Houston Texas Death Notices 1842 ************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *************************************************************************** Submitted by Marilyn Hoye Marilyn_Hoye@tamu-commerce.edu Houston Morning Star Death Notices, 1842- Died--In this city on the morning of the 27th inst., Mrs. L. H. S. EWING, late consort of Dr. A. EWING, and daughter of Rev. H. REID. This amiable lady was the only child of this unfortunate family. Her afflicted parents only a month and two days since, consigned their only son to the tomb; and they are now alone in a world which we sincerely hope may never prove cold and cheerless to them. 1/29/1842:3 Died--In Victoria, 15th last August, Harriett Ann, daughter of Franklin R. TAYLOR, aged only 28 days. 2/15/1842:3 With feelings of the deepest and most poignant sorrow, we announce the death of Mr. D. H. FITCH, formerly editor of this paper. This young gentleman emigrated to the republic in the autumn of 1839. For more than a year he continued to edit the Star, with an ability and industry excelled, perhaps, by no other editor in the republic. In the early part of last summer he was attacked with a pulmonary complaint that gradually exhausted his powers; this increased within a few weeks past, and was evidently rapidly hurrying him to his grave. He died perfectly resigned to his fate; and has left a large circle of admiring friends to deplore his loss. Poor FITCH, would that Heaven could have spared him a little longer; there were few who promised to be brighter or fairer ornaments of our country. His spirit has gone to the bosom of God who gave it; may God to whom he looked as to a Parent, have mercy on an erring child. 3/10/1842:2 The friends and acquaintances of D. H. FITCH, Esq.,deceased, are respectfully invited to attend his funeral this morning at 10 o'clock, from his late residence on Court House Square. 3/10/1842:3 Died--In this city on the 30th inst., Henry MARKHAM, formerly of Auburn, N. Y., and late of Clinton, Michigan. He contracted a severe fever while on his journey to Texas, and lived but a few weeks after his arrival. His friends and acquaintances are requested to attend his funeral, which will take place at 10 o'clock this morning, from the Telegraph building. 3/31/1842:3 Death of Mr. VAN NESS--A gentleman from Bexar has brought the melancholy intelligence, that Mr. C. VAN NESS was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun. He was riding with his friend Mr. ROBINSON, a few miles below Bexar, and the horse of the latter suddenly started and threw his yauger on the pommel of his saddle with such violence that it went off, and the ball passed into the side of Mr. VAN NESS. He was carried to the residence of his friend and surgical aid immediately obtained, but in vain. He lingered until the next morning and expired. Thus has the West been deprived of one of its most able and talented advocates. 5/12/1842:2 Casualty--A. S. MACDONALD was killed at Corpus Christi, a few weeks since, owing to the accidental discharge of a gun. He was Chief Justice of Victoria county, and highly respected in the West. 5/14/1842:2 Mr. LYNCH, Lynched--A man named LYNCH, who had for some months past been the terror of the whole neighborhood of San Felipe, was hung without judge or jury, a few days ago. He had killed one or two citizens, and threatened the lives of several others, and had eluded the strictest search of the civil officers of the county.--He would lurk about in the woods, and feed, at times, for weeks, merely on wild game which he killed with his rifle. He had been accused of theft about a year ago, and a party of citizens of Austin County took him and publicly whipped him. He became so indignant at this, that he made an oath that he would kill every man who had aided in whipping him. He followed one into Louisiana, and killed him there. He also shot at several others, on different occasions, and wounded them. A week or two since, he shot a Mr. GREER through the arm--Those whose lives were thus threatened, offered a reward of $500 to any one who should catch him and deliver him to the Sheriff of Austin County. He was taken and put into county jail, and soon after, a party of about a dozen citizens, armed, came to San Felipe, took him out, and carried him about two miles down the river, and hung him to a tree. The poor wretch, when he found escape impossible, cried like a child, and begged, in the most suppliant manner, for his life. So true it is, that those who are regarded as the most desperate and brazen, are the most cowardly when placed in real danger. Perhaps there never was a case of Lynching more excusable than this; but, excusable as it is, the laws of God and man pronounce it MURDER, and sooner or later a fearful retribution will undoubtedly befall those who have, in violation of law, imbrued their hands with his blood. 6/2/1842:2 Lieut. Governor BOGGS was shot by some villain, about three weeks since, at Independence, while sitting in his room for the evening. The ball passed though his lower jaw into the brain and is considered mortal. A reward of $500 has been offered by the citizens of Independence for the murderer. 6/4/1842:2 Death of Judge SCOTT--The shafts of death have lately fallen rapidly and thick around, and several of our most eminent citizens are numbered among its victims. Last not least of the number is the Hon. John SCOTT, late Recorder of Houston. He was distinguished during life for all the amiable and endearing traits of character that render men estimable and respected. He was a native of North Carolina, and previous to emigrating to Texas, he occupied the high and resoinsible office of Solicitor-General of that State. He was for a brief period appointed Judge of this destrict. He sustained during his residence here the reputation of "a man without guile," and has left a large circle of friends to lament his death. Although he died far from his family, he found generous friends to minister to his wants and smooth his path to the grave. 6/7/1842:2 Another Hero of San Jacinto Gone--The Hon. Isaac N. MORELAND, late Chief Justice of Harris County, and the commander of the Artillery company in the battle of San Jacinto, died in this city yesterday morning. His remains were followed to the grave by a very large and respectable concourse of citizens, including the masonic and other fraternities, and the independant military companies of the city; and many companions in arms, who had stood by him in the field of battle, assembled around his grave, to pay the last tribute of respect to their beloved comrade. 6/9/1842:2 Drowned--Dr. Ira ABENY, late of Washington County, Texas, was drowned in the Arkansas River near Lewisburg, on the 19th ult. by the upsetting of a canoe. 6/21/1842:2 Death of Col. PATTON--We have been furnished by a citizen of Bexar, with the following particulars of the murder of this officer. The party of Mexicans who committed this outrage, are supposed to belong to the band of Agaton, who is again on the Nueces: "Col. W. H. PATTON was killed on the 12th inst., at his residence upon the San Antonio river, about 35 miles below the city of San Antonio. On the morning of his death, about sun rise, he went to the river as he was accustomed to do, to wash, when he was fired upon by a party of Mexicans, and instantly killed. A man by the name of EATON, who had gone to Col. PATTON's the day previous on some business for Mr. H. ARNOLD, went with Col. PATTON to the river and was killed at the same time. The Mexicans, ten in number, then proceeded to Col. PATTON's house, and rifled it of everything. A woman at the house recognized three of the robbers, namely Guadelupo VIDURRI, by whom the party appeared to be headed; Ronaldo MARTINEZ, who had been a servant of Col. PATTON, and left his employ last spring; and Leonicio CASTILLO. The party were painted as Indians. A German carpenter named A. QUIND, who resided at Col. PATTON's, was taken at the house and it was proposed to kill him also, but all the robbers not agreeing to it, they desisted; they however took off his arms and tools." 6/30/42:2 The Santa Fe Expedition--List of those who were killed or died upon the road. For the information of those who had friends upon the Texian Santa Fe Expedition, we publish the following list, believing it to be nearly correct: A. J. DAVIS, accidentally shot on Brushy. LOCKRIDE, accidentally shot on Little River. FLINT, died of cholic on the march. Dr. BRASHEAR, died of consumption on the march. JOHNSON, sergeant, died at Puebla, in Mexico. Major STURGESS, died o liver complaint on the Palo Duro. ERNEST, died of fatigue, want of food, and exposure, in New Mexico. GATES, died near Paso del Norte, of inflammation of the lungs, contracted by exposure. J. WALKER, died of small pox at Gunajuato. HARRIS, also died of small pox at Gunajuato. DOGHERTY, died of small pox at Gunajuato. It is supposed that others left behind at San Luis Potosi and Gunajuato, with the small pox died, but their names we have been unable to learn. LARRABEE, died in a wagon between Paso del Norte and Chihuahua. Lieut. G. R. HULL, killed by Indians on the Paso Duro. S. W. HOWLAND, shot by order of Governor ARMIJO at San Miguel. Wm. MAYBEE or MAYBY, killed by Indians on the Palo Duro, a river on which the expedition encamped some three weeks. John McALLISTER, shot by order of SALEZAR on the march from San Miguel to Paso. James DUNN, killed by Indians on the Palo Duro. Francis D. WOODSON, killed at the same time by Indians. Captain BAKER, shot by order of ARMIJO at San Miguel. ROSENBURY, shot by Mexicans endeavoring to make his escape. Dr. BELL, killed by Indians on the Grand Prairie. Manuel, a Mexican servant, shot by a drummer in New Mexico. Washington WILKINS, killed by Indians on the Grand Prairie. GRIFFITH, brains knocked out by order of SALEZAR on the road from San Miguel to Paso. ROAMON, a Mexican servant, killed by Indians near the Palo Duro. MERCER, died in camp from a wound received by Indians. GLENN, killed by Indians on the route. GOLPHIN, shot on the road from San Miguel to Paso by the order of Capt. SALEZAR. DONOVAN, killed by Indians in the vicinity of the Palo Duro. Robert C. TODD, killed by Indians on the Grand Prairie. SNOW, killed by Indians on the route. FLETCHER, killed also by the Indians. Samuel FLENNER, killed by Indians in the vicinity of the Palo Duro. F. KEENAN, killed by Indians on the route. The above is as complete a list as we can gather, and less than 35 were lost in all. Editors throughout the country might confer a favor by publishing the above.--Picayune. 6/28/42:2 Indians--A small party of Indians visited the settlement on Peach Creek a few miles west of Austin a few days since, and killed Mr. Addison GILLESPIE and another man whose name we have not learned. These savages were probably a part of the same gang that were lately driven from Cummins Creek by Col. Moore. 8/4/1842:2 Free Booter Killed--The editor of the Sabine Advocate says: "We are informed that the free booter, Jim STRICKLAND, was shot though the head a few days ago, by a company of gentlemen from the Trinity River, who were in pursuit of several negroes, decoyed off by Jim, his brother Henry, and another individual, belonging to the Strickland Company, one of whom they also killed. The company has gone in pursuit of the said Henry, who has the negroes hid out. "It was the same Jim STRICKLAND and his brother Henry, who in attempting to assasinate Col STRAW, at his own house, in Shelby County - shot a boy by the name of BUCKNER; - also, several weeks previous to this, he lay in ambuscade and shot a worthy citizen of Shelby County, by the name of MIDDLETON." 8/4/1842:2 A Hero Gone--It is our painful duty to announce the death of Col. John H. MOORE, so long and so favorably known in the history of our frontier warfare. Immediatley after his return from the pursuit of a party of Indians that largely made a descent upon the settlements on Cummins Creek, he was attacked by an inflamatory fever, caused by fatigues and exposure he had undergone; and so violent was the disease, that it terminated fatally in about two days. Thus has he fallen a noble martyr to the country he delighted to serve. His last campaign is over. His merits and achievements are registered in ever during characters; and long after the perfidious tribes who so frequently called forth his avenging arm, shall have melted away, his memory will be cherished by his grateful countrymen. 8/11/1842:2 We learn from a gentleman who arrived a few days since from Austin, that Capt. DOLSON and Mr. BLACK of San Antonio, were lately killed by Indians near Austin. They went out in company with ten others to hunt bears, and were surprised and killed by the savages. 8/11/1842:2 We are indebted to Mr. G. W. GROVER for the following list of the Santa Fe prisoners who have died, since the list we lately published was completed. This list connected with the one copied from the New Orleans Picayune,compromises the whole number of those who have died abroad. John LAUGHLIN, from Ireland, died in September, on the road in a prairie. J. D. F. SHAW, from Alabama, died in January in Tula. Hays COVINGTON, from Kentucky, died in June at the city of Mexico. J. H. SPOONER, from Virginia, died in June last at Vera Cruz. James DENNISON, from Tennessee, died in Vera Cruz. Dr. F. A. WHITAKER, from Pennsylvania, died last August, National Point. Capt. T. SEVEY, from Maine, died in August last, National Point. Jacob HAMMETT, under the assumed name of Jacob LINDLEY, from Kentucky, died at Vera Cruz. Capt. J. HOLLIDAY, from Pennsylvania, died three degrees south of Gaveston. Whole number of deaths 45. 8/25/1842:2 Suicide--We learn from the Colorado Gazette, that Baron Ernest PHILABEAUCOURT, who arrived at Matagorda in March last, with his family and twenty other emigrants from France, committed suicide lately while on board the sloop Cutter, on her trip from Galveston to Matagorda. The cause of the melancholy act is not known. He had voluntarily forsaken the gay cirlces of Paris and sought a new home in the quiet and retired prairies of Texas, and possibly the ennui resulting from the great chane of associations occasioned a temporary mental derangement. 9/10/1842:2 Died--On the 6th Oct. inst., in this city, of conjestive fever, George R. MERCER, a native of Ediburgh, Scotland. 10/22/1842:3 A man named WHITE, who resided about two miles north of Austin, was killed a few days since by Indians. He was found dead near the foot of the mountain, and a short distance from him the tracks of mocasins were found, and a large trail of blood indicating that an Indian had been killed by him and dragged away. 11/10/1842:2 Melancholy Event--We learn from a gentleman from San Augustine that Mr. Napoleon B. GARNER was killed in that city about a fortnight ago by Gen. J. Pinckney HENDERSON. GARNER it seems had threatened several times to kill Gen. HENDERSON and had carried a gun about some days for this purpose. He was considered a complete desperado. A few moments before he was shot he was seen pointing his gun at a prisoner in the Sheriff's charge with the intention of shooting him; but his gun was wrested from him. Gen HENDERSON was passing down the steet just at the time and seeing GARNER supposed he was prepared to shoot him. Being unarmed, he stepped into a neighboring house, borrowed a gun with which he immediately shot GARNER, who was at the time talking with his overseer unaware that Gen HENDERSON was near him. The fact that GARNER had repeatedly and publicly threatened to kill Gen. HENDERSON and that this was generally known in San Augustine, indicates that the magistrates of that place must have been very remiss of their duty. Had any one of them when informed that these threats had been made, immediatley arrested GARNER and required of him to give bonds to keep the peace, this sad calamity might have been averted. 11/19/1842:2 Died--On Thursday evening 17th inst. at his residence in Austin county, Joseph C. GENTRY, in the 50th year of his age, formerly of Dayton, Ohio. 12/1/1842:3 Died on the 19th Dec., at her residence on Galveston Bay, Mrs. Sarah, late widow of Whitney BRITTON, dec'd. 1/3/1843:3