History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 129

LIITOr O TXA&1I

In 1854 he purchased an interest in and
became co-editor of the Galveston Civilian,
where lie did most of the responsible work,
on account of the absence of the principal
editor. He exhibited such ability that he
was at length elected to the legislature. He
was a talented speaker on the political rostrum,
but in the legislature his speeches were
never over five minutes in length. Next he
w Lis elected mayor of Galveston, where he
gave eminent satisfaction, for two terms, and
again he was returned to the legislature.
Receiving an injury by a fall his health
began to decline, and he changed his occupation
to that of stock-raising, but at length he
again became editor, this time of the Belton
Democrat, and in 1861 he was elected a metnber
of the secession convention, without a
single vote being cast in opposition. During
the war he served on General Ben McCulloch's
staff, and on that of General H. E.
McCulloch, and on account of failing health
he returned home. During these years he
had two surgical operations performed upon
himself.
Next he moved to Mexico, where he was
appointed commissioner of immigration by the
imperial government; in 1866 lie received a
commission to explore the country along the
Panuco river; in the spring of 1869 he visited
Texas and the East in relation to the
purchase of improved arms for the Mexican
government; and in 1870 lie delivered a
hundred addresses in the Northern States in
aid of a reform society in Mexico. He rejoined
his family in Indianola, in January,
1871, and July following he moved to Dallas,
where he has since resided. Here in
1872 he was elected once more to the State
legislature; in 1875 a member of the State
constitutional convention; in 1880-'81 lihe
was revising editor of the "Encyclopedia of

the New West; "' and the three following
years he was alderman, mayor or local judge
in Dallas.
During all this time he has been industriously
writing as an author or compiler. lie
now has prepared two large works for publication:
History of Texas from 1685 to 1892,
in two large volumes, and ,iThe Indian Wars
and Pioneers of Texas." In the latter at
least 3,000 names of early pionee-s, who
largely clothed, fed and in war mounted
themselves for their unpaid services, will appear
to prove that no country was ever settled,
reclaimed, populated and defended by a
braver, more unselfish and patriotic people.
EDUCATIONAL.
Previous to independence Texas had scarcely
any schools worth mentioning. The municipality
of Bejar had supported a school for a
short time, and there had been a private
schooll near Brazoria, with thirty or forty
pupils, supported by subscription, and prinmary
schools at Nacogdoches, San Augustine
and Jonesburg. Those colonists who could
afford the expense sent their children abroad
for education, while the rest, the masses, did
not care for education.
As soon as Texas declared her independence
of Mexico, she declared in her constitution
the necessity of a school system. In
1839 the congress of the new republic assigned
three leagues of land to each organized
county, and in the following year an
additional league, for the purpose of establishing
primary schools. At the same time
fifty leagues were devoted to the establishment
of two colleges or universities, to be
thereafter created. In February, 1840, a
law was passed making the chief justice of
etch county, with the two associate justices,

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HISTO~r F TEXAS

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