The New Beginning

The Texas frontier was largely left in shambles by the struggles of the war for independence. San Felipe, Stephen F. Austin’s principal city, was burned by Sam Houston’s army during his regrouping retreat to San Jacinto. Houston wanted to keep it from falling into the hands of Santa Anna and his army who had looted and burned Harrisburg and many other small cities as they chased the remnants of the Texas Army eastward across the frontier.
Harrisburg was never rebuilt and San Felipe’s place in history had passed from relative importance. The new city of Houston was born as the center of government and the principal place for business and commerce. Accordingly, as the new government of the Republic of Texas developed, many of Austin’s stalwart types again came to the forefront as representatives of the people in Texas governmental activities. Concurrently, business and personal endeavors began to blossom as life in Texas achieved a new level of normalcy and stability.

Having been appointed to the Texas Naval Affairs Committee during the closing days of the war, Dr. Gazley soon retired from his military activities. He took up residency in Houston and entered the developing professional world as an Attorney in partnership with John Birdsall. On September 4, 1837, Gazley was elected to the House of the Second Congress of the Republic of Texas representing Harrisburg County.