“Louisa Naomi Kent Billings” Pt. 3
Feb 4, 2022
After the Alamo.
On March 6, 1836 Santa Anna’s cannons became silent. The siege of the Mission San Antonio de Valero, better known as the Alamo, fell to the forces of Santa Anna. All of the forces of the Alamo were killed, including Lieutenant Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett, the politician from Tennessee, and Jim Bowie, the slave trader from Louisiana. But to our story, and most importantly to Louisa and her family, Andrew Kent gave his life in the battle against Santa Anna. A point of interest is about young David Boyd Kent, Louisa’s oldest brother, who would hardly have been more than a teenager, served as a Ranger along with Andrew. Louisa and her mother would have learned of a double heartbreak except that before the fighting began David Boyd was sent out as a scout, returning to learn of the tragedy of the battle. You will see a young soldier in the John Wayne “Alamo” movie who fits the part of David Boyd. His name in the movie is “Smitty.” It would be remiss not to mention the “Immortal 32.” They are"immortalized" as the only unit to answer the “To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World letter” pleading for help. They also died and were burned with the rest. Our story begins anew; The Kent family without father Andrew. Soon after the smoke from the horrifying Battle of the Alamo had lifted the spirits of the Brave but foolish soldiers Heavenward, the families that had scattered for fear of retaliation from the forces of Santa Anna’s soldiers were returning to see if a life could be recovered for them and their families on their properties in Gonzales and Green DeWitt Colony. Sam Houston, now in command of the Texian armies, arrived in Gonzales. Santa Anna, undoubtedly blamed most of the resistance to his commands on the new settlers, such as the Kents. He let it be known that there would be quarters given in behalf of the settlers. I believe if I had been the Mother of Louisa’s family, having just lost a husband to the four or five thousand man army of Santa Anna, I would be trembling in my shoes. Hardship was nothing to the families of those times and Elizabeth Kent, the security of her family was her only priority, packed with the help of the children and exited post haste to the East in front of Santa Anna’s army reaching for the United States, camping with Sam Houston’s fleeing army as they traveled. This became known as the ‘Runaway Scrape.” The war was soon concluded at the Battle of San Jacinto, where Santa Anna had apparently become lax in his decision making. He allowed himself to be captured, dressed in the uniform of a private and hiding in a swamp. He was found out when his captured troops saw him and called to him in allegiance. Coupled with a few more bad decisions by the Mexican armies, their misfortunes, the battles soon ended. Soon Texas entered the Union as a slave state. After the fighting ended, Louisa and her older brothers and sisters along with her Mother, Elizabeth, returned to their land south of Gonzales on the La Vaca River. The toll was heavy for the Kent Family. As the final count was made, it was not only father Andrew killed at the Alamo, but also two younger children were lost from the family tree. It is assumed that Andrew and Phinette were lost in the Runaway Scrape. Moving on, the Story surrounding the Alamo behind us, and them, we begin a new episode in Louisa’s life. The Kent Branch, a side stream emptying into the La Vaca River, was a watering place for travelers moving freight from the Gulf, presumably from the landing at La Vaca Bay, to Gonzales and San Antonio. One such freighting Partnership were two young fellows from Tennessee, James Billings and William Riley Byas. Freighting required the use of several teams of large animals, in this case it was mules. The young teamsters always made it a point to rest and water their teams at Kent Branch. I don’t have the knowledge of the distance between Green DeWitt Colony and Kent Branch, but I guess it was close by, for it was there that Louisa began to notice this young freighter, Jim Billings. So now you know how the Billings name became prominent on the stone marker hidden high on a ridge above the Gila river. In all of my studying of life in the old days, I am always astonished at the early age that girls married. Often I find markers in the old cemeteries remembering young mothers at the ages of fifteen and sixteen. However, my guess is that Louisa postponed marriage because of the help Mother Elizabeth would have needed caring for this large family of children. Yes, Louisa married James just before she would be considered an Old Maid. It was March 11, 1841. She was 19 he was 22. Considering that by now the Kent family would have accumulated a lot more goods, it was good that Louisa set her eye for a freighter.
