·37s
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1844,
many of the leading personalities of Austin's colony. Especially was he ' a friend to William Barret Travis, and before leaving San Felipe to carry assistance to the troops at the Alamo, Travis placed his son, Charles, in the care of David Ayres and his wife. The young boy re- mained in this home for two years after his father's death. When Houston reorganized the Texas army after his reelection as commander- in-chief, David Ayres enlisted. Deafness fo1·bade active service in the .ranks, so Houston detailed him to look after the families of settlers who were fleeing eastward (the Run Away Scrape); but when he had accom- panied them as far as the Trinity River, he heard the news of the victory at San Jacinto, therefore tui·ned back to rejoin the army. After the excitement of the revolution had somewhat abated he settled at Washington, where he lived for one year. He then bought a place at Center Hill, near Bellville, in Austin County. At this new home he developed a farm and engaged in the mercantile business until 1847, when he removed to Galveston. By this time he had accumulated a considerable fortune in lands and stock and gave his time and attention to them, except so much as was necessary for his position as United States Deputy Marshal. He lived at Galveston until the beginning of the Civil War. •From 1861 to 1865, he and his family lived on lands he owned in Milam and Bell Counties; but when the war had ended, they went back to their home in Galveston, where he died in 1878. He had six children, four daughters and two sons. His younger son died in, Galveston about the outbreak of the Civil War; the other son, Captain Frank H. Ayres, died in Temple, Texas, in 1892. David Ayres was a devout member of the Methodist church, and in 1859 and several years thereafter, published the Christian Advocate, the organ of the Methodist church in the Southwest. See E. C. Barker (ed.), Austin Pape1·s, III, 65; W. C. Binkley (ed.), Official Correspondence of the Texan Revolution, 1835-1896, II, 799; Lewis Publishing Company, 1895, History of Texas, Together With B-iogravhical Histo1·y of the Cities oj Houston and Galveston, 628-629; also see The Southweste1"'1t Historical Quarte1·ly, XXXVI, 88, and The Quarterly, Texas State Historical Asso- ciation, IX, 269-281.
To JAMES A. BENNETT 1 Washington, Texas, October 18th 1844.
To Major Gen. Jas. A. Bennett: 2 Sir,- Your favor of the 30th August reached me this day. In response to the propositions it embraces, I have to say-that, as matters now stand, it would be unnecessary, and therefore in- judicious, for the Executive to invite or receive armed immigrants within our limits for the purpose of prosecuting offensive opera- tions against Mexico. Should, however, such a course on our part become expedient, I shall not fail to give to your suggestions the most serious consideration.
Powered by FlippingBook