Be Sure to Visit my new 1900 Galveston Storm Website at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootseb.com/~barnette 

TEXAS ARCHIVES ONCE A PAWN OF POLITICS

 1842 was an exciting year in the Republic of Texas history. Not only was the country invaded by Mexico, her former mother country, but there was a political battle over where to place the capital of the Republic. Held hostage and fought over by the politicians was the Archives of the colony and new Republic.

 In October 1836, during Sam Houston's first term as President, the capital was moved from Columbia (now West Columbia) to Houston which named in honor of Sam Houston the victor of San Jacinto and the sitting President. Once Houston was out of office his successor, Mirabeau Lamar, had Waterloo, later named Austin, designated and operating as the new capital by October 1839.

 When Houston was re-elected President in 1841 he tried several times to relocate the capital back to Houston. In March 1842 a division of the Mexican Army under General Rafael Vasquez invaded and captured San Antonio. In October, enacting presidential emergency powers, Houston  ordered the government temporarily moved to Washington-on-the-Brazos.

 Suspicious and protective of their city Austinites refused to allow Houston to remove the governmental papers from their city. On one of Houston's first attempts to remove the governmental papers from Austin the Austinites shaved the manes and tails of the horses of Houston's men.

 In December 1842 Houston clandestinely sent a company of thirty armed men under Col. Thomas I. Smith and Capt. Eli Chandler to remove the archives but cause no bloodshed. In the early morning hours on December 29 while the wagons were being loaded, Angelina Belle Peyton Eberly, the proprietress of a nearby hotel saw the rangers and fired a cannon to warn her townspeople of the escapade.

 A retaliatory group of Austinites formed and followed the rangers eighteen miles east of town and overtook them at Fort Kenny in present day Round Rock, Williamson County. After considerable threats and verbal exchanges and because of their instructions to keep the activity bloodless Houston's men allowed the archives to be returned to Austin. Thus ended the Texas Archives War and Austin is still the capital of Texas.

SURFING THE INTERNET

 Mic Barnette  will lead a Surfing the Internet for Genealogy class at Houston Community College's 1681 Cartwright Missouri City campus. This class is a live three hour virtual tour of some of the best genealogical websites on the Internet. It will be held Wednesday November 28 from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information and to register, contact HCC at 281-835-5539.

FAMILY TREE MAKER SOFTWARE CLASS

 Paula Perkins Parke will teach an Organizing Your Family Research With Family Tree Maker Software class from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday November 29. This one-time class will be held at Houston Community College's 1681 Cartwright campus in Missouri City.

 Through demonstrations, students will learn step by step how to organize, document family information and sources and publish a family book. For more information and to register, contact HCC at 281-835-5539.

NEW FELLOW ELECTED

 The American Society of Genealogists recently announced the election of  Helen Hinchcliff as a new Fellow of the ASG. Being elected a fellow of the ASG is the pinnacle honor a genealogist may aspire to attain. By it's charter the ASG may have no more than fifty living members at any given time. New members are elected only when positions are vacated by the death of other members.

NEWS FROM THE BOOKSHELF

 Readers interested in Central Texas history will find Historical Round Rock, Texas a delight to read. Written and compiled by Karen R. Thompson and Jane H. Digesualdo Historical Round Rock, Texas is an interesting collection of tales, stories, historical documents, lists of names, short biographies and interviews about the history of Round Rock, the county seat of Williamson County.

 The book is full of maps, photographs, drawings and diagrams depicting the people, businesses, homes, buildings and other items of historical importance to the history of Round Rock and vicinity. Aside from the history of the city, there are short histories of area businesses, churches and schools, as well as, census records, cattle brands, the origins of city street names and lists of those buried in cemeteries. To round out a well composed book there are endnotes, a bibliography and an index.

 No price was quoted for Historical Round Rock, Texas, however, it is available from co-author Karen Thompson, 7203 S. Ute Trail, Austin, TX 78729 or by telephone at 512-258-5688.