urn:taro:utexas.cah.02019 A Guide to the John Wheeler Bunton Papers, 1751, 1837-1880 Original EAD encoding by Lauren Algee according to TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. October 2010 Finding aid written in English. Descriptive Summary Bunton, John Wheeler, 1807-1879 Bunton, John Wheeler, Papers 1751, 1837-1880 Materials are written in English. 1936 12 items Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin The John Wheeler Bunton Papers, 1751, 1837-1880, document the political, agricultural, and family business of Bunton and his relations through correspondence, business records, and a broadside. Biographical Note

Texas pioneer and politician John Wheeler Bunton (1807-1879) was born in Sumner County, Tennessee. Educated at Princeton College, Kentucky, and a student of law in Gallatin, Tennessee, Bunton also served in the Tennessee State Militia. In 1833, at the age of 25, Bunton settled in Mina, Texas, later renamed Bastrop. A man of commanding personality and build, Bunton was chosen to represent Bastrop at the Convention of 1836, where he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. As a member of the First Texas Volunteer Regiment, he also fought at the battle of San Jacinto, the siege of Bexar and the battle of the Alamo. As a representative in the First Congress of the Republic of Texas, convened in 1836, Bunton made the Republic’s first congressional motion, engaged in and won its first debate, and led action on laws creating a postal service, the Texas Rangers, and a judiciary system. Bunton was also a member of the Republic’s Third Congress (1838-1839).

In 1836, Bunton married Mary Howell, to whom he was introduced by Sam Houston. The Buntons first settled in Bastrop, before moving to Mountain City in 1857. Follwing Mary’s death in 1862, and John married Hermine C. Duval in 1865.

Sources:

“Memorabilia of famous Texan now in archives.” The Daily Texan. March 18, 1931.

Strom, Ann Miller. "Bunton, John Wheeler." Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed October 27, 2010.

Scope and Contents

The John Wheeler Bunton Papers, 1751, 1837-1880, document the political, agricultural, and family business of Bunton and his relations through correspondence, business records, and a broadside. The collection includes a letter regarding James Pinckney Henderson’s trip to England to secure recognition of the Republic of Texas as wewll as cattle marks, brands, an uncashed check, and other information concerning Bunton’s cattle business in Hays County, Texas. Additionally, the collection contains correspondence, a clipping, and a map from Bunton’s in-laws, the Manlove family of Bastrop and Mountain City, Texas, including an apothecary’s commission to Dr. Christopher Manlove.

 Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

 Index Terms Subjects (Persons) Bunton, John Wheeler, 1807-1879 -- Archives. Henderson, James Pinckney, 1808-1858 Manlove, Christopher Manlove, Robert C. Manlove family Subjects Cattle brands -- Texas -- History -- 19th century. Cattle trade -- Texas -- History -- 19th century. Medicine -- Texas -- History -- 19th century. Texas -- History -- Revolution, 1835-1836 -- Diplomacy. Places Bastrop (Tex.) -- History -- 19th century. Hays County (Tex.) -- History -- 19th century. Mountain City (Tex.) -- History -- 19th century. Preferred Citation

John Wheeler Bunton Papers, 1751, 1837-1880, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

 Detailed Description of the Papers Inventory 3H40 Cattle marks and brands of J. W. Bunton, W. B. Blocker and others 3H40 Apothecary’s commission to Christopher Manlove, 1751 3H40 Correspondence: 3H40 J. Pickney Henderson to John W. Bunting [sic], 1837 3H40 Robert C. Manlove to Dr. Christopher Manlove, 1837 3H40 C. H. Manlove to Margaret Manlove, genealogy, 1878 3H40 C. H. Manlove to William Manlove, genealogy, 1879 3H40 Nancy Seal to Mrs. Robert Manlove, 1866 3H40 W. Seal to Robert C. Manlove, 1861 3H40 Newspaper clipping, “Elder William Seal” 3H40 “Be It Know…,” Mrs. M. B. Manlove and J.W. Bunton, 1876 3S166 Broadside map of “Mrs. Bunton’s Homestead,” offered for sale by Tom Murrah, Austin, Texas 4Zc167 Uncashed check for $1884.00, W. K. McCoy to Thomas Bunton, 1869