WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1831-1836
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Rolls, General Land Office of Texas), and for bravery and distinguished service during this siege he was offered an appointment as captain of cavalry. He declined the appointment, but went at once--chiefly at his own expense-to New Orleans, where he spent the winter and spring of 1836 raising men, arms, and provisions for the Texas army. In May, 1836, he bought the Mississippi river steamer, the Ocean, and under the authority of the Texas government, brought the men and supplies he had raised to Texas. In 1836, he was elected from Harrisburg, to the Senate of the Texas Congress, and was reelected for the next term to the same position. For his zeal in preventing schemes of a wild-cat banking concern at Natchez, Mississippi from perpetrating a swindle on the Texas government, he came to be known as "Honest Bob." He was widely known in Texas. He assisted the Allen brothers in their negotiation to acquire the title to the league of land from Mrs. T. F. L. Parrott on which the city of Houston stands. For this service he was given a tenth interest in the town site; but he sold out his interest before the property had become really valuable; nevertheless, he identified himself with the city of Houston and lived there until his death. On May 25, 1856, in the sixty-third year of his age, Robert Wilson died, and was buried in a family burial ground at Houston; afterwards, his body was removed to Glenwood Cemetery at Houston. His wife had died in 1823, at Natchez, Mississippi, soon after the family had moved there. There were two sons, John R. Wilson who died in 1855 at Houston, and James Theodore Wilson who survived his father. See History of Texas with B-iographical Histo,·ics of the Cities of Houston and Ga.lveston (Lewis Publishing Company, 1895), 438-442; Galveston News, August 25, 1861; Robert Wilson to W. B. 'l'ravis, June 9, 1835, Franklin Papers, The University of Texas Library; Thrall, A Pictorial History of Texas, 635; Wortham, A Histo1-y of Texas, II, 47; W. C. Binkley, Official Correspondence of the Texan Revolution, II, 830.
To COLONEL I. B. MANNY 1
Washington, Texas, 1st January, 1836.
Col. Manny Dear Sir: Allow me to introduce my friend Captain Allen of the 1st Infy of Texas. He is a soldier tried, and you will find him a gentleman. I pray you that you will extend him the kind civilities of a friend of mine. Capt. A - is on his way to Orleans to see our friends. May you live long and be happy- Your friend Sam Houston To Colonel I. B. Manny [Addressed] : To Colonel I. B. Manny, Fort Jesup Louisiana by Capt. Allen. 1 From the collection of Mr. W. A. Philpott, Jr., Dallas, Texas.
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