Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Question for Kaywoodie and Birdwatcher-Yoakum's History

The kids and grandkids want to know what I want for Christmas and I thought about filling in a few gaps in my Texas History books. I don't have Yoakum's history but have read excerpts from it in Wilbarger's book. Is it worth putting on my Christmas list? I do not have much on the pre 1820 period.

The info in his books are a bit dated. But still contain a lot of primary documentation. I have noticed some minor discrepancies in a lot of these guys (Yoakum, Wilbarger, DeShields) and their takes on some of the incidents allegedly from first hand accounts. It’s usually nothing major. Sometimes deals with the assorted participants, dates, locations, etc.

One thing to remember, their sources were either the actual participants dictating their stories in their dotage, or second hand documentation from official reports or family. Have you read Smithwick’s Evolution of a State? Or Jenkins Recollection of Early Texas Days? On another note there is suppose to be a new book coming out soon on the ill fated Gutierrez-Magee expedition. With alleged new info on Magee. But as best I know its not to print yet. Now that will get you some pre-1820 action.

For Spanish colonial era reading I suggest anything by the "Father of Texas History", Herbert Eugene Bolton. While it is dated material ( I believe his last publications were in like 1914-15) it is still the golden standard. He was the first to really start archival translating straight from the Spanish sources. For starters I suggest his epic Texas in the Middle Eighteenth Century. Still required reading in many Texas universities.

Appreciate it. I have both Smithwick and Jenkins. i will check out Bolton and will be really interested in the book on Magee.

I need to check with my contact on that book too see what’s going on with it!

Have you read DeShields Border War in Texas? He is referring to the ever changing border of Comancheria. And not the Mex Border. Again dated but still a classic read. Well worth the time.

What Bob said 🙂

He is more informed than I.

a lot of my ancestors from that area.

I have DeShields or should say had. I have learned to quit loaning books.