Charles Drake Ferris

[TRK]

I am new member Richard Rockford. I am seeking information and help with a very exciting Texas Rebellion/San Jacinto issue. While researching a large frontier knife for a friend I discovered the knife was owned by a Charles Drake Ferris of Buffalo, NY. Ferris (originally spelled Ferriss), went to Texas in early 1835. He is documented by many sources as having done spy missions for Mosely Baker on April 9th or 10th, reporting back on Santa Ana's troop movements. Although he is not listed as a San Jacinto battle member, there is much evidence he was there and many details about his exploits there exist.
Back in the 1950s the great Louis Kemp at first stated Ferriss was not at the battle, but a Buffalo historian and friend, Walter McCausland gave Kemp enough evidence that he claimed that Ferris should be on the battle roster before he (Kemp) died in 1956. The controversy seems to have died out then, with few being aware of Kemp's final thoughts on the matter. Now the issue has arisen for several reasons. New evidence, thanks to books like Starling's "Land is the Cry!" (about Ferris's brother Warren) and Moore's "Eighteen Minutes" have shown the April 10th spy mission to be well documented, YET THIS WAS UNKNOWN TO KEMP. In addition, many authors have skirted the Ferris issue because they were not aware of Kemp's final feelings on the matter.
With the spy mission, friendship with Baker, anti-Houston vocal pronouncements, spy work with Peter Dexter, newspaper accounts in Buffalo of the battle, and Ferris's own work describing Col. Almonte's bravery at the battle in very personal terms, it seems that a review of Ferris and his probable fighting at San Jacinto is needed.
Lo and Behold, Lisa Struthers, head librarian at the San Jacinto Memorial has informed me that a committee of review is forming and that evidence concerning Ferris will be entertained if submitted.
I am seeking help or asking that copies of any relevant material be sent to me and Lisa Struthers at the Memorial Library. Ferris was a fantastic historical character as was his brother Warren. The notion of examining his place at San Jacinto or not is a wonderful, wonderful historic exercise. It would be a true shame if any important information was not added to the review. Ferris descendants have helped, Starling and Moore have authored books which have greatly helped, but much information is beyond my reach. Jenkins 10 volume set must have some references that I have no access to. The Degolyer papers at Methodist and Brigham Young Universities have material much needed. Below are some other bits of places to find a good general look at Ferris, Kemp, and McCausland. Please join me in a real chance to give Ferris and ourselves the kind of scrutiny needed by history, namely--careful review on occasion. The outcome can go either way or remain inconclusive, but the search is what good history demands!
www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/FF/ffe8.html
www.tshaonline.org/shqonline/apager.php?vol=063&pag=304

[sloanrodgers]

Interesting post, articles and theories. Obviously the key to proving that Charles Ferris was a San Jacinto
veteran and eventually honoring him is a contemporary document. In the absence of this valuable evidence,
you would probably need a known veteran vouching for Ferris' presence during the battle. What were Kemps'
actual thoughts on Ferris? I also have John Jenkins' books, but there arn't a lot of references to Ferris.

[richardrockford]

RangeRod,
Thanks for your thoughts. Yes, proper evidence calls for period documents and eyewitnesses, but as they say on TV, "We convict on circumstantial evidence all the time". I am not educated enough as a Texas historian to make this call. However, if we accept that Kemp (I am unable to afford to travel to his papers) was finally convinced (which required an actual change of mind) we have a nice case to build upon. I would then add that Kemp stated nothing was known of Ferriss from Feb 28. until the Battle Day. We now know that Ferriss and Peter Dexter worked as spies for Moseley Baker on April 9 or 10--something Kemp did not know. Strong indication (actual documents if Moore and Starling used correct footnotes) is that Feriss was close to Baker and was a member of the vocal corps of Houston critics among the sub-leaders of the rebellion. Ferriss was an educated man, and a journalist who showed great depth and accuracy in his family letters, as publisher of brother Warren's travels, and in all known rebellion and related reporting. His description of Col. Almonte's dignity in battle, beyond all other reports known to Kemp, is highly personal and difficult to see as less than first hand. A few weeks after the Battle he was instrumental in the famous "Horse Marines" episodes. It is hard to see how he could have been tracking Mexican troops, working with Dexter, reporting to friend Moseley, giving concise battle descriptions, telling all this to fellow Buffalo volunteer/journalist, writing details home, and helping command the naval captures and somehow be absent from the San Jacinto Battle. Remember also his claim to having earned "5,400 acres in Texas" and the family being awarded land in 1861, after his presumed death.
Now, I am not making this case, much as it seems. I am just suggesting we have a real issue here and should try to dig out just what you are suggesting--real evidence. I also think that if what we have (plus any other helpful pieces) are added together, a committee might be compelled to say he was or perhaps, "very likely was" at the battle. There may be some list of names that can never be added for certain but that deserve a better judgment than "no evidence".
So, thanks for guiding the search and the context of what would be the best evidence!
p.s. What does Jenkins have on Ferriss? And, I am work8ing without Steven Hardin's book, which is on order and is quoted by Starling and Moore. Also, Ferriss does appear in a proper period list of the "Horse Marines", but his land claim of so much acreage is pre-Marine work.

[sloanrodgers]

You're welcome. I'm just a ranger researcher and not much of a forager for evidence to prove a specific
theory. I'm open to your great belief and supposedly Kemp's change of mind on Charles Ferris' presence
at San Jacinto. I usually follow the contempoary documents and the first person testimony on a certain
incident to obtain the truth on the matter. Friends here will probably inform you I'm a fact man and not
much for interpretation and speculation. I usually leave these things for the authors and experts on the
Texas Revolution. I see evidence that Ferris was a revolutionary spy, an aide to Lieut. Governor James
Robinson and possibly a messenger, but not that he was an actual soldier. He may have been too busy
with all his other duties and responsibilities. He may have been at San Jacinto with Baker and Robinson,
just as he may have been spying in the area or with the government on Galveston Island. I just do not
know what to think with so little primary or contemporary evidence. Perhaps other members have more
information on Mr. Farris and his service to Texas.

If Kemp was actively researching Farris, he could have located the document below at some point.

Papers of the Texas Revolution ~ Jenkins, Volume V, page 417

E. side of Brazos Ferry
San F. de Austin
Apl. 10, 1836

Capt. Baker

Dear sir

I am requested by Jno. Henks to inform you that the enemy [torn] their encampment and removed
to some other point, whose locality we have not been able to ascertain, leaving a small guard and
(it is believed) but one piece of artillery. We shall remain here until relieved by a picket from Capt.
Bird, on directions from you. Have the goodness to say to Gov. Robinson Judge H. requests he will
not leave your camp until our arrival there.

[endorsed]

I am with respect sir
Yours & c.
Chas. D. Ferris

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Camp Iron's Creek
10th April 4 oclock

Genl. Sam Houston

The enclosed two letters from my spies will inform you of the probability of the enemy having
decamped. It is all the information I have.

Respectfully,
M. Baker
Capt. Comdt.

[sloanrodgers]

May 14, 2010 11:42:22 GMT -5 richardrockford said:

Remember also his claim to having earned "5,400 acres in Texas" and the family being awarded land in 1861, after his presumed death.

We do not know that Charles D. Ferris actually made a claim for the 5,400 acres as we apparently only have
his brother's statement. Even though Mr. Ferris came to Texas seeking land / military service and his brother
was a surveyor, there's not a single contemporary military pay voucher, witness testimony or land grant, etc.
to lead a researcher to believe that he received land in his lifetime. There is not one republic claim at the TX
State Archives for Charles D. Ferris, but there are a couple of General Land Office documents. These are the
1860 Special Acts and the 1878 bounty grant for 960 acres that Charles D. Ferris' heirs received. There are a
few cases of soldiers slipping through the cracks so far as documentation, but they had known veterans who
vouched for their service at a certain place and time. These kind of land claims are a tough row to hoe.

GLO Documents

1860 Special Act by Texas Government, No abstract or certificate number ~ incomplete.
wwwdb.glo.state.tx.us/central/LandGrants/landgrants.cfm?intID=537059

Fannin Bounty Grant Patented in 1878
wwwdb.glo.state.tx.us/central/LandGrants/landgrants.cfm?intID=205584

[sloanrodgers]

Here are two contemporary documents that may tie Charles D. Ferris (aid-de-camp to Lt. Gov. Robinson) to the
government during the Texas Revolution.

Wm. P. Huff March 28, '36 bill to James W. Robinson for himself, Capt. Patton's Company and Col. Ferris.
tslarc.tsl.state.tx.us/repclaims/48/04800720.pdf


Jane Harris's March-April '36 running bill for room and board (Harrisburg), which includes a Mr. Farris and his bid for Potter's room.
tslarc.tsl.state.tx.us/repclaims/41/04100509.pdf