The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 5, July 1901 - April, 1902 Page: 118
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Southwestern Historical Quarterly and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Texas State Historical Association.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
118 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
agreed. In the fall, when the old Texan went to see about his cows,
he found that more than half the calves had died, and that those
still living were at the point of starvation. HIe felt outraged that
his hospitality had been so abused, and demanded pay for the calves
that had died. On the refusal of the newcomer to pay for them he
instituted suit before a justice of the peace for damages, and em-
ployed the writer to prosecute it, which he did, obtaining judgment;
at the cost, however, to himself of incurring the ill-will of the
defendant, which it took years to remove.
The social and friendly feeling that existed among the early set-
tlers of Texas was strong and peculiar. It was the natural product
and outgrowth of hardships and dangers which these pioneers
mutually shared that joined old Texans one to another with hooks
of steel. This statement may be illustrated by the following story:
The burning of the Adjutant General's office, at Austin in 1855,
with the military records of the Republic and State, created
a great sensation. It soon became rumored that two citizens of a
certain county, old Texans, were the guilty parties, and they were
indicted by the grand jury of Travis county. The writer was in-
formed that in due course capiases for the arrest of these parties
were forwarded to the sheriff of the proper county, who was also
an old Texan and friend of the accused. The sheriff after receiv-
ing the process summoned a posse, with directions to meet him at
a certain place, on a certain night to aid him in the arrest of one of
the parties. The sheriff and his posse made the descent on the
home of the accused at the appointed time and searched his house,
but found no one except his wife and children. It was told the
writer long afterwards, by one who professed to know, that the
sheriff in advance had sent notice of his intended visit to the man
concerned and had suggested that he need not be at home unless he
wished. The sheriff was a good mlan, and the writer doubts the
truth of what his informant told him; but if it was true it simply
illustrates the strong and peculiar ties of friendship that existed
among old Texans, founded on common dangers and common hard-
ships. Nothing came of the prosecution of these citizens. No one
was punished for the destruction of the Adjutant General's office.
In fact, it was never ascertained whether the destruction of the
office was intentional or accidental.
In the early days of the Republic and State of Texas, Houston,
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
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 Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 5, July 1901 - April, 1902, periodical, 1902; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101021/m1/124/: accessed March 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.