The Cuero Public Library invites everyone to learn about the Camels that were brought to Texas first
The Cuero Public Library invites everyone to learn about the Camels that were brought to Texas first for military purposes and then for commercial possibilities. Texas Camel Corp Volunteers, Frank Gonzales, assisted by Pam Eberly will present an overview of this slice of Texas history.
Frank Henry Gonzales, a native of San Antonio now resides in Smiley. He is a graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word with a degree in History and a special love for the history of the Southwest and Texas in particular. He has worked as a historian and historical reenactor attached to the Texas Camel Corp. presenting educational programs and living history demonstrations using real Camels to educate the public about the 10 year experiment of the United States to use Camels in the arid regions of the Southwest during the American expansion West from 1855 to 1866.
Frank’s interests in the U.S. Camel project began when he saw a 1976 Disney feature film called ”Hawmps!” Though a comedy, it sparked his curiosity about this fantastic tale. The movie left its impression with him and for years he read what little literature that existed on the subject.
In 2006, Frank met Doug Baum, founder of the Texas Camel Corp. who was organizing a living historical reenactment of the 1856 shipment of Camels to Indianola, Texas. The planned trek was to follow as much as possible of the original route taken by Lt. Henry Constantine Wayne from the Texas coast to the Hill Country and Camp Verde. Since that time, Frank has conducted many educational demonstrations with the Texas Camel Corp., and has written several pieces on the U.S. Camel experiment.
In 2009 Texas Camel Corp.also conducted a trek into West Texas reenacting the surveying project from Camp Verde to near Fort Davis. Frank is currently writing a book on the evolution of Camels through history and their association with humans and in particular the military.
Pam Eberly will also assist Frank in telling the story of the Texas Camels. Pam is a descendant to Angelina Belle Peyton Eberly, a successful business women who lived in Indianaola when the Camels arrived.
"A Tennessean, Angelina Peyton came to Texas in 1822. With her husband, J.C. Peyton, she operated an inn in San Felipe, capital (sic) of the Austin colony. Peyton died in 1834; in 1836 the widow married Jacob Eberly. She and Eberly had a hotel in Austin by 1842. When Angelina Eberly discovered men secretly removing records from the capital (sic), firing a cannon, she started the 'archives war', and rescued the original records of the Republic of Texas. Later she lived at Indianola until her death on March 15, 1860. ... " Read more about Angelina Belle Peyton Eberly in "The Handbook of Texas Online".
www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/feb02
TEXAS CAMEL TALES by Chris Emmett, a book available through the Cuero Public Library provides details of Major Henry C. Wayne's special assigned duty with the Camels including his trip from Indianola to Camp Verde in 1856. Specific dates and locations in Victoria and DeWitt Counties include the following:
"...June 7,8,9,10,11 in camp. Animals luxuriating in grass and improving in appearance.
June 12: Left camp at 6 1/2 A.M. Arrived at Victoria at 9 1/2 A.M. Remained there three hours. Resumed march, and camped at Wright's Water Hole at 3 P.M. eleven miles.
June 13: Left camp at 8 1/2 A.M. marched nine miles and halted for an hour and a half, then continued and camped at Pierpont's at 4 P.M. seventeen and a half miles. ... "
Joella Smith, a descendant of Mr. Mary Shirkey will recall the camels first prolonged stop and camp at the Preston Rose Ranch, adjacent to the Shirkey Ranch in Victoria County where Pauline Shirkey age ten took a great interest in the camels and made friends with the Commanding Officer, Major Wayne. Little Miss Pauline rode the lead camel the eight miles to Victoria. Her mother, Mrs. Mary Shirkey was given some camel hair which she knitted into socks for President Franklin Pierce.
J.G. Hunnam, a member of the the DeWitt County Historical Commission will also provide details about the Camel's stop along the Indianola Trail and their trek along the Military Road in DeWitt County.
Join us at the Cuero Public Library as we welcome these presenters on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 7:00 pm. Refreshments will be served. For more information contact Barbara Jacob at 361.275.2864 or via email - bjacob@cityofcuero.com