Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas Page: 829 of 894

INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.

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Murray, of Cincinnati, John D. Rogers, J. H.
Hutchings, B. F. Yokum, J. E. Baily, Henry
Runge, B. Adoue, T. E. Thompson, L. C. Hirschberger,
Wm. M. Rice, of Houston, and J. D. Skinner.
"After the services at Trinity Church the Knights
Templar will take charge of the remains and proceed
to the cemetery, where the impressive burial
services of the order will be held."
Col. Brown was not only an exceedingly able,
but what is of far more importance, a really good
and sincerely pious man, loving and reverencing
God, loving and helping his fellow-man, and loving
and tenderly caring for the members of his immediate
household. He has left his impress strong
and deep upon the history of Galveston. The

influence of his thousands of good deeds, flowing
through countless unseen channels, will be felt for
many years to come. Col. Brown was married in
Galveston, Texas, in 1846, to Miss Rebecca Ashton
Stoddart, a beautiful young lady to whom he had
become deeply attached. From that time forward
until his death she was the companion of his joys
and sorrows, his successes and reverses. He attributed
much of his success in life to her wise
counsels and ever-cheerful aid. She and five children
survive. The children are: J. S. Brown and
C. R. Brown, of Galveston; Dr. M. R. Brown, of Chicago;
Matilda E. Brown and Miss R. A. (known as
Miss Bettie) Brown, of Galveston. Miss Bettie
Brown is well known in the world of art as a
painter.

EMILIO C. FORTO,
BROWNSVILLE.

It is written that "a prophet is not without
honor, save in his own country," but this does not
hold good with reference to the subject of this
sketch. The Laredo Times, in a review of
Brownsville and Cameron County, in 1889, said:
"Judge Forto has contributed over his signature
articles relating to his county to Texas periodicals
and is thoroughly familiar with everything that
pertains to it. He is a fine specimen of the educated
Spanish gentleman. He left his native country,
Spain, when quite a boy, and came here when
about seventeen years of age. He possesses one of
the most comfortable homes in Brownsville."
He was then County Judge of Cameron County,
which position he held for several years, and continued
on the bench until the fall of 1892, when he
was elected Sheriff. In the latter position he has
developed a promptness and skill in dealing with
law-breakers which insures to the people a continuation
of peace and quiet.
Sailing from his home in Spain, he landed in the
city of New Orleans, La., in 1867, when sixteen
years of age, and while in the Crescent City secured
a position in a prominent commercial house
at Matamoros, Mexico, and reached the latter place
and entered upon the discharge of his duties in
1868, and, at the end of 1869, located in Brownsville,
Texas, where he occupied the position of
bookkeeper in the house of Don Antonio Yznaga
for two years, after which he started in business for
himself as a commission merchant and customhouse
broker. Upon the completion of the railroad
between Laredo aad Monterey, the foreign
trade being then diverted from Brownsville, he devoted
himself to the study of law and was admitted
to the bar in 1884. He has been in public life since
1876 and has held many important positions. For
twelve years in succession he served as a City Alderman,
as Justice of the Peace for three years, as
District Clerk for two years, as County Judge eight
years, and at present holds the office of Secretary
of the Board of Public Education of the city of
Brownsville, and is Sheriff of the county of Cameron.
He has been a member of the Board of
Public Education since 1880 and Sheriff since
1892.