JANUARY 3 — 1834 Stehen Austin arrested in Mexico; 1888 Marvin C. Stone patents wax drinking staw; 1777 Washington brilliant in New Jersey, again
JANUARY 3
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1834 – Stephen Austin is arrested in Mexico. Like who hasn’t been arrested at one point in Mexico. I mean what fun is spring break if you don’t even get arrested? Just kidding mom and dad.
The father of Texas as he’s nicknamed, Steve Austin continued on his father’s quest to colonize Tejas in Mexico with Anglo Americans. His father, Moses negotiated with Mexican President Santa Anna to colonize the land but died in Missouri on his way back from Texas. Steve reluctantly took over as the revolutionary. After many delays and frustrations with the Mexican government to address local issues, Austin repeatedly found himself going back to Mexico City to argue for the rights of the American colonists. By 1832 and the growing number of Anglo Americans were making the Mexican government uncomfortable, and by 1830 there was talk of the town about the United States getting involved to annex Texas.
So by 1830 the Mexican government stopped letting in more white colonists. Austin was convinced despite all this he could keep peace and bring the people what they wanted. He believed he could keep the locals rom taking arms as long as there was a peaceful solution possible. By 1833 the Texans had drawn up a state constitution, and on January 3, 1834 Austin went to deliver it to the Mexican government where Santa Anna threw him in prison on suspicion of inciting insurrection. He stated in jail for eight months, and by the time he got out and went back to Texas he found a revolution was imminent.
Austin was hoping for a more peaceful solution but clearly this wouldn’t happen, so he prepared for war with Mexico and led Texas to victory. In the new nation of Texas, Austin would be defeated by Sam Houston for the new president. Austin would become secretary of state instead, but succumbed to illness and died at age 43.
1888 — patents the first wax drinking straw. I don’t think I’ve drank anything from a straw since I was like, 10, but what a great invention. Previously, folks used natural rye grass straws which wound up leaving a funny taste in the drink. Stone first made his straw by spiraling paper around a pencil and glued it at both ends. Then he began using paraffin wax coated manila paper that wouldn’t get soggy. This caught on, as we all well know, and he made a fortune out of making drinking straws.
You’re welcome world!
1777 – Washington is again brilliant in New Jersey.
A little over a week ago I discussed how General George Washington showed more testicular manhood than just about any military general in history as he convinced his starving men on the verge of defection to cross an icy Delaware river and surprise the Hessian army in Trenton. Now British General Charles Cornwallis would be sent to bag the fox and get rid of Washington once and for all. Cornwallis had 8,000 strong and well equipped men to face Washington’s beaten and tired 5,000 men.
Washington knew this wasn’t going to work, so it night Washington left his campfires burning on the night of January 2nd muffled the wheels of his army’s wagons and snuck around the side of the British camp unnoticed. Bold and dangerous? Yes. Effective? Unbelievably effective. Washington was able to catch the straggling British rear guard, which they outnumbered 5-1. The final battle took place on Princeton’s campus. About 200 British Regulars were fortified Nassau Hall. American began firing cannons at the building, and legend has it, a cannonball decapitated a portrait of King George II hanging inside the building, an omen that freaked out the British and got them to surrender New Jersey.