Angelina Eberly
Encyclopedia
Angelina Belle Peyton Eberly (July 2, 1798 – August 15, 1860) was an innkeeper and a hero of Austin, Texas
in the Texas Archive War
.
Angelina was born to John and Margaret (Hamilton) Peyton in Sumner County, Tennessee
. In 1818 she married her first cousin, Jonathan C. Peyton, and moved with him to New Orleans, Louisiana
. They opened an inn and tavern in San Felipe de Austin from 1825 until 1834, when Jonathan Peyton died. Angelina continued to operate the inn and tavern until the Texas Revolution
, when the town was destroyed to prevent capture by Mexican forces.
In 1836 she met and married Captain Jacob Eberly, a widower. They lived briefly in Bastrop, Texas
and moved to Austin
in 1839, opening the Eberly House. On October 18, 1839, President Mirabeau B. Lamar
and his cabinet dined in her tavern and his successor, Sam Houston
, resided at Eberly House rather than the presidential mansion. Jacob Eberly died in 1841.
In December 1842, Houston ordered the secret removal of the archives of the Republic to safekeeping in Washington-on-the-Brazos. Mrs. Eberly, realizing that the symbols of national government were being removed from the city, fired a six-pound cannon
into the General Land Office Building, arousing the town to what they considered theft. The ensuing conflict became known as the Archives War, which was won by the Austinites, preserving Austin as capital of Texas and keeper of the archives.
In April 1847 Angelina moved to Port Lavaca
and operated Edward Clegg's Tavern House. The next year, she moved to Indianola
and ran the American Hotel there until her death in 1860 at the age of 62. She was buried in a cemetery outside Lavaca and left her $50,000 estate to her grandson, Peyton Bell Lytle.
A statue of Angelina Eberly, created by Pat Oliphant
, stands near the place where Eberly helped preserve Austin as Texas' capital city.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in the Texas Archive War
Texas Archive War
The Texas Archive War was an 1842 dispute over an attempted move of the Republic of Texas national archives from Austin to Houston and, more broadly, over then-president Sam Houston's efforts to make Houston the capital of Texas.-Background:...
.
Angelina was born to John and Margaret (Hamilton) Peyton in Sumner County, Tennessee
Sumner County, Tennessee
Sumner County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 130,449. Its county seat is Gallatin, but its largest town is Hendersonville...
. In 1818 she married her first cousin, Jonathan C. Peyton, and moved with him to New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. They opened an inn and tavern in San Felipe de Austin from 1825 until 1834, when Jonathan Peyton died. Angelina continued to operate the inn and tavern until the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
, when the town was destroyed to prevent capture by Mexican forces.
In 1836 she met and married Captain Jacob Eberly, a widower. They lived briefly in Bastrop, Texas
Bastrop, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there are 5340 people in Bastrop, organized into 2034 households and 1336 families. The population density is 734.8 people per square mile . There are 2,239 housing units at an average density of 308.1 per square mile...
and moved to Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in 1839, opening the Eberly House. On October 18, 1839, President Mirabeau B. Lamar
Mirabeau B. Lamar
Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was a Texas politician, diplomat and soldier who was a leading Texas political figure during the Texas Republic era. He was the second President of the Republic of Texas, after David G. Burnet and Sam Houston.-Early years:Lamar grew up at Fairfield, his father's...
and his cabinet dined in her tavern and his successor, Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
, resided at Eberly House rather than the presidential mansion. Jacob Eberly died in 1841.
In December 1842, Houston ordered the secret removal of the archives of the Republic to safekeeping in Washington-on-the-Brazos. Mrs. Eberly, realizing that the symbols of national government were being removed from the city, fired a six-pound cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
into the General Land Office Building, arousing the town to what they considered theft. The ensuing conflict became known as the Archives War, which was won by the Austinites, preserving Austin as capital of Texas and keeper of the archives.
In April 1847 Angelina moved to Port Lavaca
Port Lavaca, Texas
Port Lavaca is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,248 at the 2010 census. The County had a 3.6% growth which brought the county population to 21,381. The city itself is bringing in more business into the area. It is the county seat of Calhoun County...
and operated Edward Clegg's Tavern House. The next year, she moved to Indianola
Indianola, Texas
Indianola is a ghost town located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The community, once the county seat of Calhoun County, is a part of the Victoria, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1875, the city had a population of 5,000, but on September 15 of that year, a...
and ran the American Hotel there until her death in 1860 at the age of 62. She was buried in a cemetery outside Lavaca and left her $50,000 estate to her grandson, Peyton Bell Lytle.
A statue of Angelina Eberly, created by Pat Oliphant
Pat Oliphant
Patrick Bruce "Pat" Oliphant is the most widely syndicated political cartoonist in the world, described by the New York Times as "the most influential cartoonist now working"...
, stands near the place where Eberly helped preserve Austin as Texas' capital city.