Veteran Bio

Mr. Fowle was killed at San Jacinto while serving as first sergeant in Captain William H. Smith's Company of cavalry. His heirs were issued Donation Certificate No. 1160 for 640 acres of land August 4, 1841, due him for having participated in the battle.

On November 8, 1853, William B. Fowle, brother of Thomas P. Fowle, appointed Charles D. Bennett of Harris County as his attorney. Mr. Bennett on January 13, 1857, secured Bounty Certificate No. 1577 for 320 acres of land for three months service in the army by Mr. Fowle. The following is extracted from Mr. William B. Fowle's statement concerning the appointment of Mr. Bennett.

"To all whom it may concern, Be it known that I, William B. Fowle of Boston in the State of Massachusetts, being the legally appointed executor of the will of my father, the late Henry Fowle of said Boston, who was the survivor and heir of law of his son Thomas Patton Fowle, who was killed at the Battle of San Jacinto in Texas in April, 1836 . . . . "

Lin Co., N. Y. Octr. 29th, 1853.

Mr. Taylor or Mr. Blake.

Dear Sir: Some time in the year 1835 one Thomas Patten Fowle of Boston, accompanied by Osborne W. Randall, settled in Nacogdoches. Mr. Fowle worked for a while with a Mr. Jones a wagon maker. He next practiced surveying with a Mr. Brookfield, till he enlisted in a company raised by Capt. afterwards Col. James Smith of Tennessee. He was orderly sergeant of the company and while leading a charge of Cavalry at the Battle of San Jacinto he fell mortally wounded & expired on the field soon after. He was mentioned among the killed in Gen. Houston's report of the Battle & as belonging to Company J, 2nd Regiment Texas Volunteers. Mr. Fowle was a young man of fine statue, skilled in martial exercises & a good French, Spanish & Italian scholar. His Brother William B. Fowle of Boston is his administrator & I as his attorney wish to obtain the evidence necessary to secure his headright. His pay as 1st Sergeant of a Company of mounted Dragoons, and his San Jacinto Bounty. I presume upon the short acquaintance I had with you at the meeting of the G. D. in Henderson five years ago to request of you to obtain the evidence of his residence in Nacogdoches or elsewhere in Texas previous to April 1836, of his enlistment in the service, his rank & the kind of service. His death can be established by public documents.

Mr. O. W. Randall, I am told, kept a store in Nacogdoches in 1842. A Mr. Henderson, an employee of Mr. Randall, was near Fowle when he fell. One Trumbull a brother-in-law of Mr. Randall, was acquainted with him. Perhaps from them, Mr. Jones, Brookfield, Col. Smith or some other old settlers the necessary information can be obtained. I wish you would get such evidence as is needed as soon as possible & end it to me at Austin, care of the Hon. S. H. Darden, as I wish to use it during the present session of the Legislature. Please send your bill for fees, trouble, & I will pay it to your order in Austin or send by mail. I address this to both of you not knowing but one of you might be absent. I hope one of you will give it prompt attention for if it is long delayed it will have to lay over to the next Legislature, perhaps two years.

I left Texas last June but intend to return to Gonzales soon. I attended the World's Temp. Convention in Sept. & have attended many other such gatherings. There is a great deal of interest excited on the subject of temperance & the question will be the leading idea in the election just coming on here in the Empire State. I am glad to hear of the interest awakened in Texas. Our Order is not generally flourishing as well as I had hoped to find it. I am convinced that moral suasion will be found a frail dependence if not an entire failure, but it has done a great deal of good. May it be perpetuated.

Yours Respectfully,
Chas. D. Bennett

Nacogdoches
Texas

Chas. S. Taylor
B. Blake.

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