Texas Rangers, Ranchers, and Realtors

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James Hughes Callahan (1812–1856), a native Georgian, moved to Texas to participate in the Texas Revolution in exchange for land. Settling in Seguin, he married divorcée Sarah Medissa Day (1822–1856). Their intertwined lives and those of their extended family reflect the social history of nineteenth-century Texas. Callahan arrived as a sergeant with the Georgia Battalion and was involved in the ill-fated 1855 expedition that bears his name, ultimately meeting a tragic end in a feud with a neighbor. He served as a soldier, Texas Ranger, rancher, and land developer, leaving a significant impact on the Guadalupe River Basin. Meanwhile, Sarah’s family journey mirrored that of many immigrants to Texas post-independence. Author Thomas O. McDonald traces their paths to their union, detailing their struggles with conflict, social mores, emerging industries, and land taming, all while shaping Texas culture. With keen character insight and extensive research, McDonald vividly narrates the lives of the Callahan and Day families, providing a dynamic canvas of Texas history—from revolution and frontier defense to Anglo settlement and the development of legal and social systems.