Nesbitt Memorial Library Journal
that district, and to form a regiment of national militia, over
which for the present he must be chief, with the rank of
lieutenant-colonel: all of which you will make known to the
inhabitants of said district, in order that they may recognize the
said Austin, invested with said powers, and obey whatever he
may order relative to the public service of the country, the
preservation of good order, and the defence of the nation to
which they belong.
"And I transcribe it to you for your information and strict
compliance on your part; notifying you that on Saturday, the 9th
instant, you will collect as many of the inhabitants of the district
under your charge as you can at the house of Sylvanus
Castleman, that I may communicate to them the superior orders
with which I am charged, and that the said Don Stephen F.
Austin may be recognized by the civil and military authorities
dependent on him and by the new colonists who are under his
charge.
"God preserve you many years.
"El Baron de Bastrop
"At Castleman's, August 5, 1823."
In that year Dewees married a daughter of Leander Beason. They built a home here and
were soon joined by other families. That year is given as the foundation of Columbus.
With the exception of the interim from March 'until May in 1836, during and following
the military operations of General Houston and Santa Anna this place has been the site
of continuous white habitation.
How Zumwalt reached the conclusion that Dewees married in 1823 is
a mystery. Dewees' "letter" dated December 1, 1823 implies that he
was not yet married (see Letters From an Early Settler of Texas, page 43,
wherein Dewees includes himself among "a few of us boys who have
no families" and "those of us who have no families of our own"), as does
that dated November 5, 1824 (see Letters From an Early Settler of Texas,
pages 49-50, wherein Dewees counts himself fortunate that Austin
allowed single men to "locate ourselves together as families" and
thereby acquire larger land grants). He mentions a wife for the first time
in his "letter" dated January 2, 1830 (see Letters From an Early Settler
of Texas, page 119).
Dewees' first wife, Lydia G., was apparently the daughter of
Benjamin Beeson rather than of Leander Beeson. Leander Beeson was
Lydia's brother. Benjamin Beeson's probate file contains a document
that calls for the division of the estate between Lydia Dewees, Abel
Beeson, Leander Beeson, Mary Ann Beeson, and the two children of
Nepsey Berry (see Probate File 1, Office of the County Clerk, Colorado
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