Brenham Daily Press. (Brenham, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 103, Ed. 1 Monday, September 1, 1913 Page: 1 of 25
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Section
Fair and Industrial tdition of
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Section
No.
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VOLUV1E 20.
U-
BRENHAM, TEXAS, MONDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 1, 1913
NO. 103
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF BRENHAM
BY
MR?. R. E. PENNINGTON
Twoyfiames, that of Mrs. Arabella
Harrington upon whose land it ranted
under the colonisation, of laws of
Coahuila and Texas the city is situ-
ated, and that of Dr. Richard F.
Brenham, the Mier martyr fcr
whom the place is named, ar« indis-
solubly linked in the history of Bren-
ham, the county seat of Washington
County.
1831-1860—Mrs^ Arabella Harring-
ton, who was grandmother of Mr. N.
E. Dever, and-the great grandmother
of Mr. Frank Dever, came from
Buncombe County, North Carolina,
to Texas n 1831. She received her
league of land by deed from the Mex-
ican government dated March ??,
1801, and immediately built a hoir e
in the most beautiful portion of her
possessions, i. e. on the branch
o able conflict. April 21, 1836, Mr. j member of the House of Representa- story of that Sunday afternoon, j and James Hurt gave the 100 acres soul he worked for the advancement
Elijah Pennington, deceased, knew stives for Travis County in 1840. He March 25, 1843, as the church bells upon which the place is located. |of religion. Ho was truly one of
him during 1837-1838, saw him in was defeated by Dr. G. S. Haynie. 'were everywhere calling the people
Austin, and went with him on the That he was ^ prominent man is to vesper prayers, when the 17 Mier
Alexander-Somervell Expedition as proven by the friendship which Pres- prisoners who had drawn the black
far as Laredo. Mr. Pennington . ident Lamar expressed for him and beans were shot. Dr. Bronjiam
boeyed Somervell's orders and was that in many public affairs his name was by death saved the trying ordeal
disbanded with the rest of the sol- appeared on important committees, j of the "beans." Captain Cladius
diers at Gonzales. Dr. Brenham In 1841 he joined the Santa Fe expe- Buster, uncle of Mr. E. C. Buster,
I l
went with the Mier expedition Dr. dition, having been appointed by ^ Mrs. Emma Simmons and Mrs. P.
Brenham's first placeof residence was President Mirabeau B. Lamar, as one A. Henderson, who luckily drew a
Sandford Woodward (who was of the three commissioners to open : white bean did not return to Texas
grandfather of Mrs. James P. Me- commercial intercourse with the peo- until September, 1844, and he sub-
Adam and Mr. Thos. F. Estes), pie of Santa Fe. The other ^ stantiated the stories told of the |
on Woodward's Creek, 3 miles east commissioners were William G. jcurel treatment the captives received j election which was held the fourth edited and published the first Brne-
of Brenham; Snadford Woodward re- Cooke and J. A. Navarro. The at the hands of the Mexicans. Cap-1 Saturday in February, 1844. When ham newspaper, which he called
ceived his league of land March 1, Santa Fe Expedition started from tain Buster also told many interest-: the war with Texas and Mexico was "The Lone Star." The first district
1831. This was his home up to Brushy Creek near Austin June 20, ing stories of the valor of Dr. Bren- j ended in 1836, and after the Repub- court held in Brenham was by Judge
1839, when he removed to Austin. He 1841, and there were 270 soldiers,' ham. His high calling made him aj"c was organized, the Mexican plan R. E, B. Taylor, with "Ramrod" ^
never lived in' what is called Bren. under Brigadier General Hugh Mc- very valuable man and many a suf- ^ °t' government was discarded, and Johnson as district attorney and J.
ham, and the place was named for Leod, merchants, adventurers ■ and fering soldier had his pains allevi-, that of the United States adopted. D. Giddings as distict clerk. Among
Farraf knew and loved Dr. Bren- ^ the most eminent men of his time,
ham, and used to say that he was as The first court house was a two
brainy and brave as Sam Houston.
When Farral made his donation of
land he claimed the right to name
the place for Dr. Brenham, and as
story frame building situated where
the present court house now is, and
was erected by Messrs. Joe Tom,
Joe Miller and Hugh Sherrold. The
the people of that time honored and ^ first county judge of Washington
respected the brave physician they (County to preside in Brenham was
were pleased with the name. Farral William H. Ewing, the grandfather
diel at old Washington about 1857.'of William P. Ewing who did so
1844—Brenham became the county, much for the fire * department,
seat of Washington County by an Judge William H. Ewing owned
J Counties took the place of jurisdic- the first, county clerks were John
and i tions and the jurisdiction of Wash- Gray and Sam Lusk (grandfather of
ington became the County of Wash- ex-mayor William Lusk). The early
ington, and the town of Washington sheriffs were Jamos L. Dallas (the
which runs past the home in South him after his death. The next au- pleasure seekers to the number of ated by this good physician.
Brenham of Mrs. Dawson, and just thentic account of Dr. Brenham is 37 also went along. Miss Caznenu J Dr. Brenham was surgeon,
a littlo removed from Mrs. Dawson's obtained from the Austin City Ga- Austin gave the expedition a George W. Bonnell was first lieu-
-present residence. Mrs. Harring-1 zette of date October 17, 1830,1 when flag, and Dr. Brenham made a most tenant of the flotilla, or "Nav^,"
ton's son by a former marriage, Mr. |lie was vice-president of the "Dinner eloquent speech in acceptance. The that descended the Rio Grande River on the Brazos was nominated it's father of J. W. Dallas and
Willian* Dever, came to Texas in given President Mirabeau B. Lamar disastrous failure of this expedition to Mire. Thomas J. Green in writ- ^rst County Seat. Some years Mrs. W. E. Dwyer), J. W. McDade
1822, and induced his mother and in honor of his arrival at the new is a matter of history. Dr. Bren- ing of their death says in his "Tex- later the County Seat was moved to and Van Irons. The prominent
her second husband Mr. John Haf- seat of government. Dr. Brenham ham suffered all the horrors of a ian Mier Expedition" (which is out Mount Vernon.. lawyers were J. D. Giddings, Lewie
rington to follow him. Mr. Har- responded to the toast, 'The Govern- j long imprisonment in the Mexican of print), "Texas has met a heavy Between 1836 and 1844 the popu- anci Barl>erJ Abner Lipscomb (father
rington died before the land was ! ment of Texas, may it always be dungeons and was liberated in loss in the untimley ne^ of these jatjon tj,e 80Uthern and south- °* Lipscomb), J. and A. H.
granted. The first sale of 'and or: administered by honest and capable 1842, and returned to Texas in time true patriots—they, in the prime of eastern part Washington County 'U(*fCe Higgins, Sayles and
increased so rapidly that a change ^C^ar^an^' thA former was the dis-
which Brenham is located made by
Mrs. Harrington were in 1840 to
Abner Lee and David Houston, who
_JfiUtuxjiy1tnade conveyatuips tfl.Jfeaae
Farral and "James H&rt, and Farral
and Hurt donated 100 acres to which
they executed deed of date April 18,
1844, for the townsite of Brenham.
Mrs. Harrington on March 27, 1844,
sold the western half of her league
of land to Horatio Chriesman for a
cash consideration of $1,000. Mrs.
Harrington was a most estimable
character, and with christian forti-
tude she bravely faced life's vicissi-
tudes as did all the pioneer women
of that time in Texas. Her story
is modest and unpretentious, and yet
her record in one respect is one of
the most remarkable of any person
who ever lived in. Washington Coun-
ty. There is never a day goes ty
that some attorney with his legal
instruments does not use the name
of her survey. There arei 90 large
volumes in the deed records of Wash-
ington County, and all the deeds of
Brenham property and many deeds
of the County have to be traced to
her name. It would be a reasonable
•estimate to say that Arabella Har-
rington's name appears 50 or 60
times in each volume and over 5000
times in the entire records. Many
brilliant men and admirable women
made this county famous, and their
rf; ? &
in the seat of government was agl- tinKuished General John Sayles who
tated, and the settlement where annonat«d the statute*
. .Brenham now i* was suggested as.
.being more centrally located. Jesse
Farral and James Hurt aided the
| cause of the settlement by a promise
of 100 acres of land, to which they
executed deed of date April 18, 1844.
The 100 acres which they donated
BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF BRENHAM
consti-
tution ■ of the State. General Sayles
land in Old Washington, but they i|
both £ame nearly every day and
practiced in Brenham. Other fa-
mous lawyers were Joe Crosby; J.
E. Shepard; C. B. Sljepard; G. W.
were a part of a tract of land which | ^ort°n> W. H. Ewing; Barry Gil-
Farral and Hurt had acquired by lespie; R' Wi,liam8°n; J- G.
purchase from Mrs. Arabella Har-, naUy an(* ^' Carver (the grand-
rington, the boundary lines of which lather of Mrs. Heber Stone.)
are substantially as follows: A cade-J '^ere wcre not over 250 people alt
my street for the north line;' Market |told who inhabited the settlement in
street for the east line; West street 1844' In Brenham ProPer> i- ®. the
100 acre Farral and Hurt donation,
there resided Jesse Farral and
James Hurt and their families, and
then in session at old Washington,'thelr house was built between Mr.
responded to the popular appeal and Cl A' McMean8 home and the An-
ordered an election for the selection '^ony Hotel. Col. Asa M. Lewis,
of a'pe'Slnent location of the (fathor of Mr.. W. G. Wilkins, and
county seat of justice. Section 5 *ra"dfather of Cashier C. L. Wil-
of the act named William W. Bus- kms of the First National Bank) in
ter; George W. Gentry; Ephriain the sulun®r of 1844 buiIt a handsome
Roddy; James L. Farquhar; Asa M. home on the vacant ,0t opposite the
for the West line with Germania
street for the south line. On Jan-
uary 31st, 1844, Congress which was
men for the interest of the whole to joint General Alexander Sdmer- j life, were brave to a fault, talented
'people, nad never be used as an in- veil's Expedition which started from and patriotic upon principle—for thg
strument in the hands of unprinci- the San Antonio river in shadow of j love fo the country and the love of! Lewis; William Jackson; James re8'l'enco of Mrs. Julia R. Simon,
pled and designirj? politicians for the twin towers of the old Mission liberty." On page 115 Green writes Cooper and Joshua Graham as town ^ust outs de the city limits of the
advancement of party purposes.'" j Concepcion, on November 18, 1842. j a host of hreoes who fell in the strug-
A card in^ which Dr. Brenham I At Laredo Somervell issued orders j gle for liberty and enumerates Mi-
offers his professional services to the for the soldiers to return to Gon- j lam, Travis, Grant, Ward, Bowie
commissioners ,of the newly named 100 ori*inal aere8 lived Joe Ralston
place of Brenham, and they* were father of Me88rs. John R. Ralston
authorized to lay out and sell lots in an(' "*oe ^a'at°n)i who had a store in
people of Austin nad vicinity in the zales to be disbanded. Three hun-' Crockett, Brenham, Fitzgerald and the locality donated by the gonerosi- the l,lock where is now the Anthony
Austin City Gazette of date Novem-|dred flatly refused, and went wtils
ber 6, 1839, and continues weekly, Captain William S. Fischer of Wa*=h-
names are frequently spoken, but no j with some interruption, until Septem- ington County to a point opposite
name connected with Brenham, save j ber 30, 1840. In 1841 he treated the Mexican town of Mier. Dr.
that of Dr. Brenham's written often- George W. Kendall, (who wrote the Brenham was one of the three hun-
er or has left a more enduring record j Narative of an Expedition Across dred. At Mier they met defeat at! medicine in every settlement and. for
than has that of Arabella Harring-1 the Great Southwestern Prairies, j the hands of General Pedro Ampudia a young man was very successful.
Fannin.
ty of Farral and Hurt. The act Hott;1: Henry Hi^ins lived at Fire-
When Dr. Brenham lived in Wash- also specified that a majority of all ma'18 1>ar'c w'th James McRea (the
ington County he had many friends, j the votes oast was necessary to grandfather of Mrs. Homer Lamkin)
He was a man of fine education and elect. Mount Vernon, Independence, >®llst acr'p88 the branch from him;
splendid physique. He practiced Turkey Creek and Brenham an- '^obn Tom's home was where the
nounced. At the election neither Herfnann home now is and John
ton. This good woman died April
11, 1860, in the home which she first
built. She is buried 3 miles east
of Brenham in the old Ralston Cem-
etery, and many of her people are
interred beside her. Her grave is
on a beautuifulu hill covered with
bermuda grass, and two stately oaks,
sentinel like, are guarding the mod-
est tombstone which bears the in-
scription, "Arabella Harrington, died
April 11, 1880, aged 92 years."
lffsi-1842—Dr. Richard F. Bren-
hma was a native of Kentucky, and
came to Texas in the 30's. He must
from Texas to Santa Fe) for a badly who had 2000 troops. At the ha-
shattered ankle, and injuries to his | cienda del Salado, beyond Saltlllc,
There is ample evidence that he was
a man of superior mentality. His
town received a majority and anoth-
er election was ordered. Turkey
Creek and Mount Verntm dropped
back' and he and Mr. Kendall were: where their capters had corralled intelligence is evidenced by his pro-'out of the race and left the field
good friends ever afterwards. Mr. , them like sheep, Brenham with others
Keftdall and Dr. Brenham were com-1 made an earnest appeal to his com-
rades during the Santa Fe Expedi- j rades to make a break for liberty
tion, when the former heard of the j He said he was alone in the world,' San Jacinto speech above printed.
Stories otld of his kindness by those
told of his kindness by those who
who knew him are borne out by the
fact that he was a practicing phy-
sician, as men of this profession are,
as a rule, gentle and humane. His
death of the latter among other an unmarried man wi^h no family
he wrote "Thus died Brenham, and. dependent upon him, and would glad-
in him Texas lost one of her bravest. ly lead the charge. This heroic act
and most generous spirits." he helped Captain Cameron, S.'H.
The mental calibre of Dr. Bren- Walker, Willima F. Wilson, Patrick
ham Is unquestionably established Lyons and others accomplish at
by the appendde San Jacinto ad-
dreas which he delivered ih Austin
have arrived at old Waahington-on-, on April 21, 1840. The speech is a
the Brasos, just after the battle of copy from the Austin City Gazette
San Jacinto, for he was a fearless of May 13, 1840.
soldier an) if he- had been here at J • e *
that time his name would undoubt-J That Or. Brenham took some in-
ig the immor- terest in politics ia proven by the they were Anally recaptured Ky the
in that memyfoot that he was a candidate for j Mexicana, and then came the pitiful
K* ••• ...
dawn, and gave his life for hi>
friends February 11, 1843. Before
death occurred Dr. Brenham dia-
armed one Mexican and; kijled on-
other. Brenham wa§ the firat man
shot, the other Texans escaped and
wandered in the mountains until
fession and by the able speech he clear for Brenham and Indepen-
made when he received the flag for dence. After an extremely exciting
the Santa Fe Expedition, and in the race Brenham was victorious by a
majority of three votes. Her suc-
cess she owed to the ability and
masterly management of Hon. J.
D. Giddings, the distinguished father
of Mrs. Heber Stone and the uncle
of Hon. D. C. Giddings >tt that
time J. D. Giddings was district
gallantry and fortitude as a soldier j clerk, and one of the brainiest law-
may be proven by his conduct in thejyers in Texas. In the early history
Santa Fe and Mier Expeditions, and of Brenham, the name of J. O. Gid-
the long imprisonment which he dings stands out with singular prom-
endured in Mexico. Dr. Brenham inende. He did much for th4 town;
has been very appropriately called (his analytical mind solved many
a Mier martyr. (knotty legal problems; hi* kind
1844—Brwjham was >eo named byjhe^rt caused him to help those who
Mr. Jesse Farral in 1844 when he wer ein trouble, and with his whole
• \V *'■:
Brown and Dennis Jlarrell lived
west of him; Mrs. Arabella Har-
rington lived where Mrs. Dawson's
land is. One half mile below Mrs.
Harrington was a corn and grist mill
which Dr. Payne operated when he
wasn't practicing medicine.
The town was sparsely settled, but
soon others attracted by the natural
advantages, cheapness of town lota,
which sold on the corner of the
square for *50.00, with many good
sites at from $8.00 to $26.00, began
to settle here, and Brenham at the
cloae of the 40's and the beginning
of the 60'a had a roster of citi-
sens which included J. D. Giddings
and family; Sam Lusk and family;
D. D. and Mrs. Grumpier; George
B. Cooke and family; Mr. C. F.
Barber and family; Mrs. Jameson
and Mrs. Gray; Mr.
• WJfqj
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Brenham Daily Press. (Brenham, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 103, Ed. 1 Monday, September 1, 1913, newspaper, September 1, 1913; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth232381/m1/1/?rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.