Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 275 of 372
300 p., 34 port. ; 32 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
ENCYCLOPEDIA.
221
RiS, THOMAS WASHINGTON, lawyer,
Brenham, Texas. In times past, history
almost exclusively devoted her praises to
those who led the armies, or guided the
councils of nations, and 'very rarely was even the
name of a piivate man, however splendid his tal.ents,
or exalted his virtues, deemed worthy of notice.
But the liberty which has since been worked
out, is not confined to the mere -form and ceremony
of government-to Princes and conquerorsbut
chants her praises wherever virtue, genius, and
real merit are found, whether among tihe humble
pesantry, or among those whom fortune has more
.abundantly favored. She disburses her blessings
upon all according to merit, and those who have
been reared in poverty, and inured to toil and privation,
may become as distinguished in history,
as those who early enjoyed the distinction of high
birth, or of fortune.
The subject of this sketchli was early inured to
hard wo,rk on the farm, which formed in time those
moral and industrious traits of character, which
laid the foundation for his future success. Hie was
born on the 7th day of February, 1830, in Maury'
county, Tennessee. His father, Richard Whittaker
Morris, was a native of North'Carolina, of English
parentage, a practicing physician, and a Meth odist
clergyman. He left his native state at an
.early date, and settled in Maury county, Tennessee,
from thence he removed to Texas in 1851, and settled
at Brenham, Washington county, where he
died on the 24th of August, 1863. His mother,
whose maiden name was Margaret Ann Crozier,
was a native of Tennessee, of Irish parentage, and
-of a prominent merchant and planter of Alabama.
Thomas Washington Morris was reared on a farmi
in Maury county, Tennessee, where he obtained
his early education. At the age of twenty-one
years, le accompanied his father to Texas, and located
at Brenham, Washington county, in 1851.
In 1852 ihe attended Washington Academy as tutor
and student. In 1853 lie commenced reading law
under the supervision of the late distinguished jurists,
Hon. J. D. Giddings, who died at Brenham
in 1868. In 1855 Mr. Morris was admitted to the
bar and entered upon the practice of his 'profession
at Brenham, where hlie has since resided, actively
,and successfully engaged in his profession. lHe
has never sought nor held any public office of a
political character, preferring to devote his entire
-attention to his law practice.
In 1861 at the outbreak of the late civil war, lieentered the Confederate army as a private soldier
in the Tenth Texas Infantry, and served in the
trans-Mississippi and Tennessee departments, where
his service was highly appreciated; and repeated
offers of promotion tendered, all of whichl lie declined,
preferring tihe companionship of his friends
with whomi lie entered the service, to the command
of strangers. At the battle of Arkansas Post, lie
was taken prisoner and confined in' a northern
prison for three months. In politics, Mr. Morris
is a firm Democrat; in religion, an Episcopalian.
~ AINE, ROBERT TREAT, late distinguished
_ citizen of Austin county, Texas, who died
at Galveston in 1873. The subject of this
D!1 memoir, and his namesake, Robert T.
Paine, one of the signers of the D)eclaration of Indepenilence
of the United States, are descendents
oi the saiue family ancestry.
He was a native of Edenton, North Carolina,
and resided iin that state until 1860, when lie immigrated
to Texas. He was a graduate from Trinity
College, Connecticut, and chose the law as a
profession, which hlie pursued during his residence
in his native state. On his advent into Texas, lie
located in Austin county, where hlie engaged, very
extensively andi successfully, in agricultural pursuits.
As
a lawyer and statesmnan, few men stood
higher in the estimation of the people of his native
State, than hie, and so Iirmly and implicitly
did this confidence in his ability and entegrity
manifest itself, that any honors within their gift
were cheerfully bestowed upon him. He represented
his district in the state legislature for about
twenty years, and while discharging his duties as
legislator, was appointed, by Governor William A.
Graham, colonel of a North Carolina Regiment of
Volunteers, who so gallantly participated in the
Mexican war, unider the command of General
Taylor in his advance into Mexico.
After thie close of that war, and General Taylor
had become President of the 'United States, the
President appointed himn on thle Mexican commission
to settle the war claims, and so ably and satisfactorily
did he discharge his duties, that the
President highly complimented him in a public
manner.
In 1855, lie was elected member of Congress,
from the First North Carolina district; he declined
a reelection. His integrity anid conscientiousness,
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Related Items
Other items on this site that are directly related to the current book.
Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
Biographical view of Texas and its history including narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history and information about important point in history including: the pioneer days of Texas, Texas' transition from a Mexican state to being part of the United States, and the wars in which Texas citizens took part.
Relationship to this item: (Has Format)
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas, book, 1880; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5827/m1/275/?rotate=90: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.