Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas Page: 326 of 894
762 p., [172] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 30 cm.View a full description of this book.
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280
INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
home with a widow, a former friend of the family
in New Orleans, and accepted the first position
that was offered him
that of clerk in a butcher's
stall at a salary of $25.00 per month.
He saved his earnings and in less than a year
was enabled to go into business for himself on a
small scale. He remained in California until 1856,
when he returned to New Orleans, making the trip
from San Francisco to that city in thirty-one days,
the quickest on record at the time. After a short
visit to his old home he returned to California and
settled at Sacramento. Investing his means in a
small cigar jobbing trade, he followed this with
marked success for some months. He then induced
two friends to join him in the purchase of a stock
of goods and the three went to British Columbia,
then an attractive field for Western adventurers.
The country at that time was mostly in the possession
of the Hudson Bay Company, whose agents
watched all American enterprises with jealous eyes,
and used every means except force to prevent
traders from settling in their locality.
Young Marx, however, established himself on
the extreme northern line of the United States, and
for the first time, planted the Stars and Stripes in
that vicinity. He soon acquired a large and lucrative
trade, bartering his goods for furs with Indian
trappers. After acquiring a considerable amount
of money at this, he determined to return to civilization,
and accordingly, with his two companions,
and four friendly Indians, attempted to cross the
Gulf of Georgia in a canoe in order to get into
what is now Whatcom, Washington, but was overtaken
by a storm and at night was washed ashore
on one of the numerous islands in that bay. Here
they were surprised by hostile Indians from neighboring
islands, who were deadly foes to the Indians
of his party. Mr. Marx' presence of mind did
not desert him, but meeting them in a friendly
manner and addressing them in their own language
he told them that he was not a "King George
Man," the name given by the Indians to Englishmen,
but was a " Boston man," meaning a citizen
of the United States. The Chief warmly welcomed
him, consented to accept as presents several bolts
of red calico and some blankets and permitted the
party to proceed unmolested on their way. Aftermany other trying experiences he reached San
Francisco in 1861.
About this time news was received there of the
large silver finds in the territory of Nevada, and
Mr. Marx went there, where he engaged in trade
and added considerably to his possessions. In 1863
he went to Utah and established himself at American
Fork, a small village thirty-five miles south of
Salt Lake, where he did a prosperous business for
two years. He then went to Virginia City, Mont.,
at that time the capital of the territory, and established
a wholesale grocery house. Here he took
an active part in the affairs of the day and made
money rapidly. At the end of three years he left
Montana and returned to New Orleans, where, on
July 7th, 1868, he married Miss Julia Newman and
on the following day set out for Galveston, Texas.
On his arrival at that place he engaged in the mercantile
business and with only one brief interval
has been so engaged since. From 1868 to 1871 he
was associated with Sampson Heidenheimer in the
grocery business. From 1871 to 1886 he was
in partnership with Harris Kempner under the
firm name of Marx The Texas Banking and Improvement
Company; The Galveston Loan and Improvement
Company, and the Gulf, Colorado Nettie, now Mrs. Nat M.
Jacobs; Gertrude, now Mrs. Samuel H. Frankel,
and Josetta, now Mrs. A. Blum.
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A history of pioneers in Texas and their confrontations with local American Indians.
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Brown, John Henry. Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas, book, 1880~; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6725/m1/326/?rotate=90: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .