DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it — and friend, this one earns every word. George Lord came into this world on April 21, 1816, in Essex County, England, born to Felstead and Anna Siggs Lord. Now right there you've got a man whose origins gave no particular hint of what was coming.
He immigrated to Canada in 1834, worked there for two years, then made his way down to New Orleans — and that's where the story takes its first hard turn toward Texas. In New Orleans, Lord joined a company of volunteers under a Captain Lyons, men who'd decided to throw in with the young Republic of Texas. They arrived in Galveston in 1837, and George Lord became part of the Texan Army.
What followed was not a quiet posting. He participated in the suppression of the Córdova Rebellion in 1838. He fought against Manuel Flores in 1839.
He even crossed into Mexico to fight alongside the Federalists before turning back to Texas. The man was not what you'd call a homebody. Then came 1842, and the Somervell Expedition — an effort to expel the forces of General Adrián Woll from the Republic.
Lord fought at the Battle of Salado Creek alongside some of the most storied names in Texas history: John C. "Jack" Hays, William "Bigfoot" Wallace. Names that still ring out in this part of the world. But here's where the story gets its weight.
Lord was among those who followed Colonel William Fisher's men into Mexico after the battle. Fisher's force was captured after fighting at Mier. And then came the Black Bean Incident — one of the grimmer chapters in Texas memory.
Ten percent of the prisoners were to be executed. The method of selection: drawing beans from a pot. Black bean, you died.
White bean, you lived. George Lord did not draw a black bean. He survived.
He endured the harsh conditions at Mexico's Perote Prison, eventually returned to Texas, and went on to fight in the Mexican War as a Ranger. The man simply kept going. In 1849, Lord joined Jack Hays and others heading to California during the Gold Rush.
Along the way, in Eagle Pass, Texas, he married Catherine "Kate" Myers, born in 1832. The couple spent three years in California mining for gold. Kate sold pies to other miners while her husband collected gold dust.
Between the two of them, they were not leaving empty-handed. They returned to Texas with seven thousand dollars' worth of gold and settled near this very site in DeWitt County. They established a Longhorn cattle ranch and reared eleven children.
The England-born volunteer who'd drawn a lucky bean and survived a Mexican prison had, it turns out, a whole life still waiting for him on Texas soil. George Lord died in 1895 — while working in his garden. Not in battle, not on the trail.
In his garden. After everything that man had seen and survived, there's something quietly right about that. Kate, born in 1832, lived until 1909.
And today, the marker remembers George Lord as what he was: a Texas patriot.
What the marker says
George Lord was born in Essex County, England on April 21, 1816 to Felstead and Anna Siggs Lord. He immigrated to Canada in 1834 and worked there for two years. He then moved to New Orleans and joined other volunteers under a Capt. Lyons to serve in the military of the young Republic of Texas. They arrived in Galveston in 1837. As part of the Texan Army, Lord participated in a number of operations, including suppression of the Córdova Rebellion (1838) and the fight against Manuel Flores (1839). He also fought in Mexico with the Federalists before returning to Texas. He joined the Somervell Expedition to expel forces of Gen. Adrián Woll from the Republic, fighting at the Battle of Salado Creek (1842) with many notable Texas figures like John C. "Jack" Hays and William "Bigfoot" Wallace. Lord was among those who then followed Col. William Fisher into Mexico. Fisher's men were captured after fighting at Mier, and as part of the infamous "Black Bean Incident," ten percent were executed while the others remained imprisoned. Lord was not selected for execution; he survived the harsh conditions at Mexico's Perote Prison, returned to Texas and fought in the Mexican War as a Ranger. In 1849, Lord accompanied Jack Hays and others to California during the Gold Rush. Along the way, he wed Catherine "Kate" Myers (1832-1909) in Eagle Pass, Texas. The couple spent three years mining for gold; Kate sold pies to other miners while her husband collected gold dust. They returned to Texas with $7,000 worth of gold and settled near this site in DeWitt County, where they established a Longhorn cattle ranch and reared 11 children. Lord died while working in his garden in 1895. Today, he is remembered as a Texas patriot. (2004)