, he thought the declaration of Texas independence was pre- mature, but when the measure was adopted he went heartily into it. In 1837, he was Secretary of the Treasury; in 1843, Chief Justice of Fort Bend county. In 1837, and again in 1849, he received a handsome vote for Gov- ernor; in 1851, he was appointed one of the commissioners to investigate fraudulent land titles west of the Nueces River. He died in 1854.
MINA, XAVIER .- A Spanish soldier of fortune, who, having been impris- oned, made his escape to England, where he collected about 200 followers and sailed for America. His first intention was to co-operate with Toledo in the conquest of Florida. Failing in this, he landed at Galveston, Novem- ber 24th, 1816. In March following, he, in conjunction with Aury and Perry, planned an expedition for the capture of Soto la Marina, on the Santander river, in Mexico. The place was taken without a fight. The commanders then differed on questions of rank, and separated. Aury sailed for the Texas coast with all the vessels. Perry started for Texas by land ; and Mina, enlisting a few followers, determined to remain and operate against the Royalists in Mexico. His first fight was at Valle de Mais, where, with 300 men, he totally defeated 400 Spanish cavalry. This was on the 8th of June. June 14th, he gained another victory at Peotillas; on the 18th, cap- tured Real de Rinas with its garrison of 300 men, and afterwards the cele- brated hacienda of the Marquis of Jaral, from whom he extorted $300,000. In the meantime, Arredondo had re-occupied Soto la Marina, and was concentrating all his available forces for the capture of Mina. The native Republicans distrusted Mina because he was a Cachupin, and did not rally in force to his standard. With diminished numbers, he bravely encountered the veteran Arredondo at Venadita, September 27th. He was defeated and captured. By order of the Viceroy, Apodaca, he was shot at Remedios, November 11th, 1817.
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