Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas Page: 63 of 894

INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.

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Luckett, R. D. McAnelly, Nelson Merrill, A. B.
McGill, B. D. Noble, Dr. Joseph W. Robertson,
Mrs. Ann T. J. Wooldridge, Moses Wells, Joseph
Waples, Thos. G. Western, Michael Ziller, Charles
B. Sossaman, Martin Moore, Charles De Morse.
These names, drawn from memory, in a very large
sense, apply to persons who then or subsequently
became widely known in the public service
indeed,
in their respective spheres valuable men in
the country. Of course I can only recall a portion
of those entitled to honorable mention in an article
of this character. Gathered together from all
parts of the Union, and a few from Europe, their
bones are widely asunder, at least as far as from
New York to San Francisco, and one in China.
The then future of Austin, seemingly bright, was
invisibly portentous of evil. On the capture of
San Antonio by Mexicans, in March, 1842, Austin
was abandoned as the seat of government, and so
remained for four years, or until February, 1846.
Many of the inhabitants thereupon left their homes,
and with a greatly depleted population, the town
was left open to savage attacks from the north,
east and west. Their trials and deprivations were
great. The day of comparative deliverance came
when, in connection with annexation, the government
was returned to Austin, from which period
the place slowly grew until railroads reached it,
since which time its increase in population, wealth
and costly edifices has been rapid, until, with ample
public buildings, and four State asylums, and a
State House pronounced equal in grandeur and
appointments to any in the Union, it is regarded
with pride by the State and admiration by strangers
as one of the most charming and beautiful
of State capitals of the Union. Though perhaps
the youngest of its self-governing inhabitants
at the time of its birth, it was my privilege on
numerous subsequent occasions, covering a period
of twenty years, to represent other portions of the
State in its deliberative bodies assembled there,
and I have never ceased to feel a deep interest in
its prosperity. Hence, on this fifty-third anniversary
of Texian independence, and in the fiftieth of
the life of our State capital, with the utmost sincerity,
I can and do salute thee, oh 1 thou dearly
won but beautiful city of the Colorado, and would
gladly embrace each of its survivors of fifty years
ago-male and female
and their children and
grandchildren as well, were it practicable to do so.
May the God of our fathers be their God and bless
them.

A Succession of Tragedies in Houston and Anderson CountiesDeath
of the Faulkenberrys
Cordova's Rebellion
A
Bloody Skirmish
Battle of Kickapoo
Slaughter
and Cremation at John Edens' House-Butchery
of the Campbell Family 1836
to 1841-Etc., Etc.

In the account of the fall of Parker's fort, prominent
mention was made of David Faulkenberry,
his son Evan, a youth, and Abram Anglin, a boy
of eighteen. They with others of the defeated
party temporarily located at Fort Houston, as
before stated, a mile or two west of where Palestine
now stands. In the fall of 1836 these three, with
Columbus Anderson (one account gives this name
as Andrews), went down to the Trinity to the
point since known as Bonner's ferry, crossed to the
west bank for the purpose of hunting, lay down
under the bank and all fell asleep James Hunter

was in the vicinity also, but remained on the east
bank. While gathering nuts near by he heard the
guns and yells of Indians, and hastening to the
river, witnessed a portion of the scene. At the
first fire Columbus Anderson received a death
wound, but swam the river, crawled about two
miles and died. David Faulkenberr, also mortally
wounded, swam over, crawled about two hundred
yards and died. Both of these men had pulled
grass and made a bed on which to die.
A bullet passed through Abram Anglin's powder
horn and into his thigh, carrying fragments of the