The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 9, July 1905 - April, 1906 Page: 55
ix, 294 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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A Chapter in the History of Young Territory.
ment which history records was practiced in New Mexico and else-
where under rigid Spanish taskmasters, had its share of the destruc-
tion of the mission. Stephen F. Austin narrates that on one of his
trips to Mexico he was captured by a party of this tribe and released
when they discovered he was an American. There are not want-
ing other instances of this tribe's fidelity to the white settlers in
Texas. They made a treaty with the German Colony of Bettina,
agreeing to vacate Fisher's Grant, lying between the Llano and
San Saba rivers in the heart of their range, which they faithfully
kept, never molesting the colonists in any way.1 But whatever
the cause, the Comanche finally became the Hun of the Texan
frontier-a dread scourge. Their path was marked with gory
victims, while others were torn from their homes by ruthless hands
to endure a captivity worse than death.
The Texas Almanac for 1859 describes the two Indian reserves
as follows:
"This reservation . . . called the Brazos Agency,
contains about eleven hundred souls. . . . On this reserve there
are six hundred acres of land in successful cultivation in wheat
and corn. The mode of culture is the same, or similar to that of
the Americans. The Brazos Reserve Indians have made extraor-
dinary progress in civilization since their settlement in 1853; and
are very honest, trustworthy and industrious. They have a school,
under the charge of Mr. Ellis Combes. Mr. C. reports fifty
scholars in regular attendance; and, judging from the interest
taken in this educational enterprise by the Old Indians, he is in-
clined to the opinion that good results will come of it. On this
Reservation there are several good houses built expressly for the
transaction of all and any business connected with the Indians.
These buildings are situated near the center of the Reserve, in a
very pretty mesquite valley, the approach to which affords a most
lovely and sightly landscape. Capt. S. P. Ross, an old Texan,
and a worthy man, is the Special Agent of the United States Gov-
ernment, in charge of the Brazos Agency. . .. His salary is
$1500 per annum.
"The Comanche Reserve is about sixty miles distant from the
Brazos Agency, and is located on the Clear Fork of the Brazos
River, forty-five miles above its confluence with the Main Brazos.
Their Reserve extends over four leagues of land and contains four
hundred souls-all Comanches, known as the Southern band of1THE QUARTERLY, III 36-39.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 9, July 1905 - April, 1906, periodical, 1906; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101036/m1/59/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.