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The name, Uvalde, has always had a musical
sound to me. And it always thrilled me as a child, for it represented
so many things. It meant a large house a mile west of town where a windmill
was always pumping and where my grandfather, Joel C. Fenley, lived.
It was the house where I had been born. it used to be pointed out to
me as we came into town and there were no words to express the happiness
that surged over me. I couldn't remember when my grandfather didn't
seem to be an old man; his white beard and heavy, white eyebrows seemed
to associate him with Biblical characters in my mind. But he loved to
talk to children and tell them stories, and that made me anxious for
our visits. An that is not near all Uvalde represented to me, for my
childhood was a happy one.
Uvalde was an easy corruption of the word Ugalde (Oo-alde), the name
of a Mexican General, who, in 1790, followed a huge band of Apache warriors
to their encampment near the present town of Utopia and annihilated
them. The present Sabinal Canyon was then known as Arroyo de la Soledad,
according to Herbert E. Bolton in TEXAS IN THE MIDDLE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
Ugalde was a captain in the Mexican Army at that time, receiving the
rank of General after his triumphant return to Mexico. The Arroyo de
la Soledad took the name of Canyon de Ugalde, after the famous battle.
he had crossed the Rio Grande more than once after troublesome Indians.
But the Spaniards had known their way through the wilderness of the
present Uvalde County since 1535, and had made expeditions through it
since Cabeza de Vaca's expedition. According to Castenada in OUR CATHOLIC
HERITAGE, Fernando de Ascue crossed the Rio Grande in 1665, with a band
of 102 soldiers and 300 Babole Indians, and defeated a band of Indians
on the Nueces River in the northwest part of the present county of Uvalde.
And on January 23, 1762, Father Ximenes and Father Baños founded
a mission on the Nueces River in the vicinity of the present town of
Barksdale, calling it San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz. A few weeks later,
the mission of Nuestra de la Candelaria was established on the opposite
bank of the river farther down near the present town of Camp Wood. The
idea was to Christianize the Indians in that area, but their efforts
were thankless and no help came from Mexico to sustain the missionaries.
Starvation faced them and the unexpected hardships soon reduced the
mission to extreme want, which condition was aggravated by the continual
thievery and attacks of the Indians. In 1767, Candelaria was abandoned.
San Lorenzo withstood the hardships two years longer, but in 1769, they
too abandoned the little mission and made their way to Mexico. Each
time an attempt was made to colonize any portion of the country west
of San Antonio, Indian Massacres brought home the horrible truth that
protection adequate to offset the attacks could not be had. The region
was more of a wilderness and it was easy for the Indians to set upon
travelers or small settlements.
In 1834, an Englishman by the name of Dr. Charles Beall, led a colony
of German, French and Irish settlers to Las Moras Creek in the present
Kinney County and established a settlement for a time according to William
Kennedy in his writings. he had obtained permission from the Mexican
government to establish this colony, and had to return to Matamoros
on business, but the new settlement was thriving and the people well
pleased with their farming efforts. However, during Beall's absence,
there was a crop failure and the settler, seeing they could not survive
without irrigation, decided that they would have to abandon the enterprise.
The Indians surprised some of them, out from the main settlement one
day, and murdered a number of them, and after this tragedy, those who
had not already gone, made ready for a weary flight. but the Indians
were watching and intercepted them on the Nueces River, killing all
the men and capturing the women and children.
Fort Inge And Others
Castroville came into being in 1844 when Henri Castro brought his colony
from Alsace-Loraine and established the settlement; later, forming other
small towns in the same area, among which was D'Hanis. Indians were
very troublesome, and travelers from San Antonio were experiencing ambushes
and open battles. In 1848, U.S. engineers were sent out to explore th
route from San Antonio to El Paso, and to select sites for forts as
a protection to the settlements. lt. W. H. C. Whiting chose the site
for Fort Inge and on March 13, 1849, Captain Sidney Burbank established
it on the east banks of the Leona Immediately south of the small round
mountain, which is Uvalde's most noted land mark. The latter part of
the month, 1849, Fort Duncan was established on the Rio Grande at the
present town of Eagle Pass. Fort Lincoln on Seco Creek, two miles above
the present town of D'Hanis was established later on, the same year,
and Fort Clark on June 20, 1852.
Fort Inge was named in honor of Lt. Zebulon Montgomery Pike Inge, a
fallen hero of the battle at Resaca de las Palmas, and whose bravery
had gained recognition on the frontier. Ft. Inge was constructed of
materials at hand, and though crude, was substantial. The corrals were
made of timbers set perpendicularly in the ground at a good depth and
the enclosure large enough to accommodate 200 horses. The buildings
included two company quarters, hospital, officers' quarters, commissary,
guardhouse, quartermaster's store room, double log house for commanding
officer and surgeon and numerous jacales, constructed of pickets and
daubed with mud. Nearby, flowed the Leona River with its abundance of
water, great shade trees and cold springs. On its banks was found plenty
of lime with which to whitewash the buildings, and their appearance
was neat and orderly. Game was abundant also; deer, turkeys and quail,
and wild cattle could be had with very little effort. The men found
it a pleasant pastime to supply the fort with meat.
Mail came by stage, accompanied by six guards with Big Foot Wallace
having the contract, beginning sometime near the time of establishment
of Fort Inge, says Sowell in his TEXAS INDIAN FIGHTERS. Big Foot was
a noted character, utterly fearless and had been one of the prisoners
of the Mier Expedition who was fortunate enough to draw a white bean
when Santa Ana ordered that every tenth man should be shot. He was also
a Texas Ranger and in many an Indian battle, being known as one of the
best Indian scouts on the frontier. His friend, Ed Westfall, lived on
the Leona River, some miles below when Fort Inge was established.
The men at the newly established forts were selected for hard riding,
scouting and fighting as they had to face new outbreaks of Mexican invasions
and constant Indian depredations. Fort Inge became a base of operations,
and according to records, there were as few as four men left to guard
the fort at times when the men were called away to trail Indians or
give assistance in some fight.
The Indians became aware that the fort had been put there expressly
to repel them and that the men were equipped with good guns and horses,
and whenever they entered the locality, they did so with great cunning
so as not to be discovered by the soldiers. They coveted the good horses
and guns the men had but they never came in numbers sufficient to openly
besiege the post.
The companies stationed at these forts were known as the "Mounted
Rifles," and Fort Inge's first commander was Captain Seth Eastman,
followed by Maj. Wm. Hardee, Col. Crittenden, Captain Dabney Maury,
Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte II, and later, Captain W. B. Hazen, who went
there as a lieutenant, but was made captain after a particular Indian
fight in which he had joined the Minute Men and settlers to overtake
them.
Capt. Dabney Maury wrote in RECOLLECTIONS OF A VIRGINIAN:
". . . there were no settlements between us and the Rio Grande,
ninety miles away, and only occasional bands of marauding Indians passed
along there. these were mostly Lipans . . . when hard pressed, they
would separate and make their way singly across the Rio Grande into
Mexico where they were safe from pursuit. These Indians had their resting
places at Fort Worth, on the upper Brazos, near where the Second Dragoons
were stationed, and they always kept the peace with them. Evidently
they regarded us as a separate tribe for whenever they were about to
make a raid down our way, they would tell the Dragoons that they had
'war with the rifles' and gravely bid them goodbye.
"While we were at Fort Inge, Col. Crittenden marched, with two
or three squadrons, up the Nueces River, scouting after a large body
of Indians. The weather was very hot and dry; the springs were gone,
and water could be found only in the larger streams. He marched from
the Nueces across to Devil's River and for three days neither man nor
horse had one drop of water. As they approached Devil's River, they
rode amongst some thousands of wild turkeys, trotting along the same
road after water. Their wings were hanging off their bodies and their
mouths were open. They paid no attention to the troops, merely opening
out to let them pass, and the men had no desire to ;molest them. Neither
man nor horse died of that terrible suffering, and never was Devil's
River more welcome, than when on the morning of the third day they rode
into its pleasant waters."
Jerome Bonapart
Serving his first assignment in the Mounted Rifles under Capt. Dabney
Maury, was 2nd Lt. Jerome Napoleon Bonapart, who was graduated from
West Point July 1, 1852. The young man was sent to take command of Fort
Inge, with Dabney soon to be sent to another post, and he came to be
regarded highly by his men just as he had been by his classmates at
West Point. His grandfather who was a brother of Emperor Napoleon Bonapart
of France, ahd been stationed in the United States and ahd fallen in
love and married Miss Elizabeth Patterson of Baltimore.
France's Emperor was horrified at his brother's conduct and ordered
him home, but the younger Bonapart disregarded the summons for months
until the Emperor notified him that he would be considered a deserter
of his country if he did not come at once. Elizabeth was to become a
mother, but he took her along on his journey to France. When the Emperor
found that he was bringing his commoner-wife, he was infuriated, but
he had ways and means and immediately forbade the landing of his brother's
wife. Then, his brother was escorted away from the ship, a virtual prisoner
till the ship sailed. Elizabeth tried to land in Holland, but orders
had gone ahead, and she was prevented from landing there so she sailed
for England, and the English received her with open arms, for they liked
everthing Napoleon didn't like.
The broken hearted wife bore her child in England and later went back
to America to rear him. her illustrious husband became King of Westphalia
and dutifully married Catherine Federica, Princess of Wurtemburg, after
the Emperor had ordered a divorce from the American Madame Patterson-Bonapart;
saw her son finish Harvard and then marry Miss Susan May Williams, diregarding
his mother's displeasure. When Susan's baby son was born, he too was
named Jerome Napoleon Bonaprt, the same Jerome who was to be stationed
at Fort Inge in time and for whom Capt. Maury held a high regard. the
young man was most genial, polished and courteous, mixing with the rough
frontiersmen the same as society. he later on received a commission
from france, and accompanied by his father, the two received a royal
welcome from the country who had spurned young Jerome's grandmother.
Fort Inge's Bonapart served France in Algiers, the crimean War and the
Italian Campaign with great honor. When his father died in baltimore
in 1870, he resigned from the French Army and came home, later going
back to France to serve again. But France fell, and thereby went his
hope of occupying the throne, so he came backe to America again and
awhile later, married Carolyn Appleton, the granddaughter of Daniel
Webster. he died in Massachusetts September 3, 1893, ending a most glorius
career and leaving a highly honored name.
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Fort Inge the Start of Uvalde
After Jerome Bonapart had left Fort Inge to take his place in the French
Army, the men at Inge were busily engaged as usual in their campaign
against the Indians. A young man by the name of W. W. Arnett had camped
on the banks of the Leona some two miles above Fort Inge about where
the Memorial Park now is. He had lately been mustered out of the ranger
service and had found the Leona River a place he had dreamed of. he
also found that he could make a living by cutting prairie hay for the
horses at Fort Inge and he began this service right away. According
to his published letters and memoirs, he became well acquinted with
the men who were stationed there and with the families who lived in
the vicinity. he named Westfall., Gave Nelson, Clem Howard, Tom Rife,
Sam Everett, and Henry Levering, with their families, living near the
fort. We are indebted to his daughter, Mrs. T. M. Milam of Fort Stockton,
who kindly loaned us his picture and papers from which we have obtained
the following:
William Washington Arnett, (who undoubtedly could have claimed the distinction
of being Uvalde's "first citizen") was born in Franklin County,
Alabama, in 1823. In 1837, he was stricken with inflamatory rheumatism
from which he never fully recovered, and from which he laid blame for
his small stature. However, he was able to walk inside of a year from
the time he was taken ill, and went to Mississippi where he spent several
years then coming to Texas August 25, 1845. Having to make the trip
alone, Arnett came horseback, and immediately hunted up his relative
at vaious places. He mentions the tiresome diet of "meat and potatoes"
which we assume was sweet potatoes as he mentions "red potatoes"
occasionally. While visiting a cousin on the Sabine River, they received
word that a camp meeting was to start and every one was invited. Arnett
was elated because he remembered that at camp meetings, they always
had all kinds of food. he said to his cousin that maybe he would get
something to eat besides "beef, red potatoes and black coffee."
But when they went to the camp meeting, the same diet met his eyes and
he compalined to his cousin that he was certainly disappointed in the
food. His cousin answered, "We do no have camp meetings for a fest,
but we have them to get religion at."
In 1847, Arnett joined a company of Texas volunteers under Capt. John
A. Beach, and was mustered into Bell's Regiment of Texas Rangers. Quoting
his memoirs, he speaks of his next adventures as follows:
" . . . on or about the last of November, 1847 . . . as I mounted
the Dignowitty Hill. Away beyond me, in a valley, I saw a little old
smokey village which I was informed, was the Historical San Antonio.
I sat on my Horse and thought of Crockett, Travis and all the Alamo
Herios and last but least of the Girl who I left behind me. On the 1st
of Dec. we marched for the Rio Garde (Grande). (after Passing the Medina
on the old Presidio Road. I never saw any one except the party with
us untill we reached the Rio Grande which was on the 12th day of Dec
1847. We camped at what was then Known as the Presidio Crossing on the
Rio Grande. This is the first place I ever saw this River, and did not
cross it untill the night of the 25th. You see the Captain was invited
to a Dance, in Presidio, with instructions or permission to bring a
few good young men and I was selected as one. This is the first time
I ever knew that I could be selected on my own merit.
On or about Feb 26th 1848. I got premission to go with Lut Erl to San
Antonio. On the 28th of Feb. we eat dinner on the Nuesses (Nueces),
The Elm trees were clothed with half grown leaves, everything denoted
spring. I left my old coat and on the night of March the 1st there came
up a blizzard or a norther never to be forgotten. We were camped on
the Madina Six miles below Castroville. O, how it did blow. It was no
miss Blow but a good wind from the north. Next day, we went to San Antonio,
and there we met our Captain and our Col. H.P. Bell, I recon I was just
looking as bad as any one could, I had no hat, no coat and a peace of
my old shirt tied around my left eye in this condition I was introduced
to H. P Bell Col. of our Regiment. "Well," thinks I to myself,
no one will know me tomorrow, The captain got me a good Suit of Clothes
and took me --------- and next morning, I met the Col. who knew me,
and asked me about my health."
As you may have concluded, this is how Arnett received his good impressions
of the region in which Uvalde County was to become a part of. He continues
with his reminiscence:
"I landed on the bank of the Leona River, and pitched my tent,
a few yards west of where the road crosses it leading from Uvalde to
San Antonio on Feb. 10, 1852. There was a beautiful stream of water
flowing across the road; I dug out a spring just below the road, but
now how dry it looks. I built a shanty just above where Mr. Griner now
lives. There I remained two years. I obtained a hay contract at Fort
Inge, and my camp was where Uvalde now stands. . . . Big
Foot Wallace was carrying the mail to El Paso.
At that time Wallace left his extra mules with Nelson and Howard while
he went to San Antonio; there was about thirty or forty horses &
mules in corral every night, one night two Indians (stole) every one
of the horses and mules with out any one knowing a thing about it. Next
morning horses that excaped came back. Westfall, Tom Rife and a few
others started on the trail after following them a few days the trail
became so fresh that Westfall went on foot in advance of others on entering
a Cedar Breake he saw an Indian coming toward him on foot, and waited
until he came to an open spot put his foot on a dry limb and broke it,
and the cracking of timber the Indian stopped Westfall fired killing
him, the other Indians who was near by fled. The party came up and got
all the horses and mules and a dog they named "Waco". In a
few minutes a Lieut with a party of U.S. soldiers came up. We all returned
safe and the dog "Waco" became a favorite."
Ed Westfall Brings in Partners
Edward Dixon Westfall, whom we have pointed out as one of the first
settlers before Fort Inge was established, was one of the three well
known early day scouts who had served in the Mixican War in the middle
'40s, and was also a member of Col. P.H. Bell's regiment of lmounted
riflemen. The other two scouts were Henry Robinson and Big Foot Wallace.
All three of them were friends and not only ;noted Indian scouts but
were well know by the Indians. Many old timers of this section have
mentioned Ed Westfall and praised him for his fearlessness on the frontier.
The Leona River was a delight to him, and he built his cabin on its
banks, content to live alone and hunt wild game as well as to outwit
the Indians. There were very few Indian trails taken up without one
of the three old scouts being along to pilot the expedition through
the prickly pear, mountains or cedar brakes, and sometimes the three
were together. All three were tall men and rather heavy, for their outdoor
life had given them good health and stature. Wallace is said to have
had black, curly hair in those days, and stood 6 feet two inches in
height, weighing about 240 poinds. In his later life, he was not so
heavy, but his tall, spare frame was easily recognizable wherever he
went, and he enjoyed a great popularity. Westfall had brown hair and
blue eyes, was 6 feet three or four inches in height and weighed about
190 pounds. Robinson was known and prized by the Indians because of
his red hair and red beard. he is said to have been tall also, much
the same stature as the other two men. How much the Indians liked red
hair was shown later when Robinson was killed and scalped by them.
Friends to all of the frontiersmen were the Sowells who lived in the
Seguin area in the early days. A. J. Sowell, who later rode horseback
and wrote up life sketches of the old Indian fighters and Mexican War
veterans, was welcome in every home in the whole Uvalde area when he
came on a visit for the purpose of gathering the data for which we owe
him a debt of gratitude today. On his visit later with Ed Westfall for
the purpose of writing a sketch of Westfall's experiences, Westfall
told him of a number of Indian battles wherein his friend big Foot Wallace
lived on the Medina River; Westfall on the leona and Henry Robinson
was living at Chalk Bluff on the Nueces at the time of this eath. Westfall's
account of an Indian raid in the Medina River valley where Wallace lived
brought forth the following facts; Fort Inge had no been built when
the Lipan Indians came down from the mountains and raided the vicinity
where Big Foot Wallace lived, carrying off horses belonging to Wallace
and other settlers. Wallace waited until the Indians would think that
no one was following them, and then went across country for his friend
Ed Westfall, ". . . gathering about thirty men they went on a hunt
for the Lipans, who were found in camp at a place now called the Frio
waterhole, on the divide at the had draws of the Frio River. A battle
ensued in which ten of the Indians were kileed, and about 200 mules
and horses taken which had been carried off from the settlements. The
Indians were completely surprised and made a poor flight, none of the
settlers being killed. Wallace was riding a fine mare, and she fell
with him just as they were charging into the Indian camp, and he went
over her head but landed on his feet. Wallace killed one Indian with
the only shot he got with his rifle. He had a flintlock, and the flint
in the holder burst. One old squaw and a daughter of the chief were
left in camp. The old squaw had nails on her fingers an inch long. She
tried to scratch Wallace in the eyes when he stooped to look in her
face after the fight. Someone wanted to shoot her, but Big Foot prevented
them."
Sprint From the Honey Camp
Westfall saw that he needed neighbors if he were to raise livestock
successfully on the ranch he had located. With this in mind, he traveled
to San Antonio and offered 100 acres of land to anyone who would come
out to his ranch and live. Out of the several who came out with him,
only two remained because they liked frontier life. They were a man
named Blanchard and one named James Hammock. Westfall was well pleased
to have the two, and in the spring of 1850, the three "opened up
a farm and lived in the house with Westfall," planting their first
crop of corn. Another visitor came by and also stayed with them, and
with Blachard went to San Antonio to buy supplies for the camp. Although
deer were plentiful, they were not fat just then and the ranchmen were
hungry for flour bread and bacon, but three months passed before the
travelers came back with the provisions which consisted only of a small
amount of bacon and coffee as the rains and high waters had ruined all
the flour and salt they had started with. Westfall and Hammond liked
to hunt bee caves and at the same time kill deer fro fresh meat. Not
having appropriate vessels to carry the honey horseback, they cased
the deer hide to carry it in, which made a very satisfactory saddle
bag.
After the men returned, Westfall and Hammock went on another hunt for
venison and honey, and after amking camp, Hammock prepared to cook dinner
while Westfall went in search of a deer for its meat and hide. Said
Sowell of that ill-timed hunt on the Nueces:
"No sooner had Jim made a smoke than it attracted a loarge band
of indians passing, who at once came and attacked him. Hammock saw them
in time to make a run and fired at them as he ran. At the lake, he threw
his rifle down and sprang in, with the Indians in pursuit, yelling and
shooting at him. He had no time to mount a horse, as both horses were
staked out. By diving almost continually, as he swam, he avoided the
arrows which cut the water around him, and arrived safely on the other
bank. The Indians did not attempt to follow him but went back to plunder
the camp. He continued his flight for some distance until he got out
of the valley and ascended rising ground. Then he looked back to see
if the Indians were following. He was very uneasy about Westrall, and
what was his consternation now to see his friend running at full speed
almost into the Indians, to succor him thinking he was being killed
by the Indians in camp. The distance was too great for his voice to
reach him in assurance of his afety, and with a heavy heart he sped
on, not wanting to see the horrible sight of his noble companion butchered.
His purpose was to get to the ranch somehow and get help to come back
after his body."
Westfall had, indeed, gone to Hammock's recue, but had stopped in full
view of the Indains and decided that Hammock was already killed. The
Indians started for him, but he was too fast for them. He had already
run about 600 yards when they discovered him and now that he started
running again, they saw that he could outrun any of them, so they sent
an Indian on a mule to cut him off from the heavy brush where he would
be safe once he entered. He was almost spent when he reached a thicket
and plunged into the center of it and lay down. The band of Indians
had seen that he was carrying a rifle and a single-shot pistol which
they dreaded, not knowing just where he was concealed in the thicket.
They kep up a noise and pretense of entering the thicket until night
stopped their endeavors to run him out. Westfall left in the darkness,
and knowing the country well was not long in getting on his way home,
after first going to the camp they made at noon that day to cook their
dinner. Here he searched for the body of his companion, but not finding
it, he went on toward his ranch, reaching it just in time to hear Hammock
giving an account of the Indian encounter and assuring his companions
that Westfall had been murdered. "The Indians got him this time
and no mistake," Hammock said miserably.
"No, they haven't, Jim. here I am!" Westfall called out. A
great reunion followed for his friends were jubilant at his arrival.
Westfall told them he had hurried on to give such an account of Hammock's
death, and had thought constantly on Hammock's prediction that he had
had a warning that their trip after honey would be disastrous. But they
were thankful that they had lost only their horses, saddles, spurs,
camp supplies and Hammock's gun.
Westfall was to be left alone at his ranch again, for the men who had
come to live there decided that farming was too risky and the isolated
life was not worth the land. Soon, Jim Hammock secured a job a guard
on the stage that Big Foot Wallace had contracted to drive to El Paso
and back. Hammock predicted that he would never come back, and his prediction
was true as he was killed lby a Mexican in El Paso. Big Foot made Fort
Inge on the stage rounte and always stopped there. Westfall knew about
the Big Footed Indian which Wallace had trailed at Austin and other
parts of the country, always in hope that he would have the chance to
kill him. This is where Wallace got the name of "Big Foot."
He had seen the tracks of this Indian again in the vicinity of Fort
Inge, and as usual this Indian's track measured fourteen inches in length.
Wallace knew the track and informed his friend Westfall that the Indian
was in the country. Westfall had made several trips with Wallace as
guard on the stage but did not care for that kind of work and soon quit
so he was free again to hunt Indians. Wallace's account of the big footed
Indian put Westfall in readiness for pursuit. When the horses and mules
were let out of the corral, as already has been told, the Indians did
not fear pursuit because they thought they had all the horses of Fort
Inge. They didn't know that the soldier at the fort were on a scout,
and would be ready to take up their trail without delay. On the evening
of the second day out, they were discovered in camp by Westfall and
the soldiers and without building fires the white men waited for day
light. Westfall decided to reconnoiter before the attack, and on hiding
in the tall grass near a pool of water, he saw the big-footed Indian
leading a horse to water. The Indian's horse discovered Westfall and
snorted. The big Indian turned to see what the horse may have seen and
Westfall shot him through the heart. The horse the Indian was leading
belonged to Adolf Fry who lived close to Fort Inge. The Inge soldiers
now moade a charge right over the fallen Indian and into their camp
beyond, but the other Indians were already in flight after hearing the
gun and seeing their chief fall. The Indians had been roasting bear
meat, and the hungry soldiers feasted first and examined the big chief
last. he measured 7 feet in height, and weighed about 300 pounds. Westfall
took the mocassins off the big chief and carried them back with him
to Fort Inge as he had promised Wallace he would bring him the dead
Indian's mocassins if he should kill him. They were left at fort Inge,
but Wallace never got them. A man who was going to San Antonio promised
to take them to Wallace but carried them "to the States" with
him, instead.
The next thing to happen involving Westfall was the commission of Big
Foot Wallace (whose real name was William Alexander Anderson Wallace)
as Captain of a Ranger Company with Westfall as 1st Lieutenant. Their
encounters with Indians and the many fights they had were too numerous
to record, but Westfall was badly woulded at his ranch and a companion
named French Louie was killed by Indians who ambushed them. Wallace
came often to see Westfall during his convalescence from the wound in
his right breast, for Westfall's wound had been serious. he had lain
three days in the cabin, bleeding and half-conscious, before attempting
to make his own way, unaided to Fort Inge. It was the night of the third
day before a hunting party came across him and took him on to Fort Inge
to the poast surgeon.
Camp Wood was now an established military post, and Westfall's brother
had come when he learned of his serious wound and had taken charge of
the livestock, moving them to the Nueces canyon near Camp Wood. Said
Sowell: The Indians knew Ed Westfall and Henry Robinso so well they
painted their pictures on a rockRobinson with his shotgun and Westfall
with his rifle." (Westfall was to live a long life, his death occuring
June 12, 1897.)
Arnett Has Company
By 1850, the County of Uvalde had been created out of the immense Bexar
Survey, and the boundaries were set up by the Legislature. With Arnett
pitching camp in Feb. 1852, on the Leona near the present Uvalde, word
came that another settlement had been made in the Sabinal Canyon later
on in the summerAugust, 1852, by Captain William Ware and his two
sons. A few months later, friends and strangers began trickling into
the canyon, and among them were: Gideon Thompson, Aaron Anglin, Henry
Robinson (whom we have already mentioned and who was to become know
as a scout with Westfall and Wallace), Ave Kelly, James Davenport, John
Davenport, Jasper Wish, John Fenley and John McCormick. Gideon Thompson
preceded some of the others, having brought the first white family to
the canyon, and was accompanied by Aaron Anglin, a bachelor who was
soon to return to his old home for a bride. John and Edie Fenley brought
their family before the year was out, the oldest son, Joel C. having
"just turned 13 at the time they came," but the month of the
year is not known. However, the energetic and far-seeing Edie kept a
calendar dated "1852" she brough with her, and in later days
showed it to her children and grandchildren when the question of the
date of their arrival in the Sabinal Canyon was discussed. She declared
that it was the calendar she used on her way to the Canyon and had kept
it for a keepsake.
Some of the Davenports having stopped on Rancheros Creek east of Sabinal,
a claim is made to their having had the first school teacher in the
county. His name was William Roundtree, which information is recorded
in J. C. McConnell's THE WEST TEXAS FRONTIER. By March 1, 1853, Reading
Black and N. L. Stratton had arrived, and had made the acquaintance
of W. W. Arnett, camping near him on the Leonal. Also, during the year,
1853, George W. Patterson and his family settled on the Sabinal River
below the present town of Sabinal, which settlement became known throughout
the years as the Patterson Settlement. Black and Stratton decided to
combine their resources and enter the stock raising business. They bought
"an undivided league and labor" fronting the Leona River out
of the Bexar Survey, since Uvalde County had not been organized. Grass
was abundant, game plentiful and livestock could range wherever they
pleased as the grazing belonged to everybody in the decades that Texas
was unfenced. Black saw the unlimited opportunities awaiting the person
aggressive enough to take the advantage offered by such a productive
land. Accordingly, 1854, he purchased 640 acres more, north of his first
survey and within the next two years had opened a store or trading post,
planted an orchard and had opened a lime kiln and two rock quarries.
He saw the possibilities of a town with a great future, and in 1855,
he cut out the first street in the village he was to call Encina. But
he was not pleased with his own idea of laying out streets and sent
for William C. A. Thielepape, a German surveyor of San Antonio, who
laid out the present town, including the four plazas in its center.
Leaving many of the great oak and pecan trees in the streets, Thielepape
foresaw the magnificence of the present township. But before he could
complete the survey, Fort Inge's Mounted Rifles were moved to Fort Clark,
leaving inadequate protection to the settlement.
Although the Seminole and Lipan Indians began giving trouble causing
a number of families ot leave Encina for a more secure existence in
San Antonio. Black kept up his progress in trading and improving his
property. His two room cabin which he and stratton had first built was
replaced with a stone structure. The foregoing information has been
obtained from Reading Black's Diary, compled by Ike Moore of Uvalde
and published in 1934.
Uvalde Needs A Mill
Notwithstanding the removal of a good many families, others came in,
and the residents found it much harder to get cornmeal than to get plenty
of fresh meat for their households. Corn had to be taken to Castroville
to be ground and freighted back, and when the weather was bad and the
rains heavy, it was held up for days sometimes until the roads were
dry enough to travel. A small hand mill was owned by Reading Black,
James Taylor and H. C. Hutchinson, but they soon saw that a grist mill
would be necessary to supply the village with corn meal. In order to
operate a grist mill, they had to have water power. After careful plans
as to building a dam, the three set out to dam the Leona River lower
down the river about where Mill Street would cross it. The street got
its name from this first mill.
The initial work was begun, and the labor was all done by hand, except
the hauling of heavy timbers needed. Men who were not working on the
project offered cheering remarks as the work went on, and their jokes
often fell on the ears of some tired worker who was out of tobacco and
ready to fight. But they completed the dam, and in Hutchinson's REMINISCENCES
OF INCIDENTS IN UVALDE COUNTY A HALF CENTURY AGO, the following account
of the new dam was given:
"Twas a proud day for us, when we were able to put down the flood
gates, and 'raise a head.' Black stood on the bank, and Jim and I on
top of the dam, watching the rising water. It reached its height and
began running over the gates, when suddenly a leak appeared under the
apron. We had barely time to scramble up besing Reading before, with
a rush and roar, the whole body of dammed water swept through, upheaving
our barrier, bearing off on its crest timbers, piles, brush and rocks,
and scooping out the gravel bed of the river clean to the underlying
clay bottom, fourteen feet below. It was discouraging enough to see
the labor of months washed away; but the mill was a necessity and so,
next day we set to work again. We had gained in experience, and in course
of time, a much stronger structure took the place of the destroyed."
The First Church
In spite of Uvalde's early lawlessness, the desire grew for a church.
lawlessness was not necessarily created because of rough characters,
but because there was actually no law in the little frontier settlement
as yet. The county had not been organized and there were no town officials
for everyone was supposed to take care of themselves. And they did.
"There were 'law and order' citizens here, however, and they seemed
to outnumber the lawless characters, for they erected a church, free
to the services of all denominations. The building was crude; the walls
being of unbarked pickets, chinked and plastered with caly, then whitewashed.
Tom Wall donated shingles from his camp on the Frio River where he made
shingles of cypress. Hutchinson described it as follows:
". . . hewn logs for benches (those on the women's side being provided
with backs); and dirt floor, which if not sprinkled on Saturdays was
the camping ground of a myriad of fleas . . . At the platform at the
upper end stood the table which served as the pulpit, and chair.
"Here sat the women dressed in bright calico or bright homespun,
and without bonnets; there the men, with sunbrowned faces, fringed buckskin
suits, and hickory shirts, some wearing their side arms and spurs; while
squatted on the floor in the aisle, or clustered around the door, were
the big and little darkies."
Hutchinson also listed the first preachers as "Uncle Tommy"
Myers, J. K. Harper, H. G. Horton, Whitty, Denton and Andrew Jackson.
Potter (commonly known as The Fighting Parson).
The Sunday School grew, and with $70 in the treasury, they decided to
send north for a library. Even the "anti-church-goers" took
an interest, and proudly mentioned that they were getting things "respectable
like they was in the States," and one man offered one night's winnings
of faro from his saloon, as a contribution toward the library. His offer
was declined, but he was invited to the services.
The Circuit Riders
All circuit riders of the era were of the frontier type. They traveled
horseback over many miles of territory, which endangered them to Indian
attacks and subjected them to all manner of hardships during freezing
weather and rainy spells. They knew how to take care of themselves,
however, and could swim their horses across a flooded stream as well
as most pioneers. Time or space would not permit taking up the several
early day circuit riders whose circuit included Uvalde, but we can point
to one especially outstanding character known as the fighting Parson.
Andrew Jackson Porter carried his rifle on his saddle and fought by
the side of his comrades any time there were Indians to fight. If he
encountered Indians on his way to preach, and could not evade them,
he stood his ground and shot it out with them.
Having had a personal acquaintance with his son, Col. Jack Porter, an
old Trail Driver, it has been interesting to me to gather information
concerning the famous "Fighting Parson" whom the oldtimers
knew personally, and always had an admiration for.
Andrew Jackson Potter son of Joshua Potter, was born in Charlton County,
Missouri, April 3, 1830, so says information contained in a sketch by
John Warren Hunter, who knew him. Andrew Potter was named for Andrew
Jackson who helped defeat the British Army at New Orleans. Joshua was
in that battle.
At the age of 10, Andrew had lost both of his parents and found himself
homeless. He fell in with race-horse men, and became a jockey. His employer
taught him to "write, play cards and shoot straight; three of the
most important branches of the frontierman's education during those
days."
Porter was only 16 years old when trouble with mexico again broke out,
and Potter enlisted in a company of volunteers under Captain Stack,
and marched with them to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was given the job
as teamster after the captain saw that he was too small to carry musket
and haversack. While passing through Arkansas, the wagons were plodding
along in the rear of the troops and while without escort, the entire
40 wagons were captured by the Cheyenne Indians. It was a bloodless
capture; the Indians coming into camp in small numbers and remaining
until others joined them and then still others rushed on the teamsters
and took them by surprise, demanding food. Only a cloud of dust coming
toward them which the Indians mistook for the returning soldiers saved
them from having to give most of their provisions to the Indians. Porter
was ill of "camp fever" when they reached Bent's Fort, but
the wagon train did not leave him behind. Winter was coming on and they
had over 300 miles to go yet to Santa Fe, but they reached it in January
1847. Of his experiences in a hospital there, Potter wrote:
"In the latter part of 1847 I was employed as a nurse in the hospital
at Santa Fe. On entering that place I saw an effecting scene; a large
number of men sick of scurvy, measles and pneumonia, were lying on narrow
bunks so closely crowded together that there was just room to pass between
them. My time of nursing came on in the first part of the night and
it was an awful half-hight to me. Many of the sufferers in their fevered
delirioum would rise up and gather their blankets, saying they were
going home . . . never will I forget the dreary half nights I spent
there with the dead and dying."
After serving in the Army six years, Potter landed in San Antonio in
1852 on his way to Hays County to visit his brother, who lived on York's
Creek. Up to this time, Potter was interested in Horse races and gambling,
but when the Rev. I. G. Joh, a Methodist preacher, came to York's Creek
to prach, Potter went to hear him out of curiosity. The sermon was "Who
is the Wise Man?' The sermon affected Potter so much that he became
a regular attendant at church, especially when Rev. John preached. In
1856, John held a revival on Croft's Praire and Potter was converted.
he learned to read and wirte, and was soon preaching. Hunter says: "In
February, 1862, Mr. Potter enlisted as a private in Captain Stoke company
at Prairie Lea. This company was assigned to Wood's Regiment, Thirty-second
Texas Cavalry. The command was first stationed at Camp Verde, Kerr County,
and later near San Antonio, where Potter was appointed Chaplain of De
Bray's regiment. From KSan Antonio, the command went to Brownsville,
where the Fighting Parson whipped the editor of the local paper for
having published what Potter conceived to be libel on his regimant,
and was on the eve of throwing the printing plant into the river, but
was prevented by General Bee."
"In the Confederacy, Chaplain Potter continued preaching. it is
recorded that before a battle, he could be seen with his hat in one
hand and a Bible in the other, "walking back and forth in front
of his regiment, exhorting the men to repentance. 'Boys, some of you
may fall in this battle," he would say; 'in a few minutes you may
be called to meet your Maker . . . Oh, men, it's a solemn moment! You
are facing death and eternity.' And when the order 'Forward' was given,
Mr. Potter seized his msuket, fell in rank and fought side by side with
his men. At the close of the battle Potter seemed . . . everywhere,
praying with the dying, administering to the woulded, writing last messages
to friends at home, day and night, scarecely pausing to take food or
rest."
At the close of the Civil War, Porter bought a home in Boerne and moved
his family there. Then he took up the circuits and 'was sent to the
Uvalde circuit, which bordered on the rio Grande where Indians could
cross any day, and their depredations, killing and stealing, were almost
a daily occurrance, Uvalde, at that tiem, was known as one of the wickedest
places on the border and never before had preaching . . . " But
Hutchinsons's writings contradict that.
While in his frontier work, Potter reached a military post late one
evening, which is said to have been Fort Clark. "The soldiers had
just been paid off and the little village near the post was crowded
with gamblers, sharpers, crooks and other disreputable characters. Many
of these knew Mr. Potter and when he rode up they set up a shout, 'Here
comes the Fighting Parson! Hold up there, pardner! Can't you give us
a gospel song and dance tonight?' When told he would preach to them
if they would provide a place, one sang out, "Sure, Parson, we'll
make way for ye, if we have to rent the saloon!' A saloon gallery was
provided with rude seats, kegs, barrels and a few chairs from dwellings
nearby, and as the word had gone abroad that a strange preacher was
in town, people began to assemble early. One man, who was the worse
for drink, insisted on acting the part of usher and town crier. He mounted
a barrel and for some time kept up the cry, 'O-yes! O-yes! O-yes! There's
going to be some hell-fired racket her, right here on this gallery by
fightin' Parson Potter, a reformed gambler, but now a regular gospel
shark. The jig will begin now in fifteen minutes and you old whiskery
soaks and card sharpers, come over and learn how to mend your ways,
or the devil will get you quicker'n hell can scorch a feather!'"
"A great crowd assembled-one of the hardest looking sets of human
beings Potter had ever preached to, but they kept good order, and when
service concluded, they wanted to 'set em up' to the parson, but when
he declined that mark of their respect, they pased an empty cigar box
and all 'chipped in.' He preached again the next day and was pressed
by those crude Western men to come again and come oftern."
The cirucit riders were given different districts to serve just as are
the minister today, and about 1878 or 1879, Potter took ukp his work
in Fort concho, near San Angelo. Saloons and gambling halls were wide
open, and "every man went heavily armed. Potter visited the families,
preached to the gamblers, soldiers and plainsmen" alike. (In 1894,
he was sent to the Lockhart circuit, and the next year, prior to going
to conference, the Fighting Parson preached his last sermon. He was
at Tilden, which was in his circuit, and on October 21, 1895, his life
work ended, as he had often wished that it would-in the pulpit. With
uplifted hands, he had just uttered the words, "I believe-"
when he slumped to the floor, and before he could be moved, expired.
This last paragraph is given you because we shall not refer to "The
Fighting Parson" through the '80s and 90s.)
Encina Has Growing Pains
You have possibly read in Reading W. Balck's Dairy (Ike Moore), that
Black cut out the first street in Uvalde, April 5, 1855, but realized
at once the necessity of having the streets surveyed. he engaged William
C. A. Thielepape to lay out the town which he proposed to call Encina
(meaning live oak). Thielepape, seeing the value of preserving the giant
oakws and pecans, surveyed the streets and four plazas which from the
center of the town, plus many of the large trees, adn to him goes the
credit of Uvalde's scenic beauty. But before he had finished surveying
the town, the Federal troops at Fort Inge were moved to Fort Clark,
leaving the region to the mercy of raiding Indians, Lipan and Seminole
Indians swept down on moonlight nights, plundering and stealing horses,
or even killing settlers if they had the opportunity. Familyies began
moving to San Antonio, but Black stayed on and began plans for the organization
of the countyr. The Legislature had already created the county in 1850,
and in 1855, Black went before them to ask that they combine Uvalde
with the territory which is now Kinney and Maverick Counties. He realized
that the settlements which Fort Clark and Fort Duncan afforded would
create a county that, when organized, would have a sizeable population.
All settlers of the sections in the territory he named, were in favor
of the petition, but the Legislature's final action was to the contrary,
and Kinney and Maverick Counties were created instead. The county seta
of Uvalde was not named, but could be located anywhere within 8 miles
of the center of the county, according to records.
It was now necessary to choose officials for an election, and according
to the Official Bond records of Uvalde County, the folloing men were
selected: G. W. Brown, Chief Justice; James kB. Davenport, sheriff;
J. C. Ellis, District Clerk; John M. McCormick, County Clerk; W. E.
Baremore, Assessor-Collector; Nathan L. Stratton, Treasurer; John Bowles
and W.S.B. Owens, Justices of the Peace; James M. Sauders, constable.
County Commisioners were: Reading W. Black, William M. Peppers, George
Patterson, and Aaron Anglin. The first meeting of the commissioners
was held May 12, 1856, to declare the county organized. W. W. Arnett,
Gideon Thompson and John Bowles were appointed to choose a suitable
site for a county seat, since Encina was a temporary seat, but Black
was now awarded a contract to build a combination jail, and courthouse,
the first story to house the courtroom and jail and to be 9 feet high.
KThe second story sould be 5 feet at the eaves and should be the offices
of the clerks and the sheriff. On June 14, the name of Encina was changed
to Uvalde and was chosen as the county seat. (Commisioners' Court Minutes).
By May 19, 1857, Reading Black had completed the new jail and courthouse
and the court ordered the sheriff to take charge of the Court house
and jail and the county Clerk to take charge of the clerks' offices
and to move the archives to the new location, directing that the second
story of the new building could be used "for class rooms as soon
as they shall make a good floor in said rooms." according to Commissioner
Court records. By 1860, six school districts had been named with presiding
officers to serve after an election to be held for trustees on February
11.
Arnett Comes Up With Horse
The Indians had become intolerable, especially where isolated ranchers
and solitary travelers were concerned and by September, 1856, Federal
Troops were moved back to Fort Inge, much to the relief of the little
village and its residents. In spite of the troops at fort Inge, such
localities as the Blanco and Sabinal were too far away for immediate
protection to the settlements, and in the latter part of 1856, John
Davenport had organized a company of Minute men on the Sabinal River,
and Reading Black had organized a company on the Leona. Their constant
vigilance was necessary, and the men themselves on Indian trails week
after week, as it was their policy not to let any raid go unpunished
though sometimes, the Indians eluded them by breaking up into small
bunches after they were two and three days away. The Indians went out
of their way to get good horses which the settlers kept, and if they
could kill a few white men on the raid, they considered themselves the
highest type of warrior, and were considered "braves" indeed
by the tribe. Besides stealing whatever else they could, horses were
their main loot.
John Bowles, who was known over the country as one of the best and most
fearless Indian Scouts had come to the Patterson Settlement in 1855,
and had built a sturdy, Indain-proof corral in front of his house where
he kept the bunch of extra good horses he had brought with him. His
sons took turn about standing guad ove the orses at night, in a blin
made for he puros of protecting the guard. They kept especial watch
on moonlight nihtsastat waswhe the Indins sally came on their raid.
But ees passed and no Indians came, andon oe aiht, the fale t sand watch
over the horses. It was the night th Indins ae. The fist that the Bowles
family knew they weeabout was wen he heard their hore rnning. Grabig
her gns wthout uting on shoes or cloths (for they had gone to bed),
the elder Bowles took te ead and caught up with the horses first. By
now, the boys had become separated from him and he was afraid to fire
at an Indian which left the herd, fearing it was one of his sons. But
they got the horses and took them back to the corral. The elder Bowles,
knowing the cunning of Indians, told his sons to go back to the house
and stand guard while he took his stand on the east bank of the river
where a trail came down to the house. He had his shot gun and a pistol
as he sat down under a hackberry tree. Just as the moon came out and
lighted up the trail he was watching. Bowles saw three Indians coming
quietly, in single file. He fired one barrel of his gun and the foremost
Indian fell, but later raised up and tried to aim an arrow at Bowles.
Bowles fired the other barrel of the shot gun, then his pistol before
the Indian fell over. The other two Indians had disappeared, but Bowles
didn't know he had killed them with the first shot from the old double-barrel
shot gun. When the Bowles boys got to their father, he had already scalped
the first Indian. He sent a runner to the settlement to inform them
of the raid, and by daylight several heighbors had got to the Bowles
ranch and the dead Comanche was the center of attraction until they
found the second. The third Indian was not found that day, but later
was found dead about a mile from where the shot was fired. Bowles and
his shot gun were the talk of the country for awhile and his neighbors
were jubilant over his markenmanship.
Bowles often joined the scout that went
in pursuit of the Indians after a raid, and he became well known by
the Indians themselves. In the early part of 1859, he moved to the Leona
River near the old Westfall homestead, but now there were no near neighbors.
His son, Doke Bowles, was married and living on the Blanco River.
On the evening of October 27, 1859, Tom
Wall, who lived in the Frio Canyon, came by Doke Bowles' ranch and spent
the night. He said he was ill and didn't feel like traveling farther.
Bowles made him welcome and by the time Wall's horses were staked out,
Bowles horses came running to the house. Doke knew the sign. it meant
there were Indians about there. By daylight, John Davenport came by
Doke Bowles ranch and asked Doke if he knew there were Indians in the
country. Doke told him he though so, though he had not seen any. Davenport
had been trialing a yoke of oxen that had strayed and was taking them
home, and rode on. Accoding to his family, he was riding a mule that
day. He was a lover of fine horses, but he had chosen a mule which cost
him his life because he could not our run the Indians who overtook him
before he reached home with the oxen. They surround him, and he fought
till he died, Scalping him, they went on toward the mountains, and no
one knew that this same bunch had also killed John Bowles. Doke did
not know that his father had come over to hunt some of his stock the
day before, but supposed that he was on his ranch on the Leona River.
Staying all night with friends in the Patterson Settlement, he found
himself without a horse next morning where he had him in an enclosure.
Thinking the horse had got out himself, he borrowed another went after
him. Coming across a frontier preacher by the name of H.G. Horton, they
rode together a distance, and it was remarked later that Horton was
the last white person to see Bowles alive. Bowles took the horse's trail
toward Guide Hill, and there is where he found him but Bowles was ambushed
by Indians who had laid the trap. He was within ten feet of them when
they commenced shooting arrows into him. And no one knew just where
he was.
While others were hunting the body of John
Bowles, and an inquest had been held over the body of John Davenport,
who was killed close to the present town of Sabinal on his way to Rancheros
Creek, Doke B owles was organizing the settlers after joining a party
of men from the Frio. He sent word to Lt. W.B. Hazen at Fort Inge to
meet them at the mouth of the Frio Canyon. Hazen and his soldiers were
joined by settlers who were John Q. Daughtery, Arnold, W.W. Arnett,
John Kennedy, James McCormick, Ben Pulliam, Claber davenport, (brother
to the slain John Davenport), William Thomas, Frank Isbell, Everett,
Williams and others whose names could not be obtained at this time.
Arnett was riding a race horse, a handsome
animal he called Fuzzy Buck. He knew the horse was fast, and when the
opportunity presented itself, he rode up beside Doke Bowles and offered
to exchange horsese with him when they caught up with the Indians. Bowles
readily agreed to the offer, and asked Hazen to let him act as guide
on the trail. Hazen gave his permission, but told Bowles that when the
Indians were sighted, he wished to take command.
The settles and soldiers, numbering about
42 overtook the Indians about the third day, and surprised them in camp.
Confusion reighed, some of the Indians mounting horses behind the others,
shooting at the determined settlers who were in qick pursuit. Hazen
was in command from the first attack but was soon wounded and had to
let the others go on. Arnett had ridden up to Bowles and told him he
was ready to exchange saddle horses, and bowles accepted. The race horse
was, so far as known, Uvalde's first, and as a co-incident, was owned
by the town's first resident. The horse was famous among the settlers.
He was the gallant figure in the running battle that follower discovery
of the Indians, and when the running fight was finished, Doke and two
or three others found themselve on the headwaters of the Llano 200 miles
from Uvalde. The race horse had done double duty on the chase; the other
riders who were following kept loading guns for Bowles then fuzzy Buck
would turn back to overtake the Indians. Discharging his rifle and pistol
at the Indians, he would ride back and gtet re-loaded guns from his
comrades who were coming as fast as their horses could bring them. Fuzzy
Buck would again overtake the Indians and Bowles would pour bullets
into them until they and their horses were finally red with blood. When
the battle came to an end for lack of ammunition, there were only three
Indians who trudged to the top of the hill in the distance, and slid
off their horses to the ground. An Indian from the Reservation later
told some of the settlers that every one of the braves had died. Dead
Indians were scattered many miles back to where the battle first commence3dd.
Hazen was taken to Fort Clark for treatment and recovered. He was promoted
to Captain for his part in the battle. It was a cause for thanksgiving
that others wounded in the battle survived, but the individual stories
told and re-told of that famed "running fight" would have
filled a book. it was instances like this that made the county's history
rich, and brought secuity to the coming generations.
The Civil War Bring Contention
The outbreak of the Civil War caused a lot of argument and contention
in this part of the country, though this territory was not included
in the battle graounds. Many of the young men enlisted by going to San
Antonio to a recruiting station. Others believed the War was wrong and
so declined to participate. Some went to Mexico to keep out of the controversy,
and were considere traitors, more or less. A band of German boys and
men who declined to take sides in the war, were on their way to Mexico,
but were overtakin in Kinney County by a number of soldiers out of San
Antonio and all were killed. This slaughter was not approved by the
citizens, but people began to be more cautious about stating their beliefs.
Captain John R. Baylor,
who was born in Borbon County, Kentucky, was a prominent figure during
the Civil War. He had served in the Texas Legislature in 1852-54, and
was appointed agent for the Comance Indians in 1855. According to family
history said to be written by his brother "he stoutly maintained
that when the Indians were caught re-handed with stolen horses that
they should be made to surrender them to their lawful owners, and the
Indians dealt with as other thieves, and when they murdered the settlers,
they should be dealt with as other murderes. Those in authority took
just the opposite view.
"Captain Baylor's ideas and views not
being satisfactory, anotehr agent was appointed in his stead and in
1857.... In 1860, the Indians killed one of his neighbors. He at once
organized a few men consisting of himself and four others, followed
the Indians and killed thirteen braves and took from them fifty head
of horses they had stolen in Palo Pinto County... On March 18, 1861,
after Texas had seceded, the secession convention passed an ordinance
providing for a miliary force for the state, in which a regiment of
mounted volunteers was authorized to be raised for frontier protection,
John S. Ford was elected Colonel, John R. Baylor, Lietuenant Colonel
and Edwin Wallar, Major. "In 1861, Lt. Col. Baylor, in command
of part of his regiment, took an active part in compelling the surrender
of the United States troops in San Antonio and urrounding posts, after
which he was placed in command of the second line of defense on the
Western Frontier of Texas, subsequently with a small body of Texas troops,
less than two hundred in number, he moved up the Rio Grande to El Paso,
upon arriving at which place he found that Fort bliss had been abandoned
and the Confederate flag flying from the flag staff." Baylor took
part in routing the Federal Troops in New Mexico and after several skirmishes,
captured the Union forces consisting of about 700 men, and marched them
to Las Cruces. So many were his deeds throughout the War, space does
not permit us to give full details, however, we do mention the fact
that he had three sons who served in the confedracy: J.W., W.K. , and
H.W. Baylor, the later to become
Uvalde's longest-term sheriff. [ed. note: he was known to his family
as Pap. He was great-grandfather to J.R.
Haralson] (Gen. Baylor settled in Uvalde County in 1870 residing
near Montell until his death in 1895). The writer of Baylor's short
history also mentions that: "He was buried at the little town of
Montell, and his grave is not marked by any such memorial as the State
owes his memory, but thus has Texas dealt with many of her noble sons.
If Texas has neglected his memory, loving hands have erected a modest
tombstone over the grave where he slept." (I might add that the
town of Uvalde should feel indebted the same way to honor the old General's
son, henry W. Baylor, who served the county so long and well. I have
not found a street even named for him.) Party hatred was flming all
through the '60s and "70s. On October 3, 1867, Reading Black was
killed at his store in Uvalde, by his brother-in-law, Tom Wall. It is
believed that Wall had become more incensed at rumors from Black's enemies,
who cunningly fanned Wall's grievance against Black without giving him
an even chance.
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But Black's good work lived on and the town
grew in spite of lawlessness that gave it a bad name. The town had been
without a sheriff during the year of 1865 until the spring of 1866 according
to Commissioners court records, and it was necessary that D.W.C. Rain,
assessor and collector, had to be accompanied by an armed guard when
going about his official duties.
With Black's death came the realization
that lawlessness would flourish still more unless drastic steps were
taken. Earlier that year, an entry in the records of commissioners court
reads, July 2, 1867:
"Whereas by oath required by the Military
Order of Gen. Griffen No. 13 the court is of the opinion that a grand
Jury can not be had in the County. It is therefore resolved by the court
that no Grand Jury be by this court selected until a more perfect understanding
can be had by the Court touching qualified jurors."
When Black was killed, Gov. E.M. Pease asked
General W.S. Hancock, commander of the 5th Military District, to establish
martial law in the frontier counties, but the request was denied. Certain
unorganized territory surrounding Uvalde had become a safe hideout for
outlaws and fugitives, and it is further recorded in Commissioners Court
Minutes that a request was made to the Legislature on April 9, 1874
for a remittance of the State taxes for that year. Only three days prior,
the county jail had burned. The County Court wrote its plea as follows:
"Be it therefgore resolved by the County
court of Uvalde County, that in view of the facts herein set forth,
the 17th Legislature of Texas is earnestly requested to donate to Uvalde
County the State taxes that may be collected ... for the year 1874 for
the purpose of enabling the county to erect a good and substantial courthouse
and Jail at the county seat of Said County."
Not only wer outlaws riding the frontier,
but Mexicans were giving trouble by driving off herds of cattle and
horses belonging to the settlers. A claim for Mexican depredation was
later filed by the united States for its citizens' losses.
John King Fisher was riding through that
territory about that time, but from accounts handed down, he was able
to take care of himself. He had a great many friends among the Mexicans
and American peoples, but he is said to have "killed Mexican like
black birds"when they defied him. Being a most colorful character
and of a refined appearance, his coming to Uvalde was on every lip during
his stay. Women liked him; he was gracious and courteous to every woman
besides being unusually handsome. He had been arrested in Eagle Pass,
and one of Uvalde's rangers, G. K. Chinn, was sent to bring him to San
Antonio. His career was remarkable and Chinn often told tales of his
ride across country with Fisher as a prisoner. He liked him immediately
and before two days had passed, he took the handcuffs off of Fisher
and put him "on his own" and their gentleman's agreement:
was not broken. Chinn is said to have persuaded Fisher to come back
to Uvalde after his trial, and Fisher came. He was the same "dandy",
riding his beautiful horse, wearing fine clothes and a black mustache.
Whenever his name was mentioned, it may have started condemnation, but
his defenders were quick to take it up. He was born in Kentucky in 1855.
His personality was so strong and his geniality
so disarming, peace officers and outlaws alike were his friends. Although
not Texas born, his family came to Texas when he was a boy, settling
near Paint Rock. Leaving home at an early age, or rather as a child,
King Fisher drifted to the frontier, and in 1876, married Miss Sallie
Vivian who was living with her parents in the Pendencia Settlement.
His cattle trades and Mexican killings are recorded in other books,
but most writers treat him as a sort of mysterious figure and admit
that they didn't actually know much about him. (However, Uvalde admits
rather eagerly that he was Deputy Sheriff of Uvalde County when he was
killed in San Antonio at the same time Ben Thompson was kill at the
Jack Harris Saloon March 11, 1884. Fisher was buried at Uvalde in what
is called the "Old Uvalde in what is called the "Old Cemetery"
and many people visit his grave now."
More Settlements
New settlements in and around the county seat of Uvalde were helping
to build the county's population. In 1871, early Uvalde Gounty residents
formed a new settlement on the Muela Creek, about twenty-four miles
west of Uvalde, on the Old Eagle Pass road. Four pre-emption places
were taken up; one by the elder Johnny Fenley and his wife, one by his
son, Joel C., one by Jim Fenley (Joel's brother) and one by Henry Packenham.
John Langford aiso settled there at the time. John Fenley kept the stage
stand, post office and store while his wife kept the Inn, where she
fed the passengers daily. (A full account is given of this thriving
settlement in OLDTIMERS, published in 1939).
In 1873, the Leona Ditch community was
begun. Irrigation was largely in the minds of these early settlers,
and the Leona River furnished abundance of water along its fertile valley.
Realizing what bountiful crops could be raised there, Ed Taylor, A.
B. Dillard, A. J. Spencer and John C. Patterson were the first to start
the ditch, which proved to be a success. Oidtimers, who were children
in that early community, have told me of the acres of land put into
cultivation, of unbelievable crops and produce that it yielded. Other
farmers were attracted to the settlement and it soon became well known,
with many families. (A .full account of the Leona Ditch Community is
also contained in the previously published volume of OLDTIMERS.)
Pat Dolan's Company of Rangers
Henry Robinson has been mentioned several times in the foregoing as
a valuable and noted Indian Scout. Wis son, Billy Robinson, from whom
I gathered much information, remembered the instance of his father's
death and how the Indians came to their home after they had killed his
father on the Nueces several miles above.
"I joined the Rallgers in 77,"
he said, "and was in Pat Dolans Company. We were camped up on Cedar
Prong of the Nueces and we had picket houses with thatched roofs. There
were 523 of us and I can remember a few of the members. They were: Tom
Heard, Harney Hammer, Al Pendergrass, Henry Kennedy, J. A. Smith, Bill
Edwards, Dick Jones, C. C. Talloti, S. J. Robb, G. K. Chinn, Henry Brown,
Thomas O'Neil, C.C. Bartlett and myself. Bartlett was our secretary.
"We went just everywhere we were called.
There were lots of refugees in this country and we were kept for any
emergency. You say did we catch any? The question is, HOW MANY DID WE
CATCH? We caught'em all right and we never did fire a shot. We had the
best captain you ever saw and when he sent us after anybody he always
told us to get him but not to shoot, "There were six companies
of rangers and the companies were: A, B, C, D, E and F. We were the
last ones mustered in and the first ones mustered out. Everything was
furnished us except our horse and pistol. Each man had to furnish his
own horse and pistol."
And They Got A Newspaper
There had not been a newspaper in the County up to now, except the San
Antonio papers which were brought in. In 1878. the UMPIRE began publication
in Uvalde, but lasted only a year, and THE WEEKLY HESPERIAN, which had
been established Feb. 22, 1879, was the only paper until THE WEST TEXAN
was started Jan. 8, 1885. More people had come in; the town was propering
and thriving on new trade. Schools were becoming better equipped and
graded; churches were being built. Uvalde was overcoming its lawlessness
and listening to the demands of society. Uvalde began to curtail the
use of the school lands and the court ordered that persons guilty of
trespassing, should be prosecuted. A new courthouse was built, and final
payment had been made on its construction.
The Coming of The Railroad
Uvalde County spent its first 26 years without a railroad, and didn't
mind it because it knew nothing about railroads, and did not entertain
hopes for one through the County very soon. But, by 1880, the rumblings
of railroad talk began to take on a serious tone. The people wanted
a railroad, of course, for there were no good roads, and all transportation
was by horse or mule. Freight came by wagon trains and if it rained,
which was frequent those days, it was impossible for the wagons to travel.
They merely unhitched their teams and waited for the mud to dry and
the weather to clear. The Southern Pacific was definitely coming west
to California and the best route seeemed to be through Uvalde County.
They would begin a railroad in California coming toward Texas to meet
the construction gang going west. Uvalde's business men got: together.
They didn't want the railroad to come into the town proper, but that
is another story. The railroad officials had to have an agreement with
responsible persons as to the right-of-way and a contract containing
the terms was drawn up by J. Converse, Superintendent of Construction.
The original document, which was loaned to me by Fred Horner, Sr. a,few
days ago, is in hand writing, with black ink, and is as follows:
State of Texas)
County of Uvalde)
We, the undersigned citizens of the town of Uvalde, for and in Consideration
of the G. H. and S. A. Railway Company locating and constructing said
road by the Two Mile Waterhole on the Leona, (and establish a depot
there and stock pens), about two miles north of Uvalde, hereby bind
and obligate ourselves to procure deeds of conveyances from the lawful
owners of the land for the right of way One hundred and fifty feet in
width through Uvalde County for the Construction of said railway by
purchase, condemnation or othenvise, and donate the same to said railway,
and also 25 acres of land for depot purposes at the said 2 mile water
hole to be 400 feet in width by 2600 feet in length, deed to be received
and delivered to said Company in advance of Construction. So as not
to delay the contractors in ... the work and not delay the Construction
of said road It is agreed and understood that said railway Company will
not lay out a town site at said waterhole, or aid or assist in doing
so and it is also agreed and expressly understood that good and lawful
deeds to all lands crossed by said railway shall be procured by the
Citizens of Uvalde, And the undersigned, within 30 days from date, in
case of Non residents Sufficient time will be allowed according to law,
but in no case to Exceed 60 days from the date of this agreement.
The Undersigned further agree to assume
all damages which may be incurred by delays in not obtaining the right
of way claimed by owners of land over which said railway Company may
construct their line of road within said Uvalde County In witness whereof
said parties of the first and second part have set their hand and seals
this the 30th day of May 1881
(The 23rd erased and 30 inserted)
F. A. Piper
W. F. Burkett
A. B. Dillard
Eugene Archer
S. H. Nunn
A. J. Spencer (later withdrawn)
J. G. Brown
J. J. H. Patterson
F. L. Bates
W. A. Meacham
In the event of an appeal additional time will be allowed until case
is decided-
J. Converse
Supt. Constr.
By 1881, the Southern Pacific was in Medina
County, and reached Uvalde County in 1882. Residents of Uvalde County
were in a state of excitement as the line crawled steadily forward with
the laying of each rail. A lumber mill was started below the town to
furnish railway ties, and timber for miles around furnished material,
mainly mesquite and oak. The mill furnished work for men also, and they
felt they were having a hand in bringidg the railway through the county.
Many a story was told of people who saw their first train; many of them
coming down from the canyons above Uvalde to glimpse the great, puffing
monster that literally "spit fire." Horses would not stand,
but staged runaways in everv direction when. a train came by, and for
awhile, people were nearly as frightened.
And Now A Flood
A complete history of Uvalde County would make a book of considerable
size, and even then it could not contain every event that made history.
It was my hope to include an interesting occurrance in every decade
since che organization of the county but it is impossible to crowd more
than a glimpse down the years. And now we are down to the '90s, with
its droughts and floods. Fence cutters had their period of inflicting
damage, arld though it was violent and costly for a time, it too subsided.
Ranchmen continued fencing and raising livestock. Bee men had made an
industry of the fine flavored honey in the county, and its fame brought
pride to the citizens. The goat and sheep industry had taken their permanent
places in the business life of Uvalde. The drought of '89 was overcome
after disastrous losses, but a determined people can always begin again.
Hardly had they got back on their feet when the drought of '92 and '93
hit with increased forced and for 18 monts there was not a drop of rain.
Cattle, sheep and goats died by the hundreds and the prices of livestock
dropped to the bottom. In '92 the drought broke and a gentle rain brought
relief to the suffering countryside.
On August 30, 1894, a torrential rain brought
the Leona River out of its banks. It is assumed that debris lodged against
the railroad bridge across the river and after hours of water backing
up, the bridge gave away which let the great wall of water come down
the valley, about 3 A.M. The waters spread carrying everything before
it. Homes were washed down and people were in trees, or managing to
wade through the edge of the water to a safer place. Next morning it
became known that Mrs. F. A. hatch, Miss Mattie Edwards, and Miss Melissa
Maley, also two Mexican children were drowned and their bodies had been
found.
The Southern Pacific Railroad was a heavy
loser too, having lost their bridge, most of which was swept into the
same Two Mile Water Hole at which they had agreed not to start a town
site.
Many families were destitute after the flood,
and relief trains came out of San Antonio and contributed to the sufferers
along with Uvalde's merchants. Oldtimers still talk of that heavy, prolonged
rain which brought the river down, and how it came in the night lapping
around homes that never before were within flood limits, and how it
reached the Leona Ditch commuynity "about breakfast time,"
and of the narrow escapes, which might not have been possible if it
had not been daylight. It was the topic of conversation for many years.
The last six years of the '90s were peaceable
and progressive as far as the county of Uvalde was concerned. Farming
was being done on a small but ample scale, and progress was evident
in general. By the time 1900 was ushered in, Uvalde County was one of
the most successful in the Southwest. The last 56 years has proved its
adaptability to constant changes, and its ability to keep abreast of
those changes. with asphalt nearby, good roads have been its pride,
and though the stage coaches are gone, and the pioneers with them, Uvalde
County will always call to memory her past history, perhaps a little
wistfully because she still loves to think of the cowboys who came to
town, jolly and ready for fun such as "shooting out the lights,"
and of cattle herds that used to come through the towns going to market
until the railroads came. She loves oldtime dresses and bonnets on the
women which you will see reflected during her Centennial. Were it possible,
we could have told you much more of her heartaches and sorrow, but is
is time to celebrate, and Uvalde County will do her celebrating with
the same ardor she fought Indians.
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