“Louisa Naomi Kent Billings” Pt. 2
Jan 28, 2022
The second part of this remarkable story of the journey and hardships of Louisa and her family will continue from the episode at the “Alamo”. It is fascinating that “The Alamo” would become a part of this story as it was at least seventy plus miles from their home. In those days that was a long trip, especially by wagon or horse. But as we get into the story, we will find that the relationship of the Gonzales and Green DeWitt people and the Alamo was a tragic turning point in the life of Louisa and her family. It was surely easy enough to unload the belongings and get set for house-keeping as many family members had already settled in Gonzales, a short distance from where they unloaded at Green DeWitt Colony. So that you will have some information to make your own search by, I will tell you exactly what information I have. “Andrew Kent’s one league land grant, issued on June 28, 1831 was located on the La Vaca River above the Atascocito Road. Records show that the Kent family arrived in the Green DeWitts Colony on 12 June 1830.” That’s the information I have verbatim, if I find more I will share. Green DeWitt is a story of its own. While you are searching for the location of the Green DeWitt Colony in the 1830’s, you will find as I did that it was he who had received grants from the Mexican Government to draw settlers into the area to ward off the many attacks of the Comanche Indians. And it was for this reason that the Mexican Government had issued guns to the settlers of the area. This becomes an issue later. A side note; Unlike back in the old home area in Missouri where the Hickory, Cedar and the Oaks were the hardwood trees that grew plentifully in the forests, in this area of South Texas the Juniper was the primary hard wood, although to the Kent family it was mistakenly called “Cedar.” So, it was Juniper that Andrew made his roofing shakes from, not Cedar. The Juniper Roofing Shake business along with the closeness of family, would have made life pleasing and enjoyable for a few years. This was soon to change. In 1833, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (Santa Anna) was elected President of Mexico by gaining popularity for warding off the Spanish when they tried to re-conquer Mexico. The information I have indicates that the relationship between the settlers and the Mexican Government was cordial for several years. Unfortunately, as history has proven out, Santa Anna evolved into a self-centered egotist. He invalidated the Mexican Constitution and declared himself “President for Life.” Santa Anna’s next step, which is one that is inevitable in a government which is more or less an autocracy, he decided it was to his advantage to retrieve the weapons that had been supplied the settlers before for their protection. We should pay attention. Enraged, Santa Anna considered this to be an uprising against the Mexican Government and sent an army to straighten them out. Things went down hill from here. Before we get to the battle of the Alamo, a few things you should know. The settlers weren't sitting around unprotected. They had established a Ranging Company made up of men from Gonzales and Green Dewitt's colony, armed for the protection of the people. This was a group of 32 Men, who later became known as “The Immortal 32” because they were the only volunteers who heeded Lieutenant Colonel Travis’s plea for help. On February 29, 1836, the "Immortal 32" led by George Kimbell arrived at the Alamo. At 3:00 AM on March 1, under the cover of night, they slipped through Santa Anna's lines and entered the fort. They are the only relief force to arrive before the final assault. On March 5, James Allen is the last Texian to leave the Alamo with a final dispatch from William Travis and various letters from the Alamo Defenders. A letter written by one of the thirty-two, Isaac Millsaps, details events inside the Alamo on the night before the final assault; its authenticity is disputed. ?? As you know, all of the two hundred thirteen defenders of the Alamo were killed and their bodies were burned. This number included all of the “32 Imortals” and included Louisa’s father, Andrew Kent. Just so that you know, the family’s traditional record shows that Louisa’s older brother David Boyd, was old enough to be in the Ranging Company and even arrived at the Alamo with the rest, but, because of his age I’m sure, he was sent out as a scout before the battle began, and was not present when the Alamo fell. Was the Alamo wasted energy and lives? I don’t know that anyone who lives in and loves Texas as a state of the USA thinks that it was wasted. If you haven’t, I challenge you to read a good book about the Alamo. And, if that intrigues you, watch John Wayne’s movie “The Alamo” and like me, you’ll come away whistling “The Green Leaves of Summer.”
We’ll begin next time discussing the struggles of the Kent family without a father as they head further west.
