Big
Bend Spotlight:
W.D.
Smithers, Eyewitness to History.
The
Old Big Bend is rapidly disappearing, from early buildings
to old-timers' memories.
All of the area's original ranchers and homesteaders are now
long gone and with them has passed a unique way of life. But
because of the work of William Dudley Smithers, one of Texas'
finest early photographers, some of the old Big Bend way of
life has been preserved for posterity.
For more than fifty years, Smithers traveled extensively throughout
the Big Bend photographing its people, culture and history.
All of the pictures on this page are from two Smithers collections,
at The Harry Ransom Center, UT-Austin and The Museum of the
Big Bend, Sul Ross University at Alpine.
http://www.texashistory.com/
Few
figures in Texas history are as controversial as Sam
Houston.
In his own lifetime, he so dominated Texas affairs that the
political camps were divided into pro and anti Houston factions.
His motives in coming to Texas, his military and political
abilities all have been called into question. Notwithstanding,
he remains someone who cannot be ignored, who cannot be viewed
dispassionately.
Born the same year as Stephen F. Austin, on
March 2, 1793, Houston had already served
in the United States army, had represented Tennessee in the
United States House of Representatives, and had acted as governor
of that state as well. The circumstances leading to his resignation
continue to fire speculation.
He
entered Texas in December 1832 and was immediately swept into
the ferment of political activity. He was a delegate to the
Convention of 1833, the Consultation, and the Convention of
1836. He was appointed major general in the regular army by
the Consultation and was made commander in chief by the Convention
of 1836. Also during this period, he negotiated a treaty with
the Cherokee on February 3, 1836.
The
battle of San Jacinto brought the active war to a close on
April 21, 1836. The capture of president/general Santa Anna
the next day gave Houston the upper hand in negotiating with
the Mexican troops remaining in the country. A few days later,
he was taken to the United States for treatment: his ankle
had been shattered by a Mexican bullet.
Houston
served as president of Texas from October 1836 to December
10, 1838, and from December 13, 1841 to December 9, 1844.
Between terms, he was a representative in Congress for San
Augustine from 1839 to 1841. After annexation in 1845, he
was elected one of the two United States senators by the Texas
legislature. He served in there until 1857.
Sam
Houston ran twice for Texas governor, first in 1857 and, successfully,
in 1859. He thus became the only person so far to serve as
governor of two states. Just as in Tennessee, however, he
resigned the office. The Texas Secession Convention replaced
him with Lt. Governor Edward Clark on March 16, 1861, when
Houston refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederate
States of America. Although he opposed Texas’ withdrawal
from the Union, Houston also refused to use military force
to counter secession.
He
retired to Huntsville in 1862 where he died July 26, 1863.
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/
