San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-11-12
WAYNE COUNTY. INDIANA, AND
TEXAS.
Some Early Connecting Links Between
| Them.


Them.
rFrom the Richmond Qnd.) Telegram
I have for some months occasion
ally thought of writing the Telegram
and through it my many kindly re
membered friends in eastern Indiana
q letter; but amid q multiplicity o
other engagements, it has gone over
I will now try to carry out my pur
pose, but it will have to be hastil,
written.
It is rather remarkable fact tha'
one can scarcely visit any part OF oul
broad country without meeting some
one he has known before, or who il
a "mutual friend" or acquaintance OF
others we'll known. Even in these
ends of the earth I have been sur
prised to find how frequently some
body or something has turned up to
suggest old times and the distant
scenes of my native land. For in
stance, I had been here but few
months, when I was surprised by q
call from the late Lieut.. Gentry, so
we'll known to me at Centreville, on
route to his then post of duty some
where on our Texas frontier. Again,
1 found an old man residing here,
named James Faris, who had worked
on the old National bridge on its orr
ginal construction at Richmond, and
afterwards, by queer coincidence,
resided in Cedar county, Iowa, an
adjoining county to Linn, where l,
at the same time, resided. These, by
the way-but I have some more i'm
portant illustrations, which suggested
the idea of writing to the Telegram.
The earliest connecting link be.
tween our part of Indiana and Texas
which has come to my knowledge, is
to be found in the case of Charles d.
Raymond subsequently Rev. Chas.
HI. Raymond-longa a resident OF Cam
badge City and Indianapolis, latterly
of Richmond and now of Washington
City. He went from the latter place
to Texas while she was yet republic,
and begahHe Disy: Ivy sNsctice of law. l
have heard that he became member
of the Texas Congress, but have been
unable to find list of the members
by which to verify the statement. He
was. however, Secretary of Legation
at Washington during Gen. Houston's
second term as President, and pend
ing annexation. I find an extract
from letter of his at this period in
Yoakum's History of Texas. He was
active in fixing the terms of annexa-
ton, but I believe did not afterward
return to Texas.
In my boyhood I had often heard
of Royal T. Wheeler, who taught a
term or two in the Wayne County
Seminary at Centreville, and edited
the Western Times, the village news
paper. He was young lawyer or
law student from New England, who,
after q short sojourn in Ohio, stop
ped for some time in Centreville, and
made warm friends through his tai
ents and amiability of character. He
went from there to Arkansas, where
be entered upon the practice of his
profession, and married a wealthy lady
If a highly respected family. Thence
he came to Texas at an early period
n her history, and after probation
If successful practice, was chosen,
while yet young man, Chief Justice
If the State. Prosperity attended
,im until the war of secession, when
"sea of troubles " engulfed him. 1t
appears there was a taint of insanity
n his wife's family, and she became
insane. His daughter, too, beauti-
ul and accomplished young lady, the
,elle of Austin, was stricken in the
anne way, and only a few months
ince saw her in the State Lunatic ,
Asylum, her mind complete wreck.
Judge Wheeler committed suicide by |
himself soon after the war. !
His domestic troubles would seem to {
ave been sufficient cause, but Judge 2
oaschal, q Republican, who reportedf
he decisions of Wheeler's court, at |
ributes the act to the loss of his for
une in the war, to his horror of the |
contest, and the conviction G
hat, in spite OF his thorough commit /
al to secession, he was an object OF '
.istrust because of his Northern birth
nd training. 1t was certainly most \
position for one who was i
cared New England Wing. He v
rs q son. also named Royal L. 2
Wheeler, who resides in Galveston.
Ie is a lawyer Of respectable ability.
ut, 1 am told, suffers from q con-
tant dread OF insanity. Judge
Wheeler ranked very high asa lawyer
nd iurist His life affords mostre- n
variable example Of brilliant success 4
own TO its meridian, followed thence b
, its close by the direst sorrow and n
isaster.
Judge Vim. ID. Wood, now a promi- g
emit resident of this place, Is another L
otable Wayne county man He was 81
orn in North Carolina, but came TO q
1diana when only four years OF age.
e is a son Of Isaac T. Wood, who a
nee represented Randolph county g
the Legislature, and also resided 81
II some time in your city Judge 81
Yood went 10 school at Arba, and AZ Of
rwards attended the state university ct
Bloomington for a year. HeIsr re- b
ted 10 the Horn family Of Wayne
ID Randolph COUNTIES He stalled Of
y under JUICE Jere- Smith, Of Win te
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