From idporter@onramp.net Sun Oct  3 10:54:44 1999
Date: Sun, 03 Oct 1982 15:45:30 -0500
From: John I Porter <idporter@onramp.net>
To: dmorgan@efn.org, mcken@inreach.com, hamrick@home.com
Subject: Burwell H. Hambrick

>From 1860 Census records, it is known that Burwell H. Hambrick and his
wife, Elizabeth, were born in Georgia, and their respective ages were 49
and 48.  Burwell died on 04 June 1868.  The date of their marriage and
the death of Elizabeth are unknown at this time.

On April 9, 1852 Burwell purchased from Thomas R. Buford a tract of 500
acres, lying west of the Neches River in eastern Van Zandt County. He
immediately built a two-storied, colonial-style home for his family on
this tract of land. The home was restored in the late 1970's by Mr. and
Mrs. W.C. Windsor and received the first medallion for historical homes
awarded by the Texas State Historical Survey Committee.

In 1853 Burwell opened the first cotton gin in Van Zandt County, which
was located a few hundred yards to the southeast of his home at a spring
on a small branch. The site is on the tract of land known as the old
"Cherokee Battleground", on which the last battle with the Cherokee
Indians was fought and where Chief Bowles was killed.  The cotton was
first hauled to Magnolia on the Trinity, 10 millles west of Palestine,
and then shipped to Galveston. In later years, it was hauled to
Shreveport.

Through the years, he continued to purchase land until he owned a large
estate, which included land in Van Zandt, Kaufman, and Smith Counties,
and several businesses.  At the end of the Civil War, he divided part of
his estate among his ex-slaves as a gift. This gift of lands was the
origin from which the Red Land High School, a school for
African-Americans, was established.

Burwell then moved to Tyler, Texas where he, George Humphry and Jim
Douglas opened a cotton thread mill with 1,200 spindles located two
blocks north of the town square. Burwell provided the finances to build
and equip the factory. He sent his son, Burwell, Jr., to Philadelphia to
purchase the machinery and equipment, which cost $35,000 in gold. The
factory employed 60-70 people. In 1868 the thread mill was totally
destroyed by fire. No insurance was carried and Bruwell never recovered
from the loss and died leaving a  small estate.

Burwell is buried in or near Tyler, and his wife, Elizabeth, is buried on
the Hambrick Estate.

The children of Burwell and Elizabeth are:

1.    Nancy T., born circa 1832, married Mumfort J. Buckener on July 15,
1851.
2.    George B., born circa 1834, married Antionette A. Boynton on April
18, 1852. Died March 7, 1863 as a POW at Camp Douglas, Illinois. Buried
in the Confederate Mound at Oak Wood Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois.
3.    Burwell, born circa 1837.
4.    Thomas, born circa 1840.
5.    John, born circa 1842.
6.    Sarah Elizabeth, born circa 1845.
7.    Georga Ann, born circa 1847.
8.    James, born circa 1856.

Addendum:
Burwell's home "Roseland" has recently been purchased. Further
restoration has been done and is open as a "Bed and Breakfast".

Sources:

History of Van Zandt County, W.S. Mills

Some History of Van Zandt County,Wentworth Manning

Van Zandt County Texas Histories Biographies 1848-1983, Vol. I

A History of Tyler and Smith County Texas,Dr. Albert Woldert

Federal Census Records

Cemetery Records - Pinehill Baptist Cemetery, Pinehill, Texas

Victoria Jeanette (Smith) Porter