The
year before the Republic died the inhabitants of Ashley County smack
dab in the south center of Missouri renamed themselves in honor of
the southern nation, and named the country seat for the Republic's
sometimes capital Houston, and lived liked Texians ever after.
They
rid themselves of the natives and cleared the land of pine, and they
platted farms that left plenty of room between neighbors and declared
their loyalty to the Confederate cause just like had been done in the
Republic of Texas. And
when it came time to flee Jefferson City, the Missouri
government-in-exile went into hiding deep down south and established
its capital on South Bolivar street in Marshall, Texas, but the
citizens of Texas County went on living as Texians out in the open
and never once hid their allegiances. They
were born again in the Baptist faith and voted their consciences
Republican constant and considered themselves to be the center of
things and in fact became the center of all the nation's population,*
with the longest borders in the largest county in the state. The
county seal bore a single sun, the day's lone star, whose light they
felt revealed all that was true about the land, and as went Texas so
went Texas County and the city of Houston in Missouri.
