Thomas Byers Huling (1804-1865), landowner, postmaster, politician, congressman, judge, and speculator, came to Texas in 1834 and acquired a land grant on the Angelina River in what was to become Jasper County. During the Texas Revolution, Huling, at this time a landowner, merchant, and speculator, sold and delivered provisions to the army. Following the war Huling served as a postmaster and judge. He also owned the land on which Zavala, Texas was founded. Huling was married twice and had twelve children, eleven by his second wife Elizabeth Bullock. From 1840 until 1841, Huling represented Jaspar County in the Republic of Texas Congress. In 1847, he pursued an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to stimulate the economy of Zavala, by endeavoring to convince English families to immigrate to Texas. Despite this failure, Huling died a wealthy man in December 1865.
Source: Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. “Thomas Byers Huling,” http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/HH/fhu24.html (accessed May 19, 2010).
From the guide to the Huling, Thomas Byers, Papers, 1826, 1831-1881, 1901, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
