Wharton brothers died before their time

William H. Wharton was still mourning the premature passing of his younger brother, when he accidentally cut his own life short on Mar. 14 , 18 39 . At ages 14 and 10, William and John Austin Wharton suddenly became orphans after losing both parents in 1816.A big-hearted uncle in their hometown of N ashville, Tennessee opened his home to the boys and three other siblings.Jesse Wharton not only kept the children together but provided each of them with a first-class education. William and John were gifted students, who earned undergraduate and law degrees and admission to bar in their early twenties.The older Wharton was the first to migrate to Texas coming in 1826.The date of John’s arrival is in dispute with some historians claiming he followed in 1829 and others arguing he waited until 18 33. Whenever he did appear on the scene, John found his big brother leading the charge for independence.The younger Wharton started a newspaper The Advocate of The People’s Rights to give William a platform for presenting his radical views. The focus of the firebrand’s attacks was none other than Stephen F. Austin, whom William repeatedly raked over the coals for his conciliatory attitude toward the Mexican government.The war of words culminated in a duel between John Wharton and William T. Austin, a distant but combative relative of the future “Father of Texas.”John was shot in the wrist and never regained full use of his hand. The feud had cooled only a few degrees by the fall of 18 35, when Sam Houston called William H. Wharton and Stephen F. Austin away from the siege of San Antonio.He talked them into temporarily burying the hatchet and joining Branch T. Archer on a mission to the United States to raise money and political support for the Revolution. That was why William missed San Jacinto and John’s heroics in the historic battle.But with the Republic of Texas finally recognied by President Andrew Jackson on his last day in office, the diplomat was free to return home in time for the first anniversary of Lone Star independence. It took William an exhausting month to reach N ew Orleans, where he hopped a ride on the “Independence” for the last leg of his long trip.A week out of the Crescent City, Wharton saw the mouth of the Brazos River through the morning mist.That meant Velasco, his ultimate destination, was just four miles down the coast. Without warning two Mexican warships came into view and headed straight for the “Independence. The horrified inhabitants of Velasco watched helplessly from shore, as the pride of the Texas N avy was boxed in and boarded. The sailors and their civilian passenger were taken prisoner and transported to Matamoros for indefinite detention. John Wharton immediately went to Sam Houston and demanded to know how he planned to obtain his brother’s release.But the president explained there was not much he could do given the state of war which still existed between Texas and Mexico. Upset by the inaction of her own government, Sarah Ann Wharton decided to go over Houston’s head by making a direct appeal to Washington. Bravely setting out on horseback, she broke a leg in a bad fall before reaching the border. Beside herself with worry, she waited for weeks for word from her husband.When William was finally permitted to write a letter, he assured his anxious wife he was alive and well and added the Mexicans seemed open to a swap. Houston eventually gave into pressure from the captive’s kin, agreeing to pay for a rescue ship and to provide 30 San Jacinto prisoners-of-war for the exchange.John Wharton located a suitable schooner and sailed south late that summer. As the brother waited off Matamoros for permission to enter the hostile port on the night of Oct. 2, 1837, a gale blew the small ship aground.The next day on the streets of the border town, the soaked survivors bumped into Father Michael Muldoon. The former priest of the Austin colony found the hunted Texans a place to hide and something to eat, while he tried to figure out a way to get them out of Mexico alive. From his host John Wharton learned his brother had long since escaped.Muldoon had supplied the clerical costume that enabled William Wharton to walk out of jail disguised as a priest. If the fearless friar had any second thoughts about risking the Mexicans’ wrath one more time, he kept them to himself. Within the week, Muldoon managed to spirit John Wharton and his companions out of Matamoros and across the Rio Grande. Thirteen months later, John Austin Wharton took sick and died of what was vaguely described as “fever.”He was 32 years old.In his eulogy, David G. Burnet, caretaker chief executive of the Texas rebellion, said, “The keenest blade of San Jacinto is broken.” William H. Wharton did not live long enough to come to terms with the death of his brother.Three months after laying John to rest, he was fatally wounded by the accidental discharge of his pistol while climbing down from his horse. Did you ever get your autographed copy of “Murder Most Texan,” Bartee’s latest book?Y ou may order it in the “General Store” at barteehaile.com or by mailing a check for $26.65 to Bartee Haile, P.O. Box 152, Friendswood, TX 77549. William and John were gifted students, who earned undergraduate and law degrees and admission to bar in their early twenties.The older Wharton was the first to migrate to Texas coming in 1826.The date of John’s arrival is in dispute with some historians claiming he followed in 1829 and others arguing he waited until 18 33.