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 17
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 17
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languished nuitil Iturbide's dethronement, when he was released. For his services in the republican cause he received in 1828 a grant of eleven square leagues of land in Texas, but he located it by mistake in Ar- kansas, and obtained from the government of the State of Coahuila and Texas an em- presario grant. Ile was in Monelova at the time of Viesca's deposal, and was captured in company with him. Milam escaped from prison at Monterey by winning the conti- dence of the jailer, and, being supplied with a fleet horse and a little food by a friend, he traveled alone for 600 miles, journeying by night and concealing himself by day, till he reached the vicinity of Goliad, almost ex- hansted. After the capture of that place he eulisted in the ranks, and was soon afterward kuled by a rifle ball from the enemy, when he was about forty-five years of age.
ERASTUS SMITH, who, on account of his being "hard of hearing," was generally known as " Deaf Smith," was born in New York in 1787, moved to Mississippi in 1798, and to Texas in 1817. He was a most inde- fatigable observer of the movements of the Mexican army during the war; and his per- feet knowledge of the country and astonish- ing coolness and bravery made him an inval- uable scout for the Texan army. Ile married a Mexican lady in San Antonio, and had several children. He died at Fort Bend in 1839, and is buried at Richmond. A county is named in his honor, " Deaf Smith."
JOSIAH WILBARGER, brother of the author of the work entitled "Indian Depredations in Texas," was one of the earliest settlers in this State, coming here from Missouri in 1828, locating first in Matagorda county for a year. Early in the spring of 1830 he re- moved to a beautiful location he had selected at the mouth of the creek named in his honor,
ten iniles above the point now occupied by the town of Bastrop. At that time his near. est neighbor was about seventy-five miles down the Colorado, and he was not only the first but also the outside settler of Austin's colony until July, 1832, when Renben Horus- by went up from Bastrop, where he had been living a year or two. IIe located abont nine miles below the present city of Austin.
Early in August, 1833, Mr. Wilbarger went to Hornsby's, and, in company with Messrs. Christian, Strother, Standifer and Haynie, rode out in a northwest direction to look at the country. On Walnut creek, five or six miles above Austin, they discovered an Indian, who ran away and disappeared. Tlie white party gave chase but after a time aban- doned it. While eating their dinner, however, after returning from the chase, they were sud- denly fired upon by Indians. Strother was mortally wounded, Christian's thigh bone was broken, and Wilbarger sprang to the side of the latter to set him up against a tree, when the latter received an arrow in the leg and another in his hip. Soon he was wonnded in the other leg also. Three of the Wilbar- ger party then ran to their horses, which had been been tied out for feeding, and began to flee. Wilbarger, though wounded as he was, ran after them, begging for au opportunity to ride behind one of them, but before reaching them he was wounded in the neck by a ball. He fell apparently dead, but thongh unable to move or speak he remained conscious. Ile knew when the Indians came around him, stripped him naked and tore the scalp from his head. The character of the wound in the neck probably made the In- dians believe that it was broken, and that Wilbarger was dead, or at least could not sur- vive, and they left him. They cut the throats of Strother and Christian.
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Late in the evening Mr. Wilbarger so far recovered as to drag himself to a pool of water, lay in it for an hour, and then, bo- ummbed with cold, he crawled upon dry ground and fell into a profound sleep. When awakened the blood had ceased to flow from his wounds, but he was still consumed with hunger and again suffering intensely from thirst. Green flies had " blown " his scalp while asleep and the larves began to work, which created a new alarm. Undertaking to go to Mr. Hornsby's, about six miles distant, he had only proceeded about 600 yards when he sank exhausted! Remaining all night upon the ground, he suffered intensely from cold; but during the next day he was found by his friends, who had been urged to hunt for him by Mrs. Hornsby, despite the report by Hay- nie and Standifer that he was dead. She was influenced by a dream, so the story goes, to say that Wilbarger was still alive, and con- sequently urged the men to go and hunt for him. It is stated also that Wilbarger had a dream or vision of the spirit of a sister, who had died only the day before in Missouri, which said that help would come that day! The relief party consisted of Joseph Rogers, Reuben Hornsby, Webber, John Walters and others. As they approached the tree under which Wilbarger was lying and had passed the night, they saw first the blood-red sealp and thought they had come upon an Indian. Even his body was red almost all over with blood, and he presented a ghastly sight. Rogers, mistaking him for an Indian, ex- claimed, " Here they are, boys!" Wilbarger arose and said, " Don't shoot! it is Wilbarger! The poor sufferer was taken to Ilornsby's residence, where he was cared for. When he had somewhat recruited he was placed in a sled, as he could not endure the jolts of a wagon. and taken down the river to his own
cabin. Ile lived eleven years afterward, but the scalp never grew to entirely cover the bone. The latter, where most exposed, be- came diseased and exfoliated, finally exposing the brain.
By his death he left a wife and five chil- dren. The eldest son, John, was killed many years afterward by the Indians in west Texas. Harvey, another son, lived to raise a number of children.
The circumstance above related is the first instance of white blood shed at the hands of the red savage within the present limits of Travis county.
GENERAL EDWARD BURLESON was born in Buncombe county, North Carolina, in 1798. We quote the following sketch of his life from J. W. Wilbarger's work, before re- ferred to:
"When but a lad, young Edward served in a company commanded by his father un- der General Jackson, in the Creek war. In March, 1831, he emigrated to Texas and set- tled eleven miles below the town of Bastrop, where he soon rendered himself conspicuous by his readiness when called on to repel the savages, then of frequent occurrence. His unflinching courage and perseverance on such occasions brought him into favorable notice, and in 1832 he was elected lieutenant colonel of the principality of Austin. By his activ- ity, promptness and courage, he soon rose to be an acknowledged leader, while his plain and unpretending deportment and natural dignity won friends as fast as he made ac- quaintances.
"In the battle with the Mexicans under General Cos at San Antonio he was conspicu- ous for his gallantry and rendered important services. As colonel of a regiment he par- ticipatod in the final battle at San Jacinto, which secured the independence of Texas.
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On that bloody field Burleson added new honors to his fame as a brave soldier and tried officer. His regiment stormed the breastwork and captured the artillery, and contributed its honorable share to the victory. The morning of the day on which the battle was fonght, General Ilouston ordered Burle- son to detail 100 men from his regiment to build a bridge across the bayou in case a re- treat should be necessary. Burleson replied that he could make the detail, but he had no idea the bridge could be built; that they had no axes or tools of any description whatever, or teams to haul the timber. Houston asked him whether he intended to disobey orders. Burleson replied that he was not disposed to disobey orders, but that his men would much rather fight than work. 'Then,' said Hous- ton, 'if you are so anxious to fight you shall have your fill before night," and immediately made out his plan of battle.
"After the battle of San Jacinto General Burleson returned to his home and was elected to the senate of the first congress of the republic. In the Cherokee war he moved against the Indians at the head of 500 men, defeated them in a hard-fought battle, killing many (among them their head chief, Bowles) and drove the remainder be- yond the limits of the republic. In the great Indian raid of 1840 General Burleson was second in command of the forces that met the Indians on Plum creek, which defeated them with great slaughter and recaptured a vast amount of plunder. He was in a num- ber of hetly contested fights with the Indians, in one of which, the battle of Brushy, he lost his brother, Jacob Burleson, who had engaged the enemy before the general arrived.
"On one occasion a party of forty-five or fifty Indians came into the settlements below the town of Bastrop and stole a lot of horses
while the people were at church. A man who had remained at home discovered them, ran to church and gave the alarm. Burleson, with only ten men, started in immediate pur- suit and followed the trail that evening to Piny creek near town. Next morning he was reinforced by eight meu, the pursuit was continued and the enemy overtaken near the Yegua, a small sluggish stream now in Lee county. When within abont 200 yards of them, Burleson called out to the Indians to halt; they immediately did so, and, formning themselves in regular order, like disciplined troops, commenced firing by squads or plat- oons. When within sixty yards the battle was opened by the Texans by the discharge of Burleson's double-barreled shot-gun. The conflict was of short duration. Six Indians were killed, and the remainder fled into a deep ravine enveloped in thickets and made their escape.
" In 1841 General Burleson was elected vice president of the Republic, by a consid erable majority over General Memucan Hunt At Monterey he was appointed by Governo Ilenderson, then in personal command of the Texas division, one of his aides-de-camp, and in that capacity bore a distinguished and hon- ored part in the fierce conflicts before that city
" Ile died September 26, 1851, at the capital of the State, while a member of the senate then in session, and his death produced a profound sensation throughout the country where his name had become as familiar as a household word. Eloquent eulogies were pronounced in both houses of the legislature at his death."
An ambitious young village in Johnson county, this State, a few miles north of Al varado and on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, is named in honor of the hero of the foregoing memoir.
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JOHN C. HAYS, generally known as Colonel "Jack " lays, was a native, it is believed, of Tennessee, and came to Texas when a young man, bringing with him letters of recommendation from prominent people to President Houston. The latter soon gave him a commission to raise a ranging com- pany for the protection of the western frontier. This company is supposed to be the first regularly organized one in the service so far in the West. With this small company- for it never numbered more than three- score men -- Colonel Ilays effectually protected a vast scope of the frontier reaching from Corpus Christi on the gulf to the headwaters of the Frio and Nueces rivers. With the newly introduced five-shooting revolvers each of his men was equal to about five or six Mexicans or Indians. Although the colonel was rather under the medium size, he was wiry and active, well calculated to withstand the hardships of frontier life. He was fre- quently seen sitting before his camp fire in a cold storm, apparently as unconcerned as if in a hotel, and that, too, when perhaps he had nothing for supper but a piece of hard- tack or a few pecans. Although he was ex- tremely cautious when the safety of his men was concerned, he was extremely careless when only his own welfare was in jeopardy.
Ile was elected colonel of a regiment of mounted volunteers at the breaking out of the Mexican war, and they did valiant service at the storming of Monterey. Some time after the war he moved to California, where he finally died, a number of years ago.
As an example of Hays' heroism we cite the following anecdote from Mr. Wilbarger's work: In the fall of 1840 a party of Comanche Indians numbering about 200 came into the vicinity of San Antonio, stole a great many horses and started off in the direction of the
Guadalupe river. Hays, with abont twenty of his men, followed in pursuit, overtaking them at that river. Riding in front, as was his custom, the colonel was the first to dis- cover the red rascals, and, riding back to his men, he said, " Yonder are the Indians, boys, and yonder are onr horses. The Indians are pretty strong, but we can whip them and recapture the horses. What do you say?" " Go ahead," the boys replied, "and we'll follow if there's a thousand of thein." " Come on, then, boys," said Ilays: and, putting spurs to their horses, this little band of only twenty men boldly charged upon the 200 warriors who were waiting for them drawn up in battle array.
Seeing the small number of their assailants the Indians were sure of victory; but Ilays' men poured shot among them so directly and rapidly as to cut down their ranks at a fear- ful rate, killing even their chief, and the Indians, frightened at what appeared to them a power superior to man, fled in confusion. Hays and his men followed for several miles, killing even more of them and recovering most of the stolen horses.
About a year afterward he was one of a. party of fifteen or twenty men employed to survey land near what the Indians called "The Enchanted Rock," in which, high up, was a cavity large enough to contain several men. Being attacked by Indians in this vicinity, Colonel Ilays, who was at some distance from his party, ran up the hill and took a position in this little hollow place, determined to "sell his life at the dearest price." He was well known to the Indians, and they were anxious if possible to get his scalp. Mounting the hill, they surrounded the rock and prepared to charge upon him. Ilays was aware that his life depended more upon strategy than courage, and reserved
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his fire until it could do the most good. IIe lay behind a projection of the rock, with the muzzle of his gun exposed to their vision, and awaited the most opportune moment. The savages meanwhile suspected that the noted white warrior had a revolver besides, and indeed he had two. The Indians yelled with all their might, but our hero was too well acquainted with that style of warfare to be very badly frightened by it.
The red men, being ashamed of permitting themselves to be beaten by one man, made a desperate assault, and when the chief in front approached sufficiently near the colonel downed him with the first shot of his rifle. In the next charge he did effective work with a revolver, and soon the remainder of his own men, who had been engaging the main body of Indians, suspected that their commander was hemmed in there, and turned upon the Indians near by, immediately routing them.
A remarkable example of Colonel Hays' generalship was exhibited in a little skirmish in 1844, when, with fifteen of his company, on a scouting expedition about eighty miles from San Antonio, he came in sight of fifteen Comanches, who were mounted on good horses and apparently eager for battle. As the colonel and his men approached, the Indians slowly retreated in the direction of an im mense thicket, which convinced Hays that the Indians they saw were but a part of a larger number. Ile therefore restrained the ardor of his men, who were anxious to charge upon the Indians they saw, and took a circuitous ronte around the thicket and drew up his little forco upon a ridge beyond a deep ra- vino, in order to take advantage of some position not looked for by the Indians. The latter, seeing that they had failed to draw the white party into the trap they had laid for them, showed themselves, to the number
of seventy-five. Directly the rangers assailed them on an unexpected side, made a furious charge, with revolvers, etc. The battle lasted nearly an hour, exhausting the ammunition of the whites. The Comanche chief, perceiv- ing this, rallied his warriors for a final effort. As they were advancing, Colonel Hays dis- covered that the rifle of one of the rangers was still loaded. Ile ordered him to dis- mount at once and shoot the chief, and the man did so, successfully. This so discour- aged the Indians that they gave up the day.
In the battle above referred to, with the main body of the Indians, the rangers lost only two killed and five wounded, while thirty Indians were left dead on the field. For good generalship, as well as cool, un- flinching bravery, Colonel Hays and his men deserve the highest credit. The above fight is certainly one of the most remarkable in all Indian warfare.
In 1845, in encountering a large party of Indians, Colonel Hays mounted a horse which had more "heroism " or "foolhardiness " than he anticipated, as it carried him, in spite of all the rider could do, right through the enemy, the main body of the Comanches. This so astounded the Indians that they actually gave way for him and another man accompanying him, and the rest of the white party rallied forward with a yell and with their revolvers actually put the savages to flight!
Not long after the above occurrence Hays, with only fifteen men, encountered and totally defeated the famous Comanche chief, Yellow Wolf, who was at the head of eighty warriors: the chief himself was slain. This battle occurred at the Pinta crossing of the Guadalupe river, between San Antonio and Fredericksburg.
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. CAPTAIN JAMES G. SWISHER, in whose honor a county in this State is named, was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, November 6, 1794. Joining John Donelson's company, under General Jackson, he participated in the battles of New Orleans on the night of Decem- ber 23, 1814, and on January 8, 1815. He came from near Franklin, Williamson county, Tennessee, to Texas in 1833, and during the following January he settled at the town of Tenoxtitlan on the Brazos river, not now in existence, but which up to the year 1832 had been garrisoned by 200 Mexican troops. Swisher commenced life here with his family apparently under the finest auspices, but in a few months two Comanche Indians stole most of his horses, which, however, he recov- ered after a long journey in pursuit.
Captain Swisher was the father of James M. Swisher and John M. Swisher, of Travis county. The latter, known as Colonel " Milt." Swisher, was in the employ of the Republic from 1839 up to the time of annexation, and from that time to 1856 in the employ of the .State. In 1841 he was chief clerk and acting secretary of the treasury of the Republic, and in 1847 was appointed auditor to settle up the debts of the late Republic.
JOHN L. WILBARGER, brother of the author of "Indian Depredations in Texas," was born in Matagorda county, Texas, November 29, 1829, and grew up in his parents' family in Austin colony, innred to the roughness of pioneer life. Having considerable talent he became well qualified to manage the interests of those exposed on the frontier; but before he had opportunity to exercise his talent to a considerable degree he joined an expedi- tion which eventually proved disastrous to him. August 20, 1850, he and two other young men were quietly pursuing their jour- ney back to the command in Bastrop county
which they had left, when Indians attacked them, shooting down the two other young men at the first fire, and then Wilbarger, after a chase of about two miles. Que of the young men (Neal), however, was not killed, and succeeded in getting back home, to tell the news.
COLONEL GEORGE G. AIFORD, prominent in the early history of the State, was born in Cayuga, Seneca county, New York, June 19, 1793, reared on lakes Champlain and Cayuga, that State, and served as lientenant of artil- lery under General Winfield Scott during the second war with Great Britian, in 1811- '13, participating in the battles of Queens- town Heights, Lundy's Lane, etc. His father, who was a cousin of General Ethan Allen, of Revolutionary fame, had twelve children. In 1815 the family removed to Detroit, Michigan, then an obscure and remote frontier Indian village, making the trip in a small sail vessel, which was wrecked at what is now the great city of Cleveland. In 1819 he moved to New Madrid, Missouri, the former capital of the Spanish province of Louisiana, and there engaged in mercantile pursuits. In 1821 he married Miss Jeannette Lesieur, a sister of Hon. Godfrey Lesieur, one of the oldest and wealthiest French set- tlers of that section: she died, leaving him one daughter, Jeannette. About 1829 Col- onel Alford married Miss Ann Barfield, of Murfreesborough, Tennessee, born May 9, 1807, a descendant of Governor Badger, of North Carolina. By this marriage there was born Judge George Frederick Altord, now of Dallas.
While a resident of Missouri the Colonel prospered and became wealthy, and served with satisfaction to his constituents a term in the State legislature.
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He came to Texas during the exciting times of the revolution, in 1835, and, still inspired with the martial spirit of 1812, he entered zealously into the, canso of Texan independence. Ile joined the immortal band under General Houston and participated in the heroic struggles which culminated in the battle of San Jacinto, which was so glorious a victory for the Texans, securing for them what they had unanimously so long sought for, -- independence. Soon after this battle Colonel Alford was sent by the provisional government of the embryo republic to New Orleans, for military supplies for the famish- ing soldiery of Texas. Here he loaded two vessels, and, returning on one of them, the brig Julius Caesar, he was captured by the Mexican blockading fleet, under command of Captain Jose V. Matios of the Mexican brig of war General Teran, off Galveston harbor; the two vessels and cargoes were confiscated, and the captives incarcerated in a loathsome dungeon in Matamoras, Mexico; and Colonel Alford and his brother, Major Johnson II. Alford (who was returning to Texas with him), were condemmed to be shot; but they were liberated, through the intercession of Andrew Jackson, president of the United States.
Colonel Alford returned to Missouri, set- tled up his business, and in April, 1837, moved his family and slaves to Texas, first settling in the old Spanish pueblo of Nacog- doches, and later in Crockett, the capital of Houston county, and there he engaged in planting, in mercantile pursuits and as judge, until his death, April 1, 1847, his wife having preceded him February 10, same year. Ilis death was deplored throughout the young State, which he had served with Spartan heroism.
JOHN HENRY BROWN, a well informed his torian of Dallas and prominent in the annal of Texas as a pioneer, legislator, soldier an citizen, was born in Pike, county, Missour; October 29, 1820, five months before tha Territory became a State. Both his parent were natives of Kentucky, and in favorabl financial circumstances. . The family is and has been for many generations famous fo patriotism and historical worth. The origin ator of the family in this country came acros the ocean in the time of Lord Baltimore.
John Henry was but four years old wher he heard, with all the intensity of earnes childhood, of the charms of Texas. As he grew up he learned the art of printing. His first residence in Texas was with his uncle Major James Kerr, on the Lavaca river When Austin was laid out, in 1839, he repaired thither in search of employment. as a printer, and obtained a favorable introduc. tion to the principal statesmen of the place who used their influence in his favor, and he obtained a good situation. The next year of two he engaged in several expeditions agains raiding Indians. In 1843 he returned to Missouri and married Miss Mary Mitchel, of Groton, Connecticut. The following winter he suffered with "black-tongue," a fever that brought him to death's door. Recover ing and returning to Texas, he was engag. on the Victoria Advocate. When the militi of the new State was organized, in 1846, h was appointed brigade major of the South west, with the rank of colonel, which position he held four years. In February, 1848, h removed to the new town of Indianola, an until 1854 was a zealous worker in variou positions of trust, and also edited the In dianola Bulletin. During this time he wa a contributor to De Bow's Review, on th subject of "Early Life in the Southwest,"
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In 1854 he purchased an interest in and became co-editor of the Galveston Civilian, where he did most of the responsible work, on account of the absence of the principal editor. He exhibited such ability that he was at length elected to the legislature. He was a talented speaker on the political ros- trum, but in the legislature his speeches were n ver over five minutes in length. Next he wis elected mayor of Galveston, where he gave eminent satisfaction, for two terms, and again he was returned to the legislature.
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