DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about John Wortham, right here in Houston County. Now settle in, because this man packed a considerable amount of living into one life. John Wortham came into this world in 1804, and by the time Texas was still finding its footing as a republic, he was already elbow-deep in the work of building it.
In 1837 — that's barely a heartbeat after the revolution — Wortham was one of the petitioners calling for the creation of Houston County itself. The man wasn't waiting around for somebody else to get things organized. He had places to be and, apparently, counties to help bring into existence.
He later served as a captain of an independent ranger company, then rose to major in the Republic of Texas Army, and then took on the role of quartermaster of the Texas Militia. Three separate hats, military-wise, and he wore every one of them. But here's where it gets interesting — because Wortham wasn't purely a man of arms.
He was appointed to the first Board of Land Commissioners for the Texas Republic. First board. Not a later one, not a successor committee.
The first one. And if that wasn't enough, he served as a trustee of Trinity College. Then you come back down to earth and you find the man also owned a local sawmill and a gristmill, which tells you he understood that a republic runs on lumber and cornmeal just as much as it runs on proclamations.
He was twice married and the father of twelve children — twelve — which, you have to figure, kept things lively around the homestead regardless of whatever republic business was pending. John Wortham died in 1867, and he was buried right here on this land, two and three-tenths miles to the southwest of where you're standin'. The county he helped petition into being is still here.
So, in a manner of speaking, is he.
What the marker says
A pioneer area landowner and farmer, John Wortham (1804-67) was a petitioner for the creation of Houston County in 1837. He later served as a captain of an independent ranger company, as major in the Republic of Texas Army and as quartermaster of the Texas Militia. In addition to his military service, he was a trustee of Trinity College and was appointed to the first Board of Land Commissioners for the Texas Republic. He also owned a local sawmill and gristmill. Twice married, Wortham was the father of 12 children. He was buried on this land (2.3 miles SW).