This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: johnstilesland Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.stiles/596.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hello, I recently lost my Grandfather Rusk Houston Stiles. I inherited several items that were said to be my Great Great grandfaters. His name was John Stiles from red river county. My grandfater told me stories that he held Santa Anna with a gun he left me. I would love to chat with someone and get some facts. John G. Stiles [email protected] Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.

Perhaps the most authentic mention of the Becknell place is in "The History of Clarksville and Old Red River County" by Pat B. Clark, Mathis Van Nort and Company, Dallas, 1937. On page 17, Clark relates an interesting story involving the company of Red River County soldiers under the command of Captain Becknell and Lt. James Clark arriving at the battleground of San Jancinto a few hours after the battle. The wounded General Houston related to Becknell and Clark the details of the encounter and asked that the Red River County soldiers guard Santa Anna, as these men had not been in the heat of battle, and General Houston said, " I must preserve the life of Santa Anna by all means at any cost". One of the guards was "Old Man" John Stiles, an early Red River County settler in the Whiterock area, ten miles Northeast of Clarksville. Stiles reportedly obtained the Masonic apron of Santa Anna and a case of the General's razors, which he kept as war souvenirs. Clark, early in his book beginning on page 10, tells of Dayy Crockett's entry into Texas into Red River County across the Red River at Jonesboro and met his friend, John Stiles. But he was also desirous of seeing another old friend, Captain Becknell, and according to Clark: Ed and Lois Denaut [email protected] http://continue.to/lasvegas --------------------------------- Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games.