Person:Charles DeMorse (1)

He grew up in Massachusetts as "Charles Denny Morse," reportedly a distant relation of Samuel F. B. Morse. He then moved to New York and after several years there, he came to Texas in 1832 (at the age of 16) specifically to join Travis, traveling around Florida by ship. The vessel was attacked and delayed at Cuba, where the inquiring authorities misspelled his "Charles DeMorse"; he like the exotic effect and kept the new spelling.

In 1836 (at the age of only 20), he was commissioned a major in the Texas Republican army. He also served briefly in the Republic of Texas navy and was aboard the ship that transported the captured Pres. Santa Anna back to Mexico after San Jacinto.^S1

Following the Revolution, he settled in Austin and made a name for himself for as a lawyer and in publishing a newspaper. In 1841, he was persuaded by a group of boosters from the Red River district to relocate to Clarksville and publish a newspaper there. This was the Northern Standard, the first issue of which appeared 20 Dec 1841, and of which DeMorse was the first and only editor and publisher. (It ceased publication shortly after his death in 1887.) He was assisted in getting started by Russell Latimer, who was comparatively wealthy for the times.^S1

He 1863, he was commissioned colonel commanding the 29th Texas Cavalry, on active duty in Indian Territory.^S1

The standard work is: Wallace, Ernest. Charles DeMorse, Pioneer Statesman and Father of Texas Journalism. Lubbock: Texas Tech Press, 1943.

Red River County, Texas, 1850 census:^[5]

Demorse, Charles 33 yrs Editor b. Massachusetts

      Lesly 9 yrs b. Texas

      Ida 7 yrs b. Texas

      Isabella 2 yrs b. Texas

Dannell, J. E. 19 yrs Apprentice Printer b. Tennessee

Clark, W. W. 15 yrs Apprentice Printer b. Tennessee?

Crook, Thomas 17 yrs Apprentice Printer b. Tennessee?

Red River County, Texas, 1860 census:^[6]

DeMorse, C. 43 yrs Publisher (real estate = $12,000; personal estate = $7,000) b. Massachusetts

      Leslie C. 19 yrs Student b. Texas

      Ida 17 yrs b. Texas

      Isabella 12 yrs b. Texas

Collins, George 14 yrs b. Tennessee

McLeod, W. D. 28 yrs Printer b. England

Red River County, Texas, 1870 census:^[7]

DeMorse, Charles 54 yrs Editor (real estate = $75,000; personal estate = $20,000) b. Massachusetts

      Belle 22 yrs Keeping house b. Texas

Collins, George 21 yrs Printer b. Kentucky

      Thomas 14 yrs Printer b. Texas

Harris, Charles 5 yrs b. Tennessee

1. ↑ Clark, Pat B. The History of Clarksville and Old Red River County. (Dallas: Mathis, Van Nort & Co., 1937)
   pp. 3, 8, 74.
2.   Clark, Pat B. The History of Clarksville and Old Red River County. (Dallas: Mathis, Van Nort & Co., 1937)
   p. 75.

   Delegate from Red River to Texas's "Reconstruction" Constitutional Convention in 1875.

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Handbook of Texas Online
   "DeMorse, Charles".
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Grave marker, Clarksville Cemetery, Clarksville, Red River County, Texas.

   Find a Grave

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Red River, Texas, United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   p. 224, dwelling/family 392/392.
6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 Red River, Texas, United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   808/808.
7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 Red River, Texas, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   p. 4B, dwelling/family 45/45.
8.   Dallas (Texas) Weekly Herald
   p. 5, 29 Oct 1887.

   Col. Charles DeMorse, one of the oldest editors of the State, died Tuesday morning, aged 72 years. He came to Texas as a volunteer from New York at the age of 20 years, since which time he has been an active participant in Texas affairs, both as soldier and civilian, holding many important and honorable positions.