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 16
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 16
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JOSE ANTONIO NAVARRO, in whose honor Navarro county was named, was born in San Antonio do Bejar, February 27, 1793, his father being a native of Corsica and an offi-
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cer in the Spanish army. Ile was a stanch Federalist and a foo to military depotism. In 1834-'33 Navarro was a land commissioner for Bejar district; a member of the conven- tion in 1836; and a member of the congress in 1838-'39. Ile was condemned by Santa Anna to imprisonment for life, though during his captivity he was several times offered pardon, liberty and high office if he would abjure his native country, Texas, forever. These propositions were rejected with scorn.
In December, 1844, just before the fall of. Santa Anna, he was remove I from San Juan de Ulua and allowe I to remain a prisoner at large in Vera Cruz, whence he escaped Janu- ary 2, arriving at Galveston February 3, 18-45, after an absence of more than three years and a half. On his return he was elected delegate to the convention held that year to decide upon the question of annexation, and was afterward senator from Bejar district in the State congress. Ile died in his native city in 1870.
GENERAL T. J. Rusk was born December 5, 1808, in Sonth Carolina, his father being an immigrant from Ireland and a stone mason by occupation. Through the influence of John C. Calhoun, on whose land the family lived, young Rusk was placed in the office of William Grisham, clerk for Pendleton dis- triet, where he made himself familiar with the law, and was soon admitted to the bar. HIe afterward removed to Clarksville, Georgia, where he married the daughter of General Cleveland. At that place he acquired a lucrative practice, but unfortunately engaged in mining speculations and was swindled out of nearly all his earnings. Ho pursued some of the rascals to Texas, and found them in this State, but they had spent or concealed all his money. Going to Nacogdoches, he located himself, and was afterward conspicuous
as a Texan patriot. Ile distinguished himself in the war of independence, and subsequently commanded varions expeditions against the In- dians. In 1839 he was appointed chief justice of the Republic, but soon resigned and retired into law practice at Nacogdoches. In 1845, he was president of the annexation conven. tion, and was one of the first two senators to the United States Congress, and this position he held until his death in 1857, brought about by his own hand, probably in a fit of mental aberration induced by a malignant disease and the loss of his wife. Ile was a man of rare qualities, and is held in the high- est esteem by all who knew him. On account of his death Congress wore the usual badge of mourning for thirty days.
ELISHA ANGLIN, a prominent early settler of central Texas, was born in Powell Valley, Virginia, where he was raised and married; moved thence to Kentucky, afterward to Clay, Edgar and . Cole counties, Illinois, and finally, . in 1833, to Texas. IIe reached what is now Grimes Prairie, Grimes county, in the fall of 1833, where Austin's colony still remained. In the summer of 1834, in company with James and Silas Parker, he visited Limestone county in Robertson's colony, and located a claim where the present town of Groesbeek is situated. Silas Parker located his claim north of Auglin's, and James Parker went still further north. They then returned to Grimes Prairie, each buying a load of corn prepara- tory to bringing their families, which they did in the summer of 1834. Mr. Anglin set- tled on his claim February 1, 1835, and Fort Parker was built in the summer of the same year.
When the Parkers and Mr. Anglin settled in the county the Indians were friendly and peaceable, those then in the locality being the Tehnacanas, at Tehuacana Hills; the Kee-
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chies, on Keechie creek, and the Wacoes, who were then occupying their village at Waco. The first trouble was brought about by raids being made on them by bands of white men. The raids were made in the summer of 1835, and the following spring news reached the fort of the advance of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. Mr. Anglin, believing that the fort and all the inmates would fall victims to Mexican foes and hostile Indians, tried to in- duce the Parkers to abandon it and retire to the settlements beyond the Trinity. But this they refused to do. Taking his family, Mr. Anglin, in company with Mr. Faulkenberry and family and Mr. Bates and family, songlit safety at old Fort Houston, near Palestine. He did not return to Limestone county until the spring of 1838, when Springfield, after- ward the county seat, was laid out, he being present and assisting in this labor. For four or five years following this date he resided principally in the settements in Grimes coun. ty, but in January, 1844, took up his perma- nent residence on his claim, where he lived until his last marriage, and nutil his death, near Mount Calin, in January, 1874, aged reventy-six years. He assisted in the organi- zation of the county, held a number of minor local positions at an earlier day, was an un- lettered man, but possessed considerable force of character, the elements of the pioneer strongly pre dominating.
Mr. Anglin was five times married, and the father of a number of children. His first wife was Rachel Wilson, a native of Virginia, who died in Edgar county, Ilinois, leaving five children: Abram; William; John; Mary, afterward the wife of Silas HI. Bates; and Margaret, now Mrs. John Moody. He was then married, in Coles county, Illinois, to Catherine Duty, who bore him three children, only one of whom reached maturity: Rebecca
Catherine, now the wife of I ra iklin' Coates, of Utah Territory. IIis second wife died at old Fort Houston, near Palestine, this State, and he married the third time, at Tinnan's Fort, Robertson county, Mrs. Orpha James. They had eight children, ouly one of whom is now living: Adeline, wife of Daniel Par- ker, of Anderson county, Texas. His fourthi. marriage occurred in Limestone county, to Mrs. Nancy Faulkenberry, widow of David Faulkenberry. His fifth wife was Mrs. Sarah Chaffin, nee Crist, but by the last two unions there were no children.
NEILL MCLENNAN, in honor of whom Mc- Lennan county is named, was born in the highlands of Scotland, in 1777, and emigrated with two brothers and other relatives to the State of North Carolina in 1801, where he resided as a farmer until 1816. With a brave and adventurous spirit, and with one com- panion, he explored the wilds of Florida, and, becoming satisfied with the country, remained there until 1834. IIe had heard of Texas, and with his two brothers and a few other friends purchased a schooner at Pensacola, loaded her with their goods and fam- ilies, navigated her themselves, and landed safely at the mouth of the Brazos river early in 1835. They proceeded up the river and settled on Pond creek, near its mouth, in what is now Falls county. While there his two brothers were killed by the In- dians, Laughlin, one of the brothers, being shot full of arrows. The family of the lat- ter, consisting of a wife and three small boys, were captured and taken away. The mother, who was living with him, was also killed, the house was burned, and the wife and youngest child died in captivity. The next boy was bought, and the eldest remained with the Indians until grown, when, by a treaty, his uncle, Neil (not Neill) McLennan, brought
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him to MeLennan county. It was difficult to reconcile him to staying away from his tribe. Ile finally married and raised six children. His death occurred in 1866. John, the other brother, was ambnshed and shot near Nashville.
During the winter of 1839 and spring of 1840 Neill McLennan accompanied Captain George B. Erath on a surveying tour to the Bosque country, and being impressed with the advantages there for farming and grazing, determined to locate there. Accordingly he commenced improvements there in 1845, and made it his home during the remainder of his life. At the old homestead still stands the old double log house, where many a way- faring man has received refreshments and rest without money or charge.
Mr. McLennan had six children, namely: Jolin, who died in Milam county, in 1887; Christina, wife of Eli Jones, of McLennan connty; Catherine, wife of L. E. R. Davis; Neil (one 1), a resident of McLennan county; Duncan, also of MeLeunan county; Laughlin, deceased in 1860. Mr. MeLennan died in the month of November, 1867, aged eighty- one years.
COLONEL STERLING C. ROBERSTON, em- presario of Robertson's colony, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, abont 1785. He served as major of the Tennessee troops in the war of 1812, received a good education, and was trained up as a planter, and engaged in agri- cultural pursuits in Giles county, that State. Enterprising and adventurous, and having considerable means, ho formed a company in Nashville, in 1823, to explore the wild " province" of Texas. Coming as far as the Brazos, he formed a permanent camp at the mouth of Little river. All the party re- turned to Tennessee, however, except Robert- Bon. He visited the settlements that had
been made, and while there conceived the idea of planting a colony in Texas. Filled with enthusiasm over this plan, he went to his home in Tennessee, where he purchased a contract which the Mexican government had made with Robert Leftwick for the settle- ment of 800 families. The colony embraced a large tract of land, and Robertson was to receive forty leagues and forty lubors for his services.
In 1829, at his own expense, he introduced 100 families, who were driven out by the military in consequence of false representa- tions made to the government. The matter was finally adjusted, and in the spring of 1834 the colony was restored. In the sum- mer of the same year he laid out the town of Saralıville de Viesca. A land office was opened about October 1, and the settlements were rapidly made. In the summer of 1835 he made a tour of Tennessee, Mississippi, Lonisi- ana and Kentucky, making known the induce- ments to immigration. He had been anthorized by the Mexican government to offer to settlers who were heads of families one league and one labor of land, and lesser proportions to others.
Colonel Robertson was a delegate to the general convention of 1836, was one of the signers of the declaration of independence and of the constitution of the Republic of Texas. In the spring of 1836 he commanded a military company, and received therefor a donation of 640 acres of land, having partici- patod in the battle of San Jacinto. He was a member of the Senate of the first congress of the Republic of Texas.
Ile died in Robertson county, March 4, 1842, in the fifty-seventh year of his age. Bold, daring and patriotic, he had many op- portunities for the exhibition of these traits. From the campaigns of the war of 1812 down
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to 1842, he was a participant in every struggle of his countrymen. When the revolution broke out in 1835, he had introduced more than 600 families into the colonies, fully one-half of the whole number at his own expense.
DAVID G. BURNETT, according to the fore- going history of Texas, is first known in this State as an "empresario," who, December 22, 1826, contracted to colonize 300 families in Texas. After the annulment of Edwards' contract, his grant was divided between Bur- nett and Joseph Vehlein. He was a mem- ber of the second State convention, which met April 1, 1833, at San Felipe; was elected the first President of the Republic of Texas in 1836; had a stormy time during an en- gagement with the Mexicans, being accused of treason; resigned his presidency October 22, 1836; was elected vice-president in 1838, but in 1841, as a candidate for the presi- dency, was defeated by General Houston.
MAJOR GEORGE B. ERATH, after whom Erath county is named, was born at Vienna, Austria, January 1, 1813. His mother was supposed to be of Greek origin. At Santa Anna College, Vienna, he studied Spanish, French, Italian and English, besides other branches. He also spent two years at a poly- technic institute. When fifteen years of age his father died, and ho was taken in charge by relatives in Germany, who, at the request of his mother, managed, by a ruse, to keep him from conscription by the Austrian gov- ernment. By the connivance of the German and French governments he managed to get a start to America, and in due time landed at New Orleans with no money. After traveling and working his way along to sev- eral points, he came to Texas in 1833, first stopping at Brazoria. Ile visited several points in the sonthern central portion of the
State, and at length engaged in war with the Indians, in which he distinguished himself for bravery and fidelity. He also was in Captain Billingsley's company at the battle of San Jacinto. Moreover, he at several times engaged as an assistant in land survey- ing.
In 1839 he was a member of a company of rangers, by which he was elected captain, and again he was active in repelling Indian iuva- sions. IIe was also in the noted " Mier ex- pedition," but, not crossing the Rio Grande with the headlong faction, he escaped the horrible experiences of the Mier prisoners.
From 1843-'46 he was a member of the Texas congress, and in the latter year he was elected a member of the legislature of the State of Texas. In 1848 he was elected by an overwhelming majority to the State sen- ate, from the district of McLennan county. his home; and in 1861 he was again elected to the same body, and after the legislature adjourned raised a company of infantry and fonght under the command of Colonel Speight. Ill health not permitting him to remain in the service, he returned home, but was appointed major of the frontier forces of Texas, in which capacity he won the grati- tude of the State.
After the war ho settled down upon his farm on the South Bosque, eight miles from Waco, and endeavored to confine himself to the quiet pursuits of agriculture; but his ex- tended knowledge of land and surveying in that part of Texas led others to persuade him to engage again as a surveyor. He was called the " walking dictionary of the land office." In 1873 he was again elected to the State senate, and was an influential member of that body. Il is intelligence and integrity were so great that in many instances he was se- lected as sole arbitrator in preference to a
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suit at law. He died in Waco, May 13, 1891, and his wife five months afterward. Ile lost one son in the last war, and died leaving one son and three daughters.
GENERAL JAMES HAMILTON was a native of South Carolina, of which State he was gov- ernor. Coming to Texas he boldly advo- cated her independence, and contributed both time and means to the cause. Even in South Carolina, as a member of her senate, he up- held in eloquent phrase the purity of the motives of the revolutionists of Texas, and actively devoted himself to the interests of the new republic. He secured the treaty with Great Britain, and negotiated one with the kingdom of the Netherlands. In recog- nition of his services he was invested with the rights of Texas' citizenship by a special act of its congress. But while he was a dip- lomatic agent for Texas in Europe he became involved in embarrassments which eventually ruined him. In 1857 he sailed from New Orleans for Galveston in the steamship Ope- lonsas, with the hope of obtaining an indom- nification for his losses and of retrieving his fortune in the country for which he had done so much. The vessel was wrecked on her passage by a collision with the steamer Gal- veston, and Hamilton was one of the victims of the disaster. The Stato congress went into monruing out of respect to his memory.
JAMES W. THROCKMORTON, governor of Texas in 1866-'67, was born in Tennessee in 1825, and began life as a physician, in which calling he won a high reputation nutil he decided to adopt the profession of law. Removing to what is now Collin county, Texas, in 1841, he was elected ten years later to the State legislature, and was re-elected in 1853 and 1855, and in 1857 he was chosen State senator. During all these years the legislation of the State bears the impress of
his tireless efforts, and to no one else are tho people more indebted for the development of their resources. Though a Democrat in polities, he was opposed to secession, and as a member of the first secession convention he voted against secession; but, being true to his State, after the Confederate movement was fully inaugurated he raised a company of soldiers and joined the Southern cause, and remained till the close of the struggle, though at intervals he was disabled from active service by sickness. Among the eu- gagements in which he participated was the battle of Elkhorn. Afterward he served under General Dick Taylor. In 1864 Gov- ernor Murrah assigned him the command of the northern frontier, with the rank of briga- dier general. In 1865 General Kirby Smith appointed him general Indian agent, and he made treaties with numerons Indian tribes favorable to Texas. In 1866 he was elected a member of the first reconstruction conven- tion, and was chosen president of that body: the same year he was elected governor, under the new constitution, by a vote of nearly four to one; but, though his administration was most satisfactory to the people of the State, he was deposed in the following year, under reconstruction measures executed by " Radi- calo." In 1874, and again in 1876, he was chosen for Congress, where he served with distinction until March, 1879, when he re- tired to private life.
Early in his professional career he was married to Miss Aun Ratten, a native of Illi- nois, and of their nine children seven still survive.
GENERAL THOMAS NEVILLE WAUL, whose ancestors on both sides took part in the Revolutionary struggle, was born in Sonth Carolina, in 1813. After receiving his edu. cation at one of the best colleges in that
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State, he studied law at Vicksburg, Missis- sippi, and was admitted to practice in the supreme court of that State in 1835, and was soon afterward appointed district attorney. Removing later to New Orleans, he took an active part in politics, being a thorough Democrat of the State-rights school, and he won a high reputation. After the war broke ont he organized what was known as Wanl's Legion, which he commanded ir many hotly contested engagements. At its close he set- tled in Galveston, where he resumed his pro- fession, and was elected president of the bar association.
In 1837 the General married Miss Mary Simmons, a native of Georgia, and in No- vember, 1887, celebrated his golden wedding.
BEN MCCULLOUGH, prominent in the last war, was a native of Tennessee, came to Texas during revolutionary times, and commanded a cannon in the battle of San Jacinto. After the independence of Texas he was captain of a company of rangers. During the last war he was appointed brigadier general in the Confederate army, and was killed in the second day's fight at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, March 24, 1862.
GENERAL HENRY EUSTACE MCCULLOCH Was born in Rutherford county, Tennessee, De- comber 6, 1816, and first came to Toxas in the autumn of 1835, accompanied by his brother, Ben McCulloch, five years older. Arriving at Nacogdoches, they had an ar- gument as to the propriety of Henry's coming on. Ben tried almost every way to per- nade him to return home, but in vain, until he hit upon the argument that he should take care of his parents in their old age. Selling their horses, fine saddle animals, they separated, starting off on foot, one east and the other west.
In the fall of 1837 Henry came again to Texas and stopped at Washington, then the capital of the State, and passed the winter there hewing house logs, splitting red-oak boards and building board houses. In the spring he joined a party in the exploration of the upper Brazos. While out hunting one day, in company with another member of the party, they chanced upon a company of five Indians, whom they attacked, killed two and chased the other three away! In the summer of 1838 he joined his brother, Ben, at Gon- zales and formed a partnership with him in surveying and locating lands, and this partnership lasted until the death of the brother in 1862.
During pioneer times both the brothers engaged in much ranger service, with skill and good fortune, the particulars of which we have not space for here.
During a battle with the Comanches in 1810, Henry saved the life of Dr. Sweitzer, a bitter enemy of his brother, by driving away the Indians who where about to take the life of the doctor. Henry had dismounted and taken his position behind a small sapling in advance of the main Texan force and was pouring hot shot into the ranks of the enemy, who, in return, had completely scaled the bark of the little tree behind which he stood. Arch. Gipson and Alsey Miller had come up and were sitting on their horses near Henry, who was standing on the ground beside his horse, when suddenly Gipson or Miller cried ont, "They'll catch him; they'll cateh him!" McCullochi asked, "Catch who?" The reply was, "Sweitzer."
Glancing over his horse's neck the gallant young McCulloch saw a party of eight or ten Indians closely pursuing the bitterest enemy of his brother; but the life of a human being was involved, and, prompted by that magna-
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nimity of heart which ever characterized his life, he did not stop to calculate the conse- quences, but in a second was in his saddle going at full speed at the risk of his own life to save that of Sweitzer. His companions followed, and they reached Sweitzer just in time to save his life.
August 20, 1840, soon after the above occurrence, Mr. McCulloch married Miss Jane Isabella Ashby, and directly settled on the place improved by his brother Ben, four miles from Gonzales.
In September, 1842, General Woll, at the head of a thousand Mexican infantry and 500 or 600 cavalry, captured San Antonio; but just before the retreat of the Mexican forces Captain Matthew Caldwell, with 200 men, engaged the enemy about five or six miles from town and defeated them. While this fight was progressing Dawson's mon were massacred in the rear of the Mexican army while trying to make their way to Caldwell, and in this engagement McCulloch was a lieutenant under Colonel Jack Hays. He was also in Somervell's expedition so far as it remained in Texas.
Becoming a resident of Gonzales county in 1844, he entered mercantile business there. In 1846 he was elected captain of a volunteer company for the Mexican war, and the next yoar was elected sheriff of that county. Occasionally he was engaged in an expedition against the Indians, with snecess. In 1853, on the Democratic ticket for the legislature, he was elected, over Colonel French Smith, a Whig, and In 1855 he was again elected, defeating Thomas H. Duggan. In 1858 he was appointed United States marshal for the Eastern District of Texas, which position ho held until the breaking out of the Civil war. and in this mighty struggle he had a brilliant career. He was promoted from the position
of colonel to that of brigadier-general. March 1, 1876, Governor Coke appointed him superintendent of the Deaf and . Dumb Asylum, which place he held until dismissed by Governor Roberts, September 1, 1879. In 1885 he was employed by the State Land Board as an agent to manage the public- school, university and asylum lands.
ELISHA M. PEASE, twice governor of Texas, was born in Connecticut, in 1812, and be- came a lawyer. In 1835 he came to Texas and was appointed secretary of the executive council at San Felipe. During 1836-'37 he held several positions under the goverment. Resigning the comptrollership of public ae- counts in the latter year, he began to prac- tice his profession in Brazoria county. He was a member of the house of representatives of the first and second legislatures, and of the senate of the third legislature. He was gov- ernor of Texas from 1853 to 1857, and from 1867 to 1869, in the latter case being ap- pointed by General Sheridan, under rocon- struction regime, to succeed Throckmorton. In 1874 he was appointed collector of cus- toms for Galveston, which office he did not accept. In 1879 he was reappointed to the same position, and took charge of the custom- house February 1 of that year.
BENJAMIN R. MILAM was a native of Ken- tucky, born of humble parents and having but little education. He distinguished him- self in the war of 1812, and afterward en- gaged in trade with the Indians at the head- waters of Texan rivers. Later he joined Mina in his disastrous expedition in aid of the revolutionary canse in Mexico, and, being one of those who escaped death, rendered valuable services. When Iturbide proclaimed himself emperor, Milam was among the first to join the party that opposed him. For this he was cast into prisou, where he
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