Fayette County, Texas - The whole text, 1902 (part 3 of 8)

"Roundtop, August 5, 188L "I have received a letter requesting me to give you the particulars of the capture of Santa Anna in 1836. It was as follows : On the morning of the 22nd, the day after the battle, a party was detailed and sent out under command of Gen. Burleson. This party |)roceeded m the direction of the bridge on Vince's Bayou. One object was to pick up any Mexicans we could find who had Med from the battle the evening before, and particularly to search for Santa Anna and Cos. When we reached the bayou we divided into squads of five or six persons in each, and went in different directions. The party I was with consisted of six, all privates, so far as I know. Their names were as follows : Miles, Sylvester, Thompson, Vermillion, another, whose name I do not recollect, and myself. From the bridn;e we started down the bayou. After traveling about two miles, we saw a man standing on the bank of a ravine, some live or six hundred yards from us. He, no doubt, saw us first, for when we started towards him, he sat down on a high place and waited till we came up. It proved to be Santa Anna. I was the only one of the party that spoke the Mexican language. I asked him if he knew where Santa Anna and Cos were. He said, he thought tliey had gone to the Brazos. I asked him if he knew of any other Mexicans that had made their escape from the battle. He said lie thought there were some up the stream in a thicket. I told him we would take liim to the American camp. He was very willing to go, but complained of being very tired. I asked it he was an officer. No, he said ; that he belonged to the cavalry and was not accustomed to being on foot ; that he was run very close by our cavalry the day before and was compelled to leave his horse. When we started with him one of our party dismounted and went up the ravine to look tor the Mexicans spoken of by Santa Anna, and Santa Anna rode his horse some two miles up the road. The man that went up the road, finding no Mexicans, then came and told Santa Anna to dismount. He refused to do it, and the man then leveled his gun at him, when he dismounted, and asked me how far it was to camp. I told iiim eight or nine miles. He said he could not walk so far. Tlie young man then wanted to kill him, and 1 told him so. He then said he would try and walk, but would have to go slow ; and so we started for camp, and the man got behind and would prick him in the back with his spear and make him trot for some two or three miles. Santa Anna tlicn stoi)ped, and, appealing to me, said if he wanted to kill him to do so, but he could not walk any further. I then took him up behind me and carried him to camp, some five or six miles farther. After lie got U|) behind, we entered into a general conversation. He asked me if (ien. Houston commantled in person at the battle ; how many we killed, and how many prisoners we had taken, and when they would be shot. I told him 1 did not think they would be shot ; that I had never known Americans to kill prisoners of war. He said the Americans were a brave iind prenerons i)eople, and a&ked me what I thought would be done with the prisoners. I told him that I did not know, but the Americans would like the younger ones for servants. He said that would be very kind. He asked me how many were in our army at the battle. I said, some six or seven Inmdred. He thought I was mistaken ; that there must be more. I said, No ; and that two hundred Americans could whip the whole Mexican army. 'Yes,' said he, "the Americans are great soldiers.' I asked him if he was not sorry he had come to fight the Americans. 'Yes,' he said, but he belonged to the army, and was compelled to obey his officers. I asked him, if he was back in Mexico if he would come to Texas any more, He said, No ; he would desert first. This brought us to camp, when the Mexicans immediately announced his name. He asked to be taken to (len. Houston, and was taken to him. If you think tliese facts of sufiicient interest, you can put them in such shape as you think best. 1 am vours

Joel W. Robison had settled in the neighborhood of the present site of the town of Warrenton in 1833 and resided in that section up to the time of his death, Aug. 4, 1889. His son, the present tax collector of Fayette County, Neal Robison, told this writer that Santa Anna had given to his father as a sign of gratitude for letting him ride behind him on his horse a gold brocaded vest. It became the fad of the young people in those days to get married in Santa Anna's vest. No doubt, then tliere beat truer hearts behind it than when Santa Anna wore it. This vest was lost in lending it to the young people.

As a result of this war Texas achieved independence and became a republic. The progressive American race took the place of the] slovenly Mexican and became the molder and t^liaper of the destiny of Texas. Following the custom of the I'liited States, counties were established in place of the old Mexican numicipalities. Fayette County was created out of the municiitalities of Colorado and Mina, (the present Bastrop

County). An act to establish the same was passed by the Congress of the Republic of Texas Dec. 14, 1887. By a later act of that body, May 8, 1888, the southwestern boundary of the county was more clearly defined.

"§ 1. That the territor}^ embraced within the following boundaries shall constitute one of the counties of this republic, and be called the county of Fayette : Beginning at Grassmeyer's ferry on the Colorado, thence in a nortiieasterly direction at right angles with the general course of the Colorado River to the divide between the waters of the Cororado and the Brazos ; thence down said divide in a soutlieasterly direction to the st)uthwest corner of a league of land granted to Wm. Burnett ; thence southwestwardly, crossing Colorado River where the upper line of a league of land granted to J. Duty, corners upon same ; thence continuing the same course to the Lavaca at the upper corner of the league of land granted to William Porton ; thence up the Lavaca with the line between Austin and DeWltt's colony to the head of said stream ; thence in a northeasterly direction to the place of beginning so as to leave Grassmeyer's in the county of Mina.*

"§ 2. That the seat of justice for said county shall be. and is hereby established at the town of La(irange, on the east side of (he Colorado River, near the [^aBahia crossing of the same.

*Noto. The county line with Lavaca County was surveyed in 1848; with Gonzales County in 1851; with Bastrop County in UTk); with Vv'a&hington County in. 1871; with Austin County in 1870; with Colorado County in 1877; the Lacaca County lino was resurvoyed in ISTS; the Colorado Countylinc in 1879; the Bastrop County line in 1870; the Lo3 Couaty lir.e; surveyed in 1833; the Washington Cpunty line, resurveyed in 18Sj,

According to the Act of Congress of the Republic of Texas, Fayette County was organized January 18, 1838. This was the birth-day of Fayette County when it stepped into the world as a body politic with head and trunk. T ho birth-day of a body politic always being an important event, the record thereof may follow in the words as recorded in the Minutes of the Commissioners' Court of Fayette County :

The Chief Justice together with the several Justices of the Peace for said county having met. his Honor, Andrew Rabb, Esq., administered the oath of office to the following persons as Justices of the Peace for said county, to-wit : Christopher Fitzgerald, Samuel Alexander, John Lewis and Bernhard Sherrer, (I. S. Sister being called on acted as clerk pro tem) and proceeded to elect from their nuniber two Associate Justices, which resulted in the election of Ciiristopher Fitzgerald and John Lewis, after which they proceeded to organize a board of Count}' Commissioners and passed the following resolutions :

Resolved, that a County Tax of twelve and one-iialf cents be levied and collected on every hundred dollars worth of property of all and every kind subject to stale lax.

And there shall be cleared out a road from this place byway of Rabb's Prairie up the Uiver as far as the county line near I. C. Cunningham's.

Tlie foundation of the republic and the subse(]uent organization of counties were the fruits of American bravery in the Mexican contest. The contest was exciting; it stands singular in the history of the world. The subsequent history of the times of tlie Republic of Texas is none the less exciting and interesting. Internal questions and dissensions and dangers which threatened the young republic fro:-:i Mexico kept all public spiritcfl men and ])atriots in a wliite heat of excitement.

On account of Mexican invasions, the capital of tlie republic was temporarily located further from the Mexican boundary, and Houston was selected therefor. LaGrange was a competitor for the capital. In the vote of Congress taken for that purpose it lost by one vote. The grand jury of the county deuounced this action of Congress iu a document entitled, "Republic of Texas versus Inconsistent Legislative Acts." (See Appendix A.) They arraigned in that document Congress and the administration for the sale of Galveston Island at too low a price, for the temporary location of the capital at Houston - made only as they declared to enable Sam Houston and his friends to sell their c^ty properly ;it h;i.h prices - and for the levying of import duties instead of levying a direct tax. For the latter charge they givo a very plausible reason. They ])ointed out that the coUectiju of imi)ort duties along the extensive border at the Ked and Sabine Rivers would be impossible while the population of South Texas which had stood the burden of the war received their necessaries via Galveston and had no chance to evade the revenue laws of the Republic. Tlie writer whose attention had been called to this document found same in the vaults of the district clerk's office. The document is signed by William lifookfield, foreman of the grand jury, and is written in his handwriting. The writer showed it to several prominent gentlemen of LaGrange. Their opinions about its value greatly vary. Mr. J. v. Brown said that he had known William Brookheld, that the latter was a disappointed politician and that this way of getting up such documents was at that time the way of politicians in venting their spleen and disappointment, and that such documents were issued in preparation for a future campaign. Judge A. Haidusek held it a very singular document, written in crude English, a document that could not have had any results, but that was written witli some S[iirit. Judge W. S. Robson held that it showed the interest the people of those times took in public affairs and their spirit of independence. These opinions are not necessarily conflicting with each other ; the writer considers them ratiier supplementary to each other.

The Dawson Massacre. The question of the possession of Texas had been setled in the battle of San Jacinto. The Republic of Mexico was too weak and too much disrupted by internal dissensions to make anotlier effort for the con({uest of Texas, but the Mexicans, too weak to conquer Texas, harassed the settlers living on the frontier. They made several expeditions for that purpose into Texas. In one of these expeditions the Mexicans under General Woil came as far as San Antonio. They were met by three hundred mounted Texans under command of Col. Matthew Caldwell at the Salado. They were defeated. Rut a company of fifty three men from Fayette County who had been mustered in at the public S(|uaro at l.aGrange, (the large live-oak under which they gathered still stands there opposite tlio Schuhniacher bank) under command of Nicholas Dawson who came to Col. Caldwell's succor were annitiilated (1842). Of the fifty-three men, fortyone wc'i'e left dead on the ground, two escaped, and ten were taken prisoners four of whom were wounded. Oneoftliem, Norman R. Woccls who liacl received severe wounds died after-

-onwards in the prison of Peroto. "Among the ten prisMiers were.: Nat W. 1^'aison, Edward T. Manton, Norman P>. Woods, James Joseph Shaw, Joseph ('. liobison, VVni. Trimble, J. E. Kornegy, Richard Barclay, and Allen li. Morrell. Among the slain were : Ciipt. Nicholas JJ.iwson, the venerable Zadock Woods aged

Farrls, and David Berry, oyer seventy years of age." Of the iifly-three men only two made their escape : Gonzalvo Woods of Fayette and a nian fron) Gonzales. 'AVoods had suvrendered to a Mexican wiio had attempted to pierce him with liis lance. Woods, ah-cad}' wounded m three ])!;ices, seized tlie lance, jerked the Mexican to tlie ground, drove the lance through his iieart, mounted tlie Mexican's horse and made his escape." (Brown's History of Texas, Vol. II, p. 22i').) Tiie massacre of the Dawson men occurred while Col. Caldwell was engaged witli General Woll. In the pursuit of WoU's ariny he was joined by that old fighter from Fayette County, Col. Jolni H. Moore, who came to him witii eiglity men from the Colorado and twenty Irom l!ie Lavaca.

Iletaliatory expeditions into Mexican territory made against the advice of Sani Houston followed, lu one of these expeditions, the one against Fort JMier, a largo number of Fayette Cuunty men took i):irt. They gave battle to tlie Mexicans, but limilly surrendered. Being taken into Mexico as prisoners, t'ley over[)o\vered their guard, but being recaptured, every tenth ;:>.m of them, seventeen in number, was shot b ,- order of Santa Anna. The prisoners had to draw beans. White beans meant life, black ones death. They were shot at the hacienda of Salado, 110 miles distant from Saltillo, Capt. Wm. M. Eastland of Fayette was amongst those wlio drew the black bean and were shot.

In the Mexican war between the United States and Mexico following the annexation of Texas (ISob), Mnjor, afterwards (Tcneral Walter P. Lane, on a scouting expedition to San Luis Potosi made a detour to the liaeiencla of Salado, had the bones of the seventeen men exiiumed and brought under escort commanded by Capt. Quisenburg to LaGrange. Here they were interred and placed with military honors in a cemented vault on Monument Hill or Kreische's Bluff, opposite LaGrange, in the presence of a crowd of thousands who had gathered there on this solemn occasion. In the early eighties a joint monument was erected on the public square of La Grange to the memory of the Dawson men and the Mier prisoners who drew the black be-in.*

In a preceding paragraph the writer has told of the organization of the county. The part which Fayette County has taken in the struggles and tights of Texas as a nation has been mentioned in succeeding paragraphs. The reader may now pay his attention to county affairs, pure and simple, and follow the writer in his exposition of the development of this grand county.

Only seventeen years liad passed since the arrival of the first white settlers, before the county was organized. Their number must have been very small at the time of the organization of the county. The first census taken of the inhabitants of Fayette County in 1847 gave the county 2886 inhabitants. At the time of the organization of the county their number must have

*NoTE. - The cemented vault on Monument HiJl, in the course of time, got into a dilapidated condition; the last resting place of these heroes was disturbed, and their bones were desecrated by the ruthless hand of curiosity seekers. This was so much the case that the Court called the attention of the public to this condition of affairs by the following statement (1893) : "The attention of the Court having been called to the bad condition of the Vault on Monument Hill containing the remains of Dawson's men and the Mier prisoners, and this Court having no right to make any appropriation for the preservation and repairs of said vault, the Court takes this method of calling public attention to the fact that said vault is in a very dilapidated condition and that the bones of these men who gave their lives for Texas are desecrated by the careless hand of curiosity seekers, and are now reported to be scattered around their tomb in the most wanton and rackless manner. We think that this notice will be sufficient to cause the liberty loving citizens of our county to take such steps as will preserve the security of the last resting place of the then heroes and prevent any further desecration thereof." The Twenty-Seventh Legislature appropriated the sum of One Thousand Dollars to erect a new vault over the bones of these heroes, but as the ground on which the vault stands is private property, satisfactory arrangements have not thus far been made.

been considerably less. Though an energetic race, much could not have been done by thetn in tlie short period of seventeen years. The county was still a wilderness. Much had to be done.

The county government, the fathers of the county, had to face an uninviting situation. They knew that it takes money to run the government and that taxes procured this money. But how much could this be? Tlie first statement from the assessor's rolls on record is that of the year 1847, The total value of the assessed property of the county was $1,138,696, but it may be assumed that at tlie time of the organization of the county, it was considerably less. The taxes for county purposes which the Commissioners' Court ordered to be levied were 122 cents on the Iiundred dollars worth of property. Even at the assessment of 1847 the proceeds from the taxes could amount only to about $1,400; but in 1838 they must have been considerably less, probably little more than half of this amount, say $700.

And tliere, with this meagre revenue, the court sat ; no court house, no jail, no bridges or ferries and lew public roads. All these had to be created from a revenue of about $700. Besides, the official family had to be fed from this amount. Surely, their salaries and fees were not extravagant.

In those early days the rate ot taxation for county purposes was very low. As we have s:een, it was 12 2 cents on the one hundred dollars worth of property in 1838. Up to the year 1860 it never rose higher than one-fourth of one percent on the hundred dollars worth of property, but generally was fixed at half the amount of the state taxes, Since 1856 li(}uor licenses were granted by the county. The court then levied a license tax, but it appearing to the satisfaction of the court that it was not authorized to levy an additional license tax, this tax was ordered refunded to tlie parties who had paid it. It was as late as 1860 when a license tax to the amount of one-half of the state t;ix was ordered to be levied by the Commissioners' Court. The increase

Not oniy wa.s the amount of taxes in those years very small, but their collection caused also a s^reat deal of trouble. A great many people had left the older states and come to Texas, because in their opinion there was too much government ;n (he older states. They held it wiser to keep what they had than to give it to tiie government. Frequently tax delinquents were fined twenty-five dollars and process of scire facias was issued. On the payment of taxes this line was remitted. Too glad only the county government was to receive the taxes. A great deal remained unpaid in spite of fines. The county treasurer in his report for 18o3 stated in rei)ly to several questions asked by the Commissioners' Court that from 1845 to 1851 at least $l,070.'.»o remained uncollected ; considering the low taxes at those times, a proportionately large amount. The unwillingness of some settlers to pay the same was one reason for the delinquency of taxps ; another important one was the scarcity of money in those early times. And still there remained so much to be done.

()ne of tlie lirst things that had to be done was the procuring of a court house. It was no ])alatial structure which the fathers of tlie county procured. A house was purchased from Lester and Eastland which had been formerly occupied by B. F. Nabors as a grocery for the sum of $250. Ct. S. Kornegay was authorized to contract for the moving of this house to the public square, to put it in good rejjair at the expense of the county to serve as a court house. There, in that poor shanty, the Cominissioners' Court sat for years and transacted the business of the county. INlost of tlie county otiicers had no o'lice rooms in the court house. District Court was Jield in rented (juarters; the highest rent paid for a room for that purpose was fifty dollars. The inadequacy of the building for the transaction of the county's business was dee[)ly felt. The Commissioners' Court longed for a new court house that afforded more accommodation for the transaction of business and reflected better on the dignity of their office. For long years they sat in that poor shanty and employed themselves in making plans for a new court house. They appointed agents to contract for the building of a newcourt house (1839) ; then commissioners to draw a draft for a court house. In .1840 they even went so far as to appropriate $10,000 for the building of a new court house. They appointed a committee to advertise in the Austin Gazette for bids, to solicit subscriptions from citizens, and to contract for the building of it. 13ut finding that there was and came no money into the treasury fi'om which to pay such a large appropriation, tliey finally canceled it in 1844. That grand effort of four years for a new court house with tiiat fine appropriation of §;10,000 that were not in and came not into the treasury had failed. But other eiforls followed. "C'an''t we get then at least a court house two stories high, with two floors, five windows and three doors?" they said, and appointed one Irvin Drake as treasurer for the court house funds. Surely, my friends, your demands are very modest ; you ought to have a new court house. Still, it lasted till 1847 before their wishes were fullilled. Finally, in that year, they made another plan : to build a court house 30x40, two stories high, the walls to be of brick and to have a stone foundation. A committee for building a court house was appointed. This committee modified the original plan for the court house. Their modifications were accepted. It was ordered by the Court that the claims for court house building have precedence above all other claims against the county ; that they be paid in installments as the work progressed and that the revenues of the county be pledged for the payment of the same. A contract was entered into with P.O. Beall for building a court house, and contract and his bond were filed. In 1848 the building was accepted and thanks were returned to the building committee ft)r superintending this work. A bell for $100, to which the citizens of LaGrange contributed $20, was bought and now the court had a building with more commodious quarters and of better aspect.

This building served the county as a court liouse till 180."), when a new court house was built. It was sold to Jas. A. Haynie for $1180 and removed from the public square. This builcling still exists. It now stands on the southeast corner of the public square and is owned by Judge A. Haidusek and occupied by hinj as the printing office of his paper 'Svoboda.'

As early as July 1888 the county possessed a jail. A. Uabb and I. S. Sister who had been appointed as commissioners b}' the good people of the county (1 guess that the bad people did not wish a jail) to contract for and sup^rintenci the building of a jail, presented a report stating "that said jail had been finished according to contract and that the same had cost f460." This structure was sufficient for the safe-keeping of prisoners in those early times ; for prisoners were ironed and chained ihen. But such a cheap building could not last forever. Ten years later this jail was advertised to be sold, ''it appearing to the satisfaction of the court that the jail is oi" no service to the county."' Still, like in the case of the court house, several appropriations and plans for a new jail were n)ade and again canceled, before they succeeded in building a new jail. Meanwhile, the jn-isoners of the county were given in charge and board to difTerent persons. The charges for boarding a prisoner were extraordinarily high, $3.00 per day. This must have included their safe-keeping, else this price would be (|uite out of proi)ortion to other services rendered. Of the expenses of the county actually paid out during the year 1852, viz $109b the extraordinarily large amount of $622 was paid out for keeping prisoners from November 1851 to November 1852. (From County Treasurer B. B. Hudnall's Report.) No economical administration could stand this rate of expenses for any length of time.

The following case made the necessity for a new jail still more deeply felt. A prisoner by the name of John H. Vaughn was in the jail on the charge of murderg(1852). It would have cost about $800 to guard and feed him till the time of his trial. Ihe question of placing him in the jail of Travis County with the approval of the sheriff of that county was considered and a petition was addressed to the district judge to authorize his removal. Then it was considered to bring him to the Brenham jail instead of the Austin jail. Several appropriations were made to carry him to that jail and pay his expenses overthere. He \va5 carried from jail to jail. The last heard of him was tliat he was carried to the jail of Austin County and that that county received $111 for keeping him. This was as late as the fall of 1854. For two years he had been carried from jnil to jail at llie expense of the count}-. What surprises is that under such cireumslances it took two years to dispose of his case. A new jail ft)r the county had become a necessity. In 1852 the phvn of William Lewis for a new jail was ado[)ted. Thejail was to be 32x2o feet and two stories high with two rooms in each slory. One cf tije cells was to he made secure by lining it wilh boiler iron or by bar iron crossed and riveted. Tlie jail shculd also have a cliimney and (ire flue. An advertisement for sealed proposals was to be published in the Texas Monument, tne (Galveston News and a Houston paper. The njaker of tliis grand plan received twenty-five dollars for it. In 1853 two lots for $40U were bought from C. S Longcope to build a jail on. In the same year A. Animann and H. L. Kreische entered into a contract with the county to construct a new jail. The same year thejail was finished and accepted by the county from the contractors. A. Ammann and H. L. Kreisclie were comi)limentcd on their work "done in a good and workmanlike manner." The next year the city council of LaGrange received perniissimi to [)ut i)ersons for confinement in that jail. The county was heavily in debt to thejail contractors on the com^oletion of the jail. A law provided that the state taxes should be relin(]uished to counties building jails. To liave the taxes relimiuislied, the county treasurer was re(iuested to call on the assessor and collector of taxes for a statement in writing, in conformity to law, relinquishing to the county the State taxes for the years 1852 and 1853.

We have seen what effort it took to replace the lir.'st shanty that served as a court house by a very modest building for that purpose, also how long it lasted until that $4(50 jail was replaced by another one that was two stories high and had two rooms in each story and a chimney and a flue. The revenue of the county was exceedingly small, her credit very poor. When in 18o*J new ferry boat had to be built for the ferry at LaGrange across the Colorado River, Hiram Ferrill, a county commissioner appointed to procure a ferry boat, submitted his report that he "could not get a boat built on the faith of the county at a reasonable price."

Public Ferries. The establishment of ferries, ferry-boats and ferry-ratcs occupied a great deal of the time and attention of the commissioners' court. Tiie lirst ferry-boat, at the LaBahia crossing near LaGrange, was '"donated" to the county by Jolm li. Moore. For this "a compensation of $98 was voted to him, to bo jjnid out of any money in tlie treasury not otherwise appropriated." As this boat proved unfit and a new one could not be built on the faith of the county at a reasonable price, the court finally succeeded in ir.aking arrangements with John H. Dancy for the use of a ferry-boat. In the next year (1840) a new ferry boat at the cost of $250 could be built. A ferry-house out of logs with dimensions of ten by fourteen feet and a proportionate height was built. The ferry-man had to make weekly settlements with tlie county treasurer. The boat-building business in the county must have been at a very low stage of development. For, already in the short time of two years, a new one had to be built, and the old one was sold on credit of six months with bonds and approved security. The next boat was boit in 1846. This time arrangements were made with the ferry-man that he should build the boat, that he should dig out the roads on each side of the ferry and pay $530 rent for the ferry to the county. VVlien another new boat was built in 1850, this contract was changed. The ferry-man had to build a ferry boat, "good and seaworthy;" one-half interest hi the ferry-boat was to belong to the county. This half-interest was rented to him for the term of five years for the sum of $2000. Other ferries at LaGrange were to be discontinued. Some specified persons, also jurors and commissioneis were to have tlie privilege of crossing the ferry free. The collecting of the rent from the ferry-man often caused trouble. Arrangements for the ])ayment thereof had often to be made and the ferry-inan had to be given time to pay his rent. Li liie No- vember term of 1844 the commissioners' court took a. great step. They decreed that for ttie year of 1845 the ferry should be free to all persons, but this order was revoked before it took effect. The citizens of the county generally i)aid only one-half of the ferryrates which citizens of other counties were required to pay. The county paid the ferriage of the commissioners from tlie west end of the county at tlie end of the year. For iiorse and rider from Fayette County tlie ferry-rate was live cents, rates fur teams were higher in proportion. Other ferries that were established during tliesc j^eriods in the count}' were : at Kock liliiff, below LaGrange, in 1844; at Wood's prairie, ten. miles above LaGrange, in 1846; at Burnhain's in 1847.

The First Bridges i\ thi': CorxTr. The revenue of the county was not large enough to buihl a l)ridge across the Colorado, fetill, bridges over the larger creeks v.-ere built as early as in the50's. The first bridge built was tlie one over Barton's Creek on the LaGrange-Bastrop road. The funds for said bridge were raised by public subscription by F. W. (irassmeyer and others. They were authorized to build said bridge which was to form i)art of the public road.

In 1854 bids were advertised for in the Texas Monument fur building two bridges across Cumming's Creek, one across Buckner's Creek and one across Rabb's Creek. The bridges were to be live feet above high water mark, of six inch oak jjlanks alternating in thickness, one jdank to be 1.' inches ia thickness, the next one two.

h\ 1859 $2000 were appropriated to build a bridge across Cumming's Creek and $1100 to build one across Buckner's Creek. Tlie contract for the first bridge nas awarded to Harwell and Jrloppe ; for the other one, to J. K. Lamb. These bridges were completed in the following year. But m 18G1 the bridge across Cumming's Creek was waslied auay by high-water and the timbers and iron of this bridge were ordered to be sold. This was the lirst attempt of the county at bridge building.

- 1 OSshe stood financially. Some accounls were paid, but more were not paid. How much the county owed nobody knew. As late as I80G county scrip dated as far back as 18iO was presented for payment. This scrip had generally gone into the hands of other parties ; it was largely bought up by some county ofBcers who took this chance of making an lionest penny to increase their meagre salaries.

How long payment often was deferred, and how long a patient creditor had to wait, show the following cases : James P. Hudson had sold to the county a county map for lilty cU)llars ; this claim was audited in 1848, but no appropriation made to pay the same. He had died before his claim was ))aid. His executors received payment of same in 1855. C. S. Longcope was chief justice in 1848. His claim for oflticial services to the amount of fifty dollars was previously refused. But m 1854 he iiad become county commissioner and succeeded in getting his claim paid. At the same time the unsettled claim of N, W. Eastland for services rendered as chief justice in the years 1840, 1841, 1842 and 1843 to the amount of $300 was allowed and ordered paid. Surely, the reward to this faithful servant came rather late.

The first step to bring light and order into the state of finances of the county was taken in 1843, At that time, the couuty government was already in the fifth year of its existence. Three commissioners were appointed to examine into the state of the county treasury with power to call for persons and papers. They reported in J 844. Their efforts were highly appreciated and astonished the court, The report v;as looked at as a wonder of financial knowledge. The following resolution of thanks was passed and ordered published in the Houston Telegraph and LaGrangG Intelligence to let the world know what progress in the knowledoje of the county's finances had been made in Fayette County:

'^Resolved that the thanks of this court be returned to t'le commissioners for tiie able manner m which they Jiave reported upon the state of the county treasury and that their re- port be received and annexed to the minutes of this court and that the clerk forward an extract to tlio Houston Telegraph and LaGrange Intelligence for publication.''

When in 1847 a new court bouse was to be built, it became very important to know the indebtedness of the county. A resolution was })assed to ascertain the indebtedness of the county and her means to liquidate ihe same. From this time on, all county scrip holders were requested to present their claims for certification to the county clerk. This notice was to be published in the LaGrange paper, the ''Far West," for eight consecutive weeks. How little wisdom it requires to govern people! Eight years had passed before county scrip was required to be certified. This step had not the desired result. County scrips were not presented as expected, there being in the opinion of the court a larger amount outstanding. The chief justice and two commissioners weie appointed to act as a board to ascertain the amount of the county debt and to adjust the value of the county scrip ; for instance, A has recived a certificate for $100 which at the time it was issued and in payment of accounts for services rendered was valued at Twenty Dollars, but owing to the depreciation of the value of the county scrip, it was issued for One Hundred Dollars. For these old obligations new certificates were issued after report made by said conimittee. This looks like repudiation.

This question of ascertaining the amount of tlie county debt should trouble and exasperate the court for several years. In 1852 the order was passed that the payment of all claims against the county of Fayette incurred previous to July 1, 1847, should be postponed till the }'ear 1870. This order was revoked at the same term. Finally, in the May term of 18oG, it was ordered and decreed that till the August term of tliat year all claims against the county dated before 1850 were to he registered and certilied to by the county clerk; those not registered and certified to by the county clerk were to be declared barred ; notice of this order was to be published in the 'True Issue,' a LaGrange ])aper, for six consecutive weeks. This order settled the presentment of claims dated before 1850.

The presentment of these early claims, the ij^norance of the court in regard to tlie county's finances and the amount of the county's deht caused enough trouble and confusion. They had learned that they could not transact business without keeping a record thereof. Thus, in 1847, a finance ledger was ordered to be kept in whicii all appropriations made by the county court should be registered and those that had been ]jaid should le registered and marked as canceled. To prevent any further confusion in the presentment i^f claims and in order to trace their correctness, certificates were to be signed from that date (1847) by the chief justice and to be countersigned by the county clerk.

In 1856 enough progress was made in bringing clearness and order into the county's finances so that the court could come before the people and show the state of the county's finances. In that year the first annual statement of the county's finances was published. The same could be read in the columns of the "True Issue, the LaGrange newspaper, in which it stood for three successive weeks.

These were not the only troubles of the county. Troubles everywhere. So much had to be done ; everything had to be built or created. And the revei'Ue was so small and a great many people were so unwilling to contribute tileir share of taxes. And after taxes were collected, then came the trouble to get them out of the hands of the collector again. The collectors did not always turn over all the monf?ys collected to the use of the county. Nor did the sheriff always turn ov2r the amount of fines which he had collected. The maxim in those times seems to have been to lake all you can get and to keep all you got.

The first case of this kind is a very interesting one. It was that of sheriff A. A. Gardiner, He did not lack in cunning and must have been a very astute man. He first appears to the readiu- in the garb of a patriotic citizen. The cjuit had rented from him a room for holding district court. He graciously donated to the court the rent, sending a receipt in full.. Such a

- Illman had to be rewarded and a grateful pcojile elected him sheriff. Here he excelled in presenting to the court extraordinarily large accounts for boarding and keeping prisoners, which the court ordered to stand continued to the next term as the best means they could think of to make Inni come down m his demands. Sonie of his accounts stood this way contiinied till after his death, liut he was a man with resources, ingenious to find ways and means to sec his accounts ])aid, the continuing order of the Commissioners' Court notwithstanding. He made himself paid out of the fines which he collected, and failed to turn them over to the court. When after his death, his executor T. Weaver presented to tlie court (1847) two accounts, one for $2G8 and one for $80. ."iO, the court admitted the correctness of the second account (which was probably made out by the executor) but in regard to the first account, which was probably made out by the patriot sheriff himself, they declared that charges for ironing and boarding prisoners were unreasonable and unjust, that only $141 were just. They refused payment of both accounts on the ground that sheriff A. A. Gardiner was a defaulter to the county, and ordered that they should not be paid, until the amount for which A. A, Gardiner was a defaulter to the county was paid. In 1849 the county settled with his executor for 1192.

In 1849 a commissioner was appointed to make a settlement with VV. G. Webb, administrator of William Nabors, former assessor and collector, and to ascertain the amount of fun is collected by said Nabors as tax collector for the county of Fayette and not paid over as directed by law.

In 1850 John A. Green was authorized to make a settlement with or bring suit against the secnritioj of John \V. McKissick, late asseossor and collector of taxes, for defalcations during the years 1845 to 1848. He made an agreement with one of the securities, W. L. Adkins, to give his note to the court for the amount defalcated. But W. L. Adkins failing to give his note, Green was authorized to bring suit ngainst said Adkins at the next term of the district court. But before suit was instituteti, Adkins came forward and gave his promissory note for §oOO for the one-half of the defalcation of I. H. McKissick which he paid during the same year. Of this amount Green received ten percent or $30 as commission.

In 1856 suit was brought against \V. B. McClellan, former assessor and collector, and against the sureties on his bond for $1870.60 wljich never liad been paid over by said assessor to the county. In 1859 this suit was finally decided in favor of the county and her attorneys L. F. and \V. B. Price were paid the balance of fees due them.

In 1857 suit was brought against I. C. Stribling, former assessor and collector, for $212.08, amount not paid over by him. It was won by the county and the amount finally paid by I. C. Stribling.

A very interesting character who had a constant wrangle with the county was sheriff I. A. Fitz. The county did not always get the best of him. At times the county would not allow his accounts in full, he agreed to reduce them ; at times lie insisted on their full payment, brought suit against the county and won.

Oonsidering these petty troubles with unfaithful servants of the people it is the more pleasant to mention a faithful one. In 1851 resolutions of respect were presented to the Commissioners' Court by General 1. S. Mansfield on the death of Albert L. Vail, late treasurer of the county. They were unanimously adopted, entered in the minutes of the court and published in the Texas Monument.

The fees of county oflicers in those early times were exceedingly small. No wonder that part of them turned an honest penny by buying up county scrip and others amended their poor salary in a less honest way by keeping collected moneys which belonged to the county. The salary of the county clerk for instance, including stationery and bookcase amounted to $273.10 (in J847). County Commissioners received Two DoU lars per clay ; this was reduced in 1818 to One Dollar (ifty cents per day, and in 1855 raised to the present rate of Three Dt)llars per day. Bailiffs and prisoners' guards received One Dollar and fifty cents per day. The assessor's fee in 1858 was $357 45 for assessing taxes and 1359.48 for collecting taxes.

Prices were different in those days from prices nowatlays. The price of a ferry-boat, for instance, was $250; surveying a road was worth $50; surveying a league of land $125. The l)ainling of the then courtliouse and the present "Svoboda" ))rinting office cost $51 for paints and oils and $40.85 for work. A copy of the standard weiglits and measures for the use of the county cost 1172.55. For translating the railroad tax law into German Five Dollars were paid.

The number of the justices of the peace varied greatly ; they also acted as commissioners up to 1848. In 1839 they were five in number ; since 1842 there were one cliief justice and nine'justices of the peace. From 1848 on there were two justices of the peace in eacli election precinct, and in 1860 they were classified by the chief justice into class first and class second. It did not fail those early settlers considering the scarcity of population a frequent and favorable chance to obtain a public office ; but it may be assumed that the great number of justices were recpiircd o.i account of the turbulent timss among the negro population.

In 1839 the commissioners' court consisted of the chief juslice and five commissioners who were called associate justices and also acted as justices of the peace, Since 1812 it consisted of the chief justice and nine commissioners, one from each election precinct. Since 1848 it consisted of the present number of fjur commissioners.

them bad to be transcribed. The minutes of the commissioners' court proceedings to the year 1847 were transcribed. In 185G and 1857 books in the assessor and collector's office were destroyed by fire.

Several record books in the district and county clerk's office were in a dilapidated condition. The representative of the county was asked to have an act passed in the legislature authorizing the transcribing of these bonks. This was done. The records then were transcribed according to acts of legislature and approved and certified to as correct.

On Nov. 15, 1856, a fire in the surveyor's office destroyed the records and field notes of said office. They were transcribed and certified to by the commissioner of the general land office and an act was passed in the legislature to legalize said transcript.

The public roads have been a matter of consideration by the court since the earliest times. Uoads were continually opened, reviewed and remarked. As early as 1846 tlie court decreed that sign posts should be erected at roads on the county line and at the intersection of the roads. Still, a great many years from that time to the present time have passed and yet the traveler hardly ever passes a signboard in Fayette County. The necessity for them failed to create them up to the present date. The first damages for laying out new roads were paid in 1848. In the year 1856 the court undertook to classify the roads and passed the following order.

"It is ordered that the following public roads in the County of Fayette shall be and are hereby declared roads of the firstclass, to wit : Ihe stage road leading from the town of LaGrange in the direction of Breuham by Rjund Top to the county line ; the road leading from Li Grange in the direction of San Felipe by the town of Fayetteville to the county line ; the road leading from La (Jrange to the county line in the direction of Gonzales ; the roid leading' from LaGrange in the direction of liastrop on the east side of the Colorado River to where said road intersects the Z3astrop and Houston road ; the road from the Bastrop cjunty line near Cunningham's by Henry Earthmann and Willow Springs to the eastern boundary of the county ; the road leading from LaGrange to Columbus on the east side of the Colorado River to the county line ; the road leading from LaGrange to Columbus on the west side of the Colorado River to the county line ; the road from LaGrange running in the direction of Hallettsville b}-- McKennon's store to the county line ; the stage road leading from the town of LaGrange to liastrop by William Scallorn and SorrelTs ferry to tlie county line; and all other public roads in said county shall be known as class No. 2."'

In the following year, 1857. the public roads were divided into road overseer precincts : 2'.) of the first, and 24 of the second class. They must haye been very large precincts at first ; they constantly increased in number, in 1858 there were 30 first and 28 second class precincts.

A very im|)ortant subject for the consideration of the commissioners' court was the establishment of election precincts. They increased during this period from four in the year 1838 to twelve in the year 1801.

The first four election i)recincts were established in 1838, to-wit ; in Wood's settlement at the house of Zadoc Woods, in the city of Colorado at the house of Henry Manton, in LaGrange at the office of the Clerk of the County Court, on Cumming's Creek at the house of David Breeding.

In 1839 the following three election precincts were added : one at the house of Jasper A. Sargeant on Navidad, at the house uf ,lohn Ingram in Lucas prairie, at the town of Rutersville.

in x\pril, 1846, eight election precincts were established accor.ling to an act of the legislature of the State of Texas, apl)roved April 11, 1846, to-wit: 1, LaGrange; 2, House of John Ingram ; 3, Rutersville ; 4, Stephen Townsend ; 5, House of Sam Alexander ; 6, House of Mrs. Lyons ; 7, House of Leroy T. Crisweil ; 8, House of H. S. Wood?.

In 1855 the beats were reorganized and the boundaries more clearly defined. At that time there were eleven election precincts established, but the citizens of beat No. 10 having failed to organize, this beat was attached to No. 5, so that there remained ten election precincts. In 1857 beat 11 was established, a school house near the residence of Richard A. Burkley being the voting phace. In LaGrange })olis were opened at two distinct places. No. 1 at the assessor and collector's office, No. 2 at the sheriff's office (1858). In 1861 election beat No. 12 was established at Nordhausen's store.

In those early days fm-eigners^^applied for citizen's papers to the commissioners' court and the pages of the minutes of the court are full of grants of citizen's papers in those times. The first citizen's papers were granted by the court to R. Stahmer from Holstein and Chas. Bauer from J*russia in 1857.

The taking care of paupers was early considered by the court. They decided as early as 1840 to build a poorhouse. Of course the structure was to ha in harmony with tiie simplicity of the times. It should cost $180 and was to be 16 feet square with a floor and a chimney, a shutter to the door and a window. But as there never came any funds into the treasury that could be applied for that purpose, .this appropriation had to go tlie way of a great many other good things and finally was canceled in 1844.

It seems that in those early days very few {)eople had to be taken care of by the county. The first instance on record was as late as 1852. An interesting case wa.s that of one Michael Short. He was the owner of a two-thirds league of land and asked the county for relief. He was required to mortgage liis land for the advancement of money (185o). In the fuUuwmg year lie received $25 for support. In 1856 his petition for suj)- port was overruled and rejected. The court was frequently petitioned by citizens for the sup[)ort of paupers. They granted generally from twenty to thirty dollars per (piarier of a year.

In 1854 Fayette County received her first apportionment from the public sciiuol fund. Tlie amount was small, $709.42. During this period up to the Civil War the highest amount was received in 1859, viz: $1,954 04. In those early and unsafe times of stage coaches the county treasurer generally went personally to Austin to receive the apportionment for Fayette County.

The founders of the Republic of Texas were not unmindful of the interests of education. As land was plentiful, they donated large tracts to the several counties. The iirst time the Fayette C'^unty school land was mentioned in the minutes of the conimissioners' court was in 1848. Then it was found that school land surveys made in 1840 conllicted with other suiyevs and they were ordered resuiveyed. In 1852 a patent for 11005 acres of school land and a patent for 1203 acres were ordered recorded. In 1854 another league of school land was to be located, and the job was given to the county surveyor, J. 13. Armstrong, for $100. Up to 1850 this league was not located and the couuty judge was authorized to procure another person or to do what he deemed right and proper. In 1857 a patent for .785,200 Labor of school land on Kabb's (Jreek was received by the county surveyor and ordered to be recorded. In 1801 the balance of Fayette County school land was located and the field notes thereof presented to the commissioners' court.

As the school land was not fenced in, depredations of the timberlands occurred frequently. But there is only one instance where a person paid a fine of $7.50 for cutting timber on the scliool land.

In those early days the people of Fayette County lived happy without the protection of that dignified oflicer of county attorney, the terror of evil-doers But in 1858 the people thought that they could not live without one and thus, on the petition of many citizens, asking the appointment of a county attorney in order to suppress lawlessness and Crime, Fred Tate was appointed county attorney for the term of one year to strilie terror into tlie hearts of evil-doers at the rate of $500 a year. He must have been very successful; for in the following year, the wrong-doers were so much scared that this ofiice was not deemed any longer necessary and therefore abolished. It seems that the people can do very well without such an office; these little petty offences amount to nothing and only provoke petty legislation and spite in neighborhoods. At least, county attorneys should rather receive a salary and no fees.

As stated before, at the beginning of this chapter, the income of the county at the time of the organization of tlie county was very small. It will be a more pleasant task of the reader to note the gradual increase of the county's wealtli and her income. While in 1847 - taken from the first record of the assessor's rolls - the county's assessed property amounted to only $1,138,690, and the proceeds of the county taxes, to onl}^ $1,280.- 11, the property had during the following years up to 18(J0 increased to $5,115,382, more than quadrupled the assessment of 1847, and the county taxes instead of $1,230.11 now yielded a revenue of $2,958.48 (amount of taxes of the year 1858, the highest of that period). A poll of the slaves was also taken, and we notice tlieir rapid increase, which was mainly due also to the increase of the material wealth of the county. In 1853 there were 1422 slaves in the county ; in 185G, three years later, their number amounted already to 2135. From that date their valuation is only given, but frora the increase of their value it may be assumed that their number also had increased. In 185G, they were valued at $1,214,625 ; in 1860 their valuation had risen to $2,021,650. They amounted at the outbreak of the Civil War to two-iifths of the total value of the assessed property of the cou-nty.

As said before, a new jail, built out of brick, had been accepted in 1853. The new jail therefore looked better than the court house; the prisoners of the county had quarters of better aspect than the county government. This was not to be stood, and at least as elegant offices for the county officers had to be procured as the prisoners had quarters. Tluis, in ISCo it was resolved to build a new court house, though the old one would have seemed still sufficient.

With the building of the third court house the era of hardships, financial embarrassments and makeshifts was closed. The building of the third court house was begun in 1855 ; it was completed in 1856 and cost $14,500. This building served the county as court iiouse to the year 1890. It was built by PI. L. Kreisclie, according to a draft made by William Rosenberg. It was a two-story building, built of rock and cement; the county oifices were downstairs ; upstau's was the court room. It was not an elegant, but a substantial building and showed in comparison to the first court house that- the wealth of the county had materially increased so as to grant a revenue large enough to procure commodious quarters for the county otficers.

Many instances of orders of the court and negotiations with the city council of LaGrange showed the pride the citizens took in the new court house. The court room was granted to citizens of La(Trange to hold a party in comuiemoration of the battle of New Orleans. Many were the instances where this court room served for festive occasions. In 18G0 the Grand Lodge of Masons of the State met here and held their meetings. Ihose were gay times in those days. The cold wave of abstinence fanaticism from the North had not yet chilled the Southern heart, and the Southern gentlemen of those days were the last to give up their gaiety, chivalry and light-heartedness for the sternness, awkwardness and often hypocrisy of Northern zealots. It was not until after tlie Civil War that.Jijs chilly doctrine of abstinence v\as imported by carpet-baggers and Northern immigration into Tex:as. It never gained a firm hold in Fayette County.

In another paragraph the increase of the negro population, the cause of alarm, trouble and excitement tliey gave to the wliite population lias been deferred as subject to be treated of at a later time. It now becomes apjiropriate to treat of the same. All great events cast their sliadows ahead. It did not lack of warnings that foreboded the outbreak of the great ("ivil War. Statesmen like Thos. Jefferson had foreseen it already in their time and counsele 1 against it. liut more passionate minds should bring things to a focus. Writers of the Beecher Stowe type appealed with their false and fanatical writings to the ])vejudices o( the North. Northern missionaries and preachers traversed the Soutii and preached to the negro population not the teachings of brotherly love, but those of revolt against their w.hite masters. This justly embittered the people of the South.

Tiiey had to protect themselves and their families. L\\ 1817 the negro population had become so uncjuiet that measures had to be taken to keep them in check. Patrol Companies were formed in the several beats. A letter of instruction addressed by the commissioners' court in 1817 to the Captains of Patrol of Beat No. 1 which explains itself is here givc-n.

In view of the emergency now existing for a strict Patrol the causes of which are so well known that the court does not deem it necessary to enumerate them, it is strictly enjoined on you as commanders to carry out the provisions of the act regula,ting Patrols ; you will perceive, Gentlemen, by a reference to it which is annexed that you are required to patrol as often as may be deemed necessary in order to promote the general welfare and tranijuillity of the community. In view of the present state of trouble, alarm and excitement caused by the running away of several slaves as also the general loose and disorderly conduct of the slave population generally, it is expected of you and your command as patrols that you will by active and strenuous exertions as good citizens empowered to act lawfully by this Court, proceed at once to remed}'- the evil ; for this pur- pose it is recommended that you have your men in service at least twice a week and also op the Lord's day dividing them into divisions as you may see fit ; your attention is further directed to the taking up of any white person that may be found among any unlawful assemblage of negroes. See Section 4.

The Court in pursuance to tlie object it has in view viz: to preserve order and insure tranquillity and security to property refer you to the act to prevent slaves from hiring their own time or their owners from hiring them to other slaves, free negroes or mulattoes. Such act, if strictly enforced, is calculated to i tlVct much good. It will be perceived by reference to this act tliat the owners are subject to a tine of One Hundred Dolhirs. It is hoped that the laws wliich are amply su.'iicient for the purpose will be carried out througii the respective agents of wljich \'0U form a permanent one.

From this tin^e on it was a constant task of the court to appoint Patrol Comuanies. The white people of the South had to protect themselves, their families, and their property. Patrol Companies were the result of the stirring up of the negro population by northern preachers who counseled them to either runaway or revolt against their white masters. Those times lay already in the shadow of tliat coming dramatic event, the great Civil War.

Third Period

Tlie election of Abraliam Lincoln to the oflice of i)resident of the United States was the signal of agitation for the ({uestion of secession, a movement planned long ago in case of his election. The question was voted upon in Fayette County on February 23, 1801. The secession movement was defeated in Fayette County ; 580 votes were cast for and ()2() votes were ca.st against secession, liut secession carried in the State. Other imj)ortant historical events followed in rapid succession.

7 he bombardment of Fort Sumter (April 12, 18G1) was tlie signal of rally that echoed throughout the youthern States and gathered the South under the flag of the Southern Confederacy. The cooler heads that still counseled peace or neutrality were pushed aside. Governor Sam Houston, refusing to take the oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the Confederate States was ejected from his office of governor. Jjieutenant-dovernor Hon. Edward Clark, more in harmony with the views of the people, took the prescribed oath and succeeded Sam Houston in otiice. Everywhere troops were levied and ordered out in defence of the Southern Confederacy by proclamation of the governor of the state.

The first companies that responded to tliis call in Fayette County were the F'ayettc Guards under command of Cajjt. A. U. Gates, the Hough and Ready Rebels under command of Capt. Ben Shropshire and a company of artillery-men raised by J. F. Ernst and E. Creuzbauer. $350 were appropriated for them (.June 22, 1851). At the end of 1861 Capt. Ira G. Killough's company was mustered in at San Antonio. At the beginning of 1802 other companies were raised and various appropriations were made for them. The companies then raised were: B. Timmon's company, commaDded later by S. C. Izard;

The battles these troops were engaged in during the Civil War, their lieroic struggles and daring feats, their hardships and sutfcriugs are a part of the history of that war. Tiiis gigantic struggle between the North and the South has been repeatedly related by able historians, but much less attention has been paid by writers to the condition of t lie people at home. Thi'illing as a narration of the daring feats in this war may be, a record of the problems which the people left at home had to solve is none the less interesting. To this aspect of the Civil War the reader is requested to pay his attention. The people of the South had to solve in this war three important questions: t) provide supplies for the soldiers in the field ; to take care of destitute families of soldiers and to hold in check an untrusty negro population. They were embarassed in the solution of the first two questions by alack of currency which became a question for solution itself. How the South solved these questions, the reader will catch a glimpse of by perusing the succeeding pages in wliich the author, on the hand of records, shows how the people of Fayette County tried to solve them. The perusal of these pages also will show the reader conclusively that the deliciency of specie, of hard coin money that kept its value everywhere had more than anything else to do with the defeat of the Confederacy. The genius of the South, the daring of her sons were equal to compete with the greater numbers of the North ; it was the lack of specie, of hard coin money that could have procured her the much needed supplies in the market that defeated her. At the very beginning of the war this deficiency of specie becanae apparent. Fayette County issued bonds to pay for the supplies and equipments of her soldiers. This was the way in which she solved the first question. She solved the second question, the care of destitute families of soldiers, by levying a war tax and issuing scrip, called 'war tax scrip,' for same. To supply a currency they again issued paper money, called 'Change Notes.' Thus, all transactions were conducted on credit with paper mone}', a business ir.ethod that necessarilyresulted in its depreciation in proportion to the amount of notes issued, until paper money could not procure anything at home much lesss abroad. The third problem : to hold in check an untrusty negro population, they solved by a strict control over them. The reader interested in these subjects will lind a more explicit exposition of them in the succeeding pages.

The first question tlie county had to solve was to furnish aiid equip soldiers. In the October Term of ISOl Nine Thousand Dollars were voted to furnish and equip soldiers that may be raised in the county. County Bonds were issued for this amount, receivable for taxes. A committee was appointed to distribute these bonds. The provisions of the order explain ihemselves and the order of the court is therefore here given : "October Term, 1861, Called Session. It is ordered by the Court that the Sum of Nine Thousand Dollars or so much thereof as may be necessary be and the same is hereby appropriated for the purpose of furnishing and equipping such soldiers as may be raised in this county ; Provided that no company of One Hundred men shall receive more than Three Thousand Dollars and companies of a less number to receive a pro rata payment. Such payments to be made in County bonds to be issued as follows : Three Thousand Dollars payable on the Isi. of March, 18(J2, without interest, to be receivable for the taxes of 1861; Three Tiiousand Dollars payable on the first of March, 18(53, bearing interest at the rate of 10 percent and to be receivable for the taxes of 1862, and Three Thousand Dollars payable on the first of March, 1864, b?aring interest at the rate of 12 percent and to be receivable for the taxes of 1863. Said bonds shall be signed by the Chief Justice and attested by tlie Clerk and siiall be issued in bonds of Five and Ten Dollars. Said bonds shall be delivered as they may be required to an Executive Committee to be appointed by the Court whose duty it shall be to attend to the disbursement of said bonds for the benefit of the different companies that may reciuire such aid, and shall take the receipt of the Captain of the Company and file the same with the (Mel'k of this Court. Provided however tliat it is nut intended to fiiniisli horses in any instance,

Supplies were bought with these bonds by said committee ; in part, tliese B bonds were used to pay (B the expenses of conveying ^ the baggage of companies ir- to their places of deatina-

! 5 one J. S. Powell for his ^ traveling expenses and for transporting clothing for soldiers to said place. In the beginning of 18G2 said committee that had been appointed to represent the county in the purchase of supplies for soldiers reported and asked to be dipcharged. They received the thanks of the court for the faithful and impartial manner in which they had performed the labors assignect them, were furnished vvith a cprtified copy of thi^ prder s^\\^ then discharged.

In the August Term of 18(33 another amount of Four Thousand Dollars of these County Bonds that went by the name of "Bounty War Scrip" was issued by llie court to meet the balance of the claims on the county due to the soldiers at the rate of Fifteen Dollars per man. Of this amount up to Feb., 1804, only Three Thousand Six Hundred Dollars were used ; the balance of Four Hundred Dollars that still remained in the treasurer's hands was ordered to be burned in the presence of the court. As early as 1862 the county treasurer was authorized to redeem the county bonds with Confederate Notes that came into the treasury.

Thus, the sum of $12,600 was disbursed to soldiers raised in Fayette County. If the share of a soldier was $15 of this money, about 800 men must have been levied in Fayette County. This seems to be quite probable and is supported by comparing the number of votes polled in the county before and during the Civil War. The number of votes polled fell off about GOO, notwithstanding that at this period there came a large number of citizens of other states to the county.

We have seen that at the very beginning of the Civil War there was no specie money ; even supplies for soldiers were paid for with bonds. The war had the effect to drain the whole country of what coined money there was in it. This lack of money, of hard coin, was the prii-cipal reason for tlie defeat of the Confederacy. Still, the people had to have money to transact business. At lirst, individual notes took the place of money and circulated as such in the county. This was fraught with danger and to remedy the evil the CDunty like other counties had done concluded to go into the banking business and issue paper money. These notes were called Change Notes and wore redeemable in Confederate treasury notes, whenever presented to the amount of 'i'wenty Dollars for redemption. An amount of Ten Thousand Dollars of these Change Notes was issued.

was passed in August, 1862, and reads as follows : "Whereas, it lias become ap})arent to the County Court that the circulation of individual notes in the county intended to represent money and which as a matter of necessity, in the absence of soniething more reliable has actually taken the place of money thereby producing great detriment and danger to the interests of our public. And whereas our sister counties have adopted measures calculated to protect their citizens from the evil the effect of which we feel will inevitably be to increase the evil among us so long as we neglect to adopt similar measures of relief. The County Court therefore feel that they can no longer delay the adoption of such measures as in their judgment will most etfectually protect the interest of the county against the evils of which we complain and at tlie same time supply a sound, reliable and uniform circulating medium. It is therefore ordered and decreed by the County Court of County now in session at the Regular Term in August, A. D. 1862, that the said court do in the name and behalf of said county issue County Treasury Notes to the amount of Ten Thousand Dollars, and that the Chief Justice of said county be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to contract for and superintend the preparing of said Treasury Notes in the manner and according to the directions hereinafter ordered.

"Be it ordeieJ and decreed that said Treasury Notes shall be of the following denominations and m the following proportions, towit : For every Twenty Dollars of said notes there shall be eight notes of twenty-five cents, eight notes of fifty cents, four notes of One Dollar, two notes of Two Dollars and two notes of Three Dollars each, be put up in packages of Twenty Dollars, and each package to contain ttie number and deiDmination of said notes herein specified, the aggregate amount endorsed en each package with the number from one to the highest number inclusive, made redeemable at the county treasury in the Treasury Notes of the Confederate States, when the amount of Twenty Dollars is presented, and issued by the treasurer alone upon tiie dejjosit of a corresponding amount of confederate treasury notes."

Depreciation of the Currency. As we have seen, these Change Notes were redeemable in Confederate Treasury Notes, but even the hitter could not be redeemed in hard money or coin. As a consequence, they depreciated very rapidly ; lor the most simple articles exorbitant prices were paid ; the fees and salaries of county officers rose in proportion. In April, 18(14, Confederate money had depreciated to this extent : an account of $7.25 for repairing jail was paid with Fifty Dollars in Confederate money. Bailiff Brown received P'ifty Dollars for three days' services waiting on the grand jury at the spring term of the district court. 'J"he chief justice received One Hundred and Twenty Dollars for two days' services in the commissioners' court. The commissioners received the same amounts.

In December, 1864, the old Confederate Treasury Notes were sent to the depository agent' at Houston in order to exchange them for a "New Issue" of Confederate notes. But they did not prove any more valuable than the old ones and their market value at the beginning of 18G5 was twenty for one dollar in specie.

Of the amount of $84,821.91 reported to be on hand by county treasurer B. B. Hudnall at the September Term of the Commissioners' Court in 18(54 only Nine Dollars and eighteen cents were in specie, the balance was paper money. This was not a healthy financial condition. Paper money tliat could not be redeemed in hard coin, had become worthless and c juld not buy any supplies to carry on the war. As stated before, it was the lack of hard money that did more to defeat the Confederacy than anything else.

Destitution A.monc; Families of Soldiers. - War Tax AND War Tax Scrip. If we consider the sad state of the finances of the South, the lack of reward for the services of the soldier, the inability of the government to provide him with supplies, we must pay our tribute of respect to those brave men wlio left their homes and tbeir families and stood up so nobly for the cause of ihe South,

As the government could not sufficiently^ provide them with supplies, the question of what had become of their families, Iiow they were taken care of, no doubt, very often agitated their minds. They, the support of their families, had gone to the scene of war to fight for the rights of their native land ; weak women and children were left to battle for themselves. To quiet the fears of the soldiers for their home people, the question of providing for destitute families of soldiers was . considered very early.

^ with and to send the chief ^ justice to Mexico with this ^ cotton to exchange it for "2 cotton and wool cards and -3 such other supplies for des- ^ titute families of soldiers as the court may deem proper. But before this order went into effect, it was rescinded at the November Term of ],862. At the August election of 1862 the people of Fayette County voted m accordance with an act of legislature a war tax of twenty cents on the One Hundred Dollars' worth of })roperty ; property below Two Tiiousand Dollars was exempt from this tax. The itroceeds of this tax constituted the War Tax Fund. Destitute families of soldiers who had enlisted in the Confederate or state service for three years or during the war were entitled to the benelits tliereof. This tax, in the opinion ot the court, would have realized $8,011.66; this amount was deemed insufficient to provide for destitute families of soldiers. The tax, therefore, was raised by the court to twenty-fiye cents, the limit. At a later and more careful calculation of the court this tax was computed to yield $12,098.48. For this amount scrip of One, Two and Three Dollar.? denomination, called "War Tax Scrip," was issued. The same was receivable for county dues. This tax was annually levied to the close of the war.

To distribute tliis War Tax Scrip amongst the destitute families of soldiers, agents were apppointed in each Beat. They liad to furnish the court with a list of destitute families. The following agents were appointed: in Beat 1, .1. C Stiehl ; Beat 2, JNlartin D. Ramsey ; Beat 3, C. L. Schulz ; Beat 4, Edward Henkel ; Beat 5, G. T. Haswell ; Beat 6, Neill McKinnon ; Beat 7, William Gorham ; Beat 8, T. C. Moore; Beat 0, W. P. Darby ; Beat 10, .John Y. Criswell ; Beat 11, .Joshua T. Moore ; Beat 12, I. B. McFarland ; Beat 13, Robert Zapp.

In addition to this the legislature provided for destitute families of soldiers and apportioned to Fayette County $*.),363.5D in paper money. This money was received by the chief justice in March, 1863. Another apportionment of paper money to the amount of $6,191 00 was received by the county in the next year.

Now, tliere was enough money for destitute families of soldiers, but there were no supplies. With this War Tax Scrip some cotton was bougiit, sent to Mexico, and exchanged there for supplies. Other supplies, viz: cotton cards were bought with this War Tax Scrip from tlie military board at Austin as per letter of advice. The county also purchased a large amount of iunmunition which ohe obtained in-incipaliy from citizens. The latter had bought it either at Austin or in Mexico.

(1863). It was the order in regard to a plan for the marking and branding of unmarked and unbranded cattle, generally known as the "Cow Order.'' In printed hand bills, posted in public places, the court had recommended to the citizens that unmarked and unbranded cattle be branded in the presence of two witnesses, that half of tlie proceeds - for a yearhng Ten Dollars, for cow and calf Twenty-One Dollars - be turned over to the county to provide for destitute families of soldiers. By this method of marking and branding unmarked and unbranded cattle a great many people have become wealthy and prominent citizens. But the grand jury of the county did not hold this industry legal and feared that the order of the court would rather have the effect to encourage this illegal industry, while it should be stamped out. Therefore, the order of the court was denounced by them in unmistakable terms, and the court was asked to rescind their order, which they did. The language of the document is clear, forceful and indignant at the order of the court. The document was found by the author on tile in the district clerk's office and is here given in full as a matter of probable interest to the reader. It is entitled on the back "Memorial" and filed May 22, 1863. It reads as follows :

Memorial

Wherkas, we, the Grand Jury for said County and term ; In extraordinary m:^eting find, That the Hon. County Court for said County, did on the 23d day of April, A. D, 1863, being assembled in their court room, in the town of LaGrange and County aforesaid ; tlien and there make, pass, - "recommend," - - enact and promulgate what is commonly denominated and known as the "Cow order," And where^is said court was beyond all contradiction actuated by the most pure and patriotic motives and had the interest and good of "Soldiers' Wives" and Widows a-nd Orphans generally at heart, Still, we are humbly of the opinion that this recommendation in its tendency is calculated to excite and jnit in active operation ! rather than check the "cupidity'' of the unscrupulous '-Yearling brander !!" We further believe, that there are parties who, if they have not already done so, will band themselves together, and under the flimsy and gossamer texture of this County Court order, go into distant neighborhoods, and drive indiscriminately all that they can find unmarked and unbranded, whether strays or not, to distant pens, in other sections of the (Jounty, and then and there mark and brand and appropriate to themselves such stock.

We are further of opinion, that some honest correct men who may be like "Ciesar's wife" above suspicion, believing that this "County Court order" had the sanction of legality in it, liave inadvertently and without due consideration marked and branded stock under its recommendation.

[The following words are stricken out again in the document: "We further find under the advice and opinion of the Hon. 13istrict Court and the Slate's at torney: that indictments would not |)robably be sustained before the Court, against such unlawful marking and branding. Therefore, and only upon this advice and opinion we refrain from finding indictments against all such markers and branders."]

Therefore for these causes and others uliich we are not at liberty to state, we most seriously recommend the Hon. County Court to meet at once and revoke said order and thereby put a stop to this unlawful "war" upon unmarked and unbranded cattle.

[Stricken out : "and that they now })ass an order, recommending all persons who have marked and branded under said previous order to counter-brand all tliey have branded, drive them back to where they found tliem, and discharge them from their illegal ownership of the same, and that they be recjuested to donate the amounts which they have {)aid into the County Court as a fund for destitute soldiers' wives and families and "go in peace and sin no more.'"] »

The undersigned subscribed to the foregoing paper, but believes that every man who branded cattle under the County Court order should have been indicted. E. S. Cochran.

Meanwhile, destitution increased and almost became unbearable. The Federals had become possessed of Brownsville, the market place for Texas cotton where supplies could be obtained for the people at home. A great many people were without the most necessary means of support. There was enough of paper money, but this was worthless and could not procure anything. And there was the question now to take care of these indigent families when destitution and desolation were spreading. In December, 1864, the court decreed that the special war tax be raised to the rate of the state tax, which was 75 cents as authorized by act of legislature in extra session of 1863. This tax was to be levied in specie according to an act of the legislature approved Nov. 15, 1864. As there was no specie in the country, the tax payers were allowed to pay it in provisions at the following prices and in the following proportions, to-wit : Corn 50 cents per bushel ; Bacon 12j cents per pound ; fresh Beef 2? cents per pound and salt 7 cents per pound. Onefourth of this tax was to be levied every three months at such time and place as was designated by the county court or their agent in the following proportions : t in corn, I m bacon, i in beef and Kin salt. This order of the court was carried over the protest of Commissioner C. J. E. Graham Who went on record as being in favor of levying only a tax of one-fourth of one percent and allowing the tax payer to pay the whole amount of his tax at one time instead of paying one-fourth of the tax every three months. In the light of the present times and in view of the destitution at that period, his protest records for the reader only his narrow-mindedness and his pride therein that even went so far as to wish to see them recorded.

Doubtful Characters at Home. The Civil War witnessed a great many heroic actions of heroic people. In fact, the whole war was a continuous heroic fight of a heroic nation. It was a time when man's character was tested ; hut it cannot fail that even among those patriotic people of that trying epoch some were found wanting. The currency had depreciated, it was almost wortiiless. destitution at home, the confederate army hard pressed, the outlook sad and unpromising. In this general break up like in a stormwrecked sliip aside of heroism strode utter selfishness. A character that raises at least a very reasonable doulit in regard to honesty in the mind of an unprejudiced reader was that of a leading citizen whose name is here omitted. He was employed by tlie count}^ in 1803 to liaul 32 bales of cotton from Fayette County to Brownsville at 12? cents per lb. freight. According to his tale of woe to the commissioners' court he met at King's Ranch General Bee's army which had evacuated Brownsville on account of the enemy. He was forbid to carry said cotton any further for fear of its falling into the hands of the enemy. His wagons and teams were impressed by the government, and he was forced to sell said cotton at 50 cts. per pound in confederate money. His tale of woe induced the court to allow him to retain the amount realized for freight.

Another action of his that gives still more cause to arouse the suspicions of a critical reader in regard to his honesty is this. He had bought with the county's money of E. Nichols 16 bales of cotton at 70 cts. per ))ound and the obligation to procure an exemption permit for an equal number of bales, The permit was granted by Col. W. J. Hutchius, but revoked by - Broadwell, the Chief of the Texas Cotton Office. This bargain, therefore, had to be re3cinded, as the county could not keep part of her obligation. E. Nichols had received $5,780.60 for his cotton ; he was to pay back this sum in specie at the rate of One Dollar in specie for twenty-five in (Confederate Treasury Notes, that is to say, |;231.25 in specie for S5,780.60 in confederate money. This whole business transaction looked to Commissioner L. Franke so doubtful that he requested to go on record as disapproving said order.

We have seen the brave soldiers in the field poorly e(juipped, still worse supplied, except what their own bravery procured from the enemy, their services unpaid or paid with a valueless currency, their families destitute at home, it now remains to consider another cause of alarm.

The country was almost drained of its able-bodied men ; a large negro population, the bone of contention and the cause of the fight, were left at home. If they caused any trouble, cannot be said ; still, it was worth while to watch them and keep them in strict order in these trying times. As early as September 186ii the court passed an order to prevent their roaming about at night which probably might produce an outbreak at a very importune time. This they prevented by measures taken in the following order of the court : "It is ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court that the following rules and regulations be and they are hereby adopted for the government of patrols of the county and for the proper police of said county ; to-wit, 1st, Any male slave above the age of 16 years who may be found by the patrol on any night visit to be absent from the premises of his master or the person having charge of such slave without a lawful pass in writing, shall be liable to be punished with not more than twenty-five lashes to be inflicted by the patrol of said beat at any time whenever such slave can be found. 2nd, That each owner and person hayiiig charge of slaves shall furnish the patrol of the proper beat with the list of the names of all the male slaves in his, her or their charge above the age of sixteen years and such patrol shall upon each night visit call for each slave belonging to the place and on failure ot any to appear, such patrol shall then inquire, if guch slave has a lawful pass to be about as aforesaid, and if not, then such slave shall be punished as aforesaid. If any such person shall refuse to furnish such list, the patrol may obtam it from any source they can. 3d, That the patrol of each beat shall immediately notify each owner and person having charge of such slaves of these resolutions and from and after such notice they shall be in full force and effect. 4th, The clerk shall furnish each beat patrol with a certified copy of this order." These measures seem to have been quite sufficient. The negro population did not cause any troubles in those times.

On account of the troubled times, very probably also on account of large bodies of levied men often passing through La Grange with which the police of the county would not have been able to compete, the sale of spirituous liquors was stopped by the Provoat Marshal in LaGrange on the 18th day of June, 1862. A proportionate part of the license tax that had been paid by one Jonas Forsberg was paid back to him and his permit canceled. How long this order remained in effect, cannot be said ; very probably to the close of the Civil War; for, during this period there is no other issuance of a permit to sell spirituous liquors on record.

The attention of the reader may now be called to some minor items of interest that occurred during the Civil War. In 1863 the legislature had passed a law according to which physicians had to procure a certificate to practice medicine from the commissioners' court. In accordance with this law, certificatea were granted in 1864 to the following physicians : Dr. John B. Taylor, Dr. Thos. C. Cook, Dr. C. P. Rankin, Dr. H. D. Shaw of Cuniming's Creek, Dr. ReubenWilkinson, Dr. J.V. Huff, Dr. Bird Moore, Dr. J. R. Dodge, Dr. F. A. Dycus, Dr. T. S. Jarmon, Dr. R. S. Shannon and Dr. H. Fahnert.

During the Civil War the county also witnessed an election contest between P. J. Shaver and G. F. Has well. The latter was elected, but failed to give bond within the prescribed twenty days. The suit was dismissed at the cost of both parties and a new election was ordered September. 1864.

Of road precincts there were daring the CUvil War thirtyone of the first-class and thirty-six of the second-class (I8O0). Election precincts were thirteen.

This closes the epoch of the Civil War. The same ended witli the surrender of Lee's army. The battle worn soldiers returned to their desolate homes to start life anew again. For a time their reigned confusion, but soon order was restored. From April to September 1, the comi-nissioners court held no session. Tliey then came again together mainly to approve the bonds of newly elected officers. The large amount of ammunition that had been procured was ordered to be sold. But before this order took effect, the same was seized by the federal authorities.

It remains to remark that tlie State of Texas which was not able to care for the destitute families of soldiers who battled for her in the, field, gratefully remembered their services at a later period. An act of the legislature was passed and approved April 9, 1881, p.jjpviding tliat old Confederate soldiers who were disabled, and widows of Confederate soldiers who died or were killed during the Confederate war - if they remaimed unmarried and possessed less than one thousand dollars worth of property - - should receive a certificate of 1280 acres of land. The first ones wfio received these certificates were Clarissa Anne Anselin, widow of Julius Anselin, Reuben Phares who lost an arm in the Confederate war and Geo. Birkelbach.