DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Norman Austin. Born August 2, 1811, in Skaneateles, New York — the fifth son of a large family, which means he came into this world already knowing how to find his own way.
And find it he did. He farmed in Michigan. He clerked in Alabama.
And then, in 1835, he landed in Matagorda County, Texas, to ranch. He was twenty-three years old and had already lived in more places than most folks see in a lifetime. He had no idea what was coming.
Almost nobody did. Texas was about to go to war. When the War for Independence from Mexico broke out, Austin joined Albert C.
Horton's cavalry, assigned to Colonel James Fannin's command at Goliad. On March 17, 1836, Austin rode with Horton's cavalry in a battle near Goliad against the advance guard of Mexican general José de Urrea. That was a Saturday.
Sunday, Horton's men went ahead of Fannin's main army to scout forward positions. And while they were out ahead — while they were gone — the Mexican army surrounded Fannin's men near Coleto Creek. Captured them.
And later executed more than three hundred of them. More than three hundred. Austin was among twenty-eight survivors in Horton's unit.
Twenty-eight. That number deserves a moment of silence before we move on. After the war, Austin traveled again.
He visited his recently widowed mother in New York, then moved to Mississippi, where he met and married Eliza Ann Houston. They lived in Indiana before settling back in Texas in 1854 — first at Onion Creek in Travis County, then at Taylor's Valley east of Belton, where they built a double log cabin and put down roots the way people do when they've finally made up their minds. Austin opened a dry goods and hardware store in Belton, hauling supplies all the way from Houston by oxcart.
One of Norman and Eliza's sons served in the Confederate army. The family later lived in Mexico, then Costa Rica, then California. And then, in 1872, they came back to Belton one final time.
Norman Austin stayed in the dry goods business until his death on May 12, 1890. And he remained an active member of the Texas Veterans Association — that fellowship of men who had served in the military of the Republic of Texas. A New York boy who farmed, clerked, ranched, fought, survived, wandered, and then kept on serving.
Twenty-eight survivors. Norman Austin was one of them.
What the marker says
(August 2, 1811 – May 12, 1890) Texas revolutionary veteran and local merchant Norman Austin made important contributions to his adopted state. Born in Skaneateles, New York, he was the fifth son of a large family and traveled widely throughout his life. He farmed in Michigan and clerked in Alabama before arriving in Matagorda County, Texas to ranch in 1835. At the beginning of Texas’ War for Independence from Mexico, Austin joined Albert C. Horton’s cavalry, assigned to Colonel James Fannin’s command at Goliad. On March 17, 1836, Austin participated in a battle near Goliad between Horton’s cavalry and the advance guard of Mexican general José de Urrea. The following day, Horton’s men went ahead of Fannin’s main army to scout forward positions. The Mexican army surrounded Fannin’s men near Coleto Creek, capturing and later executing more than 300; Austin was among 28 survivors in Horton’s unit. Austin traveled again after the war, visiting his recently widowed mother in New York and then moving to Mississippi, where he met and married Eliza Ann Houston. They also lived in Indiana before settling in Texas in 1854, first at Onion Creek (Travis Co.), and then at Taylor’s Valley east of Belton where they built a double log cabin. Austin opened a dry goods and hardware store in Belton, bringing supplies from Houston by oxcart. One of Norman and Eliza’s sons served in the Confederate army, and later the family lived in Mexico, Costa Rica and California before returning to Belton a final time in 1872. Austin continued in the dry goods business until his death, and was an active member of the Texas Veterans Association, comprised of military veterans of the Republic of Texas.