DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker on Colonel Robert Simonton Gould tells it, and it's quite a story to tell. Born in 1826 in North Carolina, educated at the University of Alabama, Robert Simonton Gould made his way to Texas in 1850 — and Texas, it seems, was ready for him. He settled in Centerville, hung out his shingle, and started practicing law.
Before long, he was serving as the first district attorney of the Old 13th Judicial District, and then as its judge. Leon County had found its man. Then came 1861, and everything changed.
Gould represented Leon County at the Secession Convention. The county itself voted 534 to 82 in favor of secession — and Gould got to work. He raised troops locally, and those men became Company B, the nucleus of what would be known as the 6th Texas Cavalry Battalion — or Gould's Battalion — in the Confederate Army.
First as major, then as colonel, Gould led that battalion for four years, campaigning across Louisiana and Texas. He was there in 1864 for the Red River campaign, fighting to prevent Federal invasions of Texas. He was at Mansfield.
He was at Pleasant Hill. Both times, the Federals were repulsed. And then there was Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas — where the fight got close enough that the horse beneath him was killed.
Not Gould. The horse. He kept going.
When the war ended, Leon County reelected him judge of the Old 13th District. That lasted until 1867, when military authorities overseeing Reconstruction in Texas removed him from the bench. That could have been the end of a lesser man's public life.
It wasn't. In 1874, he was appointed assistant justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Then he was elected to it outright.
He served until December 31st, 1882 — and in his final stretch, from 1880 to 1882, he served as chief justice. After that, a new chapter opened that no battlefield or courtroom quite anticipates. He was named, alongside Governor O.
M. Roberts, as one of the two very first professors of law at the University of Texas, holding that tenure from 1883 to 1899. Robert Simonton Gould — soldier, judge, chief justice, founding law professor — died in Austin in 1904.
The marker's in Leon County, but the reach of that life spread a good deal farther.
What the marker says
(1826-1904) Born in North Carolina. Educated at University of Alabama. Came to Texas in 1850. Practiced law in Centerville. Served as the first district attorney, then as judge in the Old 13th Judicial District. Represented Leon County as member of Secession Convention, 1861. Afterward, as this county voted 534 to 82 in favor of secession, raised locally troops which as Co. B, became nucleus for 6th Texas Cavalry (or Gould's) Battalion, in the Confederate Army. First as major, then as colonel, Gould led battalion for 4 years in Louisiana and Texas. Saw duty in Red River campaign to prevent invasions of Texas, fighting in the 1864 repulses of Federals at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. At Jenkins Ferry, Ark., Col. Gould had his horse killed under him. After the war he was reelected judge of the Old 13th District, but was removed in 1867 by military authorities in charge of reconstruction in Texas. Appointed assistant justice of Texas Supreme Court in 1874, he was afterwards elected, and served until Dec. 31, 1882 (being chief justice in 1880-1882). Was named, along with Governor O. M. Roberts, as one of two first professors of law at the University of Texas, holding tenure 1883-1899. Died in Austin.