USA > Texas > Indian wars and pioneers of Texas, Vol. 2 > Part 57
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Austin replied in a happy speech, and was then received by the Mexican soldiers, who had surren- dered at Velasco. Austin addressed them in Span- ish, embraced the officers, who then fraternized with the colonists, and all sat down to a sumptuous banquet. Speeches were delivered, toasts drunk, cannon fired, and there was every demonstration of joy. Immediately after the expulsion of the Mexi- ean soldiery, political leaders began to excite the people on the question of separation of Texas from Coahuila. They held that Texas was entitled to a separate State government ; they made speeches and published articles in the newspapers on this subject, producing much exeitement and discussion through- out the colonies.
He became a member of the convention which met at San Felipe on the 1st of April, 1833. In spite of his original views, in opposition to the ma- going on, the probable result of the struggle, and
jority, he was selected by the convention as com- missioner to bear the memorial and constitution adopted by the convention to the national authorities at the City of Mexico, to obtain the admission of Texas as a State into the union of Mexican States.
When he arrived at the capital be found that he had no easy task before him. " While all parties were willing to trust the Commissioner, they dis- trusted his constituents, and were unwilling to let them have a government of their own and in their own hands." He defeated the project to make a territorial government for Texas, which would have placed Texas immediately under the authorities at the City of Mexico, and put all of the public do- main of Texas on the market for sale to a foreign company of speculators. He obtained a repeal of the odious law of the 6th of April, 1830, which for-
bade the immigration of North Americans into Texas (except to his own colonies or existing con- tracts ), and also seeured the establishment of mail routes from the capital ( Mexico) through Texas to Nachitoches, in Louisiana.
On the 10th of December, 1833, he left for Texas, after having exhausted all his means to obtain the admission of Texas as a State. He was overtaken and arrested at Saltillo, earried back to the City of Mexico, and thrown into a dark, damp, stone duu- geon, where he was deprived of light, books, paper, ink, and society. The imprisonment of Austin produced a profound impression in Texas. The ayuntamientos of Texas prepared and sent to Mex- ico long memorials praying for his release. Peter W. Grayson and Spencer H. Jack were selected to bear these petitions to Mexico; they did not secure Austin's release, but they afforded him great com- fort, as they showed that he was not forgotten by the people of Texas, for whom he had suffered and was suffering in mind and body, and spending his private meaus. On the 12th of June, 1834, Austin was transferred to the State prison, where his quarters were more comfortable. Now there was some talk of trying him for treason - a trial Austin earnestly desired - but the judges of all the courts refused to have anything to do with the case, for they knew there were no real charges against him, and that his imprisonment was wholly unwarranted. Finally, after an absence of two years and four months, under a general amnesty law, Austin was permitted to return to Texas. He lauded at the mouth of the Brazos on September 1st, 1835.
On the 8th of September, 1835, Austin ad- dressed a large concourse of citizens, in which he detailed with great partieularity the existing eondi- tion of Mexico, the progress of the revolution then
the changes he thought would be made in the fun- damental law of that government. He advised that a general consultation of the people of Texas be held as speedily as possible, and decide what rep- resentations ought to be made to the General Gov- ernment, and what ought to be done in the future.
Austin proceeded immediately ;to San Felipe, and was placed at the head of the Central Com- mittee of Safety of that jurisdiction.
He labored day and night with his two secreta- ries, Gail Borden, Jr., and Moses Austin Bryan, sending out circulars giving information, and pre- paring Texas for the great crisis so near at band. While these events were passing in Texas, the de- struction of the Mexican Coustitution was being consummated in Mexico; the State Legislature, were abolished, the citizens disarmed, and the
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INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
States practically mnade military departments. Through The Telegraph and Texas Register Austin sent forth addresses to the colonists, which per- vaded every part of Texas, and reached the United States. He soon saw the necessity for and coun- seled armed resistance, and although in feeble health, as soon as he could respond to the call from the army after the affair with Ugarte Chea, left for Gonzales, where he was chosen Commander-in-Chief of the volunteer forces in the field.
On the 12th of October Austin completed his staff appointments and crossed over the River Guadalupe. On the same day he was also informed of the capture of Goliad. On the 13th their or- ganization was completed by the election of John H. Moore, Colonel ; Edward Burleson, Licutenaut- Colonel, and Alexander Somervell, Major of the regiment. Patrick C. Jack was appointed Quarter- master .; William T. Austin, Second Aide, and William H. Wharton, Judge Advocate. On the 18th Col. William H. Jack was appointed Brigade Inspector. On the 14th Capt. Milain, in command of a spy company, was ordered in advance of the army to obtain information.
The army advaneed, driving the Mexicans before it, and on the 20th of October encamped on the Salado, within five miles of San Antonio.
The fight by the men under Bowie at Mission Concepcion and further operations of the army while under Austin, and the storming and capture of San Antonio by columns under Milam and Johnson, after Burleson succeeded to the command, are familiar matters of history and need not be recorded herc.
Austin took leave of the army on the morning of November 25, 1835, and, during the last days of December, sailed for New Orleans to act as one of the commissioners ( Messrs, Wharton and Archer being his colleagues) sent from Texas to procure aid for the Texian cause in the United States.
Up to the time of his arrival in New Orleans, he had favored Texas fighting for her rights merely as a Mexican State, but, on reaching that city and finding that Texas could expect but little help in the way of money or volunteers from the United States unless a declaration of independence was issued to the world, he wrote a strong letter advo- cating such a declaration.
' This action upon his part removed the last vestige of opposition, and a few days later the declaration was adopted by the plenary convention that had assembled, and a government ad interim was established, with David G. Burnet as President and Lorenzo de Zavala as Vice-President.
The commissioners visited separately or together
the largest citics, spoke and conferred with leading men, and all who wished to obtain information or bestow aid. They raised men and money and re- ceived donations for the cause of Texas. Austin visited Washington City and conferred with his old friends there, notably, Thomas H. Benton, John J. Crittenden and others. He had repeated interviews with the President, and ascertained that the most friendly feeling prevailed for Texas, and that after her adoption of the constitution and establishment of a permaucnt government, she would be recog- nized, etc.
Gen. Austin was particularly successful; his long services in Texas, and his known truthfulness and simplicity of character gave weight to what he said. His address at Louisville, which was widely published, presented the claims of Texas upon the civilized world for sympathy and aid in such a manner as to bring her both. Austin lauded on his return to Texas at Velasco (temporary capital of the Republic), at the mouth of the Brazos, June 27, 1836. On the 23d of July, President Burnet issued his proclamation for an election for Presi- dent and Vice-President and representatives to the first Congress of Texas under the constitu- tion, and also to decide upon the adoption or rejection of the constitution, and on the question of the annexation of Texas to the United States. The election was ordered to take place on the first Monday of the following Septem- ber, and the new government to meet at Columbia on the first Mouday in October. Upon a call made on Austin to become a candidate he said: " Influ- enced by the great governing principle that has regulated my actions since I came to Texas, which is to serve this country in any capacity in which the people may think proper to employ me, I shall not deeline the highly responsible and difficult one now proposed, should the majority of my fellow-citizens elect me."
Ex-Governor Henry Smith and Sam Houston were also candidates.' It was soon seen that the army, now composed of volunteers from the United States, aud the newcomers, favored Houston, and so did many of the citizens of Eastern Texas ; they formed a majority of the voters, and Austin's friends saw before the election that Houston's elec- tion was a foregone conclusion. Houston was clected, and offered to Austin the positions of Secretary of State or Minister to the United States. His great desire was to attend to his health and to his private business, which had been neglected entirely since he left for Mexico in 1833, and to close up his colonial land matters. But prominent men and all classes of his old friends, especially
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his colonists, urged upon him for their sakes and for the good of Texas to take the position of Sec- retary of State, in order that his valuable ser- vices could be given to Texas. He permitted himself to be persuaded, when his own judgment told him his health required repose and building up.
Having passed through the dark and stormy times of the revolution, in which he took an active part, and which he was largely instrumental in bringing to a successful issue, he was now fast approaching his end. The immediate occasion of his last sickness was three days and nights of continuous labor in an un- comfortable room without fire, during a norther, where he was preparing instructions on the great question of annexation and other subjects for the new Minister, Hon. William H. Wharton, to the United States.
He was attacked with a severe cold, which assumed the form of pneumonia, and in a short time terminated his useful, eventful and valuable life, in the forty-fifth year of his age. His death was regarded as a national calamity, and as such was mourned throughout the Republic. As a tes-
timonial of respect the government issued the fol- lowing general order :-
" WAR DEPARTMENT, COLUMBIA, " December 27, 1836.
" The father of Texas is no more.
" The first pioneer of the wilderness has departed. Gen. Stephen F. Austin, Secretary of State, ex- pired this. day at half past twelve o'clock, at Columbia.
" As a testimony of respect to his high standing, undeviating moral rectitude, and as a mark of the nation's gratitude for his untiring zeal and inval- uable services, all officers, civil and military, are requested to wear crape on the right arm for the space of thirty days. All officers commanding posts, garrisons or detachments, will, as soon as informa- tion is received of the melancholy event, cause thirty-three guns to be fired, with an interval of five minutes between each, and also have the garrison and regimental colors hung with black during the space of mourning for the illustrious dead.
" By order of the President.
" WILLIAM S. FISHER, " Secretary of War."
HENRY W. LIGHTFOOT,
PARIS.
Henry William Lightfoot, now Chief Justice of the Court of Civil Appeals for the Fifth Supreme Judi- eial District of the State of Texas, was born on the old family homestead plantation, in Lawrence County, Ala., December 20th, 1846. His paternal grandfather, Dr. Thomas Lightfoot, a native of Virginia, was a physician, and became one of the early settlers of North Alabama. His father was John F. Lightfoot and mother Malena J. Lightfoot, nee McKissack.
He attended country schools until twelve years of age, and then the academy at Tuscumbia, Ala., until sixteen years of age, when he joined the Confederate army as a volunteer in the Eleventh Alabama Cavalry and served as a soldier until the war closed. In the fall of 1866 he visited Texas and returned, determined to complete his educa- tion and then make Texas his future home. The property of his family being almost entirely swept away by the war, he went to work as a field hand upon the farm and saved enough money to enable
him to again attend school. He entered Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn., in the fall of 1867, and graduated from the Law Department in June, 1869, with high honors. His graduation speech possessed unusual merit, gave promise of a suc- cessful career that he has since carved out for him- self at the bar, and was favorably commented upon in the leading Tennessee and Alabama papers. He entered upon the practice of his profession in his native county, in the latter part of 1869, and, after two years and six months of successful practice at the bar there, moved to Sherman, Texas, in January, 1872.
At the spring term of the District Court at Bonham, in 1872, he met Gen. Sam. Bell Maxey. They occupied the same room at the hotel, became well acquainted, formed a partnership to practice law together, and Mr. Lightfoot moved to Paris, Texas, Gen. Maxey's home, in June following. The partnership continued for more than twenty years, the firm building up one of the largest and
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most luerative practices enjoyed by any firm in Texas.
After Mr. Lightfoot's removal to Texas, in Jan- uary, 1872, he received an unsolicited appointment from Hon. Robert Lindsay, Governor of Alabama (who had not heard of his removal), as one of the Directors of the Agricultural and Mechanical Col- lege of Alabama, which, of course, was declined, although considered quite an honor for a young man of twenty-five years.
Gen. Maxey having been elected to the United States Senate, in 1874, the responsibilities of a large and increasing law practice at the Paris bar,
St. Louis, and took a prominent part in the exeiting and memorable campaign that followed. Aetively engaged in the practice of law, he nevertheless found time to take part as a Democratic champion in the contests in the political arena, but sought no office. He was nominated, however, and elected to the State Senate without opposition in 1880, which position he held for two years, and then voluntarily retired to attend the pressing demands of his law practice. In 1888 he was elected by the State Democratic Convention a delegate to the National Convention at St. Louis that nominated Cleveland and Thurman, and was selected by the Texas
HENRY W. LIGHTFOOT.
which was not excelled by any in the State, fell upon Judge Lightfoot.
On November 3d, 1874, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Dora Bell Maxey (an adopted daugh- ter of Gen. and Mrs. S. B. Maxey), who died in June, 1884, leaving two children: Sallie Lee, who was born June 8th, 1878, and Thomas Chenoweth, who was born August 12th, 1880, their eldest son, Maxey Bell Lightfoot, having died November 15th, 1876.
Judge Lightfoot was elected by the Democratic State Convention, whiel met at Galveston, January 5th, 1876, a delegate to the National Convention, at St. Louis, which nominated Tilden and Hendricks. After the adjourument of the Convention, he ad- dressed a large and enthusiastic mass meeting in
delegation to second the nomination of Mr. Cleveland, which he did in a short and felic- itous address that met with favor, both in the con- vention and at home. July 11th, 1889, he was elected president of the State Bar Association, suc- ceeding Hon. F. Chas. Hume, which position was. accepted as a distinguished honor at the hands of his brother lawyers. In his annual address to the association, delivered August 6th, 1890, which was published in the proceedings of that body, he dis- cussed the Railroad Commission amendment to the State constitution to be voted upon in November following. Subsequent adjudications under that amendment, before the Supreme Court of the United States, have proven the correctness of the views then expressed by him.
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December 5th, 1889, Judge Lightfoot was mar- ried to Miss Etta I. Wooten, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Thos. D. Wooten, of Austin, who is now the mother of two boys: Wooten, born on the 2d day of October, 1890, and William Henry, born on the 23d day of August, 1802.
In 1893 Judge Lightfoot was counsel for the Hon. W. L. McGauhey, Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas, in his celebrated State trial, on impeachment before the State Senate, and was selected by the eminent counsel engaged in the defense to open the ease on argument of the demur- rers and present the principles of law relied upon, a duty that he discharged in a manner that fully sustained his high reputation as a sound lawyer and clear logical and trenchant speaker. After one of the most interesting and important trials ever held in the State, his client was honorably discharged.
. August 9th, 1893, Judge Lightfoot, was appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Civil Appeals for the
Fifth Supreme Judicial District of Texas, by Gov. James Hogg, an office that had been recently created by the Legislature. Hon. N. W. Finley and Hon. Anson Rainey, were appointed as Associate Justices and the court was organized at Dallas, Texas, and began its labors in September following. At the general election of 1894 Judge Lightfoot was nominated and elected to the position of Chicf Justice, without opposition, as were also his asso- ciates, Justices Finley and Rainey.
Judge Lightfoot has been a member of the Methodist Church for more than twenty-five years. His high character, purity of private and public life, eminent services, solid learning as a lawyer and capability as a judge of a court of last resort, are well known to the people of Texas, and they could have given no higher testimonial of their apprecia- tion of his worth than they bave by continuing him in the position he now holds, which they have done without a dissenting voice.
THOMAS GLASCOCK,
AUSTIN.
The subject of this brief memoir lived at a time when Texas had greatest need for young men of his mettle and daring, and it is to him and those living and laboring contemporaneously with him that the present generation owes so much : the sub- jugation of the Indians in Texas and the establish- ment of a splendid civilization. He seemed especi- ally fitted for the life and duties of a pioneer on the frontier of a new and promising country, and, as such, few men were better known in his day throughout Central Texas. He came to Texas in the fall of 1837. The battle of San Jacinto had been fought in April of the previous year and Texas' independence secured.
The country was in an unsettled and chaotic con- dition. He was a native of Virginia, and was born near Culpepper Court House in 1818. His father, a farmer, died when Thomas was a small boy, and he therefore spent his boyhood and youth with an uncle, Dr. Harper Glascock, an influential citizen, physician and planter of Virginia. By this uncle he was accorded the advantages of excellent school- ing and social privileges. He possessed an inher- ent desire and ambition to accomplish something for himself, and to get on in the world, and he left
his Virginia home and friends to seek bis fortunes in the then new State of Alabama. There he met and married Miss Fancy Chamles and they soon thereafter came to Texas. Mrs. Glascock remained here but a short time, however, returning to her home in Alabama, where she not long thereafter died, leaving two daughters : Sarah, who lived until her ninth year, and Mary, who is the wife of Will- iam Patton, a resident of. Austin, Texas. In 1344 Mr. Glascock married Miss Mary Philian Brown- ing, a daughter of Christopher Columbus Brown- ing, a Texas veteran and pioneer, more concerning whom is related further on in this article.
Upon locating in Texas Mr. Glascock settled upon and operated what has for years been known as the Oliver farm, about five miles west of Bas- trop. He there remained for about five years, and then removed to Austin, which was ever after his home. He was known throughout Texas as one of Austin's most active and influential citizens, and as an aggressive Indian fighter. In the latter role, his promptitude, intrepid zeal and relentless war- fare upon the red savages, won for him the admira- tion and gratitude of the people of his day. By those who knew him it is said that Thomas Glas-
C. C. BROWNING.
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FRANCIS DIETRICH.
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INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
coek knew not fear. Fired by the reports of the wonderful discoveries of gold in California in 1849 he saddled his mule and made the trip overland to the gold diggings alone, throughi a traekless wilder- ness inhabited only by savage Indians. He spent two years in California, meeting with indifferent snecess in his mining ventures.
Upon his return to Texas, he was unanimously and almost immediately eleeted Tax-Assessor and Collector for Travis County, a position for which he was eminently qualified. He held the office until his death, which ocenrred at Austin, Novem- ber 22, 1853.
He was a man of striet integrity, fine education, and great personal pride, and possessed a loyal heart and business attainments of a high order. The days in which he lived were the most troublous and eritieal of any known to Texas history, and he interested himself vitally in all issues involving the good of his adopted country, and in all matters pertaining to the safety of the young and growing seat of government he was foremost. He figured actively in what is known in history as the " Arehive War," the circumstances of which are set forth in detail in the two-volume history of Texas by Col. John Henry Brown, and need not be reeounted here. He, with Col. Brown, participated in the historic Plnm Creek fight in 1840, the last of the noted Indian encounters which settled the conquest of eivilization in Texas.
Mrs. Mary Philian Browning Glaseock, his de- voted wife, still survives and is well known and highly esteemed in the city of Austin, her life-long home. There is mueh in the life and character of this venerable and estimable lady that would grace the pages of history. There are few living to-day who have passed through the hazardous, trying and exciting experienees that Mrs. Glascock has. Her father, Capt. C. C. Browning, before men- tioned, came to Texas as early as the fall of 1836, his family following in the spring of 1837. He was a native of Greene County, Ga., and was born February 9th, 1812, on a farm.
He came to Texas with, or at the same time, as did his father, Daniel Browning, and they rented land and pursued farming near Old Independence, in Washington County, for one year, and later pur- chased land and lived for three years near Gay Hill, in the same eounty. In 1810 he removed to Austin, and eleared and improved what has for years been known as the old Goodrich place, near Barton Springs.
He was reared in Alabama, and there met and married Miss Penina Gunter, of Gunter's Landing. Capt. Browning was one of the most intrepid and
daring of Indian fighters, and for years served in the . ranger serviee under Capt. D. C. Cady and later under Capt. "Hi" Smith, in which he ranked as Lieutenant of mounted rangers, and was in his sad- dle almost constantly for years. He owned a horse that seemed as aggressive and as much absorbed in the warfare against the Indians as its owner, and never flinched when duty demanded action. It is said to have been the only horse in all the surround- ing eountry that would allow the lifeless form of a man to be laid aeross its baek, and one year Capt. Browning brought into the town of Austin on the back of this faithful steed, from various localities, no less than eighteen vietims of the Indian's deadly arrows or bullets. He lived an active and self- sacrifieing life and died at his home, near Austin, Mareh 3d, 1871. Mrs. Penina Browning, his faith- ful and devoted spouse, survived him for several years. A lady of most excellent traits of character, she possessed those qualities of mind and heart that greatly endeared her to the whole community in which she so long lived. With Christian fortitude she patiently endured the many hardships ineident to pioneer life at Austin, having been several times driven by the Indians from home. On one oeea- sion she was. pursued, with her girl baby in her arms; hid out of doors over night, and barely eseaped capture, which in those days proved inevi- tobly far worse than death. Hiding, however, her child in a vacant house, she evaded capture and returned at break of day to find her infant girl safe and sound. This occurred at Austin, in 1846, when her husband was away from home on ranging duty.
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