DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about five men who helped write Texas into existence. March 2, 1836. Washington-on-the-Brazos.
Fifty-nine men put their names to the Texas Declaration of Independence, telling Mexico — and the world — that Texas was its own republic now. Fifty-nine signatures on that document. And five of them came from one county.
Red River County. More than from any of the other old Spanish-Mexican districts, or any of the new Republic of Texas counties. Five men.
One county. Let's meet them. First, Richard Ellis, born in Virginia in 1781.
He'd made his way to Pecan Point on the Red River by 1834, establishing a plantation out there on the frontier. When the Convention of 1836 gathered to make history, they didn't just let Ellis sign the declaration — they made him President of the whole convention. He wasn't done after that, either.
He went on to serve two terms as Senator of the Republic of Texas, from 1836 to 1840. Richard Ellis died in 1846, but he'd already left a mark that lasts. Next up, Robert Hamilton.
Born in 1783, he'd come a long way — immigrating from Scotland all the way to North Carolina in 1807. Then he fought in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. Then he came to Texas in 1834, settling on Pecan Bayou near a place called Lagrange, which later became known as Madras.
In 1836 — that same year he signed the declaration — he became Chief Justice of Red River County. Robert Hamilton died in 1843, having crossed an ocean, survived a war, and helped found a republic. Third, Albert Hamilton Latimer.
Born around 1800, he'd settled near Pecan Point in 1833, just a year before his future colleagues Ellis and Hamilton arrived in the region. Latimer was a busy man. He served two terms as Representative for Red River County from 1840 to 1842.
He was a Unionist, and he served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1866. He was appointed State Comptroller in 1857. And then, in 1869, he was appointed Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.
Latimer lived all the way to 1877 — long enough to see the republic he helped declare become a state, fight a civil war, and start rebuilding. Fourth signer: Samuel Price Carson, born in 1798. Carson came to Texas with serious credentials already in hand — he'd served as both a state and a United States Representative for North Carolina before he ever crossed into Texas.
Once he arrived, he was elected Secretary of State for the Texas ad interim government. He died in 1838, just two years after that declaration, but he'd already done the work that counted. And then there's Collin McKinney.
Born in 1766 in New Jersey. When he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836, he was already seasoned in a way most men in that room weren't. He went on to serve three terms as a Texas State Representative — 1836 to 1838, and again in 1839 to 1840.
Collin McKinney lived until 1861, long enough to see what he'd signed for take full root. And the land remembered him. Both Collin County and the City of McKinney are named for him.
Five signers. One county. Richard Ellis, Robert Hamilton, Albert Hamilton Latimer, Samuel Price Carson, and Collin McKinney.
They came from Virginia, Scotland, and New Jersey. They'd fought in wars, crossed oceans, and carved out lives on the edge of a frontier. And on March 2, 1836, they put their names on a piece of paper at Washington-on-the-Brazos — and Texas hasn't forgotten them since.
What the marker says
On March 2, 1836, members of the Convention of 1836 signed the Texas Declaration of Independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos, declaring Texas independent from Mexico. Of the 59 signers, five were from Red River County, more than from any of the other old Spanish-Mexican districts or the new Republic of Texas counties. The five signers were Richard Ellis, Robert Hamilton, Albert Hamilton Latimer, Samuel Price Carson and Collin McKinney. Richard Ellis (1781-1846) was born in Virginia and moved to Pecan Point on the Red River by 1834, establishing a plantation. He was President of the Convention of 1836 and served two terms as Senator (1836-40) of the Republic of Texas. Robert Hamilton (1783-1843) immigrated from Scotland to North Carolina in 1807. He fought in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812 and came to Texas in 1834, settling on Pecan Bayou near Lagrange (later Madras). In 1836, he became Chief Justice of Red River County. Albert Hamilton Latimer (c. 1800-1877) settled near Pecan Point in 1833 and served two terms (1840-42) as Representative for Red River County. A Unionist, Latimer was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1866, and was appointed State Comptroller (1857) and Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court (1869). Samuel Price Carson (1798-1838) served as a state and U.S. Representative for North Carolina before coming to Texas. He was elected Secretary of State for the Texas ad interim government. Collin McKinney (1766-1861) was born in New Jersey. He served three terms (1836-38, 1839-40) as a Texas State Representative. Both Collin County and the City of McKinney are named for him. Today, these Red River County pioneers continue to be remembered as leading figures in Texas Independence. (2009)