Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas Page: 253 of 894
762 p., [172] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 30 cm.View a full description of this book.
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INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
225
HON. JOHN CALDWELL,
BASTROP.The Anglo-American settlement of Texas, the
revolution that followed and the establishment of a
separate republic and its merger into the sisterhood
of States that compose the Union, offered unexampled
opportunities for the exercise of the purest
patriotism, the most intrepid bravery and the highest
mental endowments in the line of statecraft.
Nor were the men wanting to fill the various roles
required to meet the necessities of those stormy and
trying days.
Few States, formed in either ancient or modern
times, can boast a galaxy of greater names, in the
same period of time, than those which adorn the
pages of the early history of Texas.
The subject of this memoir, Hon. John Caldwell,
moved among the leading spirits of his day.
He came to Texas from North Alabama in 1831,
as a member of a considerable company of people
who came at the same time from the same locality.
He brought with him a young wife, whose maiden
name was Lucinda Haynie, and settled on the
Navidad, where he developed a farm and resided
until 1834 when he removed to Bastrop County,
ever after his home. He was born at Frankfort,
Ky., December 10, 1802, was the oldest of six
children and was sixteen years of age at the
time of the death of his father, Mr. Adam Caldwell,
which occurred at Nashville, Tenn., July 12,
1819. The support of the family and the education
of the younger children thereupon devolved upon
him, and he met the responsibilities of the situation
with that firmness and devotion to duty that were
among his distinguishing characteristics in maturer
years.
The family after Mr. Adam Caldwell's death
located and lived at Nashville, Tenn., for a number
of years.
Adam Caldwell was a professional man and his son
doubtless inherited from him a love for books and
study, for he applied himself with great diligence
to the study of law while supporting the family and
was admitted to the bar at Nashville, when twentyone
years of age. Subsequently the family moved
from Tennessee to North Alabama and located at
Tuscumbia. There John Caldwell lived and practiced
his profession with marked success until
1831, the year that he came to Texas. He brought
five slaves with him, one of whom, Melinda Pryor,
is now living in Austin, Texas, at an advanced age.
15He at one time owned a large number of slaves.
These he treated with uniform kindness, never
selling one of them to any other master or inflicting
upon them undue discipline. Upon coming to
Texas he relinquished the practice of law and devoted
himself thereafter to agricultural pursuits.
His home in Bastrop County was located on the
Colorado river, about twelve miles from the present
town of Bastrop (then known as Mina) where he
engaged extensively in farming, developed a handsome
estate and reared his family.
The Caldwell mansion was known throughout
Central and Western Texas as the "I White House "
and the home of one of Texas' most intelligent,
courtly and chivalric gentlemen. Spacious in size
and with hospitable doors always open, it was a
popular stopping-place for men prominent in
military and civil affairs. Here Houston, Henderson,
Rusk, Williamson, Wharton, Archer, Burnet
and their compeers delighted to tarry over
night when traveling through the country, and
discuss issues pending before the people and consult
the cool and reliable judgment of their
esteemed host and friend.
The present Caldwell family of four sons and
two daughters were all born here and as they advanced
in years the " White House " was made the
scene of many delightful social events.
Col. Caldwell enjoyed the unbounded and uniform
confidence of the people of his locality and,
as he became known, of the entire Republic and
State as well. He was an active and prominent
participant in the events that led up to the Texas
revolution, was one of the first to respond to the
call to arms that followed the affair at Gonzales,
and was one of the most ardent of those who
advocated the issuance of a declaration of independence.
From the beginning he deprecated the
policy of fighting for the restoration of the Mexican
constitution of 1824, which Santa Anna had
trampled in blood and dust and bayoneted to
death on the plains of Zacatecas. He clearly perceived
that the Anglo-Americans of Texas had
nothing to expect from the Mexican government or
people under any circumstances and that, even If
with the co-operation of the Liberal party in
Mexico Santa Anna could be overthrown, the
Federal constitution of 1824 restored and Texas
allowed a separate State government, the battle
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Brown, John Henry. Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas, book, 1880~; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6725/m1/253/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .