Horton, Alexander (1810–1894)

Alexander Horton, early settler, local official, and aide-de-camp to Sam Houston during the Texas Revolution, the son of Julius and Susan (Purnell) Horton, was born on April 18, 1810, in Halifax County, North Carolina. In 1823 he moved with his widowed mother and other members of her family to Texas. With his brother, Sam W., and his brother-in-law James Whitis Bullock, Horton crossed the Sabine River into Texas on January 1, 1824. The three built a cabin on the Attoyac River, where Horton, aged thirteen, was left in charge, while the other two returned to Louisiana for the remainder of the family. In 1827 Horton participated in putting down the Fredonian Rebellion, and on August 2, 1832, under Bullock, he fought in the battle of Nacogdoches against José de las Piedras. From 1831 to 1833 he served as sheriff of Ayish Bayou and in 1835 represented Ayish Bayou (or San Augustine) in the Consultation. When Sam Houston was appointed commander-in-chief of the Texas army in 1836, Horton was named his aide-de-camp and fought as such in the battle of San Jacinto. He was chairman of the board of land commissioners in 1838 and collector of customs of San Augustine in 1838–39. Horton was again sheriff of San Augustine in 1844 and played an active part in arresting the leaders of the Regulator-Moderator War. After 1844 he was mayor of San Augustine for several years. His last public office was as representative of San Augustine and Sabine counties in the Fifteenth Legislature. He died on his farm near San Augustine on January 11, 1894.