Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 93 of 372
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ECNYCLOPEDIA.
77
,path hlie would pursue, he went earnestly to work as a legislator and jurist. While in the Legislafor
the accomplishment of his designs. He per- ture hlie represented the will of his constituents,
.ceived that one of the means necessary to success and discharged all his duties with honesty and
in life was education, and knowing that he would fidelity. Being elected Speaker of the House, he
be obliged to depend upon his own unaided efforts presided over the deliberations of that body with
in procuring it, he resolutely set himself to the firmness and dignity. I-e advocated all measures
task. Having acquired considerable knowledge of which had for their objects the true interests of his
the ordinary branches at the neighborhood school constituency and the people of the great State of
and by private study, he began as a school teacher Texas.
when only seventeen years old. This employment In matters of legislation hlie did not take partial
was in the country schools, and no doubt was views, but considered every question comiprehenbeneficial
in molding hiis mind to hiabits of thought sively. As judge, his (ldecisions were remarkably
and observation, beside increasing tlihe vigor of his clear and concise. He had the faculty of " seeing
physical constitution. 'By this means hlie was en- the point," as the lawyers phrase it, and his adjuabled
to become a student at Irving College, and dications were logical, being grounded in the strongsustained
himself there until lie had completed the est reason and the clearest principles of jurispruregular
course of study. Upon graduating hlie ibe- dence.
,came a student of law, and was shortly after ad- While District Attorney he was unrelenting in
mitted to practice, which lie entered upon at punishing the guilty, and at the same time quick
Jasper, in Marion county, with every prospect of a to relent in the face of mitigating circumstances.
brilliant future. It was about this timie that the We close this sketch of Judge Burford, with the
war with Mexico was declared, and Judge Burford regret that the design of this work does not admit
was lured from the bar by that military ardor and a more extended biography.
patriotic fervor which inspired many fearless men
of that day. He joined Captain Mitchell's con.i
pany, which had been already organized, and was ,
minade orderly sergeant. As such lie was sent to F' .USSELL, WILLIAM J., was a native of
Knoxville, to tender the services of the company to North Carolina. In 1826 he located in
,General Brazelton, whlio declined their acceptance Texas. le took part in the demand on
on thle ground that lTenneissee had a lready fur ( Bradburn for the release of Jack and othnisbed
hIer full jquota of troops. rs. In 't188 he represented Bazoria county in the
This was a grievous disappointment to yog Senite. iHo represented Fayette county in the
Burford, and hIe im.mediately prepared for itmigr- Lishturn in 184. He was for several years Chief
tion to Texas. Indeed, his Jpreparationlis were soon Justice in that county. In 1879 lie was President
made, for ihe had none of this world's goods to of th Texas Veteran Association.
*dispose of, and nothing to impetde lis journey.
Iie first stopped in Cass county, where he renmutained ........
a short time as deputy clerk of the District Court t \,.
,of thtat c.ounlty. . ,.
fWhile t here e procuct from Judge . P. Evans 4 "11 LI:EY, NATHAN G(EORG(E. Jonathan
and Governor James Piuckney lend.rson letters of U . Shelley, the grandfather of the subject of
recommendation to Colel John MCoy, Wilam this memoir, was a native Englishman of
recmmed.aionto Colonel Johnl MvCoy-,Yrs prna, NVxvhio came to mecrica
B. Mills and 8. (1. Newton, and on the 1st day of Iris pentge, who c ame to Ameca
,October, 1848, hle rode into the town o,f Dallas on before the Ievolution, and located in the Waxhaw
.a pony whihel cost himni $25, with $5 in money andt settlement in North Carohina. When the war
his clothes. But that was not all the capital hlie broke out hlie joined the patriot army under Gen:had
when he arrived there, for lhe carried with oral Nathaniel Greene, and served in the command
him the best and most. profitable of all invest- of that distinguished oflicer in all his cmpaigns,
.ments-a noble purpos, a high resolve, and an being particularly noted as one of the unflinching
,.energy that never gave way to despair. Being of rank and file in t.he battle of Guihord Court Ieoue.
a' genial turn and of a vivacious disposition, he He died in Tennessee, leaving a famly,one o
:soon found. his way to both the respect and friend; which, William Parke Shelley, married Margaret
ship of his townsmen. F. Etter, a native of Botetourt county, Virginia,
It remains now to speak briefly of Judge Burford and daughter of George Etter, a highly respected
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
Biographical view of Texas and its history including narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history and information about important point in history including: the pioneer days of Texas, Texas' transition from a Mexican state to being part of the United States, and the wars in which Texas citizens took part.
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas, book, 1880; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5827/m1/93/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.