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The
Mysterious
Yellow Rose of Texas
By Linda Kirkpatrick | |
Introduction
This
is a story about Texas. It is the story of a woman---a
mysterious woman closely related to the song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” This
story first began as just a research into the song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas.”
As I further delved into the research, I found a story beyond anything that I
had imagined. Is it myth or is it fact, I do not know but I will share my discoveries
and you can decide for yourself.
In March of 1836, after General Sam Houston
heard the news of the fall of the Alamo,
he ordered the settlers of South Texas to evacuate Mexico-Texas for Louisiana.
He thought that in doing this they would be safe. He was right, but the trip was
nearly 500 treacherous miles.
The refugees, mostly women, children and
the elderly, walked, fled in crude carts and rode horse-back. They left fires
burning in the fireplaces and food on the table. Most left all their belongings,
though their belongings were few, behind. They ran in fear of Santa Anna and his
Mexican army.
It rained and it rained but they trudged on through the
cold and the mud. The rivers were flooded making crossing difficult at best. There
was death, there was illness and there was Santa Anna and yet they continued towards
Louisiana.
After the Battle
of San Jacinto, many of the women returned to burned-out, looted homes. Some
never returned at all. They saw no reason. One woman in particular left as soon
as she could. |
The
PoemThe Yellow
Rose of TexasBy
H. B. C. (circa 1836)
There’s a yellow rose in Texas
That I
am going to see
No other darky knows her
No one only me
She cryed
so when I left her
It like to broke my heart
And if I ever find her
We never more will part
She’s the sweetest rose of color
This darky
ever knew
Her eyes are bright as diamonds
They sparkle like the dew
You
may talk about your dearest may
And sing of Rosa Lee
But the yellow rose
of Texas
Beats the belles of Tennessee |
The
Story
The
first version of the poem dates to around 1836. The author signed only with his
initials, “H. B. C.” It is obvious that the author is a young black man, separated
from his sweetheart. The question remains though about the identity of this young
woman that he calls his yellow rose.
In 1836, this poem became associated
with the newly formed Republic of Texas and later it became linked to a particular
woman. The popularity of the song came later as well, but back to the mysterious
woman of myth, fact, and fiction. This woman is easily connected to several men:
H. B. C, the author of the original poem; James Morgan of New York and the Republic
Texas; I. N. Moreland of the Republic of Texas; General Antonio Lopez de Santa
Anna; and Lorenzo de Zavala Vice-President of the Republic of Texas. Such a variety
of associations only adds to the confusion over the identity of this elusive lady
or ladies.
Myth allows us to connect a woman by the name of Emily with
the original poem however researcher John Davis, of the Institute of Texan Culture
in San Antonio, states, “No evidence links the music and an often-misidentified
woman called Emily. But the link is a vague possibility and a fine temptation—and
in some people’s mind, those make a fact.”
There are about as many questions
and arguments about Emily as there are versions of the song. The story is one
of intrigue that weaves itself deep into the warp and weft of Texas
history. In many cases I have written the words as I found them with credits
at the end of the story. |
Emily D. West
Around
1800, in the state of Connecticut, Emily D. West was born. This Emily was a free
person of color. But how much color no one knows. Could there have been enough
color to make her residence in the Republic of Texas questionable. Could she be
able to pass as white, or did she even care?
At the time in Mexico-Texas,
persons of color had a difficult time. Free blacks could come into Mexico-Texas
but they could not stay. Thus, a free person of color like Emily D. West could
easily come to Texas as long as they did not keep permanent residence. But what
if that person really wanted to stay, would they attempt to pass for white and
create a cover in case their identity was questioned?
Again, there is
nothing documented in history that can connect Emily to the song but she became
the legend behind the song just the same. There are a few documented facts about
Emily D. West, some are sketchy and there are a few “fictional facts” as well.
What is known for sure is that a Emily D. West of Connecticut birth signed
on with James Morgan to work as a housekeeper in the new settlement of New Washington,
Mexican-Texas. Morgan’s ship, The
Flash, arrived in December 1835 on the shores of Galveston Bay, Mexico-Texas.
Emily D. West was listed as a passenger on that ship. |
Emily
West de Zavala
There
was another passenger on the same ship, The
Flash, at the same time as Emily D. West. This other passenger was Emily
West de Zavala. This Emily was the wife of Lorenzo de Zavala, the soon to be vice
president of the Republic of Texas. Emily West de Zavala was born September 9,
1809 in New York City. She and her husband were the parents to three children,
a daughter and two sons. This Emily also arrived on the shores of Galveston Bay,
Mexico-Texas in December of 1835, the same ship and same time as Emily D. West.
|
The
Twist
So
now what have we here? Were there actually two women with similar names, close
to the same age, going to the same place on The
Flash or was there just one woman trying very hard to protect her identity?
To add some explanation to this story, if the wife of Lorenzo de Zavala was of
black descent, as some suspect, then she just may have double entered herself
as a free black in case her identity was questioned. Throughout history, questions
have surfaced about her color, but it is as much of a mystery today as it was
in 1836.
The trail of the Texas Revolution is a long and sometimes bloody
trail. The Convention of 1832 and 1833 sparked this revolution. The early Anglo
settlers of Mexico-Texas met in Mexico City to express dissatisfaction with the
government. Several skirmishes followed over the next three years that have held
their place in Texas history as foundations for the birth of the Republic. The
Texas Declaration of Independence was signed in 1836 and with that, the Republic
of Texas was born.
At this point the speculation, the myth and the mystery
of the Yellow Rose begins. This is the story of Emily D. West Morgan and Emily
West de Zavala and the story will end with your own conclusion. |
 |
Fredonia
and the Texas Revolt 1835-1836
Courtesy Phillpott collection |
The
Emily’s
The
Flash, with Emily D. West and Emily West de Zavala aboard, departed New
York City on November 2, 1835. It is confusing but possible that two women with
such similar names, on the same ship, going to the same destination, could have
happened. Further research just muddies the water floating The
Flash to the distant port in Mexico-Texas.
There are a couple of
documented facts that support the existence of one Emily West but even these don’t
unravel the mystery of how many women named Emily West were connected with this
tale. What these facts do prove is that there was at least one Emily West, a woman
of color, a woman connected with James Morgan, a woman by that name at the Battle
of San Jacinto, and an Emily West who was married to Lorenzo de Zavala. Other
than these documented facts the rest are literally buried with Adina
de Zavala, the granddaughter of Emily West and Lorenzo de Zavala. Adina,
known as the family historian, could have settled the silt in the water. However,
she chose not to, leaving the complete story of her grandmother an unsolved mystery.
Located
in the Philpott Collection is a very important document that supports the identity
of Emily West. It is an 1835 employment contract written in New York. Emily D.
West, New Haven, Connecticut and Col. James Morgan signed this document. In it
Emily agrees to come to Texas to work, “at any type of house work she is qualified
to do,” at an annual wage of $100.00 If there were two women with the name Emily
West, then the one in this document is Emily D. West.
Emily D. West sometimes
takes the identity of Emily Morgan. Many times slaves took the last name of their
owners. This is how the name Emily Morgan, the name so commonly associated with
“The Yellow Rose of Texas” came about.
The other woman aboard The
Flash was Emily West de Zavala, the wife of Lorenzo de Zavala. According
to Adina de Zavala, this Emily, her ancestor was not of black ancestry. Being
of black descent would have been a disastrous piece of information in Mexico-Texas
in 1835. It appears that the lives of both women were closely paralleled, making
the one woman theory a possibility. |
Colonel
James Morgan
Courtesy Phillpott collection |
Colonel
James Morgan played a major role in settling early Texas. He came to Mexico-Texas
in 1835 when the Mexican province stood on the verge of open rebellion against
the national government. Morgan founded a mercantile company and followed that
up with real estate schemes. He was an entrepreneur and like most speculators,
had Eastern investors backing his projects in soon to be Texas.
Also in
1835, Morgan—who was from Philadelphia—and his partner, Lorenzo de Zavala, laid
out the town of New Washington, Texas. The community, located just north of Galveston
Island at the mouth of the San Jacinto River, would hopefully flourish. Morgan
imported Scot highlanders and blacks from Bermuda and New York to populate the
new land and soon Morgan’s
Point was born. |
Lorenzo
de Zavala
Courtesy Phillpott collection |
| Lorenzo
de Zavala was born in the Yucatan. He spent his life involved in the politics
of Mexico and later with the new Republic of Texas. By the year of 1835, he had
served in the Mexican National Congress and had twice served as Governor of Mexico.
He fled his home country in 1835 with a price on his head and dictator General
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna hot on his heels. Alas, this fire would get hotter.
|
Santa
Anna
Courtesy Phillpott collection |
Antonio
Lopez de Santa Anna Perez de Lebron was born in Jalapa, Vera Cruz, Mexico on February
21, 1794. His family was considered middle class and he did manage to receive
some education. Santa Anna’s military career began in 1810. He proved to be a
force within and outside of his military life.
In 1835 his goal was to
crush the rebellion in Texas. Sam Houston’s army captured Santa Anna after the
battle
of San Jacinto. Santa Anna was then sent to Washington D. C. and from there
he was released to return to his home country of Mexico. He resumed his military
career. He died on June 21, 1876. |
The
Texas Revolution
October
2, 1835 – April 21, 1836 |
| Texas
Declaration Of Independence 1836 |
During
this volatile time, in this vast, wild region of Mexico-Texas, a small abandoned
mission became the scene of one of the most remembered battles in history. The
walls of this mission were the only defense for the approximately 200 brave volunteers
who attempted to hold off the forces of thousands of Mexican troops. These troops,
under the leadership of General Santa Anna, fired upon the mission for thirteen
days. Eventually, on March 6, 1836, the Alamo
fell. As the smoke from the funeral pyres darkened the skies, Sam Houston and
his ragtag army abandoned the community of Gonzales
and the Runaway
Scrape began.
The Runaway
Scrape was a panicked evacuation of Mexico-Texas led by Sam Houston. His army
and the settlers who were living between San
Antonio and Louisiana fled east. The thought being that if they could reach
Louisiana, thereby leaving Mexico, they would be safe.
During the evacuation,
myth says that Santa Anna took with him a captured mulatto woman, by the name
of Emily, along with a young black boy. All the while, he continued to plow his
way across the landscape, in hot pursuit of Sam Houston. If the mulatto woman
did happen to be one of the Emily’s there is an explanation that could easily
have put both Emily D. West and Emily West de Zavala in a situation where Santa
Anna might have captured either.
One story states that Emily D. West Morgan
stayed behind along with a young black boy to secure the holdings of James Morgan.
Another says Emily West de Zavala failed to board a ship that would take her to
safety because she returned to her home to get the family chest of silverware.
Either situation put them in the path of Santa Anna.
It was truly a time
of panic and the panic was justified. Santa Anna, an opium-addicted tyrant, amassed
thousands of organized troops. Settlers had good reason to flee in fear. Santa
Anna left a trail of dead bodies and burning buildings as he pursued Houston.
But if all the tales are true, Santa Anna made one big mistake.
Stories
say that an Emily was in the tent of Santa Anna on the day of the battle
of San Jacinto. So how did or could all of this happen? And keep in mind this
is all just…. “how it could have happened!” |
Santa
Anna snatched Emily D. West Morgan and the young boy named Turner as they tried
to secure the holdings of James Morgan. The two were to complete the job and then
flee to Louisiana but that never happened.
Emily West de Zavala, hurrying
to catch the boat with her silver, ended up watching in horror as the boat left
without her. She sadly returned to her home.
As this tale goes, the Casanova
of the West plucked an Emily from her home. Keep in mind that Santa Anna only
had one Emily with him, but which one. He considered himself as a lady’s man and
felt that Emily would make a nice addition to his harem.
Traveling along
the mosquito-infested coastal territory, did the captured Emily realize Santa
Anna’s intention? Did she plan to get word to Houston about the strategy and location
of this tyrant? Did Emily, with a little covert planning, send word to Houston
through the young boy named Turner to warn him of the approaching horde of Mexican
soldiers? Did Turner escape and manage to elude the Mexican surveillances, making
his way to Houston’s army as many stories tell?
Houston
prepared for attack on the prairie of San Jacinto. On the morning of April 21,
1836, after Santa Anna’s troops crossed the San Jacinto River, Houston ordered
the bridges burned. There would be no escape…for anyone.
Around mid-afternoon,
Houston’s army crouched in position. Then with the cry, “Remember the Alamo, remember
Goliad!” and a volley from the Twin
Sisters cannon, the rag tag army of Houston charged. The Mexicans, in the
middle of their siesta, were caught completely off guard. The Twin
Sisters—matching cannon donated by the city of Cincinnati to aid in the battle
for independence—made their way from Galveston
to Morgan’s Point
aboard The Flash. It seems
like The Flash spent a lot
of time transporting women of importance to and from Texas. The Battle
of San Jacinto lasted about eighteen minutes, with the victory going to Houston.
Some say that an Emily was in the tent entertaining Santa Anna. Some say
that the General, caught by surprise, could not utter an order. Some say that
she was never there at all. Yet some believe that she was at the scene of the
battle because women in the camps were not that uncommon, but if there was an
Emily there which Emily, Emily D. West Morgan or Emily West de Zavala? Hmmmmmmm??
|
The
following three documents possibly put a mulatto girl named Emily in Mexico-Texas
during the time of the Revolution.
1. The first document is the contract
drawn between James Morgan of New York and Emily D. West:
This agreement,
made & entered into by and between Emily West of New Haven, Conn. of the one part
& James Morgan of Texas of the other part, Witnesseth that the said West, hereby
binds herself that she will go out in said Morgan’s vessel to Texas and there
work for said Morgan at any kind of house work she, said West is qualified to
do and to industriously pursue the same from the time she commences until the
end of twelve months and not to quit or leave said Morgan’s employ after she commences
work for him , at any time whatever without said Morgan’s consent, until the end
of twelve months aforesaid, said Morgan hereby binding himself to the said West
out to Texas on board said Morgan’s vessel, free of expense, and to set said West
to work within one week after she gets there if not sooner, said Morgan agreeing
to pay said West at the rate of one hundred dollars pr. year, said wages to be
paid every three months if required.
In witness there of the parties have
hereunto set their hands and seal in New York this “5th day of October 1835. In
the presence of Frederick Platt, Simeon L. Jacilyn, J. Morgan, Emily D. West.
2.
The second document, written after the battle
of San Jacinto, was penned by Isaac N. Moreland, an artillery captain at that
time. If the document is factual, then he obviously knew Emily and James Morgan
and the document supports the fact that there was a woman named Emily at the battle.
The document is as follows:
Capitol, Thursday morning
To the Hon.
Dr. Irion
The bearer of this – Emily D. West has been since my first acquaintance
with her, in April of –36 a free woman—she emigrated to this country with Col,
Ja’s Morgan from the state of N. York in September of 35 and is now anxious to
return and wishes a passport—I believe myself, that she is entitled to one and
has requested me to give this note to you.
Your Obd’t Serv’t
I.N.
Moreland
Her free papers were lost at San Jacinto as I am informed and believe
in April—36
Moreland
3. A document written by Englishman William
Bollaert states in an entry from a private source which may have been Sam Houston:
“The Battle
of San Jacinto was probably lost to the Mexicans, owing to the influence of
a Mulatta girl (Emily) belonging to Col. Morgan who was closeted in the tent with
G’l Santana, at the time the cry was made. “The enemy! They come! They come!”
detained Santana so long, the order could not be restored readily again.”
The
letter supporting this document has never been located. It is believed that someone
who was on the battlefield of San Jacinto passed this story to Houston. |
Oh
my! What now? What became of Emily D. West Morgan? Well, no one really knows for
sure. Some say that what probably happened is that she returned to New York wanting
to get out of Texas as fast as she could, especially if she had secrets that she
wanted to keep.
The other Emily, what about her? Well, Emily West de Zavala
was honored to be the wife of the first Vice-President of the Republic of Texas,
Lorenzo de Zavala. Lorenzo de Zavala died at the age of forty-eight, some seven
months after Texas became a republic. The Flash returned his widow to New York.
Hmm was this another coincidence that both women returned to New York?
The
web site www.theoutlaws.com/people1.htm states the following:
It should
be mentioned at this point that at least one descendant in the de Zavala family
claims there was only one Emily West, and that she was his ancestor, Emily West
de Zavala, that Emily D. West [Morgan] did not exist. It should also be mentioned
that researchers have been trying very hard for years to prove that Emily West
de Zavala WAS the Yellow Rose, something the de Zavala family has been trying
equally as hard to dispute, since it would interject racial tones into their ancestry.
So far, all that has been proved is nothing, and which party, if either, is on
the right track is not known.
And
the poem, what about it?
Another version called, “Emily, the Maid of Morgan’s
Point” appeared. Confederate soldiers marched to the tune, “The Yellow Rose of
Texas” during the Civil War. |
Oh
my feet are torn and bloody
And my heart if full of woe,
I’m going back
to Georgia,
To find my Uncle Joe.
You may talk about your Beauregard,
And sing of Bobby Lee,
But the gallant Hood of Texas,
He played Hell
in Tennessee. |
| In
1955, Mitch Miller recorded the version of the song we know today. The lyrics
again changed, but the real Yellow Rose is still as unidentified in the song as
she was in real life: |
There’s
a yellow rose in Texas,
That I am going to see,
Nobody else could miss
her,
Not half as much as me.
She cried so when I left her
It like
to broke my heart
And if I ever find her
We never more will part.
She’s
the sweetest little rosebud,
That Texas ever knew
Her eyes are bright
as diamonds
They sparkle like the dew.
You may talk about your Clementine
And sing of Rosalee,
But the Yellow Rose of Texas
If the only girl
for me!
When the Rio Grande is flowing
The starry skies are bright
She walks along the river
In the quiet summer night.
I know that
she remembers,
When we parted long ago
I promise to return again
And
not to leave her so.
And now I’m going to find her
For my heart is
full of woe
And we’ll sing the songs together
That we sung so long ago.
We’ll play the banjo gaily
And we’ll sing the songs of yore.
And the Yellow
Rose of Texas
Shall be mine forever more! |
And yet another
version added! |
When
I get back from Austin
How happy I will be
With the Yellow Rose of Texas
A sittin’ on my knee!
Yee Haw!
The End! |
Without the following
sources, I could not have learned or compiled the wonderful information about
the mysterious Yellow Rose of Texas.
Sources:
Making Myth of Emily, Denise McVea, Auris Books, copyright 2006, (ISBN10:0-9773465-0-1
and ISBN 13: 978-0-977465-0-9)
The Yellow Rose of Texas: Her Saga and
Her Song, Martha Ann Turner, Shoal Creek Publisher, Inc. P.O. Box 9737 Austin,
Texas 78766 (ISBN 0-88319-028-1)
Narrations at the Alamo: 9/12/2007
The
Yellow Rose of Texas. www.theoutlaws.com/people1.htm
Philpott Collection.
www.libraries.uta.edu/speccol/crost0-4/philpott.htm
Sons of DeWitt Colony
Texas, www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/dewitt.htm (Wallace L. McKeehan, ed.) 10/2007
Ancestry.com
– New Your City Marriages, 1600’s - - 1800’s
Handbook of Texas Online,
s.v.”,” http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ZZ/fza8.html
©
Linda Kirkpatrick
Somewhere in the West
April 1, 2010 Column | |
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