John Redus - One of the Orignal Texas Trail Drivers

From the book, Trail Drivers of Texas, pages 811-813, courtesy of the University of Texas Press.

JOHN REDUS

Memories of Mrs. Sallie McLamore Redus



John Redus was born in Athens, Alabama, December 25, 1833, and moved to Mississippi when a boy. He lived there until he was about twenty-two years old, when his health failed and he got in with a party coming to Texas. His father furnished him with a buggy and negro driver, and on the way he was so sick he had to be helped in and out of the buggy.

When they reached Austin, there was a big crowd from San Antonio to hear General Sam Houston speak, and he met up with some people from his home town, Aberdeen, Mississippi. My father and some others from Mississippi had bought land and settled on Hondo Creek, ten milers west of Castroville, then the county seat of Medina county. I don't know how he ever found us, but he did, and came right out and joined us.

This being a stock country, he soon got in with the stock men, and his health improved so rapidly that he decided to stay and go into the stock business. His father sent money with which to buy land and cattle, and he purchased land from the Adams brothers, who had a big ranch on the Hondo, thirteen miles south of us.

John Redus was soon joined in his undertaking by his brothers, William and George Redus, and they started business on a small scale. I was the first girl Mr. Redus got acquainted with in Medina county and naturally we had to be sweethearts, and on December 11, 1859, my twentieth birthday, we were married, and the next day we went to our new home as happy as any couple could be, although I knew I did not have a neighbor nearer than four miles.



The Indians came in every light moon and stole horses, killed a man occasionally, and were very troublesome, but all went well with us. We were prosperous until the Civil War came on, and all the white men joined the army, and the negroes and I had to go back to my father's place near the German settlements.

When the war was over the men came home and we went back to our ranch and began anew. The men had to be out on the range for weeks at a time to round up the stock, which had had but little attention during the period of the war, only our nephew, Tallie Burnett, and the negro boys would go once a week to put out salt and look around. But all hands had to hustle. The Indians were bad for a long time, and we always had to keep guns handy, although luckily we never had to use them. Notwithstanding these troublous times, we prospered.



Mr. Redus would buy more cattle every year and locate more land, and finally he bought the Adams brothers' land when they went west to get larger holdings. About this time the drives to Kansas started. Mr. Redus was one of the first to engage in trail driving and one of the last to stop. He was successful for awhile, but got to speculating, buying remnants of herds wintered in Kansas, and when the great panic of 1873 came on, and so many banks failed, he had to sell for less than he gave, and we went broke.

I made one trip with Mr. Redus to Kansas, taking along my baby boy, Robert. I have always regretted that I did not go every year, for I could have gone if I had known it. At that time the railroad came only as far as Luling, and we had to go there by stage from San Antonio.

In looking back it seems a long time, and many changes are noticeable, but really I believe we had better times and were happier then than now. Everybody was your friend, and were glad to entertain you.

In reading the first volume of the old Trail Drivers' book I find many familiar names, people I knew personally, and many who did business with my husband, but most of them have passed on, and some, like us, had lost everything they had accumulated. Mr. Redus died July 25, 1895, of the same disease he had left Mississippi to escape lung trouble.



I am now eighty-two years old, am in good health, keep house and do all my work. I have written this by request of my friend, Mr. W. B. Hardeman.

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During the Civil War John was a private in the 33rd Texas Calvary (Texas Partisan Rangers), Company A (Captain Duff's Company)

John Redus Civil War Timeline

May 4, 1862 Company Muster-in Roll Enlisted in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, terms of enlistment 3 yrs or war.

May-Jun 1862 Company Muster Roll - Present

Jul-Aug 1862 Company Muster Roll - last paid Jun 30 1862, value of horse $150, equipment $50

Sep-Oct 1862 Company Muster Roll - last paid Aug 31, 1862, value of horse $150, equipment $50

Nov-Dec 1862 Company Muster Roll - last paid Oct 31, 1862, value of horse $150, equipment $50

Mar-Apr 1863 Company Muster Roll - last paid Dec 31, 1862, value of horse $150, equipment $50, sick furlough based on surgeon certificate.

April 1864 Regimental Return - Absent, sick at home, surgeons certificate

May 1864 Regimental Return - Absent, sick at home, surgeons certificate

Jun 1864 Regimental Return - Absent, sick at home, surgeons certificate

There are several other miscellaneous documents in this compiled record including a letter to a Mr. George M. Redus in Laredo dated 2 July 1953 from the Adjutant General regarding John's service.

The Life and Times of Roscoe Redus

One of my favorite first cousins (4 times removed), was Corporal Roscoe Redus.

Roscoe was born 13 July 1876, on his father's ranch in Medina County, Texas. His father was Civil War 1st Lieutenant William Redus (1835-1885) and Calpurnia Lignon Greenwood (1848-1930).

On the 1880 US Federal Population Schedule Census, we see Roscoe living at home with his parents in Medina County. By the time the 1900 census rolls around Roscoe was living by himself in Medina County and his occupation was listed as a stockman.

On 24 April 1901, Roscoe married Ruby Terrell, probably in Medina County. They has one child by this marriage, Carmen Redus, b. 10 October 1903 in Medina County. Carmen married Cecil M. Harvey Sr on 11 August 1921. Cecil was a high official with Southwest Bell just prior to his death in 1979.

Roscoe's first wife Ruby died in 1906.

Roscoe was a Texas Ranger and a veteran of the Spanish American War. My cousin George M. Redus' father said, "He was a very good looking man and women really fell for him."

Roscoe married his second wife Matilda Soettle (b. 3 march 1877) around 1917. Matilda had a lot of property around Medina Lake north of Devine, Medina County, Texas. There is an area around the lake called Roscoe Redus Cove. Matilda died 15 April 1958 in Bandera County and is buried at the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church cemetery, also in Bandera County.

Roscoe served as a Corporal in Company D, 1st Texas Volunteers, during the Spanish American War. But it was his service in the Texas Rangers that is the focus of this profile. Roscoe enlisted in the Regular Rangers Force, Company B, by Captain Tom Ross. His enlistment application indicated that Roscoe was single. But his service in the Rangers was far from uneventful. In fact, I recently uncovered this bit of Roscoe trivia recently at
http://www.laredosnews.com/archives/jan2005/perspective_02.html

In 1910, one of Captain Thomas Ross' sergeants in Ranger Company B enacted a drunken scene that was later to become a staple of Western movies. Sergeant Roscoe Redus rode his horse into an Ysleta saloon, pistol-whipped the proprietor, and shot up the premises. The El Paso Morning Times was not amused, noting that the community did not appreciate the Ranger's attempt to convert the Alamo Saloon into "a livery stable and a morgue."

Another account of Roscoe's escapade was chronicled in the book, The Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution By Charles H. Harris, III, Louis R. Sadler. On page 30 they wrote:

"Unfortunately, Captain Ross's success was completely overshadowed by the regrettable Redus affair. Roscoe Redus was sergeant of captain Ross's company. He decided to have a few drinks with the boys but worked up a real head of steam. He got roaring drunk and rode has horse through a saloon, assaulting the proprietor and shooting up the place. Captain Ross was of course furious and immediately discharged Redus on January 12 (1910). As an El Paso newspaper put it. "Redus downfall followed an attempt on the ranger's part to make a livery stable and a morgue out of the Alamo Saloon recently"

Roscoe died on 23 Jun 1954 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. He was buried in the Devine Evergreen cemetery in Medina County on 26 Jun 1954.

I know that Carmen Redus and Cecil Harvey Sr had two sons -- Cecil Jr and Roscoe Robert Harvey. If they or any of their descendants are still around, I would like to hear from them and maybe learn a bit more about Roscoe and his life and times. They can contact me at the address in the masthead.

So here is a six gun salute to Cousin Roscoe Redus, a true Texas hell raiser. Way to go Roscoe.

A Redus Cousin Passes Away

It is with deep sadness that I have to announce the passing of John Clement Redus, Jr. on April 21 in San Antonio. John's funeral was Saturday (April 25). To all of John's family and friends, especially to his brother George Redus, please accept our deepest sincere sympathy.


REDUS

John Clement Redus, Jr. died on April 21, at the age of 93. He was born on a farm south of Devine, Texas on Nov. 7, 1915, the second of John C. Sr., and Hazel Redus' fourteen children. He was preceded in death by his parents and eight siblings. John C. is survived by Edwina, his wife of 63 years, daughter Elizabeth Newell and her husband Chuck, grandsons, Patrick Newell and Timothy Newell, brothers, Bill Redus, George Redus and wife Kay, Clifford Redus and wife, Lorene, Allen Ray Redus and wife Sonia, and by sister, Mildred Brooks. Also surviving are sister-in-laws Loretta Redus and Jean Redus, brother-in-law Robert Brantly and wife Betty, and by many nieces and nephews.

After graduating from Devine High School in 1933, John C. moved to San Antonio, where he worked for many years at Central Distributing Co. When World War II broke out, he joined the Army Air Corp, serving for 4 years, three of which were overseas in the Pacific. John C. was a member of the Kum Dubl Class at Travis Park United Methodist Church for 50 years. He spent the last ten years in the Believer's Class at Laurel Heights Methodist. John C. was a devoted husband, a kind and loving father and a proud grandfather. The other loves of his life were Texas Longhorn football, his backyard garden, and his ever-present camera. He was always eager to plan another trip to Europe. An avid reader, he preferred military and political history, and loved keeping up with current events. He always saw the best in every person and made friends to the end. He was kind and generous, unpretentious and steadfast. He was devoted to his many brothers and sisters and looked forward with great anticipation to the annual Redus Reunion, where many childhood memories where shared with relish. He will be sadly missed this year, and in all the years to come.

Hook'em Horns John

Making Progress on my Law Family Research

I have finally made some headway in my Law family research. Here are some of the latest, and maybe one of you will recognize something to help me with the British portion of my research.

My 3rd great grandmother is Margareta Law (b. 2 Apr 1840, Howard Co, MO and d. 3 Jun 1918, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA)

She married my 3rd great grandfather Thaddeus Damascus Van Horn (b. 20 Oct 1820, Claiborne Co, MS and d. 5 Apr 1905, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA) on 12 Aug 1856, in St. Paul's Church, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA.

I have a complete history on this couple (including a picture of Margareta) on this blog at
http://larry-family-history.blogspot.com/2009/03/sketch-of-old-citizen-thaddeus-d-van.html

Margareta's brother was George H. Law. I have complete details on his life and family at http://larry-family-history.blogspot.com/2008/07/family-profile-george-h-law-sr.html

Now the for the new stuff.

Margareta and George's mother is Mary Ann Simmonds. Until about a month ago, not only could I not confirm that, but I never knew much at all about her.

I believe Mary Ann Simmonds married Richard Horton Law, sometime around the middle 1830s somewhere in the UK. I believe Richard was born in the UK around 1793, parents unknown. He appeared to disappear, probably passed away c. 1846 in Howard Co, MO, based on the best evidence we have right now. I have an IGI marriage records Richard Law m Ann Simms 21 Apr 1834, Saint Martin, Birmingham, Warwick, England. Not sure if this is them or what.

I next see Mary Ann on the US 1850 census in New Orleans with her children in New Orleans running a boarding house at 12 Carandolet.

On 6 March 1854, she married William D. Leland, in New Orleans. She signed as mother for her 16 years old daughter Margareta to marry in 1856. She then disappeared completely after that life event, until recently.

While working family obits at GenealogyBank recently I found the great golden nugget below.

New Orleans Times, 3-7-1875, Page 4

Died

BURLINGSON-Of chronic bronchitis, February 7, 1875, at her residence, No. 5 Vernon Place, Bloomsbury Square, London, Mrs. Ann Simmonds Burlingson (mother of Mr. George H. Law and Mrs. T.D. Van Horn) aged 65 years. and a resident of this city for many years.

New York City, Missouri, and Texas papers please copy.

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So sometime after 1856 she returned to the UK, apparently married a man named Burlingson (I find no marriage record at this point over here so I assume she married in the UK), and died in London.

I have no information on her parents, info on her last marriage, when she returned to the UK, or where she is buried. Can anybody in the UK tell me where she is buried and if a tombstone pic is available? I don't have a clue where to check on London cemetery transcipts and pics.

Any help in filling in these last few holes of her life would be sincerely appreciated.

Sketch of an Old Citizen - Thaddeus D. Van Horn

Thaddeus Damascus Van Horn is my third great grandfather and one of my favorite ancestors to research. TD was married twice and had 15 children between the two wifes. Contrary to family legend and written accounts, his first wife Mary Ann Faust did not die in 1853. In reality they divorced. We have discovered a previously undocumented child that was conceived at the end of that marriage. I have posted a complete family group sheet for his family on our website.




SKETCH OF AN OLD CITIZEN
The Extended Career of - Mr. T.D. Van Horn

[Copied from an article which appeared in an old New Orleans Newspaper (New Orleans States)]

Who would imagine that the fine old looking gentleman, with the long grey beard, who has been the bookkeeper of the STATES since 1887, has over stepped the biblical three score and ten years by nearly twelve months. It is a fact, for Mr. Van Horn, who keeps so steadily and sturdily at work on his books, day in and day out, and on Saturdays until nearly midnight, first saw the light of day on October 20th, 1820.

A biographical sketch of Mr. Van Horn, printed at the request of his comrades of the Confederacy, fell under the notice of the States, and it contains interesting information about the well filled career of Thaddeus Damascus Van Horn. The preliminary notes state that the Van Horn family came from Amsterdam in 1740 and located in one of the New England states and fought gallantly for the Union during the Revolutionary War. They removed to Baltimore. One of the Van Horn's (James), left Baltimore and settled in Port Gibson, Mississippi where he married Pamela Hutchinson, a daughter of the Rev. James Hutchinson. They had one child, Thaddeus Damascus. Mrs. Van Horn died soon after the birth of her son. Three years later, Mr. Van Horn remarried. His second wife was Lucinda Abby, a sister of the Rev. Richard Abby of Yazoo City. Mr. Van Horn removed to Tallahassee, Florida where he was shot and killed, in 1840 by runaway negroes who he was trying to arrest.

Thaddeus Damascus followed mercantile pursuits in Tallahassee, Florida from 1835 to 1848. In 1843 he married Mary Ann Faust. They had four children, of whom two are now living, Mary Pamela, wife of Issac R. Harley of New York and James Faust of Dallas, Texas.

In 1848, Mr. Van Horn removed to Henderson, Texas. Two years later, he came to New Orleans for surgical treatment, having been shot during a personal encounter. He remained here permanently after having been under successful treatment by Dr. Warren Stone. During his first year in New Orleans, he traded between that city and Mexico.

In 1851 he entered the office of the Crescent, as mail clerk. In a few years he rose to be bookkeeper and business manager, and per pro of the establishment.

The Crescent being a strong Whig paper and advocate of secession, was suppressed by General Butler, during his occupancy of New Orleans. Mr. Van Horn sturdily withstood all threats, offers and promises made to induce him to foreswear his allegiance to the Confederacy. He was forced to quit New Orleans with his family and removed to Lincoln, Talledage County, Alabama. Mr. Van Horn joined the Confederate forces as aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen. John S. Scott, commanding the First Louisiana Cavalry, and later in the same company on the staff of General J. Wheeler. He served with considerable distinction until after the siege of Knoxville, when he obtained a leave of absence to look after his family. He remained at Talledage until after the close of the war, serving as assistant adjutant of the post, and acting provost marshal.

After the war, Mr. Van Horn returned to New Orleans and found that within one week after he left the Federals had seized his house, sold his effects and divided the spoils among themselves, his dwelling in possession of Mr. Flanders as abandoned property and occupied by quite a number of families of the lowest order; it was six months before he recovered his house, and in a terrible dilapidated condition. He aided Colonel Nixon to re-establish the Crescent, of which he was business manager until its close in 1869.

In 1870, Mr. Van Horn organized the Bank of Lafayette, with a capital of $100,000.00 personally obtaining all the subscriptions to its stock. He was elected cashier and remained with the bank during the first year of its existence, establishing it upon a firm basis.

Disagreeing with the President, Mr. Van Horn retired in May 1871 upon the election of officers for the second year and in September 1871, accepted the position of cashier of the Metropolitan Bank with which institution he remained sixteen year and five months and then resigned; since then, he has been engaged as bookkeeper of the New Orleans Daily States.

Mr. Van Horn remarried in 1856. His second wife was Margaretta Law, whose parents came over from England and settled in Missouri. Ten children were born to them. All are living as follows:



Dr. William Law Van Horn, Columbia, Louisiana; Addie Blonde, wife of A.B. Hundley, clerk of the district court, Colombia, La; Belle Randolph, First Assistant Teacher, McDonough School No. 18, New Orleans; Anna Gertrude, wife of Robert Lee Cooney, Atlanta, Georgia; Margaretta Pearl, wife of William H. Davis, St. Louis, Missouri; Thaddeus Dreux Van Horn, druggist and student of medicine, Columbia, Louisiana; Oliver Herbert, collector and student of mechanical engineering, Coleman's Foundry, New Orleans, Louisiana; Albert Cornelius, clerk for Branch K. Miller, Attorney at Law; Elmore Russell, clerk, Baldwin and Carter, Commission Merchants, New Orleans; and Mignonette Rutledge, at school.

Family Profile: George H. Law Sr.

One of my favorite uncles in my family database is the subject of this family profile. He was a remarkable man who served during the Civil War in not only the Confederate Army, but Navy as well.

His name was George H. Law, my 3rd great grand uncle, and he was born in May 1838 in Howard County, Missouri. We believe he is the son of Richard and Mary Ann Law who were immigrants from England probably arriving here in the late 1830s. The only Law family in Missouri on the 1840 census, was a Richard Law in Howard County. This is the last time we see any mention of Richard and nothing is known about what happened to him after that point. Based on the enumeration of that census I believe that he may have been the father of our Law family. There is one other possible name that we have not been able to tie up that I will mention later.

Not much is known about George's first decade on this earth, but on the 1850 Federal census we see him and his sisters living with their mother (listed as Mrs. Law head of household) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mrs. Law was running a boarding house in the 3rd ward of the city.

In 1855 George was listed in the New Orleans City directory and his occupation was listed as a clerk with a business at 5 Camp Street just west of Canal Street in New Orleans. In the 1856 City Directory, 5 Camp Street was listed as his residence address. I was unable to locate him or the family on the 1860 census, but the City Directory did list his residence as 394 Magazine Street in New Orleans.

In 1856 his sister Margareta Law (b. April 2, 1840 in Missouri) was married to Thaddeus Damascus Van Horn of New Orleans (see a profile on this blog for him and his family). Since Margareta was under age to marry, her mother had to sign the marriage record giving her permission to marry. She was listed as Mary Ann Leland. An intriguing witness that signed Margareta and Thaddeus' marriage license was a Fred Law. Nothing more is known about Richard or Fred Law and after 1856, Mary Ann Leland is not seen again in any record I have checked. These people all remain a mystery to me.

George also had two sisters, Emily (b. 1841 in Missouri) and Sophia (b. 1842 in Missouri). Nothing more is known about Emily, but Sophia died on August 17, 1853, in New Orleans, during the Yellow Fever epidemic of that year. She was buried in the Protestant/Girod Street Cemetery. Those graves were later moved to make way for the construction of the Louisiana Superdome, and we are not sure were she is buried in the city today.

After the Civil War broke out, George enlisted in Confederate service with the famed Washington Artillery, Company 5. He enlisted as a private and was present on all muster rolls to December 1863. On the roll for January 1-April 30, 1864, it listed him absent for a furlough for 30 days by order of General Johnston. Rolls from May 1864-April 1865 indicated he as absent from the Washington Artillery and that he had reported to Confederate States Navy, but no official notice had been received. Based on an accounting of his muster rolls, we know that he was present at the battles of Jackson (MS), Glass' Mills (GA) and Chickamauga (GA).














You can learn more about the famed Washington Artillery at http://www.washingtonartillery.com/

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Woods/3501/rosters.htm

http://www.freewebs.com/wa5thcoaot/

After many years of searching we have finally been able to document his Confederate naval service. From the website http://www.tfoenander.com/maconcrew.htm, we known that he served as a gunner on board the CSS Macon. This vessel was a wooden steam gunboat of about 150 feet length, which carried 6 guns. She was formerly named the Ogeechee, which was fitted out in early 1864 at Savannah, Georgia, and commissioned in the Confederate States Navy. The vessel was renamed the Macon in June of that year, and reported as being ready for duty by early August, although her crew numbers were still below the required amount of about 100. When Savannah was taken by Union forces in late December, 1864, the CSS Macon moved up the Savannah River, on December 24, to Augusta, Georgia, where she remained until the end of the war. [DANFS 2, 545.]

After the war, George moved back to New Orleans and his 394 Magazine address per the City Directories.

Sometime circa 1866, George married Eugenia Caroline Poole (b. Apr 1845 in Louisiana). She was the daughter of Major William Lawrence Poole (1804-1893) and Mary Catherine Cotton (1808- bef 1880). In 1866, George's occupation was listed as a clerk for a business located at 167 Canal Street. His residence was listed as 82 Euterpe and Apollo. On May 12, 1867, George and Caroline were listed as the god parents at the baptism for one of Thaddeus and Margareta's children, Anna Gertrude Van Horn. This ceremony took place at the Trinity Episcopal Church at 1329 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans.

In 1869, the New Orleans City Directory listed George's occupation as a clerk at Louis Grunewald and in 1870 the family moved to a new home at 354 St. Andrews in New Orleans. Sometime between July 1873 (the birth date of their fourth child) and December 1874, George moved his family to Cuero, DeWitt County, Texas. The 1880 Federal census listed his occupation as a railroad agent. Starting in 1893, we found records showing that he was an officer in the Emmett Lynch Confederate Veterans Camp in Cuero.

In 1899, George and his family were on the move again, this time setting up shop in Galveston, Texas, were he remained until his death on June 21, 1905.

George and Caroline had six children (listed below)

1. Mary Cotton Law b. November 1867 New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; d. March 19, 1881 New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; burial place unknown

2. George H. Law Jr. b. Mar 1869 New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; d.January 4, 1945 Seattle, King Co, Washington; burial place unknown. He married a Cara W. ? in 1902 in Texas and we have documented two known children.

3. Harry Woodward Law b. December 1871 New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; d. June 12, 1948 Tacoma, Pierce Co, Washington; burial place unknown. He married a Johnnie ? in 1898. We have no known children from this marriage.

4. Eugenia Carolina Law b. July 1873 New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; d. November 30, 1874 New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; burial place unknown

5. Thaddeus Van Horn Law b. April 11, 1876 Cuero, DeWitt Co, Texas; d. March 22, 1943 Galveston, Galveston Co, Texas; buried in the Oleander Cemetery in Galveston. He married Myrtle Grey circa 1909 in Galveston. They had one son Thad Allen Law b. March 1, 1912 Galveston, Galveston Co, Texas; d. May 3, 1973 Galveston, Galveston Co, Texas; buried in Old City Cemetery in Galveston. he was never married and did serve in the Army during WWII.

Earlier this week I finally found an obituary for George H. Law Sr. on Ancestry.com that fills in some additional details on his life. That obit is presented below. We still do not have any end of life information on George's wife Caroline and are actively seeking that information

Obituary of George H. Law Sr.
Source: Galveston Daily News 22 Jun 1905 Page 3 col 5

Deputy County Clerk and an old Citizen Expired Suddenly Yesterday

Mr. George H. Law Sr., Deputy County Clerk for Galveston County, died yesterday and an old citizen of Galveston, died yesterday afternoon, aged 67 years. The death was quite unexpected, and came as a surprise and shock to the many friends of the deceased. For two or three days past Mr. Law had complained of feeling badly, but had continued his duties at the County Clerk's office, where he was usually engaged in recording deeds, transfers and other instruments. Yesterday morning he came to work as usual, arriving at the office shortly before 8 o'clock, somewhat earlier than his custom. About noon he left the office and went home to dinner. About 2 o'clock he left home and came to town going to the office of Dr. W.C. Fisher for the evident purpose of securing medical attention.

Dr. Fisher was not in his office, and Mr. Law inquired of Dr. H.R. Dudgeon, who has his office adjoining, as to what time Dr. Fisher was expected in stating that he was feeling bad. Dr. Dudgeon went to his office, and in a short time heard Mr. Law breathing loudly, and upon going in found him lying over in his chair, very pale a gasping. he took him from the chair and laid him on the floor, where he died in a few moments.

Coroner R.H. Barry was called, and after an examination sanctioned the removal of the body to the undertaker's, giving it as his verdict that came to his death from natural causes. While no opinion as to the cause of his death was expressed by the doctors present, none of them had any previous experience with the case. The opinion was generally prevalent that he died from failure of the heart, due probably to acute indigestion.

George H. Law Sr. was born in Louisiana (exactly Missouri-LVH) in 1838. After seeing gallant service with the Confederacy during the Civil War, he removed from Louisiana to Texas, settling at Indianola, where he accepted a responsible position with the Morgan Steamship and Railway Company. Later he removed to Cuero, where he was for many years agent for the Morgan lines. After resigning this position he went into the insurance business. he came permanently to Galveston about 1899, and since that time has been constantly connected with the office of County Clerk, first during the terms of office of his son, George H. law, Jr., and later as deputy under the present Clerk, Mr. George F. Burgess. Surviving him are the widow and three sons. George H. Law, Jr., now residing in Seattle, Wash, Thad Law and Harry Law, both of whom live in Galveston.

Deceased was a valued citizen, a true friend and an obliging and cheerful official. He was a Knight Templar Mason, and the funeral, which will occur tomorrow evening at Cuero, will be under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity.

Sir Knights of San Felipe de Austin Commandery No. 1 are requested to be at the asylum this evening at 6:15 o'clock to escort the remains of Sir Knight George H. Law Sr. to the train.

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So if you are a Law, live in the Pacific Northwest, and are descendants of one of George Laws' two sons who moved there, please feel free to contact us at the email address in the masthead of this blog.

Unfortunately I have no pictures of this family or their graves, but will continue to search for them.

30 Year Search is Over - Family Picture Found - Finally!

After a 30 years search I have finally found a picture of my second great grandfather - Dr. William Law Van Horn. My cousin Judy Van Horn-Cross in Houston, Texas, is the genealogy angel that provided the missing piece of our family history. This picture now completes a collection of family pictures that spans seven generations of Van Horn ancestors and their spouses starting with my son - Loyd.

Here is the lineup of pictures we now have for our family history:

1. William Loyd Van Horn
2. William Larry Van Horn - Gayle Hennington-Van Horn
3. Warner Lee Van Horn - Gloria Ann Schmidt-Van Horn
4. Witt Lange Van Horn - Iris Jeanette Hurt-Van Horn
5. Willia Law Van Horn - Jessie Witt-Van Horn
6. Dr. William Law Van Horn - Mattie Parry Mallory-Van Horn
7. Captain Thaddeus Damascus Van Horn, Confederate ADC - Margareta Law-Van Horn

Thanks Judy for helping our search and special thanks to my Dad for all his help and legwork. And here is the final missing photo that Judy passed along.