David Parish Barhydt,
        my Great Great Grandfather, was born in 1815 near Ogdensburg, NY on the St. Lawrence River, across from Canada. It's a fairly common Dutch name. In 1837, he sailed to Florida, spending almost two years in Tallahassee in retail business. This was during the time of the Seminole Wars. In 1839, he sailed across the Gulf to what was then Velasco, now part of Houston. He met and became friends with Sam Houston (whom he admired and writes highly of) and others. The Treasurer before him was relieved of his duties, maybe (he was) accused of corruption(?) and he was made Acting Treasurer for a few months, until another Treasurer was either elected or appointed. He was also secretary to the commission that selected Austin as the capital. In 1841, he disagreed with the Legislature's decision to repudiate bonds they issued, so much so, that he left Texas. He had purchased a shipload of cotton that was destined for the garment district in NYC. The ship sunk in the Caribbean and he returned to NY, marrying Ellen Griswold in 1843. She was from the Connecticut Griswolds and Woolcotts and her father Aaron Hackley was a Congressman from Utica in 1819-21.

        D.P. (Barhydt) became a successful businessman, a U.S. trade envoy to Paris, owned parts of Silver mines in CA and CO, and was President of the Erie and Kalamazoo RR. Also part of the group that built and operated the first street car line in NYC. He was a supporter of Democrat Party politics. He wrote poetry as a hobby, and I've found some on the web. I have a lot of his papers and things like stock certificates from the silver mines.

        My connection: His daughter Maud married Thomas Marshall, my Great Grandfather. Thomas was the Great Grandson of Chief Justice John Marshall. D.P. Barhydt lived until 1906. Age 91. When Thomas died in the 1890s, my Grandfather, David Parish Barhydt Marshall, went to live with his Grandpa Barhydt in Manhattan. He read for the law and went west to practice in Sheridan, Wyoming, where my dad grew up. Dad came back east to the University of Virginia, and that's where I grew up. I have most of Grandpa Barhydt's papers. His one son Parish Hackley Barhydt died in 1887, so this Barhydt line died out in 1906.

The lack of info on Grandpa Barhydt in Texas history may have something to do with his leaving in 1841. Also, he wasn't a real "Texian", and that may be a factor. Also, his Sam Houston connection - I believe Houston had disagreements, too. I did find a list of names of people who were paid by the Republic, and his name's on it. I emailed the Texas Numismatic group, and the Sons of the Republic last year, but no one replied, so I gave up.

William (Bill) Marshall
8301 16 1/2 Mile Road Apartment #76
Sterling Heights, MI 48312
4.24.2011