In last month’s article I left you mid-way through Reminiscences of Fifty Years in Texas which was written by an immigrant from Ireland, John Joseph Linn. The book was published and copyrighted in 1883 and reproduced in 1935. He lists in great detail the soldiers and medical staff of numerous battles. He knew first-hand the important and significant people who influenced history. In fact, he became a major part of our history. Linn also describes the fate of military personnel and throughout the book showcases letters written by Sam Houston, Santa Anna and those he sent to various publications.
We were about halfway through the book and it was 1834; milk, bread and cheese were luxuries and Linn now called Guadalupe Victoria home. He imported goods from Louisiana, practiced medicine and was also a soldier.
It was two years prior to the Goliad Massacre and we were about to learn about Linn’s involvement in the tragic event. At this point, he kept a daily journal and tells us the series of events that led to their surrender to the Mexican cavalry in the Battle of the Lost Woods.
All of the soldiers were killed except the doctors/surgeons and about a dozen of Fannin’s men. Linn was one of the few survivors of the “Fannin Massacre” and gained great respect because of this.
Joseph also gives both accounts of the Battle of the Alamo, the Battle of San Jacinto and the Linnville Raid of 1840. I hadn’t yet put two and two together that he was the person who established Linnville in 1831 until this point in the book.
The book is filled with small unique stories that break up the larger, significant battles which shaped our great state. He tells of a story in which Guadalupe Victoria’s alcalade in 1832, Don Silvestre de Leon must pass judgement on his father, Don Martin de Leon for killing a neighbor’s hog. The fair and noble mayor fined his father $20.00 which he paid immediately after Don Martin admitted he did not have a “lawful fence.” Instead of being angered by his son; he felt proud.
In 1836, Linn became Guadalupe Victoria’s alcalade. Linn, the last alcalde of Victoria, was elected the town’s first mayor, on April 16, 1839. He served Victoria again as mayor in 1865.
While in the book, Linn does not speak about his wife often; he married Margaret C. Daniels of New Orleans in 1833 and had fourteen children. She used their home as a gathering place for women who molded bullets for their cause.
On March 17, 1836 he fled with his wife and fifteen-day-old infant from Victoria as the enemy would soon arrive. Intending to head to his warehouse in Linnville where he stored supplies instead he headed to Garcitas in search of his boat. While he nor his family were captured by the Mexican soldiers, he was arrested on suspicion of being a spy. He was arrested twice; however was able to clear his name fairly quickly after being accused by Mr. Ira Ingram.
President David G. Burnet then requested that Linn interview Santa Anna or as they called him — “the captive Napoleon” following his capture. Linn says he was “quite communicative” and that Santa Anna was ready to accept the Rio Grande as the boundary line between Texas and Mexico. On April 28, 1836 he wrote a letter to his New Orleans correspondents letting them know of Santa Anna’s acknowledgment of Texas’ Independence. Many of the agents of Santa Anna at the house of Lazardie were in disbelief, offering to bet $100,000 that the letter told of lies. A number of Linn’s comrades wagered against the agents and made a profit from Linn’s news.
Ironically, Linn discovered Ingram was convicted of forgery in Utica, New York in 1813 or 1814 after a friend learned of his troubles with Ingram. On May 6, 1837 he wrote the Louisiana Advertiser of Ingram’s deceit to the people of Matagorda. Ingram sought refuge and it didn’t take long for him to perish.
Reminiscences of Fifty Years in Texas by John Joseph Linn is an important read into history that created the places we now call home. I could probably write a third part to this article, but instead I’ll highlight some of the things I found interesting to peak your interest:
● In 1842 in Victoria there was a company of organized bandits, cut throats or Men-Slayers known as the Cow-Boys.
● Lipans were a tribe of Indians that dressed better than any other tribe which Linn bought much of their peltry for his store.
● The first jail in Victoria was built in 1843 or ‘44 out of hewn loop, from which the first two prisoners quickly figured out how to escape.
● Following the Burning of Linnville in 1840 one of the captives taken hostage, Mrs. Watts, survived because she was wearing a steel corset. After being shot with an arrow by one of the Comanche Indians, she survived.
What are you waiting for? Head over to the public library and get a rare view into the early 1800s.
Till next time.
