Born in North Carolina in 1805, Mary Crownover Rabb married John Rabb and in 1823 settled in Stephen F. Austin's colony in Texas. Mary kept written records of her pioneer experiences living in Texas, including the many hardships endured and activities as a member of the early Methodist Church in Texas. The family became embroiled in the Texas Revolution and lost a child while fleeing Mexican forces during the "Runaway Scrape." Two of the Rabb sons, John and Virgil, later fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. After amassing a sizeable tract of land in Fayette County, the family moved to Barton Springs, adjacent to Austin, where Mary died in 1882.
From the guide to the Rabb, Mary, family papers 1931; 69-097; 88-028; 92-381; 97-228; 99-198; 2001-196., 1823-1997, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
