The Robertsons, the Sutherlands, and the Making of Texas (Volume 25)

All Texans, or their ancestors, started as something else. The families that came here molded the state and were molded by it. Anne H. Sutherland explores just how the experiences of two of the early Anglo land-grant families the Robertsons and the Sutherlands shaped Texas events and how they handed down those experiences from one generation to another, transforming two Scots-Irish families into what in hindsight we have branded Anglo-Texans. The story of these two pioneering families, told through their letters, poems, diaries, and oral histories, embodies western expansion and political upheaval. Settling in central and southeast Texas, these families struggled to build a new Texas and make a life for their children. The Texas revolution and the Civil War acted as catalysts for the emergence of their Texan identity. A unique blend of family and Texas history, Sutherland’s Made in Texas: A Family Tale positions personal stories as windows of insight onto Texan identity. She peels back the layers of family tradition and textbook history to show how her forebears experienced the transforming events of the settlement of Texas and its war for independence. As new generations emerged, each contributed its own anecdotes and historical context from the time period. By placing the families within Texas history, Sutherland effectively and innovatively traces identity from the early nineteenth century to today. As settlers in the western wilderness, the Robertsons, the Sutherlands, and others like them actively shaped Texas, even as they were changed themselves. Contents 8 Illustrations 10 Preface 12 Acknowledgments 16 Discovering My Texas Identity 20 Writing as a Tradition 27 The Robertson Papers 34 Learning Texas History 38 Sterling Clack Robertson, Empresario 54 The Alabama Settlement 73 The Prayer on the Sabine 84 Making a Living 90 The Comanche, Karankawa, Lipan Apache, and Tonkawa 99 Political Rumblings in the Alabama Settlement 105 The Alabama Settlement at War 111 The Texas Revolution as Myth and Identity Ritual 122 Aftermath of the War: Tragedy and Humor 128 Getting Rid of Wildness 133 The Wild Woman of the Navidad 139 The Civilizing Elites: Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson 144 The End of Slavery 157 Remember Who You Are 165 The Macaroni Road Comes to Edna 172 The Migration to Uvalde 178 Getting an Education 189 Family Reunions 201 Notes 208 Bibliography 220 Index 228 All Texans, or their ancestors, started as something else. The families that came here molded the state and were molded by it. Anne H. Sutherland explores just how the experiences of two of the early Anglo land-grant families--the Robertsons and the Sutherlands--shaped Texas events and how the families handed down those experiences from one generation to another, transforming two Scots-Irish families into what in hindsight we have branded Anglo-Texans All Texans, or their ancestors, started as something else. The families that came here molded the state and were molded by it. This book explores just how the experiences of 2 of the early Anglo land-grant families - the Robertsons and the Sutherlands - shaped Texas events and how they handed down those experiences from one generation to another.