Early Times in Texas; or, The Adventures of Jack Dobell

In 1835 the Republic of Mexico rebelled against the Mexican Republic. Young men, like John C. Duval and his brother, Burr, flocked to Texas to aid the revolution against the Mexican government. Duval and his brother had formed a volunteer company called the “Mustangs” and headed straight to the heat of action. The initial chapters of his book Early Times in Texas cover this expedition, including when the Goliad Massacre where Duval’s brother was killed and from which he only just escaped from. Later the book covers Duval’s life in the Republic of Texas when it was a wild land and men risked life and limb to make their fortune. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of Texas and the lives of some of the early pioneering men and women who attempted to make it their home. John C. Duval’s writings justify his being called the first Texas man of letters. Early Times in Texas was published serially in Burke's Weekly at Macon, Georgia, in 1867, although it did not appear in book form until 1892. This book has subsequently become a Texas classic. Duval passed away in 1897. Read more