This Day In Texas History - February 8

[joe817]

1830 - José Antonio Díaz de León, the last Franciscan missionary in prerepublic Texas, reluctantly complied with the Mexican state government decree that missions be secularized--that is, turned over to diocesan authorities. Díaz de León had been appointed ad interim president of all the Texas missions in 1820, three years before the Mexican government ordered their final secularization. Díaz de León declined to comply without instructions from his superiors in Zacatecas, the first in a series of delays that lasted seven years. Díaz de León surrendered the San Antonio missions to the Diocese of Monterrey in 1824.

1836 - David Crockett and his Tennessee Volunteers answering the call for aid in the fight for Texas Liberty, arrive at the Alamo, just weeks before Santa Anna lays seige to the former Spanish mission. Crockett had just enlisted in the volunteers at Nacogdoches, and received orders to report to the Rio Grande. When he stopped in San Antonio, he and his fellow volunteers learned that Santa Anna was already heading north. Today Crockett, Jim Bowie, Colonel William Travis and over 150 others began to fortify the Alamo against an overwhelming Mexican Army currently camped just South of the Rio Grande.

1850 - The state legislature passed an act providing for the appointment of a special commission to investigate claims to all Spanish and Mexican grants west of the Nueces River. The result was The Bourland and Miller Commission, 1850–1852.

1870, The elected members of the Twelfth Legislature assembled at Austin at the order of the military commander. They were to adopt the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments and select United States senators in preparation for readmission to the Union. They quickly approved the amendments and selected Morgan C. Hamilton for a six-year term and James W. Flanagan for a four-year term. This completed the requirements set by Congress for readmission. Reconstruction was finally coming to an end in Texas.

1887 - "Longhair Jim" Courtright, former town marshall of Fort Worth, was killed in a gunfight with Luke Short at the White Elephant Saloon, and witnessed by Bartholomew (Bat) Masterson. This was one of the most famous gunfights in western history--and, contrary to the movie legends, one of the few face-to-face shootouts. The duel was the first of two events that drew increased hostile attention to the hive of brothels and bars known as heck's Half Acre. The second was the discovery of a murdered prostitute named Sally, two weeks later. Before these violent occurrences, even legitimate businesses had resisted reform of the Acre because of the money it brought in. But the deaths of Courtright and Sally brought renewed and ultimately successful cleanup efforts. [heck's Half Acre was generally located where the Fort Worth Convention center is located extending southward to the east-west freeway, and eastward to the T&P railroad station.]

1894 - 5 time academy award nonimee, King Wallis Vidor was born in Galveston. He was six when the Galveston Storm destroyed his hometown. He became a newsreel freelance photographer. In 1913, Vidor directed his first feature film, "Hurricane in Galveston." The national response to the film launched his directing career which spanned eight decades, a Guiness record. He directed "Stella Dallas", "Fountainhead", "War and Peace" and much of the Kansas sequences for "The Wizard of Oz" (He was never credited).

1910 - A Brewster County grand jury exposed the Progress City swindle. The grand jury, led by well-known cattleman and Sul Ross State University founder Joseph D. Jackson, reported on the Progress City Town Site Company. This bogus organization sold town lots for Progress City, an “imaginary town” situated in the Santiago Mountains about forty miles southeast of Alpine. Unsuspecting buyers across Texas had already purchased more than 1,000 lots for $1.50 each without realizing that the site was along a remote and rugged trail only accessible by horseback. The Progress City Town Site Company consisted of John L. Mauk and Lee R. Davis of Waco, who had gained title to the land from William Poole. The grand jury admitted that prosecution was probably pointless, but did accomplish its goal of exposing the caper while making clear the innocence of the people of Brewster County.

1924 - Charles Reynolds was executed at Huntsville. He was the first to be executed by "Old Sparky", the electric chair. On that day, four others are executed, all for murder.

1963 - Dallas Texans of the AFL announced their move to Kansas City. Lamar Hunt sought an NFL franchise for several years, but was rejected at every turn. He eventually decided to start his own league, the AFL. His Dallas Texans would be one of eight teams when the AFL had it's first draft in 1959.

[WildBill]

1836 - David Crockett and his Tennessee Volunteers answering the call for aid in the fight for Texas Liberty, arrive at the Alamo, just weeks before Santa Anna lays seige to the former Spanish mission. Crockett had just enlisted in the volunteers at Nacogdoches, and received orders to report to the Rio Grande. When he stopped in San Antonio, he and his fellow volunteers learned that Santa Anna was already heading north. Today Crockett, Jim Bowie, Colonel William Travis and over 150 others began to fortify the Alamo against an overwhelming Mexican Army currently camped just South of the Rio Grande.

[joe817]

Thanks W.B.

[joe817]

I know this is kind of late to be posting this, but I just found it.

Letters From The Past: February 8, 1836,

"FANNIN to ROBINSON. To His Excellency J. W. Robinson, and General Council. Mission of Refugio, February 8, seven o'clock, A.M.: May I also urge the limnediate necessity of causing suitable floating bridges, or boats, at private pass-ways, across all streams to the east of Guadaloupe calculated to stop the retreat of our forces, should it be our unfortunate lot to be compelled to make one. This would at the same time secure the easy passage of our reinforcements, provisions, arms &c. &c. It cannot be attended to, too soon, and I doubt not but the patriotic citizens, who have remained at home, will turn out readily and perform the work.

I must also urge upon you the absolute necessity of providing coarse clothing, shoes, &c., for the troops first in the field, and the forwarding forthwith, powder, lead, &c. We have enough for the present force, for a short time, and the rise of 500 new muskets brought down by me from Brazos, which will be distributed to those capable of bearing arms and entering our ranks. I have not yet heard from the Bar, of the arrival of Col. Wharton, but trust I may to-day or to-morrow, and have pilots below in order to bring them up. I have sent forward a reinforcement to San Patricio, to bring off the artillery and order a concentration of the troops at Goliad, and shall make such disposition of my forces as to sustain Bexarand that post, and keep up a communication with the colonies.

In the mean time, I would recommend that some government officer be sent to La Baca, to receive and forward stores, &c., and that point be selected for the present as our principal depot I would also urge the immediate removal of all the artillery from Bexar not requisite to the defence of that post. Such orders have alrady been issued to Colonel Neil, or rather such recommendations, provided he could procure the necessary teams. I now feel authorized to give orders to that effect, and shall forward an express to him this day. In conclusion, let me implore you to lose no time and spare no expense in spreading these tidings throughout Texas, and ordering out the militia "in mass.

" Spare us, in God's name, from elections in camp; organize at home, and march forward in order, and good may result from it. I have barely time to say that an election was holden on yesterday for Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel, and that myself and Major Ward received nearly a unanimous vote. The returns have not yet been handed in, or I should make a report of it. Do let me hear from you often, and know what is doing for us-even though nothing, it is best for our own safety, and the ultimate security of the country, to know it at once, and provide for the exigencies, while we may. Look well to our coast: now is the time to use our small navy, and that to advantage, and unless soon afloat, we ma\ fear the worst. In haste, I have the honour to subscribe myself. with sentiments of high consideration, Your obedient servant, J. W. Fannin, Jr., Col. Com`t."