(Image credit: Findagrave)
Thomas Jefferson Rusk is considered to be one of the fathers of Texas. He was born in South Carolina on December 5, 1803 to Irish immigrant John Rusk and his wife Mary Sterritt Rusk, and was one of seven children. He had a modest upbringing as his father was a stone mason. The family lived on the estate of John C. Calhoun who was his mentor. Rusk studied the law and was admitted to the South Carolina bar.
In the Roman Catholic tradition, Santa Teresa is a saint. Briefly, she was born Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada in 1515 in Ávila, Spain. She is known as St. Teresa of Ávila, and is considered to be one of the most devout women of the Roman Catholic Church. She was known for her devotion to God through prayer and contemplation. Santa Teresa died in 1582 and was canonized as a saint in 1622.
Not to be confused with the Roman Catholic saint, another woman born Niña Garcia Noña Maria Rebecca Chávez and known as Teresa Urrea, also Saint Teresa of Jesus, Saint Teresita Of Cabora or simply Santa Teresa in northern Mexico in 1873, had an interesting history as well and was connected to Texas and Mexico. Her father is believed to have been Don Tomás Urrea and her mother was a Yaqui Indian by the name of Cayetana Chávez who was fourteen years old when Teresa was born.
Robert McAlpin Williamson was born September 9, 1804 in Georgia to Judge William Peter Ballantine and Rebecca Ann McAlpin Williamson. His mother Rebecca died when he was a baby. He was well educated. His legal career began in Georgia and he was admitted to the Georgia bar. A family legend says that he left Georgia after a duel over the virtue of a woman. His opponent was killed, but the woman did not want to have a relationship with him. Williamson then moved to Texas in the mid 1820s and he settled in San Felipe de Austin where he is said to have become acquainted with William B. Travis. After moving to Texas and settling in San Felipe, he served as city attorney and also as mayor.
Continue reading Robert McAlpin “Three Legged Willie” Williamson
(Image credit: Country Music Hall of Fame)
Born outside Perryville, Texas on January 12, 1926, Ray Price became one of the best known country singers of his era. His parents were Walter Clifton and Clara Mae Bradley Price. There were no other known children born to this union. His parents divorced when he was only three years old, with his father remaining on the Wood County farm and his mother moving to Dallas and remarrying Dominic Cimini. Ray spent time with both families at various times, mostly in Dallas where he graduated from Dallas Adamson. Until World War II, Price attended North Texas Agricultural College (NTAC), formerly known as Arlington College and now known as University of Texas at Arlington. He lied about his age and at 17, one year early, Ray enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1944, serving served in the Pacific until 1946.
Nathan/Nathaniel “Nat” Love was born into slavery but became a well known cowboy, even publishing a book on his life experiences, “The Life and Adventures of Nat Love, Better Known in the Cattle Country as ‘Deadwood Dick’.” The book can be purchased or downloaded free from various sources.
Texas History Notebook 