FORMER CONFEDERATE ARTILLERYMAN SWEARS LOYALTY TO THE UNITED STATES

Partly printed document completed in manuscript. Signed by Solomon Parr. Galveston, Texas, 1 June 1866. 2 pages, 8vo. Docketing to verso. 

An amnesty oath signed by Solomon Parr, formerly of Company E, 1st Texas Heavy Artillery, taken following the Civil War. In the oath, Parr swears to “faithfully support, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Union of the States thereunder,” and further pledges to abide by all laws and proclamations enacted concerning the emancipation of enslaved individuals.

Solomon Parr (1827–1906), originally from Germany, was the son-in-law of James and Mary Campbell, for whom Campbell Bayou on the Galveston coast is named. According to the Texas State Historical Association, the site was first chosen by the Karankawa people who lived there and maintained friendly relations with James Campbell during his service in the War of 1812. The Campbell family likely settled along the bayou in the late 1830s, drawn by the abundance of fish and game and the fertile soil suitable for farming. Over time, additional settlers moved into the area, gradually forcing the Karankawa out, while travelers frequently stopped at the bayou on their way to Galveston. After marrying into the family, Parr operated the ferry that carried passengers from the bayou across to Galveston until he enlisted in the Civil War.

Campbell Bayou also played a role during the conflict itself. In the days leading up to the Battle of Galveston, Confederate soldiers camped along the bayou while preparing for their attack on Union forces. After the war, however, the settlement’s fortunes declined. The Galveston hurricane of 1900 devastated the region, forcing many residents to move inland, and the remaining community was ultimately abandoned after the destructive storm of 1915.

References: 

The History of Campbell's Bayou: A Settlement in Texas City. 

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