Lone Star Heritage

Clyde ...

I recalled there having been some drama here and yes! It revolved around both of them ... Saint Denis: father and son. Of course, these gentlemen flourished beyond the time of La Salle, and I believe, served as Commanders (?) of Nachitoches in French Lousiana. What stuck in my mind was the romance which the latter had with a Spanish girl .... and trouble he got into with the Spaniards but managed to wrest free from.

I'm looking, now, in Bolton's,' Texas In the Middle Eighteenth Century' (mostly unexplored by me -- bad Evil or Very Mad

), and it seems that the senior Saint Denis also composed a letter in Latin to the Spanish -- which protested their seizure of one of his traders. Have to say: it reminds me of one side of an Internet flame war Wink

This is border intrigue at its highest and most provocative. Reading assignment for me: Herbert Eugene Bolton's, 'Texas In the Middle Eighteenth Century: Studies in Spanish Colonial History and Administration' (U. T., 1915; 1970). I've only had it on my shelf for about twenty years Exclamation

Now ... nine flags over Nacogdoches. Please help me count, Clyde. It is early Smile

Thanks!

Holly

Joined : 29 May 2007 Posts : 88

The local view (official - see our police cars and the annual Nine Flags Festival) is something like

1. Spain
2. France
3. Fredonia Republic (minor, failed, rebellion)
4. Gutierrez-Magee "Expedition" (another minor, failed, rebellion/filibustering expedition)
5. Mexico
6. Republic of Texas
7. United States
8. Confederacy

Have to get on the city web-site or call my wife to get the 9th one, I guess - it doesn't seem to want to pop up in my mind.

Clyde ...

I had forgotten all about Haden Edwards and the Fredonian Rebellion! Thankfully, my old Texas history texts are always pretty close at hand, and now the memory is resurrecting Wink

Haden Edwards ... he must have been a colorful, headstrong man. I know that this affair heightened the tensions between the colonists and the Mexican government .... but would like to know even more. It's always nice to learn about of the actors as individuals, for instance .... when possible.

Did post a corresponding topic in the 'Mexican Texas' section.

Thanks for tallying up those flags, Clyde!

Holly

Joined : 29 May 2007 Posts : 88

Oh - asked my wife (who regularly lurks as a docent at the Sterne-Hoya House, a local historical attraction of some actual significance) about the ninth flag I couldn't recall.

She says Long's "rebellion". With the exception of the Fredonia Republic, which for sure ahd a flag of known appearance, I'm not sure that the fizzled revolutions/expeditions had any distinctive banners. Despite the decal on the cop cars and the display in front of the local hotel (known as the Fredonia...).

Clyde,

How neat that your wife devotes time to that venerable old home and its history.

I believe that the insurrection which actually was led by Hayden's brother, Benjamin (according to the general histories I have; haven't checked HOTO) in 1826 often is referred to as the 'Fredonian Rebellion' .... stemming, of course, from the declaration of an independent 'Republic.' I never have seen its flag.

Do you think that your wife's reference might have been to the efforts of fillibuster, Dr. James Long, to pry Texas from Mexico in 1819?

I'm pretty murky on this period of Texas history, unfortunately Crying or Very sad

Holly

Joined : 29 May 2007 Posts : 88

Yep - that's him all right.

We have two quite significant (in terms of historical interest) old houses here in Nac. One dates from late 1820s-early 1830s and is said to be the oldest frame house in the state still on its original location.

The other is the Sterne-Hoya House. Which also dates from colonial days and was owned (and built) originally by Adolphus Sterne who had a lot of NOLA contacts. Everybody you can think of in the early days guested with Sterne. Sam Houston courted Anna Raguet there (without success), and was baptised into and confirmed in the Catholic faith (so he could be a permanent resident and landholder under Mexican Law) in the front room. Chief Bowls of the Cherokee signed the treaty with the Texans in the other front room. David Crockett visited on the way to San Antonio de Bexar and a rendezvous with Santa Anna. New Orleans Greys had a dinner on the grounds (roast bear, and whatever) on their way to San Antonio de Bexar. Where some of them also made the acquaintance of Santa Anna...

If you come to Nacogdoches, visit around. We also have a pre-War of Northern Aggression university building (1859) which is NOT associated with SFASU (which is of much later foundation).

Clyde,

I am ashamed to confess that I never have been to Nacodoches Embarassed

How I have missed out, I know!

Holly

Joined : 29 May 2007 Posts : 88

Well, come sometime. Let us know when you are coming and we'll be happy to squire you around town, see the hysterical sites, the old houses in the Virginia Avenue hysterical District and such. Charge high for the service, though - you have to buy the coffee...

Thanks, Clyde ... that would be great!

Years ago, I did plan to visit Nacogdoches after learning of a bed and breakfast which was housed in a dog-trot log cabin .... which was located on an old homeplace outside of town. Maybe you're familiar with it?

Our family settled near Nacogdoches upon first arriving in Texas. This was my mom's branch, though .... and Mom is forward-looking (unlike her daughter Razz

lol). I'll have to interest Dad somehow, some way. He is amenable to history-themed road trips, though right now his sights are set on Rome, I do believe (and not Rhome, Texas Wink

.

You all enjoy your beautiful, East-Texas loblollies, Clyde!

Holly

Joined : 29 May 2007 Posts : 88

Holly, not sure about the B&B you mention. Maybe one run by the Phillips family, seems like they had (still have? - have to check with the Visitor Center) one. There are at least two or three active B&Bs, including the Jones House and Haden Edwards B&B, which are in the area right near downtown (Jones House is one block off Main for example). I have to confess - I don't keep up with that end of things. We also have a great honking bunch of motels and one hotel (the Fredonia) which isn't too bad, but ain't an Adolphus by a long chalk.

Goodness, Clyde ... I hadn't realized that the Fredonian Republic was impressed so strongly upon the consciousness and memory of Nacogdoches! A hotel going by that name and a B&B called the 'Haden Edwards' .... Well, those times certainly live on in your town Smile

Luxury does not draw me, so I will write that one down: 'the Hotel Fredonia.'

As for the little log cabin B&B ... I will try to find out exactly which place that was.

Thanks, Clyde!

Holly

Joined : 29 May 2007 Posts : 88

We also have a Fredonia Street (Business Texas Highway 7 is South Fredonia, from Loop 224 to South Street) and a Fredonia Bank. And a Fredonia Elementary School. Expect there would be other "Fredonia" allusions if I bothered to look in the phone book.

And then there is Hospital Street - that ends at the cemetary....

Thank you, Clyde. I am educated Smile

Pretty neat as a survival of memory. Now, why was the pervasive importance of the Fredonian Republic not passed along to most of us as students in various grades of school?

I reckon that someone has not done their footwork, here .... some young buck or doe in search of a thesis Wink

Holly
_________________
The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves

Joined : 29 May 2007 Posts : 88

I the the Fredonia Rebellion wasn't much emphasized (if mentioned at all) in our school books because it wasn't, in truth, very important. Except locally, where the memory of the existence of the event (if not a whole lot about the actual facts) remains green.

Just my view - and of course with the recent (say past twenty or thirty years) local campaign centering on the "Oldest Town in TExas" slogan to bring tourists, there is more of that. Annual "Nine Flags Festival". Police cars (and officer's patches) with the "nine flags" on it. Etc..