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| Tablet Erected to the Memory of John Bricker at San Felipe, Texas in 1935. The marker was not erected by the Texas Historical Commission but instead "by his kinsmen." |
The Texas State Library and Archives website provides a more detailed description of the Republic Claims database and collection:
The Republic Claims series of Comptroller's records includes claims for payment, reimbursement, or restitution submitted by citizens to the Republic of Texas government from 1835 through 1846. It also includes records relating to Republic pensions and claims against the Republic submitted as public debt claims after 1846. The files include supporting documents such as vouchers, financial accounts, military records, receipts, notes, or letters.
These historic records from the Republic era have been microfilmed to preserve the highest image quality, and the entire series has been meticulously indexed by staff in the Archives and Information Services Division.
The records comprise four groups of payments made for services rendered during the period 1835-1846: Audited Claims, Republic Pensions, Public Debt Claims, and Unpaid Claims.
Because the actual Republic Claims are extremely fragile, access to the records is restricted. In addition to the digital images linked within the index, high-quality microfilmed copies of the documents are available. The database provides the Reel and Frame location of more than 48,500 indexed names. The microfilm reels are available through interlibrary loan and, to view in person, at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
The known Texian soldiers who fought in the Texas Revolution from the Lake Creek Settlement included: Jacob H. Shepperd, Mathew (or Matthew) Cartwright, William Cartwright, Raleigh Rogers, Jacob Shannon, Evin (or Evan) Corner, John Marshall Wade, A. U. Springer, and James J. Foster. It has been a few years since I have been able to add another name to this list.
With additional research, we can now add John Bricker's name to the list of Texian soldiers from the Lake Creek Settlement. John Bricker was a member of Captain Mosely Baker's company and was killed by Santa Anna's soldiers while defending the San Felipe crossing of the Brazos River on April 7, 1836. Grape shot fired by the Mexican cannon passed through Bricker's head killing him instantly. John Bricker was the only Texian soldier killed defending the Brazos River crossing at San Felipe. Mosely Baker and his company prevented Santa Anna from reestablishing the ferry there and slowed Santa Ann's progress for several days which allowed the government of Texas just enough time to escape Harrisburg before Santa Anna's arrival. As Santa Anna had not been able to cross at San Felipe, he had had to travel south to the crossing captured by General Filisola near present day Richmond.The Republic Claims which had been helpful with information about the other names was not helpful as John Bricker was killed in the war and and of course never applied for his back wages. The information proving that Bricker had been a resident of the Lake Creek Settlement comes from a collection of records which have been transcribed in Montgomery County, Texas. There is a collection of records in the Genealogy Department of the Montgomery County Memorial Library at Conroe, Texas entitled Montgomery County District Court Exhibit Book of Letters and Documents, V. 3, of Statements of Facts (papers pertaining to the Bricker Family) The Bricker Papers, transcribed by Vera Wimberly. (Montgomery County Memorial Library - Genealogy Library, Conroe, 976.4153Wim.)
On the 31st page of The Bricker Papers is a letter written to Cyrus Joy and probably written by David Bricker (brother of John Bricker) after 1838 which reads in part, "I received a letter from Mr. W. W. Shepherd of Montgomery stating that my Brother had been in his employ for a year previous and at the time he went into the Army of Texas and think he had taken out Letters of Administration on his Estate..." It is now well established that W. W. Shepperd had operated a trading post in the Lake Creek Settlement in the north-western most corner of the John Corner League for several years prior to the Texas Revolution. See The Early History of Montgomery, Texas by Kameron Searle. This letter is evidence that John Bricker was residing in the Lake Creek Settlement for a year prior to his enlistment in the Texas army.
It was also known that Shepperd had a mill and a cotton gin in operation at the time he founded the town of Montgomery in the Lake Creek Settlement in July 1837. On the 91st page of The Bricker Papers, in a letter dated February 11, 1874, W. H. Bricker writing to David Bricker, wrote that John Bricker had "built a mill and a cotton gin" for W. W. Shepperd before joining the Texas army in 1836. This would put the construction of Shepperd's mill and cotton gin around 1835. The David Bricker to Cyrus Joy letter letter also states that John Bricker was living with Shepperd before joining the army.
W. W. Shepperd was in fact the administrator of John Bricker's estate. See the Administrator's Notice from the Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper below. See a pdf of The Bricker Papers here.
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| July 13, 1838 Telegraph and Texas Register Newspaper, Houston, Texas, Vol. 3, No. 46, Page 8. Administrator's Notice placed by W. W. Shepperd for Estate of John Bricker. |
The marker erected at San Felipe, Texas in 1935 reads:
IN MEMORY OF
JOHN BRICKER
A PRIVATE IN CAPTAIN MOSELY BAKER'S
COMPANY WHO WAS KILLED JUST
ACROSS THE RIVER FROM THIS SITE
APRIL 7TH 1836 BY A SHOT FROM A
MEXICAN CANNON, AND WAS BURIED
WHERE HE FELL. HE WAS BORN IN
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENN.
JANUARY 30TH 1791
THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED
BY HIS KINSMEN
APRIL 7TH 1935
If you are descendant of John Bricker, a number of Texas historians are trying to determine if he became a Mason before coming to Texas. Contact Kameron K. Searle if you know the answer to this question.
