Email From Gary Aden to Gary Aden
Email Dated 8/18/2001 

     The ALLEN branch saga moved west from Georgia to Texas when
Reverend J.W.B. Allen chose to relocate due to ill health in 1848. It is
imperative that I review the attached narrative family summaries as I go
along to enrich my experience at the sites. The Allen family acquired
the YOUNG, HUNSUCKER, BOGARD, STRINGFIELD, GAGE twigs by marriage, but
none so renowned in Texas as BURLESON, whose contritubtions provide the
sites for eight out of the nine landmarks I will traverse in my east to
west journey along I-10 to San Antonio and  subsequent northward foray
to San Marcos and Austin on I-35. The final site visit will require
veering northwest from I-35 on State Highway 183 to the Brownwood-
Thrifty Texas area. With the death of Beverly Joseph Barkley Allen in
1960, the Allen surname in my pedigree ended.

      I will start my journey in Houston, Texas where my nephew, Jarrod,
shows signs of continuing the Carl Aden legacy by reproducing male
heirs. That combined with the homey atmosphere my brother has created
between Houston and New Braunfels may provide the locus of future Aden
growth(you must understand that I am bellyaching because I have no
grandsons yet{ I have a fantastic granddaughter though}). My first site
visit, or should I say revisit, is the San Jacinto Battleground State
Park near Deer Park, Texas, a 1200 acre site 3 miles north of SR 225 on
SR 134. The battle that resulted in Texas' independence from Mexico was
fought on this site April 21, 1836. There is a masonry obelisk 50
stories high. In the base  of the monument a museum depicts the region's
history, from the American Indian civilization found by Hernando Cortz
through the Civil War period. A projector, multi-image slide show
depicting the Battle of San Jacinto and the Texas revolution is offered,
but I missed it on my first visit so I must phone  ahead to (281)
479-2421 because I want to see what, if anything, is highlighted about
Colonel Edward Burleson(1798-1851), who was second in command under Sam
Houston as Commander of the First Regiment(1836). I shall follow his
entitlements and further accomplishments as I proceed through Texas. Be
aware that many roads, streets, schools  and public buildings are named
after him. For now, suffice it to say, his next move up the ladder was
to become a member of the Texas House of Representatives(1837) and a
member of the Texas Senate(1838). Edward Burleson's uncle was from my
pedigree line, Senator Joseph Burleson(1770-1849), my 4th great
grandfather whom I shall review at the Alamo. 

      On the road again...this time to Flatonia, Texas and the nearby
defunct town of Colony on State Highway 95, 8.25 miles north of Flatonia
where there is a marker dedicated as approved by the Texas Historical
Commission at the Colony Cemetery reading as follows: "The Colony
Community, settled in 1870's by former residents of Mississipi, at one
time included three churches, several stores, and a Post Office. John A.
and Margaret Young donated land at this site in 1876 for a Methodist
Church and Cemetery. The graveyard became the primary burial ground for
the community. The oldest documented grave is that of Methodist minister
Samuel J. Brown(1813-1879). Also interred here are numerous other
pioneer settlers, infants and children, and military veterans. The
cemetery serves as a reflection of the area's pioneer heritage." I am
fascinated by John Albert's capacity to rebuild his life when he married
his 3rd wife, Margaret Inez Hun(t)sucker to the point that he became the
community leader in his time with his own family serving as a magnet for
drawing in his former wives and their kids, his father who had married a
13 year old girl and his brother who was on the lam from Louisiana
authorities after killing his former commanding officer in a duel. This
couple's accomplishments are celebrated to this day by the widest
assortment of economic classes one can imagine at a family reunion.

      It's a long drive... but in Texas, what else is new? On to the
Alamo in San Antonio  where my 4th great grandfather's a.k.a. "The
Tennesseean", "Bible Joe", or "Alamo Joe" family Bible containing names
and significant dates of family member was donated to the Daughters of
the Republic of Texas who display it in their museum at the Alamo. By
way of background, Senator Joseph Burleson's military record began as
Captain of the 29th  Regiment, White County, Tennessee in 1807, a
private in the Mississipi State Militia in the War of 1812, a member of
Andrew Jackson's party against the Creek Indians in 1814, and
contriubuting pork and other supply wagons to his nephew, Colonel Edward
Burleson, in the war for independence from Mexico. He also took part in
vigilante efforts against lawlessness in Madison County, Alabama. Once
in Texas, he engaged in farming and raising fine horses. He was
instrumental in the formation  of the "first  Baptist Church" to be
organized in Texas and the first meeting was actually held at his house.
If memory serves correctly, I believe Rufus Burleson, a cousin of Edward
and Aaron,  was the first President of Baylor Univeristy, a school of
Baptist sponsorship and denomination.

      Back to Colonel, now General, Edward Burleson who in 1839 founded
the City of Waterloo, now called Austin, Texas where I have finally
arrived. I need a couple of days here. In 1841, our esteemed Burleson
became Vice President of the Texas Republic and in 1844, he became
Chairman of the Texas Annexation Committee. He was narrowly defeated by
Sam Houston for the office of President of Texas as he opposed
annexation to the United States. He also engaged Comanches and Apaches
in combat chasing them up into the area occupied by Camp Colorado. The
General was the first laid to rest at Republic Hill, the State Cemetery,
where Stephen F. Austin("Father of Texas") is also buried. Each year,
the DAUGHTERS OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS  hold a roll call ceremony at the
cemetery. Remember, if you are my descendant, you can become a member
because you had a relative who was a citizen of Texas when Texas was a
republic.  More about General Burleson when I get to  San Marcos. 

      From Republic Hill, I will go to the Rotunda of the State Capitol
Building where there is a painting of a man holding a rope preparing to
hang General Santa Ana after the Battle of San Jacinto.  That man is
Aaron Burleson, the General's brother. 

      Copies of "LESSONS FOR YOUTH", Rev. J. W. B. Allen, North-West
Texas Conference, M.E. Church, South, Southern Methodist Publishing
Company, Nashville, Tennessee,1983. Entered, According to An Act of
Congress in the year of 1883 by J. W. B. Allen in the Office of the
Librarian of Congress, at Washington- are found only in private
collections or at the Library of Congress and in this town at Barker
Center, University of Texas. This is a remarkable book which dispenses
timeless advice, values, and pastoral case histories. Some family member
ought to get ambitious and reprint it. 

      Let's hope while we're in the neighborhood that the Longhorns are
playing football. Anthony Burleson was Valedictorian of the first
graduation class at the University of Texas in 1884. I want to inspect
the carillon bells, now called the "Burleson Bells"  he later donated to
the campus which play "The Eyes of Texas", "The Yellow Rose of Texas"
and "Dixie" as part of the spirit procession on days of intercollegiate
athletic contests. 

      I muse as I drive to San Marcos- how much did the Burleson's
descendants do that I have no knowledge of? I recall that Albert
Burleson was Postmaster General under President Woodrow Wilson and that
John H. Smith, M.D., a Burleson descendant and former member of the
Texas State Board of Health and recipient of the AMA Distinguished
Service Award, has had an endowed chair(Professorship in Family
Practice) estabished in his name for his contributions in establishing
the University of Texas South Texas Medical School( now UT Health
Science Center), It seems whatever the Burlesons set out to do, it is
noteworthy and significant. In San Marcos, I view a Memorial Marker to
General Edward Burleson  while eating a "Burleson Mill Dinner" at a
restaurant called Pepper's at the Falls. 

      Thrifty, Texas is a defunct town today with only remnants of an
old gas station standing, but should be visualized in its heyday in the
period roughly between 1855-1890 as a frontier cattle town, at the foot
of the Longhorn cattle drive routes,  subject to cattle rustling by
Indians and populated by roughnecks and honest ranchers alike. The town
withered away because it never developed access to the railroad. An
early pioneer in the town which was prosperous with stores, saloons,
banks,etc. was a moderately wealthy Yale-educated rancher named Charles
Mullins. He in turn became quite supportive of the itinerant, Flatonia
Texas based Methodist minister named Reverend J.W.B. Allen. Their
friendship and joint efforts are credited with setting the tone for
enhanced prosperity, civilization and moral tone of the community. Two
other families(Baker and Cross) figured into this effort as well and
descendants of the four families celebrate this nostalgic existence
annually in nearby Bangs or in Brownwood, Texas. The Texas Historical
Commission is in the process of establishing a marker commemorating this
era and those who made it possible. 

      I should mention in passing that the gravesites of Reverend J.W.B.
Allen and Martha Camp Allen could have been viewed at Oak Hill Cemetery
in Flatonia, Texas, but lacking my criterion of national gravesite
significance were not included as  primary itinerary sites. However, the
Flationia area was where the Allens raised their children and in turn
met many of the families into whom their children would marry. 
     
     Gary Carl Aden, 8/10/2001