William B. DeWees

(1799-1878) Early Texas settler. Came here from Kentucky, 1822, when Texas was part of Mexico. Received a large land grant in 1824 as one of Stephen F. Austin's "Old 300" colonists. Worked as blacksmith and trader. After Columbus was burned in Texas Revolution, 1836, he laid out new (present) town and gave land for courthouse and school. His correspondence, published (1852) as "Letters from an Early Settler of Texas to A Friend," provided valuable eyewitness accounts of the "Runaway Scrape" of the revolution, and life in colonial Texas.