The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-12
SAM HOUSTON'S HOME.
a Pistol Ball to Mark His Height in
the Board Partition.

the Board Partition.
LEXINGTON, VA. Jan. 10-Special.-
while SO much is being said of late as
to the life and character of General Sam.
Houston. see nothing III regard to the
place of his nativity Of early years.
According 10 Notwithstanding Pc
1iod of forty years-it 1" supposed that
Your humble subscriber and Sam houS-
ton, afterwards Of Texas fame, were born
and parity reared in the same house. l
was born in 1887 i'll what was then known
as the old Houston House." which was
a story and a half cottage. with little
dCllner windows, and stood near the OLD
stone church at Timber Ridge. This
place vas purchased from the Aoustons
by my grandfather, John knnear, and
in the distribution of his estate it Tell TO
his daughter, Eliza, who was my MOTH
er. This house was torn away in 1866 and
a tsumstaniial brick structure was reared
on the site.
The house referred to must have been
a very old one. The Notwithstanding
made of the most durable yellow poplar
had been WON to the thnness OF 3aste-
board: all the nails used in its construc-
ton seemed to have been made by hand,
even to the lathing nails, as the heads
were very large and Irregular. There was
a thin partition running through the
house OF poplar plank. tongue and groove.
the tongue being beveled back July one
and half inches.
This Same tradition, spanning the
period from 11ouston's birth to my own
exactly forty years-speaks OF one OF
his eccentricities. He was said to be
very tall youth, and in order TO leave an
indilible mark Of his height, on enc oc-
casion he stood with his back against
tie partition and sent a pistol ball
through it just above his head. I remem-
Der my, father telling me this little incident
in Houston's life. and hold .nS me UP Wlhen
a small tot to stick my finger through
the hole.
This hole was a familiar mark to me
during my early life. l well remember
strangers from a distance calling to eX-
anime this traditional! mark. II N1rs.
Houston moved with her nine year old
son TO Tennessee, where he figured so
prominently at governor and so on. how
could he have left this mark showing
him to lie six feet four inchss if he never
returned to Virginia?
1T know nothing of his subsequent life
except what have CLEANED from recent
articles in the pcwsDaners.
The above information was Furnished
by Mr. John "A. Thompson. who lives in
the hou: c that was erected on the site
Of the home In WHICH SAM houston
was born. Mr.. Thon.ps"n's father was
Rev. Horatio Thompson, D. D., an emil
nent preacher of his day. who d:ci in 1881.
For torty-one years. until his death. he
was a trustee of Washington College. at
forwards Washington and Lee University.
1t was his suggestion. after The death OF
the president of the college. Cen
eral Robert E. Lee, that the name
be changed TO Washington and
Lee University. He also was the first
to name General G. ". Gusts Lee for
president of the University to succeed his
father
Timber Ridge. the birth place of sam.
Houston, is situated SIX miles north of
Lexington Here the earliest settlements
s.:ere made in what is now Rockbr!ige
county. The hrst church in all this SEC
tea. erected IN l756 Of stone, IS still stand-5
ar: and Is. regularly used as place of
worship. Here also was located In 1s7f
~ .t'>erty Hall Academy the outgrowth
of The Augusta Academy" which was
ESTABLISHED In 1913 in Augusta county, and
which gradually developed into Washing-
ton aud Lee University at Lexington,
Until q few years ago the chimney OF the
old Liberty: Hall: Academy. stood Just
In front of where Sam Houston was