WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1843
268
To THE TEXAS SENATE 1 Executive Department, Washington, January 6, 1843.
To the Honorable, the Senate: I herewith respectfully submit for the constitutional action of your Honorable Body, the name of Daniel J. Toler/ for Notary Public for the County of Washington. Sam Houston 1 "Messages of the Presidents," Congressional Papers, Seventh Congress; also Exee11tive Record Book, No. 40, 194, Texas State Library. E. W. Winkler (ed.), Sec,·et Journals of the Senate, Rer,ublic of TexC1-s, 1886-1845, 267. :?According to his own account (See Lamm· PC1-71e1·s, IV, Pt. 1, p. 95.) Daniel J. Toler was a native of New Jersey. As early as 1832 (how much earlier it has not been ascertained) he was a partner with Dr. James Grant in large real estate interests in the district of Parras, Coahuila, Mexico. With Grant he was a member of the Coahuila-Texas Congress, at Monclova in 1835 (May-June). When General Cos arrived in Monclova with a regiment of Mexican soldiers, the Congress, understanding that it was to be dispersed, fled to various places. Grant, along with other members of the Council, fled with Governor Viesca to Texas; and Grant stopped at Bexar. Toler went to Parras to take care of his estates and to prepare them for an extended absence of their owners. In January, 1836, he "immi- grated" to Texas, and joined his partner, who had just left Bexar with a company of soldiers on a proposed expedition to Matamoras. Toler did not go with Grant on the horse hunt in the neighborhood of Agua Dulce, but remained with Francis W. Johnson's band at San Patricio. He thus escaped the massacre at Agua Dulce, February 27, 1836, and because of a fortunate circumstance, also escaped the massacre of Johnson's men at San Patricio. He became a useful citizen of the Texas Republic, and in 1839, President Lamar appointed him Notary Public for Washington County, and in the latter part of the same year nominated him Chief Justice of the same county. In January, 1840, he was elected to the position. And then, in 1844, he became Post Master General of the Republic. See E. W. Winkler (ed.), Sec1·et Journals of the Senate, Republic of Texas, 1886-1845, 121, 135, 175, 267; Lamar Papers, II, 495-497, 498--499, V. 263; Johnson-Barker, Texas and Texans, I, 419--420. To JOHN WHITE BoWER 1 Mr. Bower Will you be pleased to call up today and eat a piece of Turkey with us at 2 o'clock, P.M. Thine Truly Sam Houston Saturday, 7th Jany, 1843. lThe original document is the property of Mr. James F. Power, Vidauri, Texas. This certified copy came to this collection through the courtesy of Mr. Hobart Huson, Refugio, Texas.
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