Sibley, Marilyn M

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East Texas Historical JournalVolume 5 | Issue 2 Article 910-1967Texas in 1822: A Few ObservationsMarilyn M. SibleyFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ethjPart of the United States History CommonsTell us how this article helped you.This Article is brought to you for free and open access by SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in East Texas Historical Journal by anauthorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact cdsscholarworks@sfasu.edu.Recommended CitationSibley, Marilyn M. (1967) "Texas in 1822: A Few Observations," East Texas Historical Journal: Vol. 5: Iss. 2, Article 9.Available at: http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ethj/vol5/iss2/9112 East Texas Historical JournalTEXAS IN 1822: A FEW OBSERVATIONSedited byMARlLYN MCADAMS SlBLEYA man identified only as J. C. L. wrote to the American Farmer on Decem-ber 10, 1822, telling some of his observations made in Texas the previous sum-mer.1 Although the letter gives few clues to the 'writer's identity, he wasprobably James Chambers Ludlow, son of Israel Ludlo\\', a prominent landspeculator who helped found Cincinnati, Ohio, and for whom the town ofLudlow, Kentucky was named. Israel, a surveyor, had built Ludlow Station,now in Cincinnati, as a frontier outpost about 1795. He brought his bride,Charlotte Chambers, there in 1797, and the following year their son, JamesChambers, was born.)According to a brief biographical sketch, James Chambers Ludlow wassix feet three inches tall, well educated for his time, and spent his youthin the wilderness among Indians and wild beasts.J Other sources show thathe was in Franklin, Missouri, in 1820-1821 at the time Moses and StephenFuller Austin were in that area planning their Texas venture. By the springof 1822 Ludlow was back in Cincinnati and closely associated with his kins-man, Nicholas Clopper, who was making plans to join the Austin colony.Clopper and a party of family and close friends left Cincinnati on April 9,1822, and traveled by water to the Texas coast. It was their understandingthat another family group would follow them! The unidentified J .. C. L.arrived in Texas in the same season as the Cloppers, traveled by the samemeans, and concentrated his efforts on the same area. Be explored Mata-gorda Bay, which he knew by the older name of San Bernardo, visitedGalveston Bay, and made some interesting observations about the CoushattaIndians along the Trinity River. James Chambers Ludlow definitely accom-panied Clopper on a journey to Texas in 1826/ and in August of that yearjoined four other men in petitioning Stephen F. Austin to found a town onMatagorda Bay. As Ludlow was described then as having "explored thecountry,'"' it seems likely that he also accompanied Clopper on the 1822 tripand was the J. C. L. who wrote to the American Farmer.After the 1826 visit Ludlow lost interest in Texas, possibly because hehad suffered severely from the fevers endemic to the Gulf coast during thesummer. Thereafter, although he held Texas lands until his death, his careercentered at Cincinnati. where he had inherited considerable property andhad become prominent in business and civic circles. In 1832 he built theHall of Free Discussion, better known as Ludlow Hall, and dedicated itlito the interest of education, literature, and religion." About the same timehe became a leader in the abolitionist movement in Ohio, serving as presi·dent of the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society and encouraging James G. Birney inthe publication of the Philanthropist. Ludlow's fervor for abolition made himunpopular in some circles. Once he was publicly warned that his activityEast Texas Historical Journal 118was hurting his city, and again, when a mob destroyed Birney's printingpress, he feared that his home would also be attacked}Ludlow married Josephine C. Dunlop, and was the father of eight chil-dren, five daughters and three sons, the last of whom was born the yearbefore his death on August 15, 1841. A few years after his death, his eldestdaughter, Sarah Bella, married Salmon P. Chase, another leader in theOhio abolitionist movement and later a prominent member of AbrahamLincolnJs cabinet.'U J. C. L. was indeed James Chambers Ludlow, the following letter is aninteresting memento of his years in the wilderness before he became aprosperous businessman and a crusader against slavery.To the Editor of the American Farmer:Montague, Dee. 10, 1822VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL PRODUCTIONS OF TEXAS.Dear Sir,-Having perused with considerable interest, a few numbers ofyour valuable paper, it induces me to send you SOme observations madeduring an excursion to the Southward, last summer. Parts of the monthsof May, June and July, I was exploring the Province of Texas, where Iobserved a variety of new (to me) vegetable productions; and many others,with which I was acquainted-but, the luxuriant difference of their growth,owing to the more congenial temperature of the Texas atmosphere, PI'O-duced so astonishing a change, as afforded me almost as much gratificationas the discovery of a new species. I particularly remarked the prickly pear,which grows abundantly, bordering the coast of the Gulph, and around thebay of St. Bernards [Bernardo] [Matagorda].' One stalk I measured, wasfour and a half feet in height; a staunch trunk, apparently formed of theleaves. but grown thick and strong in the requisite proportion, to supportthe new productions that projected from around it in great numbers; someof which, were quite 12 inches, on the middle leaves or branches. Blossomswere putting forth, one of which appeared to have arrived at maturity,measured about 4 inches in length. A Mr. Vance, with whom I conversed,and who had spent the last six Or eight years in the different provinces ofMexico, infonned me that ill..- Province (where he con-templated spending the remainder of his life,) it arrived to much greaterperfection than in Texas--so much SOJ that he intended trying the experi-ment of enclosing his fields with it by digging a small trench, and settingthe largest and most flourishing leaves with their edges in contact witheach other. He felt satisfied, that in less than three years, it would fonn abarriel' impregnable to either man or beast; and from the growths I saw, Ihave full faith in the correctness of his theory.Bordering the streams, I observed a great variety of grapes. One species,on the last of May, were about the size of the Madeira grape, although itwas quite a month previous to their ripenjng--consequently, I could formno opinion of their quality. I am satisfied they do not partake of the Foxspecies, the vine and leaf being quite different. Another production of the114 East Texas Historical Juurnalcountry, which I much admired, was the running rose. (1 believe it is alsoa native of Louisiana.) It blooms early in the season, producing a blossomvery similar to the Burgundy rose; but its running is the most astonishingquality relative to it. One stalk I saw, was quite 30 feet in length. Manyof the inhabitants of Louisiana have them planted at one comer of theirdwelling, and by being careful to nail them up as their length increases,they will in time have a living wreath around their residence; which, whenin bloom., forms a most beautiful appearance.In my excursions through the country, I visited several tribes of Indians.Some of them appear to have many of the habits and customs of civilizedlife-for instance, their living in well built cabins, cultivating the soil,rearing cattIe, and horses, etc. etc. On visiting the Conchetta [Coushatta]tribe," residing on the waters of the Trinity, I was much astonished toobserve some customs among them. which appear to me to be of a religiousorigin. The green com dance, or, feast of the tirst fruits, appears very similarto some of the laws and regulations resembling Jews"-and the respectwith which the custom is venerated, and the tenacity with which they adhereto all the minutiae of its forms, will be proven by the following occurrence:After traversing for some days through a region destitute of inhabitants,either aborigines or emigrants, I arrived at an Indian habitation, and withgreat pleasure, observed a field of corn adjoining the hut, which appearedto be just in perfection for eating. After the usual introduction of shakinghands, and a few enquiries relative to my further route. I made applicationfor the purchase of some new corn, although I observed the squaws preparinga dish of fish and beans to set before me. yet being a great lover of youngcorn. and it so great a rarity. I persevered in my application, and whichappeared to produce some weighty consultation. Not before j.aving anydifficulty in conveying my ideas, which were all by signs, I concluded theywere either very stupid, or were determined not to understand me-but toplace the matter beyond being misunderstood, I tore an ear from its stalkand laid down some silver, and desired six ears for it. A boy, after somehesitation, was despatched for them. I directly placed one by their fire toroast, which was immediately opposed by the whole family, with somewarmth. It then struck me, there was some superstitious reaSOn for opposingit. I desisted, but taking some fire with me for the purpose of forming onenear the door, (where there was abundance of fuel,) but in that I was againdisappointed-the same objection was raised as before. I was then handedsome spunk, steel and flint, to strike tire for myself-the day then wasfast declining, and wishing to reach the village six miles further, I declinedtheir offer, and after partaking of their beans and making some presents tothe boys, I departed, and reached the town previous to sun down; where wewere kindly received. I was pleased to find one of the natives, who spoke alittle bad English. The king, and a number of others assembled on seeingus arrive, and we were solicited to partake of whatever they had-but deter-mining not to burden them. as their provision was scarce, I directed mycomrade to prepare supper; and the COrn which had been brought on, wasaccordingly prodUced for the purpose of cooking-J observed it producedthe same agitation and excitement. as at the place where we procured it.After some private talk among themselves, the one who spoke English,••,East Texas Historical Journal 115came forward with a request from the king, that the corn would not beeaten in their village then; that it was an established custom among them,(and deemed almost sacrilegious to act otherwise)-not to eat their newcorn, until the "CORN DANCE" was over. The third ensuing day it was totake place, and would continue two, three, Or four days, according to thedetermination of the heads of the tribe, when assembled. Contemplating toremain two days among them to rest our horses, we thought it best policyto comply with their request.On a water excursion in the Bay of St. Bernard, [Bernardo] [Lavaca]I saw several singular animals, somewhat resembling the fresh water softshell Turtles, from 12 to 30 inches diameter. Being ignorant of their dan-gerous qualities. I attempted to seize several by the tails, and was some timewithin an inch of succeeding j on relating this circumstance when I retu.rnedon board the ship, Dr. -., who had been a resident some time onthe coast, informed me. I might thank my stars I did not succeed in graJrpiing one j that they possessed a poisonous quality, by inflicting a woundwith the tail, which produced almost instantaneous death. but with the mostexcruciating pain. He had been witness of its effects but a short time pre-vious, in the person of a young stranger; the wound was inflicted in thepalm of the hand, which appeared to affect the system similar to the biteof the Rattle snake, but was more rapid and certain in its progress. It isof the species called stinging Bat, vulgarly called the 'Sting-a-Ree: I didnot put full faith in the Doctor's statement, until it was confirmed by indis-putable authority, and then, rest assured, I felt very grateful for my escape.Their appearance in water is similar, at a little distance (as before stated)to the Turtle. On a nearer view, the head and its posteriors resemble theBat with extended wings. On moving through the water, they wave thesides of their apparent shells, which propels them through the water, togetherwith the aid of three feet; the tails appear to be about one third of thelength of the body, near the root of which, project the stings resembling cockspurs, and very brittle; decreasing in length to the termination of the tail.'JWhen the wound is infticted the sting breaks off, leaving the broken part inthe wound. This latter account is on the authority of others.Yours respectfully,J. C. L.NOTESIBis letter appeared in American Farmer, IV (February 14.. 1823). 375.~Edward N. Clopper, An American Family (Cincinnati: 1950), 30, 422.lBionraphical Encyclopaedia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century (Cincinnatiand Philadelphia: 1876),488.4Clopper, American Family, 98, 104.'Ibid., 128-130.'Eugene C. Barker (ed.), The Austin Papers (3 vols., Washington, D.C.:American Historical Association, 1919-1922; and Austin: 1926), II, 1395-1397, 1436.116 East Tezas Hiatorical Journal7Clopper, American Family, 279-280 i and Betty FJadeJand, Janle8 GillespieBirney: Slaveholder to Abolitionist (Ithaca, N.Y.: 1955), 138 .'Clopper. American FamilJ/, 340, 332 i Biographical Encyclopaedia 0/Ohio, 488.'The old Spanish name of San Bemardo originally referred to a coastalarea but later applied more specifically to Lavaca Bay. Walter P. Webb(ed), Ths Handbook 01 Texas (2 vols.; Austin: 1952), II. 548-549.*I'he Coushatta Indians followed the closely related Alabamas to Texasfrom the Southern United States in the early nineteenth century, settlingon the banks of the Trinity River. The Alabama-Coushattas now occupy anIndian reservation in Polk County, the only such reservation in Texas.Ibid., I, 19-21. J. C. L. was following the old Indian trail that led from themouth of the Trinity River to Nacogdoches and which became known asthe Alabama Trace in the first quarter of the nineteenth century.lIThe idea that the American Indians were related to the Jews was afavorite one of some nineteenth-century writers. For example, see HenryKer, T",avels through the Western Interior of the United States . .. (Eliza-bethtown, N.Y.: privately printed, 1816).11J. C. L. gives a good description of the stingray, of the family DaSYlJrtidae, that is still a hazard to bathers along the Gulf coast from Floridato Texas. Although the sting is not as invariably fatal as he implies, it isextremely painful and is as dangerous as the bite of a poisonous snake.That he was unfamiliar with the stingray indicates that he was not at allfamiliar with the Southern Gulf coast region.

Texas in 1822: A Few Observations

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Texas in 1822: A Few Observations

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