This Day In Texas History - June 2

[joe817]

1849 - Maj. Robert S. Neighbors arrived in San Antonio after leading an expedition to survey an upper, or northern, route to El Paso. His expedition was one of several sent out to open a practical wagon road to the west. The expedition formed at Torrey's Trading Post near Waco, left the trading post on March 23, 1849, crossed the Colorado River on April 2, and crossed the Pecos at Horsehead Crossing on April 17. They reached the Rio Grande on April 25 and El Paso on May 2. Considering the last hundred miles too difficult for wagons, Neighbors took a northern return route previously used by the Mexican army between El Paso and the Pecos River. He reported that the route could be used by wagons and proceeded on to Fredericksburg and finally San Antonio. Today's railroads and highways generally follow his survey.

1865 – General E. Kerby Smith surrendered the Trans-Mississippi Department at Galveston during the Civil War.

1873 - The Texas legislature declared the existence of Wegefarth County. Like several other defunct Texas counties, Wegefarth County was never more than an idea of the state government. Though it had boundaries, it was never organized, and was abolished three years after it was named. The territory of the county lay west of Greer County, which, according to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, actually turned out to be in Oklahoma. Though its own territory was disputed like that of Greer County--because of a complex dispute involving an inaccurate map and the location of the 100th meridian--Wegefarth County was actually in Texas. But its name and boundaries were suppressed when the legislature established the current Panhandle counties on August 21, 1876. The other phantom counties established by the legislature and never organized were Buchel, Dawson, Encinal, and Foley.

1875 - The Comanche surrendered to U.S. troops at Fort Sill. The event ended the Red River War and opened the Texas Panhandle to settlers. On June 2 Quanah Parker arrived at Fort Sill with 407 followers and 1,500 horses. The Red River War was over.

1934 - A museum was opened to honor Austin's own William Sydney Porter (O'Henry). Later the museum would give rise to the nationally renown O'Henry Pun Off.

1941 - Andrew Jackson Houston, Sam's youngest son, is appointed to serve out a term in the U.S. Senate. Age 87 at the time of his swearing in, Houston was the oldest man ever to enter the U.S. Senate. He died later the same month, on June 26, 1941.

1962 - Democrats John Connally and Don Yarborough faced off in a runoff for the Democratic nomination for governor. The Democratic Party dominated Texas politics in the mid 20th century. Yarborough and Connally represented distinct left and right wings within Lone Star Democratic politics.

2000 - Texas fiddler Adolph Hofner was died at home in San Antonio. He will best be remember for his 1941 Fiddle breakdown "Cotton Eyed Joe", a Texas classic and standard for any Texas band worth their tequilla. He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.