By Bill Dodson
On July 23, 225 years ago, hundreds of miles from Texas, one of the least known influential figures in Texas history was born. Because of one event she named herself “The Mother of Texas”, not knowing that she was mistaken. Still, Jane Long’s journey from Maryland to Natchez, Mississippi to Alexandria, Louisiana to Nacogdoches, Texas, to the Bolivar Peninsula to San Antonio may have earned her the right to wear that title. Winters on the Bolivar Peninsula can be cold, and windy, and wet. Now imagine spending one of those winters in a drafty, ice covered tent…23 years old, and pregnant.

Jane Herbert Wilkinson Long spent the winter of 1821 enduring her third pregnancy, alone except for her 6 year old daughter and Kian, her 12 year old slave, in a small fort near present day Galveston. Mary Jane Long was born on December 21, 1821 to a mother living on small game, oysters from the nearby bay, salted fish, and what little corn meal left when the other occupants of the fort fled for safety. As if the weather and lack of food and shelter was not enough, a band of Karankawa Indians remained nearby, kept out of the fort only by the ruse of Long and Kian flying items of clothing from the flagpole, indicating to the Indians that the fort was still occupied. The four held out until March 1822, when an acquaintance of Longs husband returned and persuaded them to abandon the fort and head to San Antonio.

Jane Wilkinson Longs journey to the Bolivar Peninsula covered thousands of miles from her birthplace in Charles County, Maryland. Born July 23, 1798, her father died when she was a year old, then moved with her mother to the Mississippi Territory when she was 13. In 1812 Janes mother died, leaving Jane to live with her aunt in Natchez, Mississippi. In 1815 she met James Long, a new resident of Natchez after participating in the Battle of New Orleans as an Army Surgeon, marrying Long on May 14, 1815. Until 1819 the Longs lived in the Natchez area, with James practicing medicine near Port Gibson, running a plantation, and becoming a merchant. When James left to join a settlement in Nacogdoches, Texas in early June 1819, Jane, pregnant with her second child, remained in Natchez with her widowed sister, Anne Chesley. Rebecca Long was born on June 16, twelve days later Jane Long, the new-born Rebecca, and Kian, a young slave, left for Nacogdoches to join James, leaving Ann Long with Jane’s aunt, Anne Chesley.

While resting in Alexandria, Louisiana with her sister, Barbara Calvits, Jane came down with an undisclosed illness, but insisted on continuing her trip although she did leave the children with her sister. After reaching Nacogdoches in August, the settlement was threatened by the approach of Spanish soldiers in October, causing the entire Anglo group to retreat across the Sabine River into Louisiana.

James Long was returning to Nacogdoches from a visit to Galveston when he heard of the retreat and managed to meet Jane near the Sabine River where they continued on to Alexandria. On arrival at the Calvits’, they found that Rebecca, their second child, had died.

In the Spring of 1820 the Longs travelled to the Bolivar Peninsula, where, according to Jane, she met and dined with the pirate Jean Laffite, who was apparently unwilling to join James in his cause to free Texas from Spanish rule. The Longs returned to New Orleans in an attempt to raise support, but Jane missed the boat for the return trip when she made a last minute decision to travel to Natchez to retrieve her daughter from her aunt. Jane and Ann went to Alexandria, where they waited with her sister until a guide arrived to escort them to Galveston.

Fort Las Casas had been established by James Long on the western tip of Bolivar Peninsula, or Point Bolivar. Several families occupied the fort when Jane arrived, and Jane, pregnant with her third child, remained there when James left for Presidio La Bahia, near Goliad, on September 19, 1821, for what was supposed to be a one month trip. She had no way of knowing that James was captured and taken to Mexico City, where he was “accidentally” shot by one of his guards.

As winter approached, and food supplies beginning to run out, the majority of the fort’s inhabitants decided to leave for San Antonio. Jane Long, her slave attendant, and her daughter remained at the fort, waiting for her husband to return. After giving birth to Mary Long in December, Jane, her two children, and her young slave, held on until Spring of 1822 when an acquaintance of her husbands arrived at the fort informing them of his death. With no reason to stay at the fort, Jane allowed her husband’s friend to escort them to San Antonio.

She only stayed in San Antonio a short time, leaving in 1823, then returning in 1824 with Stephen F. Austin as a part of his “Old 300”.

The newly formed Texas government recognized Jane Long’s contribution toward making Texas a free territory by making her one of the very few females to be issued a land grant. Instead of utilizing her Fort Bend County grant, she chose to open and operate a boarding house in San Felipe de Austin, a growing community settled by Stephen F. Austin. Her boarding house became a storage point for arms and ammunition, and a location for rallies and meetings during the fight for Texas Independence from Mexico. After the fall of the Alamo, General Sam Houston’s army retreated through Austin and ordered all residents to abandon the city, which was then destroyed to avoid the occupation by the Mexican army.

Long eventually settled on her Fort Bend County land grant, opening another boarding house and building a plantation. A part of her grant was sold to Robert Handy, who established the town of Richmond, which later became the Fort Bend County seat. She remained on her plantation until her death in 1880 at the age of 82. Long was buried in the Morton Cemetery in Richmond.

When Long gave birth to her daughter in the tent on the Bolivar Peninsula, she believed that she was the first English-speaking woman to give birth in the newly claimed Texas territory, leading her to claim the Title “Mother of Texas”. She became well known by this title, even though census records show several Anglo children born before Mary Long in 1821. (Maria Helena Dill, born September 8, 1804, at Nacogdoches, Coahuilla de Tejas, born to James Dill and Helena Kimble, is the earliest recorded birth.)

Based on her history of personal hardships and her efforts to make Texas independent from Mexico, Long title of the “Mother of Texas” seemed to be well deserved. In recognition of her contributions, on September 18, 2012, a Resolution naming a portion of State Highway 87 which follows the Gulf Coast along the Bolivar Peninsula, crossing into Galveston County.

Additionally, on October 13, 2012, an 18-foot granite obelisk was dedicated as a Memorial to Jane Long by the Bolivar Peninsula Cultural Foundation and the Jane Long Society. The obelisk was made possible by a donation from Samson Energy.

The obelisk was erected next to a Texas Historical Marker (#16374-2010) recognizing Long and her contribution to establishing a free Texas. Additionally, in 2012 the Galveston County Commissioners Court passed a resolution naming a portion of Highway 87 on the Bolivar Peninsula the Jane Long Memorial Highway. She has also been made an honorary member of the Texas Veteran’s Association for her services during the Texas Resolution, and finally, during World War II a Liberty Ship, the SS Jane Long, was named after her.

(l to r) Don Evans (Flagpole) George Strong (Mirabeau Lamar) Marcel Elissaide (James Long/Captain LaFitte) Raquel Silverberg (Kian, the Slave) Elinor Tinsley (Karankawa Woman) Bob Morgan (Sam Houston) Jo Evans (sound effects)

Wednesday, July 19, the Bolivar Peninsula Cultural Foundation celebrated Jane Long’s 225th birthday with a gathering at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #3719 in Crystal Beach where the story of Jane Long was brought to life with another presentation of “The Sort Of/Kinda True Story Of Mother Of Texas Jane Long”. ritten/Produced/Directed by long tIme BPCA member Linda Elissalde, with the soundtrack (The Ballad of Jane Long, written by Bruce Haire and Linda Elissalde) performed by the Texas Troubadours, Bruce Haire and John Rabalais.

Between the short, but very informative and entertaining production, and the provided refreshments, the drive to Crystal Beach is a worthwhile way to spend the day. So next year, for Jane Longs 226th Birthday, make plans to visit Crystal Beach and see the Jane Long Memorial, stay for the play, meet the people working to keep the memory of Jane Long alive.