4th Grade Biographies
Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836) Stephen F. Austin is called the
"Father of Texas." His father, Moses Austin, had an agreement with
the Spanish government to colonize a portion of northern Mexico.
When Moses died, Stephen was asked to continue his father’s job.
Stephen selected a site for his colony along the Brazos and Colorado
rivers. He brought 297 families to live in Austin's Colony. They
became known as the "Old Three Hundred." Austin tried to work with
the Mexican government and to bring in new residents. He also
received other land grants. In ten years he helped more than 1,500
families settle in Texas. As Santa Anna gained more and more
control, he limited the freedom of the Texans. Austin served time in
jail for speaking out against the Mexican government. When he was
released, he supported actions that would lead to the Texas
Revolution.
James A. Baker III (1930- ) James A. Baker, III was born in Houston,
Texas. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp and later set a law firm in
Texas. He has served in numerous senior government positions for
several United States Presidents. He served as the nation's Secretary
of State and Secretary of the Treasury, as well as Chief of Staff for the
White House.
Placido Benavides (?-1837) Plácido Benavides was a native of
Mexico. He was known for his contribution to the settlement of
Victoria, Texas. He was responsible for issuing the land titles and
other business transactions in De Leon’s colony. The Mexican
government gave him permission to continue the colony after De
Leon’s death. Although he disagreed with Santa Anna, he stayed loyal
to Mexico. Therefore, he could not support the independence of
Texas.
Julius Lorenzo Cobb Bledsoe (1897-1943) Julius Lorenzo Cobb
Bledsoe was a concert singer who performed in the United States and
Europe. He was praised for his ability to sing in several languages, for
his vocal control and range, and for his power to communicate
through music. In 1926 he performed as the baritone “Tizan”, the
leading role in the opera Deep River.
Gail Borden (1801-1874) Gail Borden was an inventor, publisher,
surveyor, and founder of the Borden Company, Gail Borden learned
from experience that preserved foods were important to settlers. He
was born in New York but moved to the Texas territory in 1829. As a
surveyor, he helped to measure Stephen F. Austin's colony, prepared
the first topographic map of Texas, and designed Galveston. In 1835
he published the first issue of his Telegraph and Texas Register and
published it in various cities. He began inventing and secured patents
for condensed milk in America and Britain. He founded the New York
Condensed Milk Company (later named Borden's) in 1857. He built a
meat-packing plant in Borden, Texas. He supported children through
education and religious philanthropy.
James Bowie (1796-1836) James “Jim” Bowie shared command at
the Alamo with William B. Travis. Bowie was born in Kentucky but as
an adult he moved to Texas and searched for gold and silver. During
the Texas Revolution, Bowie was in charge of the volunteer forces at
the Alamo. There he became ill with pneumonia and was confined to
his cot. It is said that he died there during the Battle of the Alamo. A
Texas hero and a reckless adventurer, Bowie was known for his
legendary ability to fight with the Bowie knife and his skill in riding
alligators.
Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle (1643-1687) Rene Robert
Cavelier preferred to be called by his noble title, Sieur de la Salle. He
invested in the Canadian fur trade in the hopes of becoming rich. He
traveled down the Mississippi River to its delta in 1682. This helped
France establish trade in the Mississippi Valley, and they also claimed
Louisiana. While seeking the mouth of the Mississippi, de la Salle
sailed past the delta and landed in Matagorda Bay,Texas. He helped
establish Fort St. Louis and claimed the area for the French. This is
the reason that the French flag is one of the six flags which has flown
over Texas. Fighting among the members of the expedition led to La
Salle's assassination on March 19, 1687.
George Childress (1804-1841) George Childress was born in
Tennessee and came to Texas in 1835. At the Convention of 1836,
Childress was selected to chair a committee to write the Texas
Declaration of Independence. This document was closely modeled
after the U.S. Declaration of Independence and explained why Texas
was declaring its Independence from Mexico. He is known as the
primary author of the document.
Bessie Coleman (1892-1926) Bessie Coleman was the first AfricanAmerican to earn an international pilot's license. She learned to fly in
Europe and brought back her skills to the United States. She dazzled
crowds with her stunts at air shows. She refused to be stopped
because of racism, a dislike or disrespect of a person based on race.
Her hopes were to open an air school where other African-Africans
could learn to fly. Unfortunately, she died in a plane crash.
Francisco Coronado (1510-1554) Francisco Coronado explored the
Southwestern portion of North America. This helped open the area for
colonization and settlement. Coronado first sailed to the New World in
1535 to search for riches for Spain. He led an expedition in search of
the Seven Cities of Cíbola, or Seven Cities of Gold. During the search
he traveled through territory in present-day Arizona, Texas, New
Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. He never found the Seven Cities of
Cibola.
David Crockett (1786-1836) David “Davy” Crockett was born in
Tennessee. Davy Crockett enlisted in the militia and fought in the
Creek Indian War. He became involved in government and served at
the local, state, and eventually, the national level as a member of the
House of Representatives. He came to Texas shortly before the
Texas Revolution began. With a group of volunteers he ended up at
the Alamo where he died defending it from Santa Anna and the
Mexican Army. The adventures of Davy Crockett, a sharpshooter and
hunter, grew in popularity and earned him a place in American
folklore.
José de Escandón (1700-1770) José de Escandón was born in
Spain but moved to the area we know as New Spain when he was
young. When José grew up, he became involved in helping to settle
parts of Mexico and southern Texas. The people of Spain wanted to
settle these parts because they did not the English and French to
settle there. He was the first governor of an area known as Nuevo
Santander. He governed the area for 22 years and became wealthy
from farming, raising livestock, and shipping. For his colonization
efforts, Escandón is sometimes called the "Father of the Lower Rio
Grande Valley.”
Martin de Leon (1763-1833) Martin de Leon is the only empresario of
Mexican descent to settle a colony in Texas. He first worked as a
merchant and then chose to settle in Texas. He petitioned, or asked,
the Mexican government in San Antonio for the right to establish a
colony. At first he was denied the right, but then the Mexican
government approved his petition to form a colony in 1824. He started
his colony near Victoria. He opposed Santa Anna but died in 1833
before the battles for Texas independence.
Cabeza de Vaca (c. 1490-c. 1556) Cabeza de Vaca was a Spanish
explorer who was considered the first geographer and historian of
Texas. He sailed the coast of Florida. Then while trying to reach
Mexico, he shipwrecked on an island off the Texas coast. De Vaca
and his men were caught and enslaved by Indian tribes on the Texas
coast. After many years, only he and three other men remained.
Cabeza de Vaca and the other survivors left the area of Galveston
Island searching for Spanish settlements. They eventually reached
the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Cabeza de Vaca helped write the
earliest notes known to exist describing the Indians and landforms of
Texas.
Adina de Zavala (1861-1955) Adina de Zavala was a preservationist
who is best known for saving the Alamo as a historic site. Her mission
in life was to protect the historic treasures of Texas. She was
responsible for encouraging a state-wide recognition of Texas
Independence Day on March 2. Being of proud of her state and
people in the state, she suggested that all Texas public schools be
named for state heroes. She was a charter member of the Texas
State Historical Association. She was the granddaughter of Lorenzo
de Zavala, the vice president of the temporary Texas government.
She was called “The First Lady of Texas Historic Preservation.”
Lorenzo de Zavala (1788-1836) Lorenzo de Zavala administered a
land grant, established a colony in east Texas, and took an active role
in the Mexican government. He served in the Mexican Congress and
as a governor of the state of Mexcio prior to 1835. He became an
active supporter of the quest for Texas to be independent. He
participated in the Convention of 1836 and served as vice-president in
the temporary government established during the Revolution. He is
credited with designing the first flag of the Republic of Texas.
Michael DeBakey (1908-2008) Michael DeBakey was well-known as
a medical doctor in Houston, Texas. When he was a medical student,
he invented a major component of a heart-lung machine which made
open-heart surgery possible. During World War II, he helped to
develop Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) units. In 1966 he
was successful in using a gas-energized pump to bypass the left
ventricle in a patient suffering severe heart failure. DeBakey thought
the use of a pump to aid the heart was more practical than replacing it
with an artificial pump. He devised a plan to allow doctors, hospitals,
medical schools and community groups throughout the name to
cooperate in the treatment of heart disease, cancer, and emergency
medical care. In the early 1990s, he cooperated with the Raytheon
Company to develop an interactive video system which allows experts
to examine and diagnose illness without having to travel to the patient.
DeBakey evaluated the medical condition of Russian President Boris
Yeltsin in 1996.
Susanna Dickinson (1814-1883) Susanna Dickinson will always be
remembered as an adult Anglo survivor who witnessed the massacre
at the Battle of the Alamo. Santa Anna let her go free to inform the
Texans what would happen if they continued their battle for
independence. She left, headed east, and met up with the Texas
Army being lead by Sam Houston. Her report about the battle and the
strength of the Mexican Army led Houston to order the Texans to flee.
This began the Runaway Scrape.
Clara Driscoll (1881-1945) Clara Driscoll has been known as “Savior
of the Alamo” because she put up thousands of dollars to prevent the
Alamo convent from being sold to a hotel firm. She later was
reimbursed the money. She served on the Democratic Party National
Committee from Texas for 16 years. She was an honorary life
presidency of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Her home in
Austin, Laguna Gloria, was deeded to the Texas Fine Arts Association
and is an art museum and school today. In Corpus Christi, she
provided for a hospital and free clinic for sick and crippled children.
The Driscoll Children’s Hospital still operates today. Upon her death,
she lay in state at the Alamo with the Lone Star flag at half-staff.
Carlos Espalier (1819-1836) Carlos Espalier was born in Texas in
1819. He died in the battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, at age
seventeen. It was said that he was a protégé, or learned from, Jim
Bowie. Because of the similarity in names, a claim has been made
that Carlos Espalier and Charles Despallier are the same person.
This is not a known fact.
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Enrique Esparza (1828-1917) Enrique Esparza was at the Battle of
the Alamo and saw his father killed during the battle. He was a
farmer. He carried his goods from location to location in carts. The
trips were dangerous and tiresome. Therefore on his return home, he
always visited the church first to give thanks for a successful trip.
Vicente Filisola (c. 1789-1850) General Vicente Filisola was second
in command of the Mexican army during the Texas Revolution. After
Sam Houston’s Texans defeated General Antonio López de Santa
Anna at San Jacinto, Filisola became the commander-in-chief of the
Mexican soldiers who remained in Texas. The Mexican army
eventually retreated to Mexico. Filisola was blamed for all that went
wrong in the campaign in Texas.
Joseph Glidden (1813-1906) Joseph Glidden invented the first
commercially successful barbed wire. It was patented in 1874. He
was co-founder of the Barb Fence Company of De Kalb, Illinois. This
company marketed the wire. Farmers and settlers in Texas used the
wire to protect water supplies, crops, and livestock from free-range
cattle. The barb wire changed the cattle industry in Texas.
Henry B. González (1916-2000) Henry González served as a role
model for Mexican-Americans in Texas through his political activities.
He was born in San Antonio to Mexican immigrant parents. He earned
a law degree. He began his political career as a member of the San
Antonio city council. In 1956, González became the first MexicanAmerican to be elected to the Texas Senate in more than 100 years.
He was the first Mexican-American to serve in the U.S. House of
Representatives. As a Democrat, he served in the U.S. Congress for
more than 30 years.
Raul A. Gonzalez Jr. (1940- ) Raul Gonzalez's judicial career began
in 1978, when Gov. Dolph Briscoe appointed him judge of the 103rd
Judicial District. He then was elected to a four-year term. Before he
completed his term, Gov. Bill Clements appointed him as an associate
justice of the Thirteenth Court of Appeals. Following that, Gov. Mark
White appointed him as an associate justice of the Texas Supreme
Court. Gonzalez made history as the first Hispanic member of the
court.
Charles Goodnight (1836-1929) Charles Goodnight was born on a
farm in Southern Illinois. About the time Texas became a state, he
moved to an area around the Brazos River. Goodnight soon learned
about the longhorn cattle that roamed the plains. Since the demand
for beef had grown in America, Texans started to round up cattle.
They then drove them to the markets in the East. Goodnight took his
herd, not to the railheads in Kansas, but to Colorado. There he
opened up new markets in the mines and military camps. This
required opening up a new route through dangerous and difficult
territory. To help with the trip, Goodnight invented the chuck wagon
which allowed him to feed the cowboys on the trail. The route that
they took became known as the Goodnight-Loving Trail. It went from
the Texas Panhandle to Colorado and then onto Wyoming.
Pattillo Higgins (1863-1955) Pattillo Higgins was a self-taught
geologist, draftsman, inventor, cartographer, and engineer. He was
known as the "Prophet of Spindletop”. He formed partnerships with
other men who believed that there was oil in the gulf coast region of
Texas. Higgins, George Carroll, and George Washington O'Brien
formed the Gladys City Oil, Gas, and Manufacturing Company.
Unfortunately, they had several unsuccessful wells. Later Anthony
Francis Lucas joined with Higgins and discovered oil on land adjacent
to Spindletop on January 10, 1901. This discovery of large amounts of
oil along the Texas coast has been considered as one of the changing
events in the history of the state.
Sam Houston (1793-1863) Sam Houston was a leader for more than
25 years in Texas. He served as the commander of the Texan army
during the revolution, served as president of the Republic of Texas,
was a U.S. senator, and then served as governor. He grew up on
Tennessee and lived with the Cherokee Indians. He served in the
U.S. army. He served in the Tennessee Congress and was its
governor. He then moved to Texas. Here Houston's experience with
federal and state government proved valuable. He was a delegate to
the Texas Convention of 1836. He worked to draft a constitution and
to declare independence from Mexico. He left the convention to
command the Texas army against Santa Anna. Texans proclaimed
Houston the hero of the Battle of San Jacinto. After the revolution,
Houston became the first elected president of the Republic of Texas.
Houston supported Texas being annexed by the United States. Texas
became the twenty-eighth state in 1845. Houston served as a U.S.
senator and then governor of Texas. During the Civil War, Houston
opposed secession, or leaving, from the Union. He left the governor's
office after Texans voted to secede.
Millie Hughes-Fulford (1945- ) Millie Elizabeth Hughes-Fulford is an
American medical investigator and molecular biologist who flew
aboard a NASA Space Shuttle mission. She started college at the
age of 16 at Texas Women University. She has written 90 papers on
bone and cancer growth regulation. She has been a professor at the
University of California Medical Center in San Francisco where she
continues her research.
Wallace Jefferson (1963- ) Wallace Jefferson has twice made history
as the first African-American Justice and Chief Justice on the
Supreme Court of Texas. Chief Justice Jefferson was appointed to the
Court in 2001. In 2004, Governor Perry promoted him to Chief
Justice. In 2006, Chief Justice Jefferson earned more votes than any
other candidate for State office.
Lizzie Johnson (1840-1924) Lizzie Johnson was known as the
"Cattle Queen of Texas." She was a highly successful investor in the
Texas cattle business. After the Civil War, she rounded up stray
cattle, branded them, and drove them North. She was one of the first
women to drive cattle up the Chisholm Trail. She was also a member
of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and worked for prison
reform.
Anson Jones (1798-1858) Anson Jones was born in Massachusetts
and grew up to be a doctor. He moved a lot, but eventually ended up
in Brazoria, Texas where he opened a medical practice. Jones spoke
out about the troubles between Texas and Mexico. He called for the
convention where Texas declared its independence. During the
Texas Revolution he served as a doctor for the army. He supported
Sam Houston's efforts to stabilize the Texas economy and keep
peace with the Native Americans. He served as a representative to
the U.S. and as the Secretary of State for the Republic of Texas.
Jones was elected president of the Republic of Texas in 1844. An
issue facing him was the annexation of Texas to the U.S. Texas did
join the U.S. At the annexation ceremony, Jones lowered the Texas
flag and gave a speech where he said, "The final act in this great
drama is now performed. The Republic of Texas is no more."
Scott Joplin (c. 1867-1917) Scott Joplin was an American composer
and pianist known as the "King of Ragtime" at the turn of the 20th
century. He was born outside of Texarkana, Texas in 1867. He
learned to play as a child. He wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one
ragtime ballet, and two operas in his career. After his death, he was
awarded the Pulitzer Prize.
Barbara Jordan (1936-1996) Barbara Jordan was born in Houston.
She was the first African-American Congresswoman from the South.
She was supported by President Lyndon Johnson during her
campaign as a representative from Texas to the U.S. House. She
earned national recognition during the Watergate hearings which
investigated President Richard Nixon's election campaign. Time
magazine named her “Woman of the Year” in 1975. She was a
professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the
University of Texas in Austin. She remained in public service until her
death on January 17, 1996.
Richard King (1824-1885) Richard King was a riverman, a steamboat
entrepreneur, and a livestock capitalist. He is most remembered as
the founder of the King Ranch. With partners James Walworth and
Mifflin Kenedy, King established R. King and Company, a ranching
business. During the Civil War his company had several contracts
with the Confederacy to supply European buyers with cotton. They
also supplied the Confederate Army with beef, horses, imported guns,
medical supplies, clothing, and shoes. They were usually successful
in avoiding the Union blockade. The Union forces captured
Brownsville in late 1863 and raided the King Ranch and destroyed
most of it. King and Kenedy split their partnership in 1868 and
became individual ranchers. They each built a famous ranch. They
changed South Texas ranching with the introduction of fencing, cattle
drives to Northern markets, large-scale cattle, sheep, mule, and horse
raising, and the scientific breeding of livestock.
Mirabeau Lamar (1798-1859) Mirabeau Lamar was elected the first
vice president of the Republic of Texas and was elected president the
following election. Lamar favored remaining a republic and opposed
Texas being annexed by the United States. Under his leadership the
public debt of Texas grew. Lamar believed that the Texas border
included Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mexican officials disagreed. This
created hard feelings between Mexico and Texas. Throughout the
Republic years, Lamar and Houston disagreed on the direction that
Texas should go.
Stanley Marcus (1905-2002) Stanley Marcus was considered a
retailing genius. He was born in 1905 in Dallas, Texas. He expanded
his father's specialty shop into a full-service department store, the
Neiman-Marcus Department Store. Under his management, it
became one of the most famous retail chains in the world. It was
considered to have both the highest quality merchandise and
unflagging customer service.
Lydia Mendoza (1916-2007) Lydia Mendoza was an American
singer who captivated audiences with her interpretations of songs.
She was known as the “Queen of Tejano Music.” She also was called
the “Lark of the Border” and the “Songstress of the Poor.” She was
noted for her mastery of the 12-string guitar. In 1999 Mendoza was
the recipient of a National Medal of Arts.
Audie Murphy (1924-1971) Audie Murphy was a soldier in World War
II. He was the most decorated combat soldier in U.S. history. He
earned 33 awards, citations and decorations, including the Medal of
Honor. After the war he became a successful movie actor. He starred
in 44 films. He wrote 14 songs. Two of them were in the top ten of the
Hit Parade. He also was an author and poet. In 1971, he was killed in
an airplane crash.
Jose Antonio Navarro (1795-1871) José Antonio Navarro was
considered one of the most influential Tejanos of his generation. He
helped Texas gain its independence from Mexico. He fought for the
rights of Tejanos as citizens of the Republic of Texas and the United
States. Like his friend, Stephen F. Austin, he had a vision of what
Texas could become. Navarro was one of the signers of the Texas
Declaration of Independence. After the Texas Revolution, he worked
in the Texas Senate.
Juan Antonio Padilla (?-1839) Juan Antonio Padilla worked for the
government of Coahuila and Texas. He was a supporter of AngloAmerican colonization. He was a friend of Stephen F. Austin. He
helped the settlers with issues such as slavery and laws. After being
wrongly removed from office, his mistrust of the Mexican government
grew. He helped the Texas Army capture the city of Victoria. After the
Texas Revolution, Padilla represented Victoria in the General Council.
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Sam Rayburn (1882-1961) Sam Rayburn maintained a leadership
role in the U.S. House of Representatives from the Wilson through the
Kennedy administrations. He earned respect for his abilities to
persuade the passing of legislation in Congress. He was born in
Tennessee but grew up in Bonham, Texas. Upon election to the state
legislature, he moved to Austin and earned a law degree. He served
as House Speaker in 1911. He then was elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives. Rayburn supported President Woodrow Wilson and
favored reforms such as anti-trust legislation. As a senior member of
the U.S. House, he promoted New Deal legislation. He served a total
of 24 years as the Democratic Speaker of the House. He earned
respect from both Democrats and Republicans for his ability to
compromise.
Ann Richards (1933-2006) Ann Richards was a longtime activist in
the politics of the Texas Democratic Party. She held the public office
of State Treasurer of Texas. She became Texas’ second woman
governor in 1990. She was the first woman to be elected to that office
based on her own merit. She gained national attention when she
delivered the keynote speech at the 1988 Democratic National
Convention. Ann Richards was a former social studies and history
teacher in Austin.
Cleto Rodriguez (1923-1990) Cleto Rodriquez was born in San
Marcos. Rodríguez joined the army in early 1944 and served in the
South Pacific. He earned the Congressional Medal of Honor for his
bravery in the battle for Manila. The Medal of Honor is the highest
military decoration awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces. It
recognized his bravery in combat. Rodríguez became the fifth
Mexican-American so honored. He was the first Mexican-American to
receive the award for action in the South Pacific.
Jose Francisco Ruiz (1783-1840) José Francisco Ruiz was a military
officer and public official for Texas. When the struggle for Texas
independence gained momentum in 1835, Ruiz joined on the side of
Texas. He traveled to Washington-on-the-Brazos to be a delegate to
the Convention of l836. There he and his nephew José Antonio
Navarro signed the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2,
1836. They were the only native Texans among the fifty-nine men
who signed the document.
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (1794-1876) Antonio Lopez de
Santa Anna was a soldier and the president of Mexico. He led the
Mexican Army during the Texas Revolution at the Battle of the Alamo.
At the battle of San Jacinto he was defeated and captured by Sam
Houston. When the Mexican War broke out between the U.S. and
Mexico, he contacted President James K. Polk. He offered to work
with the U.S. and Mexico to negotiate peace. He also tried to regain
his power in Mexico. He was not successful.
Juan N. Seguin (1806-1890) Juan N. Seguín served as a political
and military leader during the Texas Revolution and the years Texas
was a republic. Sequin wanted greater freedom from the Mexican
government in colonizing Texas. He opposed the restrictions of the
Law of April 6, 1830. After the Texas Revolution, he served in the
Texas Senate and then served as the mayor of San Antonio. Due to
conflict with American settlers and his connections with Mexican
business, Seguín resigned as mayor and returned to Mexico in 1842.
He fought against the United States in the Mexican War but returned
to Texas after the war.
Sidney Sherman (1805-1873) Sidney Sherman found his way to
Texas by agreeing to help Texas with its struggle against the Mexican
government. At the Battle of San Jacinto, Sherman commanded the
left wing of the Texas Army. Sherman is credited with giving the cry:
"Remember the Alamo!" He served in the Texas House of
Representatives and helped promote the building of railroads in
Texas.
Chelo Silva (1922-1988) Chelo Silva emerged in the late 1930s as
one of the pioneers of the traditional Mexican music in the U.S. After
moving to Corpus Christi, the newcomer was named “Bolero's Queen”
for her romantic and sentimental performances. Chelo Silva achieved
the title of “Queen of Tejano.” She was extremely popular in the areas
near the U.S. and Mexican borders.
John Tower (1925-1991) John Tower became the first Republican
senator elected to office in Texas for over one hundred years. During
his 24 years as a U.S. Senator, Tower was involved in the Banking
and Currency Committee and the Armed Services Committee, as well
as others. His views influenced domestic and foreign policy. He
worked to strengthen national defense, improve transportation
systems, and support agriculture, industry and commerce. Tower
chaired a special review committee appointed by President Ronald
Reagan to report on the actions of the National Security Council
during the Iran-Contra affair. The committee was known as the Tower
Commission. Tower was killed in a plane crash near New Brunswick,
Georgia, on April 5, 1991.
William B. Travis (1809-1836) William Travis was born on a farm in
South Carolina but later moved to Alabama. In Alabama, Travis
studied the law and became an attorney. He left his family and
moved to Texas. He acquired land from Stephen F. Austin and began
a law practice in the town of Anahuac. Travis opposed the Law of
April 6, 1830. This caused him to join with other Texans against
Mexican rule. He arrived in San Antonio with a small force and agreed
to share command with James Bowie. Travis started to prepare the
Alamo for the arrival of Santa Anna and the Mexican army. His men
strengthened the walls, constructed palisades, mounted cannons, and
stored provisions. On February 24 he wrote a letter "To the People of
Texas and All Americans in the World." This letter helped to gain
some support from the United States for the Texas cause.
Unfortunately, it was too late to help those at the Alamo. His death as
a defender of the Alamo elevated Travis from a military commander of
a small force to that of a Texas hero.