texas – Page 42 – Texas History Notebook

Howard Hughes and TWA

Howard Hughes (1905-1976) was born in Houston, Texas and died on a flight returning to Houston from Mexico. Hughes had always had a strong interest in aviation and over the years owned either outright or a controlling interest in various aviation-related entities, including commercial airlines TWA and Northwest Airlines (briefly) and aircraft manufacturing.

Adina de Zavala

Adina Emilia de Zavala was the oldest child of Augustine and Julia Tyrrell de Zavala. Augustine (1832-1894) was the oldest of the three children born to Lorenzo de Zavala and his second wife Emily West (1809-1882). Lorenzo was married twice, first to Maria Josefa Teresa Correa y Correa with whom he had three children: Maria Manuela, Lorenzo (Jr.) and William Henry and second to Miranda Emily West whom he married after Maria Josefa passed away, and with whom he had Augustine, Emilia and Ricardo. The family lived near the San Jacinto battleground and Lorenzo, the grandfather, died late in the year 1836 at the age of 48, after being caught out in a norther while in his boat.

Siege of Béxar

The siege of Béxar refers to a confrontation between Texas forces under the command of Stephen F. Austin and Mexican troops quartered in what is now San Antonio. It occurred over the last few months of 1835 and began shortly after the Battle of Gonzales that took place in early October of that year.

Governor Oran Milo Roberts

Governor Oran Milo Roberts was the seventeenth governor of Texas, serving from January 21, 1879 to January 16, 1883, succeeding Richard B. Hubbard and preceding John Ireland. He was the last of at least six children born in Laurens County, South Carolina on July 9, 1815 to Obadiah Roberts (1769-1827) and Margaret Ewing Roberts (1776-1859). Biographical sketches say that he was educated at home until he was seventeen. One anecdote has him telling his mother around that time that although he had respect for the agricultural life they were living, he had higher aspirations than working on the land. Then, using funds borrowed from a brother in law, in 1832 he left home to enter the University of Alabama, graduating in four years with a law degree.

Battle of Gonzales

The Battle of Gonzales began on October 2, 1835 after some preliminary events. Back in 1831, Mexican authorities had loaned a small cannon to settlers in and around Gonzales to assist them in defending against Comanche incursions. Relationships between settlers and the Mexican government improved and declined over time, though trending toward animosity between them. At some point, the commander of Mexican troops in Texas favored seeking a return of the cannon, possibly to prevent it being used against them.