The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-10
A HISTORY OF HOUSTON
As Written BY Pupil of the Ham,
ilton Street School.
EARLY DAYS or A PROSPEROUS CITY
How Houston Was Named-OriGin of
street Names - Ftrst Boat-Iiow
Congress Was Brought Here.

Mr.. W. w. Barnett. the principal OF the
Hamilton street school. discovering that
his pupils knew more about the history Q.
Philadelphia and Plymouth than they did
about the home OF their childhood Sc; bis
class TO work collecting data con9crn-
ing the history OF their own home. and the
Following sketch OF the history OF Houston.
prepared by one Of bis pupils. Miss Flor
enoe Swisher. has been selected as the best
submitted.
!. perhaps contains inaccuracies. bu, at
least is interesting. and Professor Barnett
says that the subject is not vet exhausted
and he would be glad to receive any in
formation from any source concerning the
early history O. Houston.
Miss swishers screed is as follows:
Houston was founded by \. c. and J. X
AIen, and incorporated as a city In 1897
me land on which the city was located WAS
a nall league bought from the widow OF
Jonn Austin. The first congress OF the Re
puohc OIL ieSas was then In session at
columbia, on the Brazos river and i, IL
sS1a that by giving the members an IN.
teIeSt IN the new town ami providing
suitable building for a State House tho
capital was moved to this place The new
town was named after General sam Hous.
ton the hero OF san Jacinto. and the p-esi-
leht OF the Republic At d bail given in
nonor OF PRESIDENT Houston and the mem
oers OF congress. tine all-absorbinc topic
OF conversation was what the name Of The
new town should be. The president was
leading Mrs. Allen in the grand march
and She proposed that the town b. given IN;
iuii name, sam Houston" lie said H. OBJ
Je'ien TO the sam. but would compromise
and accept the honor Of it being called
houston. This settled the matter AMI the
new city was thenccforth known as f1us-
ton.
General Houston assisted the Aliens IN
laying of the town. Mr. Allen started
from Buffalo bayou, opposite the mouth O.,
W ute OAK. and going nearly southwest
biazei the trees with his bowie knife. This
they called Main street Using his bfgh
beaver hat for a writing desk he rado a
plat OF the city. The first street on tho west
was named Travis, after the heroic defender
OF the Alamo; the first to the cas-, was
called Fannin. In honor of the brave E,n-
leman who lost his life at Goliad. The
second street 10 the west was named Mi
IAN. after the hero who commanded the
hrSl b1itle Of San Antonio other streets
were named after popular Texans ami
americans. When the city was first laid
of II extended to Smith street on th, wcSt
and 10 Austin on the east, and Texas ave
nue. on the south. Buffalo bayou being the
northern boundary. In addition 20 giving
the Republic the capitol building the Al
lens donated square TO the city for
market. and tn the county square for the
court house and jail. The capitol was stu
atHd whore the Capitol hotel now stands
Tho presidents house was where the t3il
now is on Preston avenue and Caroline
street 1he first church built was the
baptist. whore Ross & WriEht's undertake
Ing establishment now Is. have been nn-
able TO give any reliable Information az 10
the first private school The first public
school under the present eystcm was es-
iablishcd In 1877 AMI the enrolment was
1900. Public schools had existed In Ious-
ton In 1873 ana 1874. Judge Henry Cline
was supervisor Of instruction for the dis
trici, and believe Professor Duyernoy was
principal IT the Houston schools Professor
H. II Smith father Of Hon. Hoke Smith.
late Of President Cleyclands cabinet. was
the first PRINCIPAL under the new refine
and too much credit can not be- given him
in his efforts toward stating the schools
on the way TO their present success. Miss
Brown was the first graduate. graduating
in 1879 she married a Mr. CLARK the
present principal Of Huntsville school The
first mayor was Francis Moore. Jr. lSSS
and again elected in 1913. 1919 1850, 1851
and 1859.
The first newspaper was the Telegraph
started about 1893 aud continuing until
1860 or 1870. with more or less success. The
Post WAS not started until about 1851
While at times it was n good paper, il mc'
with but little success until the present
management took control in 1887.
The first child horn in Houston was Eliza
Allon daughter Of Mrs. \. c. Allen. who
married Mr. Converse. and died few years
ago. The first boat to arrive in Houston