San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-06-29

aucNuhochh, Jhch hhyn, anu othcf saiihht
spirits, who for SO many years gave pfoiee-
ton 10 the pioneer settlements Of the west,
Let us cherish their memory and
hand their deeds of valor down from
generation TO generation, so that their
memory in the hearts of the people may be
more enduring than monuments of marble,
visited this place first in June 1916. We
came up from Gonzales county, by way Of
Seguin. There was not habitation then,
this side Of the neighborhood of Seguin.
There was not one then that now remem-
Der of in all this section of country. I
thought then that the country between here
and Seguin and this country about here
was the the prettiest had ever seen. The
country south and west of here was one vast
prairie with here and there live oak or
mesquite tree no mesquite thickets AZ you
see now, the annual burnings kept them
down.
Capt. Harry E. Nc Culloch with his COM
pany Of Texas Rangers were stationed near
the head of the San Marcos, was too young
for soldier then, but came up with my
father and three brothers who were members
of the company.
This company was afterward mustered in
to the service for three years or during the
war that was then going on between the
United States and Mexico, and attached to
Col, John G. Hays regiment of Texas rang
ers. McCulloch's company did not accom-
pany Col Hays to Mexico, but was kept
here to guard our exposed frontier from In
dams. Henry McCulloch had won a fine
reputation as On Indian fighter, and the peo-
pie felt safe with McCulloch and his rangers
between them and the redskins.
Their camp when visited them was loca-
ted about where Mr.. Wren's residence now
tan DIS, and they kept scouts out in tn
direction of Austin and San Antonio, all the
time.
think it was some time in the year 1847
that the Indians made raid into the upper
end of this county, and on their trip came
across party of surveyors on Little Blanco
and killed three of them. They were bur-
ried in one grave by my father and other
members of the company, by the road side,
two miles this side of Little Blanco, and
pile of stone now marks the spot of their
last resting place.
know of but one member of that COM
pany now living in this county, that one is
w. w. Moon. He has lived in this county
ever since. w. M. Hamlin, formerly of this
county, was a member of the company.
The general government was not taxed very
heavily to supply meat for these rangers;
there was an abundance of game then, and
the beautiful San Marcos abounded with the
finest of fish.
Before the mill was built above town. the
San Marcos was the most lovely stream
ever beheld. There is a large boil in the
middle of the stream just below the head;
which shoots up with great force, and at
that time rose up considerably above the
surface. The rangers used to swim across
it and try to sink their bodies in it, but the
back water from the dam has spoiled its
beauty.
This mill was built for General Ed Bur-
Lesson, by our townsman, Mr.. Eel, and
others.
A writer speaks thus of our river: 'No
description of west Texas would be complete
that failed to speak of the San Marcos river,
but more especially of that marvellous spring
which constitutes its source. The river
bursts from the base of a wooded hill. some
two hundred feet high, from the solid rock,
gushing with life.
A short distance from its source begins a
rapid fall, and here the little river rushes
madly away among moses and cress, and
water-lillies; sweeping along by bending
willows, old live oaks-hoary with moss
humming a wheel here and there, with
power to turn hundred more, and beauti-
flying the landscape wherever it flows. Yon-
der, one-half mile away, stands little CITY,
that before long will need water supply
and this is the source from whence it can be
easily procured. And the power of this
young giant! He who shall tame him to the
prosaic work of turning wheels, spinning
the cotton of the valleys, and the wool of
the hills, grinding the corn and wheat that
grow in the region round about, shall he
not grow rich and prosper exceedingly?
Our county was organized out of Travis
county territory, in the year 1S4S, with II.
Chatham as the first Chief Justice; c..
Erhard, County Clerk; John Kirby, Sheriff;
w w. Moore. Constable: and VIM. Owens