J. Milton Nance
Encyclopedia
Joseph Milton Nance, known as J. Milton Nance (September 18, 1913–January 17, 1997), was an American
historian
who specialized in the study of his native Texas
. He was affiliated with Texas A&M University
in College Station
from 1941 until his retirement in 1979. He was his department chairman from 1958-1973.
in Hays County
south of Austin
, Texas, to Jeremiah Milton "Jerry" Nance, Jr. (1884–1966), and the former Mary Louise Hutchison (1890–1967). Jerry and Mary Nance married in 1912 and had eight children born between 1913 and 1930, with Milton Nance being the oldest of the offspring. Jerry and Mary Nance are interred at Kyle Cemetery. On March 19, 1944, Nance married the former Eleanor Glenn Hanover. He had three sons, Jeremiah Milton Nance (born ca. 1948) and Joseph Hanover Nance (born ca. 1952), both of Bryan
, Texas, and James Clifton "Jim" Nance. Milton and Eleanor Nance resided in College Station.
Nance studied at the University of Texas at Austin
from which he received his Bachelor of Arts
, Master of Arts
, and Ph.D degrees in history in 1935, 1936, and 1941, respectively. He moved to College Station to teach at TAMU, when the institution was all-male and military-motivated, particularly during World War II
. He was a visiting professor for a year at Texas State University in San Marcos
. Nance was active in the National Geographic Society
and the Texas State
, West Texas
, the East Texas
, the Southern
, and the American
historical associations. He authored nine books on Texas history. In 1962, he published The Early Hsitory of Bryan and the Surrounding Area, which focuses on Bryan and College Station, Texas. In 1969, he published Some Reflections Upon Modern America. In retirement, Nance was active from 1983-1996 in the publication of the Texas State Historical Association's New Handbook of Texas, much of which is now available on-line.
Nance's papers, both family and professional from 1875–1994, have been deposited at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas, established through the philanthropy of former Governor
Dolph Briscoe
. The material includes lectures, research notes, and maps.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
who specialized in the study of his native Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He was affiliated with Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in College Station
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
from 1941 until his retirement in 1979. He was his department chairman from 1958-1973.
Background
Nance was born in KyleKyle, Texas
Kyle is a town in Hays County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,314 at the 2000 census; it was 26,103 in the 2008 census estimate, making Kyle one of the fastest growing cities in Texas.-Geography:...
in Hays County
Hays County, Texas
Hays County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its official population had reached 157,107. It is named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and Mexican-American War officer. The seat of the county is San Marcos....
south of 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...
, Texas, to Jeremiah Milton "Jerry" Nance, Jr. (1884–1966), and the former Mary Louise Hutchison (1890–1967). Jerry and Mary Nance married in 1912 and had eight children born between 1913 and 1930, with Milton Nance being the oldest of the offspring. Jerry and Mary Nance are interred at Kyle Cemetery. On March 19, 1944, Nance married the former Eleanor Glenn Hanover. He had three sons, Jeremiah Milton Nance (born ca. 1948) and Joseph Hanover Nance (born ca. 1952), both of Bryan
Bryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south...
, Texas, and James Clifton "Jim" Nance. Milton and Eleanor Nance resided in College Station.
Nance studied at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
from which he received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, and Ph.D degrees in history in 1935, 1936, and 1941, respectively. He moved to College Station to teach at TAMU, when the institution was all-male and military-motivated, particularly during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was a visiting professor for a year at Texas State University in San Marcos
San Marcos, Texas
San Marcos is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, and is the seat of Hays County. Located within the metropolitan area, the city is located on the Interstate 35 corridor—between Austin and San Antonio....
. Nance was active in the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
and the Texas State
Texas State Historical Association
The Texas State Historical Association or abbreviated TSHA, is a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to documenting the rich and unique history of Texas. It was founded on March 2, 1897. As of November 2008, TSHA moved from Austin to the University of North Texas in Denton.The executive...
, West Texas
West Texas Historical Association
The West Texas Historical Association is an organization of both academics and laypersons dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of the total history of West Texas, defined geographically as all Texas counties and portions of counties located west of Interstate 35.-Formation of the...
, the East Texas
East Texas Historical Association
The East Texas Historical Association is an organization of professional historians and interested laypersons dedicated to the preservation of the overall history of East Texas, generally defined as that portion of the state east of Interstate 35. The association was founded in 1962 after a long...
, the Southern
Southern Historical Association
The Southern Historical Association is an organization of historians focusing on the history of the Southern United States . It was organized on November 2, 1934...
, and the American
American Historical Association
The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
historical associations. He authored nine books on Texas history. In 1962, he published The Early Hsitory of Bryan and the Surrounding Area, which focuses on Bryan and College Station, Texas. In 1969, he published Some Reflections Upon Modern America. In retirement, Nance was active from 1983-1996 in the publication of the Texas State Historical Association's New Handbook of Texas, much of which is now available on-line.
Major scholarly publications
- Sandbars and Sternwheelers: Steam Navigation on the Brazos (ISBN 978-1-58544-058-0), by Pamela A. Puryear and Nath Winfield, Jr., with introduction by Nance, published in 2000. This short work examines the early vessels that attempted to sail on the Brazos RiverBrazos RiverThe Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers , is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at from its source at the head of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico with a drainage...
, an intrastate waterway which passes some eight miles west of Bryan-College Station. - After San Jacinto: The Texas-Mexican Frontier, 1836-1841 (ISBN 978-0-292-75581-9) (1963) with 24 chapters, covers the continuing unrest on the border after the surrender of Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaAntonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
at the Battle of San JacintoBattle of San JacintoThe Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
on April 21, 1836. - Attack and Counter-Attack: The Texas-Mexican Frontier, 1842 (ISBN 978-0-292-73168-4) (1964).
- Dare-Devils All: The Texan Mier Expedition, 1842-1844 (ISBN 978-1-57168-214-7) (1964). This volume of more than seven hundred pages is the full account of the Mier ExpeditionMier ExpeditionThe Mier Expedition, was an offshoot that developed originally out of the Somervell Expedition, which was a unsuccessful military operation launched in November 1842 by a Texian militia against Mexican border settlements. It included a major battle at Ciudad Mier on December 26 and 27, 1842 which...
, a Texas militiaMilitiaThe term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
which attacked the MexicanMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
border community of Ciudad MierCiudad MierMier , also known as El Paso del Cántaro, is a city in Mier Municipality in Tamaulipas, located in northern Mexico near the Rio Grande, just south of Falcon Dam. It is north east of Monterrey on Mexico Highway 2. In 1990 the population was recorded at 6,190. By the 2010 census, it had dropped...
on December 26, 1842. The men were seeking financial gain and retaliation for the Dawson MassacreDawson MassacreThe Dawson Massacre, also called the Dawson Expedition, was an incident during the Mexican Invasions of Texas, in which thirty-six Texan militiamen were killed by Mexican soldiers with artillery on September 17, 1842 near San Antonio de Bexar...
in which thirty-six Texans had been killed by the Mexican ArmyMexican ArmyThe Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue...
. In the infamous black bean episodeMier ExpeditionThe Mier Expedition, was an offshoot that developed originally out of the Somervell Expedition, which was a unsuccessful military operation launched in November 1842 by a Texian militia against Mexican border settlements. It included a major battle at Ciudad Mier on December 26 and 27, 1842 which...
, the Texans were forced to draw black or white beans from a pot to determine who would be allowed to live and who would be killed by firing squad. Seventeen drew black beans from a pot of mostly white beans and, along with one other who drew a white bean, were executed on March 25, 1843. Dare-Devils All was shortened to 547 pages and re-released in December 1997, after Nance's death, under the editorship of the historian Archie P. McDonald.
Nance's papers, both family and professional from 1875–1994, have been deposited at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas, established through the philanthropy of former Governor
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979....
. The material includes lectures, research notes, and maps.