Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-05-22
HOCSTON;S GENEROSITY.
How the Famous Texan Trpated Man
Who Had Settled on Ills Land.

How the Famous Texan Treated Man
Who Had Settled on Ills Land.
Many are the stories told of Sam
Houston, the first president, and after
wards the first representative from
Texas. There was a stretch ofcountry
near Quincy, ILL.,, known as the IN
dian tract" Sam Houston had title
to a great deal of it, a real estate fact
which it would seem many Of the
earlier settlers of that Regional care
less pioneer brood-were unaware of.
One of them came to Richardson,
representative to congress at that time
from the Quincy district, and asked
him if he knew Sam Houston. Rich
ardson said he did, whereupon his
constituent conlided to him that he
inadvertently settled on 160 acres of
Houston's land, and that every dollar
he was worth stood i'll barns, house,
fences and other improvements on the
land. He had just learned, after liv-
ing there eight years, that Houston
had title to it, and that he did not.
He wanted Richardson to see the con-
uuerer of Mexico, and make the best
terms that he could. AS it stood, he
was absolutely at Houston's mercy.
Richardson, on his return to congress,
met Houston, and told him the story.
"And now, Houston, said Richard
son, "the question is, what will you
take and give this friend of mine a
uuit-claim deed t. that 160 acres?"
"What sort of man is this con-
stitutent of yours, who has blundered
upon my land ?" asked Houston.
"Good, square, honest man." replied
Richardson.
"When I turn him off my land"
said Houston, hopefully, II reckon he
!. and his family will be beggars."
"Utterly ruined," responded Rich
ardson.
Houston thought for a moment.
"What's this farm worth now?" he
asked.
improvements and all, about &c.
O0O."
"What was the bare 100 acres worth
when the fellow went on it ?"
About SIS per acre; $500 in ALL"
"Good fellow, this man of yours,
Richardson ?"
"Best in the world"
"Tell him to send me $500, and I'll
make him deed"
In the course of time on came the
S8OOin New York draft. Richardson
sought Houston, who promptly made
a deed, and handed it to Richardson.
Then he took the draft, and, after he
had looked at it moment, turned it
over and endorsed it.
"You say, Richardson, this man of
yours is good fellow?'
"First-class man every way" re-
sponded Richardson.
"Send him back this draft" said
Houston, "and tell him Sam Hous-
toms changed his mind. What can he
buy a good young horse for in that
country, as good saddle horse as you
have out there?"
"Two hundred dollars ought to do
it," said Richardson.
'"Well, then," said Houston, "you
give him back the draft and tell him
to buy frst-class saddle horse, about
four years old, and keep him for me.
When congress adjourns I'll go home
with you, and when 1 get my visit
out, I'll take the horse and ride him
down to Texas"
Richardson complied with the new
arrangement, and the man in Illinois
received back his draft and bought a
saddle horse. Just before adjourn
ment Houston came over to Richard
son.
"That fellow that's got my horse
out in Illinois, you say, is a tiptop
good man?"
"One of the best men in my district"
replied Richardson.
"Well," said Houston with a sigh,
~ would have liked first-rate to have
seen him and also my horse. But I've
got to 70 straight to Texas as affairs
turn out. I'll tell you what to do,
however, when you get home. Go
over and see this man for me and say
to him to sell the horse and do what
he pleases with the money. And, by
the way Richardson, wish you would
write and tell me if it was a good
horse or not"
The curious can read the copy of
Sam Houston's deed to the 160 acres in
the record of the Quincy land office,
says the Washington Star.
nSa They tell it of a member of