Posted by:  july37@cox.net turkeypt2
    Date: Thu Jan 18, 2018 7:04 am ((PST))

John German sent me a copy of this letter written by John Reed Robbins after
he found the YDNA of a John Reed Robbins descendant matched the Daniel
Robins descendants.  I believe this line comes from the NC Robins. Does
anyone know? Any new information? John was searching for links in 2012.

 JOHN REED ROBBINS

 Oldest son of Texas.

 Native Born Texan

 To the Galveston News,

 Gonzales Texas, July 10, year ?

 "I see in your valuable paper where they are trying to find the oldest
native-born Texan. I therefore take pleasure in addressing you these few
lines in order to give you some information of my life and how long I have
been here. I don't know as I'm the oldest, but feel certain I'll tally
up in being the next. My father came to Texas with Houston in 1822. He
settled on the Trinity River. There he put in the first ferry boat ever
built in the state of Texas. It now goes by the name of Robbins Ferry.
He lived there twelve months, then sold out to his brother Nat Robbins,
and moved to the Brazos.. Settled four miles north of St. Philippi, on
Mill Creek. There I was born, the 27th day of March, 1824. The first public
works they had in Texas - a water mill- was built by a man by the name of
Cummings. He received 15 leagues of land for erecting it. My mother and a
lady by the name of Mrs. McCoy were the first two women that slept on the
soil of Texas. I have lived under all flags; have been in all campaigns
gotten up in Texas, except 1830. The first gun that was fired was fired 4
miles west of Gonzales, on the south side of the river, the beginning of
the Mexican War. The people of Gonzales have erected a large granite stone,
giving all dates. The oldest settlers had a hard row to weed when they first
came here. The closest market was Red River. We had no post office. All
mail came by hand. I drank my first glass of buttermilk out of a terrapin
shell. The first man baptized in Texas was baptized by my uncle Isaac Reed,
in 1830 in Nacogdoches County. The first Methodist meeting in Texas was
held in Austin County in 1834, Rev. Bavett being the preacher.  The first
man that joined the church was a man by then name of Rabb in 1834. Texas
was a wild place, but God Almighty, being powerful and victorious over all
things, has made it a grand and good place. The health of the community is
generally good. Crops are good."

                                                      "John R. Robbins"