Milam County’s connection to the Texas Declaration of Independence

The founding of Texas has many connections to the early days of Milam County. 

Naturally, the histories of both our state and our county coincide, combine, and compliment each other. With Milam County being one of the original counties of Texas, these connections are not hard to find. Case in point, the man credited with writing the Texas Declaration of Independence was an early resident of Milam County.

George C. Childress is a notable connection between the founding of Texas and Nashville on the Brazos, the first County Seat of Milam County.

George Campbell Childress was a native of Nashville, Tenn. He was born to John Campbell and Elizabeth Robertson Childress. He attended school in Nashville, becoming a lawyer and newspaper editor in that city. 

George’s mother was the elder sister of Sterling C. Robertson, one of the first citizens of Milam County. As an empresario during the land grant period of Mexican-owned Texas, Robertson brought over 600 families to Texas, many from his home state of Tennessee. He began the Nashville Colony along the Brazos River near present-day Gause. 

As for Geroge Childress, in 1834 he followed his uncle between Tennessee and Texas, helping him procure settlers for the new colony.

After losing his first wife, Margaret, in 1835, George permanently moved to Texas. He became a citizen of Nashville on the Brazos, the headquarters of Robertson’s Colony. Thus, George C. Childress became a citizen of Milam County just prior to the Texas Revolution. 

Both Childress and Robertson were chosen to represent Milam Municipality at the Convention of 1836 at Washington on the Brazos. After only being in Milam County for a short time, George Childress went to the convention with his uncle to speak out for all the people of Texas.

On March 2, 1836, a group of 59 elected delegates met at Washington on the Brazos to form a government for the new Republic of Texas. 

However, Texas was still part of Mexico and fighting a revolution for freedom. In San Antonio, the Alamo was under siege and Texas had not yet won the Battle of San Jacinto (April, 1836). But Texas needed a declaration of independence! It needed a government! 

With war raging on, George Childress was responsible for calling the delegates to order at the convention. He was chosen chairman of the committee to draft a Declaration of Independence for Texas. Childress became the main author of the document on March 2, 1836. He read the declaration aloud to the other delegates, and it was signed on March 3. Representing Milam County, Childress and Roberston both signed their names into Texas history.

In later life, George Childress was sent to Washington D.C. as a diplomat for the new Republic of Texas. He met with President Andrew Jackson to discuss the recognition of Texas independence. 

He married his second wife, Rebecca, in 1835 and they had two daughters. Chilress was an attorney in both Houston and Galveston. His law practices brought him very little success, and he died in Galveston in 1841. But this one-time Milam County resident forever left his mark on the State of Texas. Childress penned the Texas Declaration of Independence and connected our part of the Brazos Valley to our state’s history. 

If you want to learn more about the early settlers of our county, visit the Milam County Museum at 112 East First Street in Cameron. There are displays noting the stories of many of these pioneers. Also, the museum volunteers are offering several books for sale at half-price. These books contain many stories about the people of early Texas and Milam County.