USA > Texas > The evolution of a state, or, Recollections of old Texas days > Part 5
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The story of his arrest and long imprisonment is well known. Returning home in broken health to find his labor and suffering thrown away, and the colonies already in the throes of revolution, he cast his lot with them, like his illustrious father, receiving his final summons in the hour of victory. Stephen Fuller Austin died at Col- umbia, December 27, 1836, a little over two months after the first regularly elected administration of the Lone Star Republic began its labors, Austin being Secretary of State.
Intimately associated with Austin was Samuel M. Wil- liams, Austin's first secretary. An early advocate of in- dependence, Williams, for his opposition to Santa Anna's centralization scheme, was one of the first five men pro- scribed by that tyrant. Associating himself with McKin- ney, the firm opened a store at Quintana, and patriot- ically purchased and equipped the first two vessels for the Texas navy. Williams and Mckinney also opened
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the first bank in Galveston. When, in 1843, the British Ministers in Mexico and Texas arranged a peace con- ference between the two countries, Williams was one of the two commissioners appointed by President Houston to confer with the Mexican government, his colleague being George W. Hockley.
David G. Burnet, the first president of the republic, though having a colony of his own to settle, made his headquarters at San Felipe. A man of medium size, of no particular type of features, there was nothing in his general appearance to attract attention, unless it was a noticeable twist in his face. His father sat in the Con- tinental Congress, and he himself was a delegate to the first convention of the Texan colonists; he it was who drew up the memorial to the Mexican government for statehood, of which Austin was the unfortunate bearer.
Francis W. Johnson, who afterwards distinguished him- self in the revolution, I knew as a clerk in the store of Walter C. White, and later, a clerk of the ayuntamiento. Frank, as he was familiarly known, was of an inflammable temper and was consequently one of the earliest and most active supporters of the war, which course placed his name on the proscription list. Being second in command in the assault of San Antonio in 1835, Johnson was, on the death of Milam, raised to the full command and led the Texas forces to a glorious victory. Ambitious to achieve still greater renown, he joined Grant in his ill-advised scheme of a descent on Matamoras, which cost the strug- gling patriots so dearly, Johnson narrowly escaped the fate that befell nearly the entire force engaged in the undertaking, as well as Fannin's command, which but for the delay caused by waiting for detached bands, might have effected a safe retreat.
Godwin B. Cotton, the pioneer newspaper man in
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Texas, launched the "Cotton Plant," as he facetiously christened his paper, at San Felipe in '29. He was a genial old bachelor of fifty or thereabouts, his aldermanic proportions making him a conspicuous figure. His sig- nature, G. B. Cotton, prompted an inquiring individual to ask the significance of the initials, "Why d-n it, can't you see? Great Big Cotton, of course," replied the owner of the name.
Judge Williamson was associated with him in the Cot- ton Plant, which after struggling about four years against conditions unfavorable to its perfect development, finally succumbed. The press was moved down to Brazoria and used to print the Texas Republic, the publication of which continued only about eighteen months; the editor, F. C. Gray, removed to California where he became wealthy, a circumstance so phenomenal to his craft as to unsettle his reason. Gray died in New York by his own hand.
Gail Borden whose name is more widely known than any of them and will perhaps outlive them all, had a black- smith shop next door to me in San Felipe. He had an in- ventive genius, but strange to say it did not lean toward mechanics. His first venture was the soup biscuit which took quite a run, being very popular with seafaring men. He next embarked in the newspaper business, bringing out the fourth paper in the state at San Felipe in 1835. The Telegraph, as it was called, was devoted to the cause of independence, therefore when Santa Anna's invasion necessitated the evacuation of San Felipe, Borden thought it advisable to go along. The paper was accordingly re- moved to Harrisburg which was in turn abandoned, the plant being left in charge of a couple of printers who bravely stuck to their forms and had the paper in press when Santa Anna's invading host entered the town, cap- tured the outfit and dumped the plant into the bayou.
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Not realizing, presumably, the strength of the weapons wielded by the harmless looking typos, they were not in- cluded in the sweeping decree of "death to every man taken in arms." The printers whose names do not appear though they should have been preserved, succeeded in saving a few copies of the paper, one of which, containing the account of the burning of San Felipe de Austin is still extant.
After the battle of San Jacinto freed Texas from Mex- ican domination, Gail Borden resuscitated the Telegraph and having purchased a new press set it up at Columbia; and subsequently at Houston where under new manage- ment with the name of the Houston Telegraph it flour- ished long after the civil war. Retiring from the news- paper business, Gail Borden turned again to invention, this time bringing forth the project which made him fa- mous the world over ; the Gail Borden Eagle brand con- densed milk being a feature of every grocery store and every advertising medium.
Among the earliest and most ardent advocates of re- sistance to Santa Anna's usurpation of power was Judge R. M. Williamson, who being one of the first proscribed by the dictator, retreated to Mina, which district he rep- resented in the Consultation which established the pro- visional government. To Judge Williamson nature had indeed been lavish of her mental gifts, but as if repenting of her prodigality in that line, she later afflicted him with a grievous physical burden; his right leg being drawn up at a right angle at the knee, necessitating the substitution of a wooden leg, which circumstance gave rise to the name by which he was familiarly known-"Three-Legged Willie." A member of a wealthy family, highly educated and an able lawyer, Willie was a living illustration of the aphorism, " 'Tis but a step from the sublime to the ridic-
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ulous." Being appointed judge for the district of Wash- ington, which office he filled with credit both to the state and himself, he would leave a court room over which he had just presided with all the grace and dignity of a lord chief justice, and within an hour be patting Juba for some nimble footed scapegrace to dance. The versatility of his genius was further evidenced by his success as a come- dian. In the absence of support, he "went it alone," con- stituting himself a whole company. His strongest "cast" was the country school where all the urchins studied "out loud," the principal text book being Webster's elementary spelling book.
Beginning in the low diffident tone supposed to belong to the tyro, Willie plodded his way doubtfully through the tedious length of the alphabet and gaining courage from the successful termination of the journey, tackled the "a-b abs" in a louder tone passing on through the in- termediate stages of "b-a ba, k-e-r ker, baker," thence to "c-r-u, cru, c-i cy, crucy, fi-x fix, crucifix," and so on through the successive increase of syllables gaining confi- dence with each rise till he finally arrived in triumph at in-com-pre-hen-si-bil-i-ty. To this succeeded the reading of the short proverbs at the bottom of the pages, the cli- max being reached when the star scholar shrilly piped out, "An old man found a rude boy up in one of his apple trees stealing apples, etc." So perfectly were the tone and man- ner varied to correspond with the successive stages, that one might almost imagine himself in an old fashioned country school. The Judge also conducted revival meet- ings by way of variety, in which he combined all the es- sential elements in himself. He was also a nimrod of no mean order, having accomplished a feat in that line which had no parallel in the history of the country. Being out alone on the prairie he espied a buffalo calf that had got
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lost from the band. Willie gave chase and coming up with the game, being otherwise unarmed, attempted to lasso it. Not being an expert with the lasso, however, he only succeeded in getting it on his own neck. The calf be- ing pretty well winded, came to a stop and thinking to slip a noose over its head, Willie dismounted, when seeing its persecuter within its reach, the calf turned on him and before he could get out of its way the Judge received a blow in the stomach which sent him to earth, and no sooner had he risen to his feet than the vicious little brute gave him another. Willie retained his recumbent position till the calf being apparently satisfied that its foe was ef- fectually disposed of, started on its way. The calf so far liad the best of it, but the majesty of the law must be vin- dicated. Casting about for a weapon with which to avenge the insult offered to the state in the assault upon an offi- cer who was attempting an arrest, the judicial eye fell upon the great clumsy wooden stirrups. Quickly un- buckling one of the straps, Willie grasped it firmly in his hand and again running upon his adversary dealt it a blow on the head with the stirrup which in turn sent it to earth, continuing the application till life was extinct.
I was aroused early one morning by hearing my name called by some one in the street. "O Smithwick; come here; here's a man with a broken leg." Recognizing the voice as that of Judge Williamson, I hastily donned my clothing, and, opening the door, found Willie sitting on the step with his wooden leg broken; he had been making a night of it with that result. I took the fractured limb to my shop and braced it up so that it was as good as new, and the Judge went on his way rejoicing.
The Mexican stirrup, usually made of oak and weigh- ing about five pounds, encased in leather housings, the long ear-like tips of which almost touched the ground, is
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in keeping with his bridle bit and spurs, the outfit being aptly described by old Johnnie McNeal. Said he, "Their bridle bits look like steel traps, and the rowels of their spurs remind me of a cart wheel with the fellies knocked off, the piece that goes on the heel looking like a clevis."
Those old wooden stirrups made quite effective weap- ons, as I had occasion to demonstrate. Having business down at Columbia, I went to old Jose Riel to get a horse for the trip, telling him that I wanted a good animal. "O, si," said he; "buena, mucho buena." I expected to be away five days and old Jose exacted a dollar a day in advance ; I paid the tariff and started. It was about sixty miles, and about midway was a wayside inn kept by Madam Powell, who had two attractive daughters; there- fore it was not a source of concern to me that the horse began to flag toward night. The next day I went on to Columbia, where my business detained me one day, during which time my horse rested, but he had proceeded but a few miles on the homeward journey till he began to slow down. After working my passage a few miles further I clismounted and tried to lead him, but a Spanish horse will not lead, so I turned him loose and drove him. I wore out a good deal of timber on him and having got on the prairie, where I could not renew the supply, I took off a stirrup with which to urge the sulky brute along. The horse finally came to a dead stop and when I applied my persuader backed his cars and kicked at me. Exas. perated beyond endurance I brought him a welt over the head that felled him to the ground; he lay quivering a few minutes and gave up the ghost. I took off the saddle and bridle and replacing the stirrup hid the outfit in the high grass and went on up to Madam Powell's, about ten miles, where I procured a horse for the remainder of my jour- ney. I didn't go near old Jose Riel, but by and by he
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came around to know what I had done with his horse. After delivering him a lecture savoring strongly of brim- stone for hiring me a broken down horse, I told him where I left it, also the saddle. The next day he came back and demanded pay for the horse. I threatened to wear the ground out with him; he then took his griev- ance to Thomas Dukes, the alcalde. Dukes came around to see me and after enjoying a hearty laugh over my ad- venture, advised that I pay the old fellow something, just to settle the controversy. We settled on $5 in addition to the five I paid for the hire of the horse.
An important personage was Padre Muldoon, not only in San Felipe where he made his home, but throughout the colonies, he being the only authorized agent of Cupid east of San Antonio. The father made a tour of the col- onies occasionally when in need of funds, tying the nuptial knot and pocketing the fees therefor, $25 being the mod- est sum demanded for his services. But his visits were so much like an angel's, and his charges so much on the opposite extremity that the colonists had recourse to a plan of their own combining in itself the essential fea- tures of both marriage and divorce, the latter unknown in Catholic countries. When a couple concluded to join their fortunes they forthwith repaired to the alcalde's office and had him draw up a bond to avail themselves of the priest's services whenever he came around; both par- ties signed the bond and went on their way as man and wife. The plan had this advantage; that if they changed their minds before the priest got around, they had only to go together to the alcalde and demand the bond, which they tore to pieces and were free again.
Padre Muldoon was a bigoted old Irishman, with an unlimited capacity for drink. He found a congenial spirit in the person of "General" Walker, with whom he was
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one day "doing" the town. Stepping into Frank Adams' grocery just as the crowd were preparing to "lubricate" Frank politely invited the newcomers to join them. Old Muldoon elevated his nose. "No, I never drink with any but gentlemen," said he. Adams promptly drew back and dealt the Padre a blow between the eyes which had the effect of considerably modifying his ideas of gentility. The person of the priest being considered sacred by the Mex- icans, Adams' assault came near involving him in a seri- ous difficulty. Muldoon and his satellites demanded re- dress, and Austin, fearing that the government might re- sent the indignity offered its spiritual representative, would fain have made some show of compliance; but the sym- pathy of the populace was with Adans, regardless of con- sequences ; Muldoon, who was no fool, seeing that he had few friends, apologized for his offensive language and ac- cepted the proffered drink to assist him in swallowing his medicine.
Nestor Clay, the gifted nephew of a gifted uncle, though not a resident of the town, was an occasional visitor, at which times he was wont to imbibe rather freely ; with the result that while he soon became unable to stand, his mental faculties seemed to expand in proportion to his loss of physical power.
Educated, brilliant, a perfect master of English and an adept at retort, I have seen him sit and talk politics when he could not rise from his seat, and not a man among us could begin to hold his own against him.
Thus he was sitting in Thomas Davis' saloon talking, and having his drinks brought to him, when Davis incau- tiously ventured into argument and getting the worst of it turned away saying :
"O, you're drunk, Clay."
"Ah! Is that so?" said Clay.
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"Yes."
"Well, then are you not a fool to be arguing with a drunk man?"
A shout went up from the crowd which Davis drowned with free liquor.
There was nothing whatever to indicate that Clay's emigration had been compulsory, but with a family edu- cated and refined and ample means, it was difficult to account for their presence in the colony on any other hypothesis.
Walter C. White, who kept the leading store, was as- sociated with Colonel Knight, the proprietor of the trad- ing post at Fort Bend; they had a little trading schooner, which ran up to Bell's Landing (Columbia), where they unloaded their goods, piling them up on the river bank and covering them with dry cowhides to protect them from rain while waiting for ox teams to take them up to their destination. Years afterward I met Colonel Knight at Bas- trop. Out in front of a store lay a number of grinding stones with a chain passed through the eyes and fastened with a padlock. Colonel Knight cast a contemptuous look at the pile, and turning to me said .
"Gad, Smithwick, the "better sort' must have got here. Do you remember how I used to pile my goods out on the river bank and leave them for days at a time? I never lost a pin's worth; we used then to hear fellows with 'store clothes' on lamenting the crude state of society and con- soling themselves with the assurance that the 'better sort' would come after a little. I reckon they have arrived ; there," pointing to the padlocked grindstones, "is indis- putable evidence."
Colonel Knight was one of the earliest white settlers in Texas. Joining Long's expedition he assisted Mexico in throwing off the yoke of Spain, and also bore a gallant
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part in the Texas revolution. He had no family. Cooper and Sheaves, both single men, built the first frame build- ing in San Felipe, using it for a billiard hall and saloon. The merchants were Walter C. White, Richardson & Davis, Clopper Bros., Cooper & Sheaves, Ira & Seth Ingram, and Thomas Gay, all single men, though Gay afterward married.
The legal profession was represented by David G. Bur- nett, Judge R. M. Williamson, Thomas M. League, Luke Lasacia and Holtham & Ewing; the last two bachelors.
Doctors Miller, Mosely, Rivers, Dayton, Gazley, Pee- bles and Phelps-the last three only having families- looked after the health of the people, the major part of their practice being devoted to the dressing of wounds and holding inquests.
The first preacher to venture into this stronghold of Satan was Thomas J. Pilgrim, a Baptist; but as the col- onists were supposed to be Catholics, Colonel Austin did not deem it advisable to establish a Protestant church, so the preacher, willing to make himself useful, turned dom- inie, teaching the first English school in Texas, 1829. Comparatively few families resided in town, most of them going out on farms. On the farms, too, were to be found the wealthier portion of the colonists, who, having brought out slaves, were opening up cotton plantations.
Thus while there was a scarcity of ladies of any kind in San Felipe, single ladies were indeed few and far be- tween. Occasionally one ventured into town to be almost immediately captured by some aspirant for matrimonial honors. Of the young ladies who were thus summarily dealt with during my sojourn I remember Miss Eliza Picket who a few days after my arrival married William C. White; Miss Westall married to Brown Austin; Miss Jane Wilkins, who was captured by the alcalde, Thomas
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Duke, and Miss Scott who became Mrs. Samuel M. Wil- liams. Miss Pickett was the daughter of Mrs. Parmelia Pickett, a widow possessed of capital, and the bridegroom being a nephew of Jared E. Groce, the richest man in the country, the wedding was very select; social distinctions, it was alleged, having even then begun to develop. The leadership of the "ton" was accredited to Mrs. Jane Long, the widowed sister of Mrs. Alexander Calvet, and widow of General Long.
Miss Jane Wilkins with her widowed mother and younger sister maintained themselves by sewing; there- fore the wedding was very quiet notwithstanding the high official position of the bridegroom. Miss Wilkins was an expert needlewoman and we old bachelors found much need of her services, almost all clothing then being made to order; consequently we felt that we had just cause of complaint against the alcalde when he selfishly appropri- ated our fair seamstress, leaving us with enough ready made clothing on our hands to stock a small clothing store.
A little incident connected with the marriage of Brown Austin and Miss Westall furnishes a sample of the annoy- ance and inconvenience to which the colonists were sub- jected by the religious restrictions imposed upon them. Anxious to show due respect for the law of the land, Aus- tin had notified Padre Muldoon to be on hand; but the priest's residence being in San Antonio, and the distance and mode of traveling rendering intercourse uncertain, the padre failed to arrive at the appointed time. The bride was ready and so was the feast, but everything had to await the pleasure or convenience of the dilatory priest.
So great was the dearth of female society in San Felipe that during my whole residence there-'28 to '31-there was not a ball or party of any kind in which ladies par-
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ticipated. There being so little opportunity for social in- tercourse with the gentler sex, the sterner element should not be too severely censured if they sought diversion of a lower order. And if our stag parties were a bit convivial, they would probably compare favorably in that regard with the swell club dinners in the cities. Godwin B. Cotton was the host in many a merry bout; love feasts, he called them. Collecting a jovial set of fellows, he served them up a sumptuous supper in his bachelor apartments at which every guest was expected to contribute to the general en- joyment according to his ability. Judge Williamson was one of the leading spirits on these occasions. Having a natural bent toward the stage, Willie was equally at home conducting a revival meeting or a minstrel show, in which latter performance his wooden leg played an important part : said member being utilized to beat time to his sing- ing. One of his best choruses was :
"Rose, Rose; coal black Rose ;
I nebber see a nigger dat I lub like Rose,"
a measure admirably adapted to the banjo which he han- dled like a professional.
Some sang, some told stories and some danced. Luke La Sascie, a Louisiana Frenchman, and by the way a bril- liant lawyer, was our champion story teller; with Cotton and Doctor Peebles worthy competitors. I, being reck- oned the most nimble footed man in the place, usually paid my dues in jigs and hornpipes, "Willie" patting Juba for me. Many a night was I dragged out of bed after a hard day's work in the shop to help out an impromptu "jag." The biggest time we ever had was on the occa- sion of a double wedding, the brides being a couple of grass widows who were domiciled together just out of town, their comfortable home and reputed bank account proving an irresistible attraction to a couple of good-
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looking young scamps who were hanging about ; hence the wedding. The boys all got together and went out to charivari them. It was my first experience in that kind of a performance; and was unquestionably the most out- rageous din I ever heard; cowbells, cowhorns, tin pans and in fact everything that contained noise were called into requisition ; and with their discordant sounds mingled hoots, howls and caterwaulings enough to make the hair rise on one's head. But all our efforts to bring out the happy quartette proved abortive. We overdid the thing and frightened them out of their wits; so after exhausting every device short of breaking in the door and dragging them forth, we adjourned to town to wind up. Austin never participated in these jamborees, nor did the Bor- dens. Sam Williams sometimes looked in, took a glass and cracked a joke.
A noted member of Austin's colony was Captain James B. Bailey, better known as "Brit" Bailey, his arrival even antedating that of Austin himself. But as up to that period foreigners could not procure title to land, Bailey liad only a squatter's claim. Still he felt that the priority of his claim should be respected; therefore he rose in re- bellion when notified that his claim was within the limits of Austin's grant and that in order to secure it he would have to comply with the regulations governing the real colonists. A compromise was effected, however, and Cap- 'tain Bailey lived and died on his original claim. When he was in his last sickness, realizing that the end was near, he said to his wife:
"I have never stooped to any man, and when I am in my grave I don't want it said, 'There lies old Brit Bailey.' Bury me so that the world must say, 'There stands Bailey.' And bury me with my face to the setting sun. I have been all my life traveling westward and I want to face that way when I die."
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