William Physick Zuber (1820-1913), farmer, soldier, educator, and amateur historian, was born near Marion, Twiggs County, Georgia. His family moved to the site of present-day San Augustine, Texas, in 1830; to Harrisburg in 1831; and to what is now Brazoria County in 1832. Finally, in 1833, the family established permanent residence near the headwaters of Lake Creek, in what is now eastern Grimes County.

Although only fifteen at the outbreak of the Texas Revolution, Zuber served in the Texas army, Fourth Company, Second Regiment, Texas Volunteers, from March 1 to June 1, 1836. For his services he obtained a bounty grant of 640 acres, land that is now part of Grimes County. From 1837 to 1840 he participated in campaigns against the Indians on the south central Texas frontier, and he served in the Somervell expedition in 1842.

Although largely self-educated, Zuber taught at rural schools in the area of present-day Walker and Grimes counties from 1844 to 1848 and intermittently for many years thereafter. Late in his life Zuber began composing articles on the early Texas military conflicts and biographical sketches of Texas veterans; many of these were eventually published in various newspapers around the state. His account of the escape of Louis Rose from the Alamo was published in the Texas Almanac for 1873. As a charter member of the Texas State Historical Association, Zuber was made an honorary life member because of his participation in the Texas Revolution.

In 1906 Zuber moved to Austin and found employment as a guide in the Senate chamber of the Capitol. In 1909 he was honored by the Texas legislature as the last surviving veteran of the Army of San Jacinto. He died in Austin on September 22, 1913.

Source:

Robert Bruce Blake. "Zuber, William Physick. Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed October 8, 2012. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fzu02.