This is a continuation of yesterday's post that begins an examination of the men who signed the petition of Nelson Kavanaugh, a freed slave, who wanted to be allowed to remain in the Republic of Texas after it had started the process of expelling free blacks.
Memucan Hunt's signature is below Scott's:
Memucan Hunt was born in North Carolina in 1807. In 1834, he removed to Madison County, Mississippi, where he remained for only two years. By 1836, he was in Texas, arriving shortly after San Jacinto. 1837 found him in Washington, lobbying for annexation, which the United States rejected. Under President Lamar of the Republic of Texas, he served as secretary of the navy from 1838 to 1839. In 1839, he became the Texas representative on the joint United States - Texas Boundary Commission. He died in Tennessee in 1856. Hunt County, Texas is named after him.
Daniel Busby's signature is across from Hunt's:
Not much has been found about Daniel Busby. In 1841 he was a constable of a military beat in Houston. By 1843 he was a marshall in Houston. A Daniel Busby, aged 90 to 95 died in Fisher County, Texas and was buried in Roby Cemetery. At this point, I do not know if he was the same Daniel Busby. The Daniel Busby buried in Fisher County was born somewhere in Mississippi about 1811.
T. B. J. Hadley's signature was below Busby's:
After a lot of squinting, I believe this is the signature of Col. Thomas B. J. Hadley. He married Piety Lucretia Smith in Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi in 1831. Piety's father David Smith was born in Anson County, North Carolina but died in Hinds County, Mississippi in 1835. Piety's brother Jackson Smith seems to have signed Nelson's other petition. T. B. J. Smith and family moved to Houston in 1840. From at least 1842 to 1846, Col. T. B. J. Hadley was partners with Isaac Applewhite in a law firm in Houston. In 1846, Hadley ran for Probate Judge of Harris County. In 1847, he was a trustee of the Female Institute of Houston along with one N. Kavanaugh. I do think that this is a Nelson Kavanaugh, but sadly not my Nelson Kavanaugh. There will be more on him later. Meanwhile, my Nelson Kavanaugh and Col. Thomas Benjamin Jefferson Hadley would have crossed paths in both Hinds County, Mississippi, and Houston, Texas. The fact that Hadley did not arrive in Houston until 1840 suggests to me that my Nelson Kavanaugh may have returned to Texas from Kentucky in an effort to continue his petition to remain in Texas. This might also explain why he returned to Kentucky for a copy of his emancipation papers - he needed to document that he was a free black for his petition. In 1851, T. B. J. Hadley was operating a hotel in Houston. Col. T. B. J. Hadley was the Chief Justice of Harris County in 1863. His house burned in 1864 and was a total loss.
A. S. Thurston's signature was just above Busby's:
Col. A. S. Thurston of Louisville, Kentucky carried a letter of introduction from George C. Childress to Stephen F. Austin dated 28 October 1836. He served as an Attorney General during Sam Houston's first administration.
Nelson Kavanaugh's Associates in the Republic of Texas, Part 1
Nelson Kavanaugh's Associates in the Republic of Texas, Part 3
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