Texas History Notebook

San Jacinto Monument

The San Jacinto Monument is one of the most recognizable symbols of Texas history. It was designed to commemorate the battle of April 21, 1836 in which the Texas Army led by General Sam Houston defeated Mexican troops led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna. For years prior to the Texas Centennial, various ideas had been discussed regarding ways to celebrate the anniversary. The site of the battle was chosen for the location of a monument.

Elizabeth Boyle Smith and Henry Clay Smith

Elizabeth Boyle Smith was born in Blair Mains, Dairy, Ayrshire, Scotland on July 12, 1848 to Allan Boyle and Elizabeth Orr Young. She came to the United States in 1871 after the death of her mother that year to follow four of her brothers who had had come to America. The siblings and their families first lived in Missouri before settling in Texas. Elizabeth was a single woman keeping house for her brothers when she met Henry Clay Smith. They were married on April 10, 1874 in Palo Pinto County.

John B. Denton

John B. Denton is the namesake of Denton County and the town of Denton. There has been some question regarding what his middle initial stood for. His middle name has variously been shown as “Bernard,” “Bunard” or “Bunyan” but the wife of a descendant said that his middle name was “Bunyan.”

Denton was born in Sparta, Tennessee on July 28, 1806 to James Denton and Sarah Clarkson Denton. He was the oldest of about eight children. Some accounts say that he was orphaned around 1815, but his father and mother are believed to have died in 1827 and 1846, respectively, according to current genealogical information available. Other accounts suggest that Denton ran away from home as a young boy and held various jobs including apprenticing as a blacksmith and working on steamers on the Mississippi River. For whatever reasons, he was residing in Arkansas when he was marred on June 23, 1825 to the former Mary Greenlee Stewart. The couple started their family with the birth of the first of their children the next year.

Rev. William Benjamin Bloys

William Benjamin Bloys was born January 26, 1847 in McLemoresville, Tennessee to Mordecai Dowell Bloys and Amelia Patterson Yeargain Bloys. He was the second son and second child of the couple. By the time the 1870 federal census was taken, the family had moved to near Marion, Illinois located in the southern part of the state. W. D. was 23 years old, single and was the oldest son or daughter still living at home. His father’s profession was listed as saddler and W. B.’s profession was listed as farmer. He also had shown a strong interest in becoming a minister and he attended Lane Theological Seminary, graduating in 1879. The Presbyterian Church had conceived the idea in the early 1800s to create a seminary in a western location. Cincinnati was chosen as the site for Lane Seminary. The institution became known for its emphasis and focus on the question of slavery, hosting student debates on the subject as far back as the 1830s. Bloys was ordained as a minister in April, 1879 and was married one month later to Isabella Catherine Yeck, also of Illinois.

William Wallace Simpson, Illustrator and Artist

William Wallace Simpson might be one of the lesser known Texas illustrators, having worked primarily for North Texas newspapers for several decades. His many illustrations were added to articles. He was born July 8, 1880 in Shelby County, Illinois to William Laybourn Simpson and Sarah Jane Evans Simpson.