Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 36 of 372

32

BIOGGRAPHICAL

Secretary of State, Mr. Calhoun, Mr. Clay and
others of that splendid galaxy of official honor,
talent and refinement which distinguished Washington
city :at the time of the Harrison and Tyler
administratkns. Colonel Bee held no public office
after that epoch, yet when the enemy attempted a
renewal of the war on Texas, in the spring of 1842
(Yasquez's invasion), the old colonel was seen at
San Antonio, ready with his counsel, as well as
with the sword he had drawn in the war, of 1812
and 1836, to defend the home of' his adoption, the
the Republic that he had helped to create, and to
which he had given his fealty. It may not be
amiss to state, as an evidence of the regard and
esteem in which lie was held by Mr. Tyler and
his Cabinet,. when residing in Washington as a
representative of, Texas, his son, Barnard E. Bee,

Congress, and now a distinguished n mmber of the
Galveston bar.
Mr. 'Willie was left without a fathtlr t4) imake hlis
way in the world, came tto Txt in ti t days of
the Republic, and in the dark hours of her e.xistence
adopted the law as it pmisniossi antt was
admitted to thle bar as swion as he* was hid enoughl
to entitle him to the prnerogativ",s of thitt pirof-fssimn.
He was elected to tlh first and seond lt diigislatures
as a representative front Washlingtonm csnty, tat
took f proinent stand in tlhtt bhtdy, ttlitulgi romposed
of the most expeHrienediti ant most taltentt,td
politicians and statesmen in thte Statet. It om,st. tbe
reniembered that whien ti ttook his set,at in the
Legislature the Statte had ju`st bMtn''t a i It ti.lhr
of the federal union )y tlt* Act of Annexatii,n,
thlat conventipo had lbeen tinv ketl auol a Statet

a -youth of sixteen years of age, received the ap- Constitution 'framned and promnulg:tte,d fo,r tiet govpointment
of cadet at West Point, from the Re- erminent of its legislation, antd noisittuentit a sy spublic
of Texas, admitting him to all the privileges tern of laws had to be enacte ld inditr its -,rovisi^ns
of the institution, .except the monthly pay of the to put into operation thle inalhineruy ttf tlet, mnew
cadet (which was paid by Colonel Bee) but as tilis State governmient for the -pro(tttimnt of lifeh, ib.lrty
appointment was as irregular as it was compli- and property. It will be seim tht t tist first lhsmentary
to Colonel Bee, it was soon after arranged Iature was one ,of great nmanitude. and inpmt t ane*,
that he should be borne on the rolls to fill a and required in the dischlcar'ge tif its tiatifotil anil
vacancy from South Carolina, his native State, and and varied functions the ltbors of teen po sssing
although the boy entered the academy as from the experience, ability and isretl tio, l. r. Willie
'epublic of Texas, lie graduated as from South proved( hirmself fully adequate to} thte tltshlcarg* 'ef
Carolina and proved his devotion to her sorer- all the duities of a legislit:r ant st^ttstizl, atIlnd
eignty by giving up his life for her on the memo- was justly regarded by his e,ollhagm\s as elmtig tiie
rable field of Manassas, with the magnificent of the most astute, prompt ant able ni(en~ibers (if
sword in his hand that she presented to himn for their body.
gal!ant services in the Mexican war. Colonel Bee After the close of his duiftles itn the s.e-tnt.td legisdied
in 1853 honored, and of his numerous fam- lature he devoted ltimself 1t,st.tv awndl merztially
ily none remain besides General Hamilton P. to the practice of hins t,roffssion, n,l 'rstse to, al
Bee, well known throughout Texas. rank at the bar unsurpmsSewd by iany ian in thl
State. )During the I)emnToratic Statt ('Nvt1eti oIn tt
- _ the citsy of Au.stin itI '8t)( hei: wats mnalie {hie t(. in lttinee
of the party Attorney (leuerail of tlhe Statt~.
^^^^ " A . Wl'and was elected by tan overwl'zlniing iznajrity at
; ILLIE, HON. JAMES, was born in Wilkes the ballot-)box, lie t is(ltarged ti i dutiets I f is
t.~ Ccounty, Georgia; January, 5, 1823, and high and responsible stationt with ptriflit to) thlt.
,W 'received his education. in his native State. State and honor to hnimzself, ttit I telicre ntevr
- f He calne to Texas when. but a youth and held office afterwards. lIf.e continu-ed in tihe itrma-~
before he had attained the legal age, located in tice of his profession till the lbte ve.cssitn, mnvo.Washington
county, where he resided till the day ment, and like otliher true and g(euinll:e SotterzIrt.rs
of his decease, except the last few years of his life, lhe united witih his friends in what he be live(I
which was spent in the city of Houston. I-e was their inalienable and constitutional rights. IIi.
a nephew of Dr. Asa Hoxie, who 'resided for many health was now considerably slhattered whhih
years in the vicinity of Independence, and who was rendered hiim inadequate to ab'orious tir se;vert{
noted for his affluence, hospitality and sociaLbility, duty, but took such positio(n as be wa.s ab'lt to flIand
also the elder brother of the Hon. A. H. VWil- fill anld held it till the tite of his lecease, wlhicI
lie, of Galveston, formerly of the Supreme bench occurred during the war.
of the State, and member of the United States At an early age 3Mr. Willie displayed those riceh