The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 54, July 1950 - April, 1951 Page: 221
544 p. : ill., ports., maps. (some col.) ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Notes and Documents
prospectors and settlers, and in 1819 David Long and Captain
Johnson established a trading post there. At that time, the falls
were about two miles southwest of the present falls. The river
changed its course in the middle 186o's.
OTHER EARLY SETTLEMENTS
In 183o, Sterling C. Robertson of Tennessee brought about
two hundred families and established his "Nashville Colony" on
the Brazos River. Some families joined a few people at the falls,
and in 1833 Robertson appointed J. G. W. Pierson to establish a
capital of his colony at the falls. Pierson did so and named it
"Sarahville de Viesca," or "Viesca," for short. The vast area of
the Nashville Colony was named "Viesca District." It was then
a possession of Mexico.
Viesca (the name was later changed to Fort Milam) became
an important outpost of protection for all Texas before, during,
and immediately after the Texas War of Independence. Eventual-
ly, it faded, although the name, Viesca, was preserved for several
years as the name of another community to the south, believed
by some to have been a forerunner of Cedar Springs.
IN THE TEXAS REVOLUTION
Viesca and Viesca District (which became Fort Milam and
Milam District, respectively, late in 1835) sent delegates to the
Consultations of patriots, as they resisted Mexican despotism.
Robertson lived at the falls in early 1836, when, as a delegate,
he attended the memorable Convention at Washington-on-the-
Brazos and became one of the signers of the Declaration of Texas
Independence. That memorable document was written by his
nephew, George C. Childress, also delegate from Viesca District
and a signer.
An Indian raid on a surveying party from the falls intensified
the Runaway Scrape, and the falls were practically deserted, ex-
cept for a few soldiers, who remained on guard.
INDIAN WOES
After victory at San Jacinto, people returned to the falls area
slowly, because of the diabolism of the Indians. When they re-221
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 54, July 1950 - April, 1951, periodical, 1951; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101133/m1/297/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.