Dayton Rotary Club Learns Some History

The Dayton Rotary Club heard an informative and interesting Texas history lesson. Dr. Luke Chachere told the story of the Samuel Truman Belt Story, which included information on the Fort Teran Historical marker.

“Fort Teran was a Mexican military encampment or station established in 1831 at a Neches River crossing that Spanish government representatives in Nacogdoches at the beginning of the nineteenth century had referred to as the ‘pass to the south.’ Three important trails crossed the Neches River at this point, underscoring the significance of this strategic site. The fort was named in honor of Gen. Manuel de Mier y Terán, commandant general of the eastern division of the Provincias Internas (which included Texas), and constructed at this location as part of a program to control the flow of smugglers and illegal immigrants into Texas.” (Texas State Historical Association) Samula Belt operated a trading post and ferry at Fort Teran.

Belt’s life was one of survival and adventure. Samual Truman Belt (1803-1863) played a part in the Texas Revolution and is the Great-Great Grandfather to Dr. Luke Chachere on his mother’s side.

He was born in Maryland and left home as a young lad as a stowaway on a ship, never to return to his family. He was captured by Indians and learned his survival skills while living with the Indians. He was eventually released.

At some point in his life, he became associated with the land surveyor Ben Milam.

Milam served as an agent of Authur G. Mavell, empresario of “Marvell’s Colony’ located in East Texas.

According to all family history, this is the most likely time Belt arrived in the Nacogdoches.

In the early 1830s, Texans started breaking their ties with Mexico. Around this time, Milam and Belt, along with a few other men, posed as surveyors.

During this expedition, they gathered information to help Texas gain its independence from Mexico. Belt, with a few others, was captured and held in a Mexican prison as spies for several months.

They escaped from the Mexican prison only to be captured by Indians.

As luck would have it, these were the same Indian tribe he had previously lived with. They released Belt and the other men and even gave them supplies.

Belt and Milam traveled to San Antonio. It was there that Belt got into a gunfight with a Mexican soldier. The soldier was killed and Belt was wounded, which crippled him the rest of his life.

Belt then settled at Fort Teran and opened a trading post and ferry. He made a living assisting settlers who were coming into the Texas territory.

The Dayton Rotary Club asked questions and ended the meeting with the 4-Way Test.