Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-03-02

DEPENDENCE
seventy-eisht Years Ago the Independ
ence Of Texas Was Declared at
Old Washington on the erazos.

pendence Day and is celebrated every
where as a holiday. On March 2, 1896.
the independence of Texas from Next
co was declared by the Texas Con-
gress at old Washington on the Bra
EOS, at that time the capital of the
State. The following from the pen OF
George Tucker, for many years
newspaper man of Brennan. now edi-
tor of the Taylor Daily Press, is an
interesting bit of Texas history which
all will enjoy:
! March 2 is Independent Day, day
that has special significance in Wash
ington County. for 1t was at old wash
ington, on the Brazos, that the Decla-
ration of Texas Independence was pro-
mulgated. 1t was there on the I'd OF
March, 1886, that he patriots assem-
bled, submitted the constitution that
freed Texas from Mexican tyranns
and made Washington County the
home of Texas liberty, the cradle OF
Texas independence.
, Washington, now only wide place
in the road, was then one of the most
important cities in Texas and the town
of Brennan was not on the map.
Reverting to the significance of In
dependence Day to Washington Coun-
ty, Washington was one OF those self
satisfied towns, content with its nat
ural advantages, and refused indig-
nantly to put up bonus for the pro-
posed road from Harrisburg to Austin,
feeling assured that it's Importance
would make the projectors go by
Washington. But they didn't, and its
business dwindled from town of at
one time 1000 people to wide place
in the road.
Deserted and desolate, with only an
occasional landmark of the early set
Element of the place, stands this old
town, where seventy-seven years ago
met the historic convention that pro-
mulgated the Declaration of Texas In
dependence.
The sixty-eight delegates that at
tended that convention and promulgat-
ed constitution that received It's
baptism of blood on San Jacinto field,
on April 81, the same year, changing
the boundary line of Nation, are
matters of history well known to ey-
cry school child OF Texas, but the his
tory of the old town of Washington
holds a peculiar interest and should
be preserved.
Old Washington was established
prior to the declaration OF Texas in
dependence year or more. Andrew
Robinson on May 90, 1881, making
deed to half of his league of land to
his daughter, Batsy or Martha, and
her husband, John w. Hall, the con-
sideration being that Hall and his wife
should care for the grantor during his
life. In April, 1885, Robinson trans
ferred the remaining half to John w.
Hall for a consideration of $500. On
March "a, 1886, Hall sold to Asa
Hoxey, Thomas Gay and Miller K
Somerville an undivided three-fourths
interest in a tract including the town
of Washington. Later these gentle
men formed an association for the
purpose of booming the town and put
ting on town lot sale. Hall was
made secretary of the association, Civ
en- power of attorney, and he disposed
OF a large number of town lot certifi-
Gates, selling in twelve months ST.
902.35 worth. The work of building
the town was at once commenced.
The capital of the Republic was
later estaplished there, and Congress
assembled there after the battle of
San Jacinto.
The town was first visited by white
men in 1922, and the first settlers were
some of Austins 800 colonists.
In the vicinity of Washington was
a river crossing that was used in
edTlleT lllltS ny llle opdhidiuo' shCAi-
cans and Indians, who crossed there
going north and south, and the course
of the old road could be traced many
years after the occupation of the coun-
try by white men. This road was said
to have been laid out by the Spaniards
, in 1859, extending from Matamoros to
the Sabine. 1t crossed the San An
tonic river at the old Mexican town
OF Goliad, thence by way of Victoria,
crossing the Colorado at the present
town OF LAGRANGE, thence by the old
Cole settlement, in the present County
of Washington, crossing the Brazos at
the bend about a mile below the town
of old Washington. 1t crossed the
Trinity at Robinson's Ferry, then to
Nacogdoches and thence into Louisi-
ana by way of Gaines crossing, then
known as Gaines Ferry.
Washington was the capital of the
Republic in 1886, and the Constitu-
tional Convention was called to meet
there on March I, to take into con-
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