Evaline DeWitt | Explore Her Legacy

EVALINE DEWITT MASON (1817–1891)

EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY BACKGROUND

Evaline DeWitt (often spelled Eveline in historical records) was born on October 30, 1817 in the Missouri Territory. She was the third of six children born to Green DeWitt and Sarah Seely DeWitt, an American pioneer family. Her father Green DeWitt was an empresario (colonization agent) who established DeWitt’s Colony in Mexican Texas around the town of Gonzales. In 1826, when Evaline was about nine years old, the DeWitt family moved from Missouri to Texas to settle the new colony after Green obtained a land grant from the Mexican government. They were among the early Anglo-American settlers of the region, known at the time as Texians.

Evaline grew up on the Texas frontier in a large family. Her older sisters were Eliza and Naomi, and she had two younger brothers, Christopher Columbus DeWitt and Clinton Edward DeWitt, as well as a younger sister, Minerva. The DeWitt colony faced many challenges, including occasional conflicts with indigenous groups and the uncertainties of Mexican rule. Green DeWitt’s colonization contract allowed him to bring dozens of families to settle the fertile lands along the Guadalupe River. By the early 1830s the town of Gonzales was established as the center of DeWitt’s Colony. Evaline’s father Green became a notable figure in Texas history – DeWitt County, Texas would later be named in his honor. Her mother Sarah Seely DeWitt was a steadfast pioneer woman who managed the household and farm, especially during periods when Green traveled on colony business.

Tragically, Green DeWitt did not live to see the Texas Revolution; he died on May 18, 1835 (likely of cholera) in Monclova, Mexico, while petitioning for expansion of his colony’s land grant. This left Sarah as a widow with the children just as tensions between Texian settlers and the Mexican authorities were reaching a climax. Evaline was 17 years old at that time, living with her mother and siblings in Gonzales. The DeWitt family’s circumstances – an established colony and personal ties to the area – placed them squarely in the events leading up to the Texas Revolution.

ROLE IN THE TEXAS REVOLUTION AND THE “COME AND TAKE IT” FLAG

In late 1835, the DeWitt colony became the flashpoint of the Texas Revolution. Mexican authorities demanded the return of a small cannon that had been given to the settlers of Gonzales for defense against Indian raids. The Texian settlers, seeing this as an infringement of their rights, refused to surrender the cannon. As Mexican troops approached Gonzales in late September 1835, the locals hastily organized a militia and prepared to resist. Evaline, though a young woman, directly participated in this pivotal moment through a creative act of defiance: she helped make the iconic “Come and Take It” flag.

According to tradition, Sarah DeWitt and her daughter Evaline took a wedding dress belonging to Naomi DeWitt and fashioned it into a makeshift flag emblazoned with a black star, an image of a cannon, and the daring slogan “Come and Take It.” As one account notes, “according to popular narratives, Sarah DeWitt and her daughter Eveline took Naomi’s wedding dress and recycled it into the Gonzales or ‘Come and Take It’ flag,” which was then flown at the Battle of Gonzales in October 1835. The women worked quickly – legend holds it was just over a day or two – to design and sew the flag from available materials. The white cloth of the flag is said to have indeed come from Naomi’s recently acquired wedding dress. They painted or appliquéd the simple but bold design: a lone five-point star above an image of the cannon, with the challenge “Come and Take It” written beneath.

On October 2, 1835, Texian militiamen faced the Mexican detachment at Gonzales, proudly flying this new flag of defiance. Evaline’s handiwork – the “Come and Take It” flag – waved over what became known as the Battle of Gonzales, the first skirmish of the Texas Revolution. The Texians, numbering just 18 at first (often called the “Old Eighteen”), successfully repelled the Mexican troops’ attempt to seize the cannon. The flag’s taunting slogan reportedly angered the Mexican commander but emboldened the Texian settlers. It has been recorded that “the Gonzales flag itself was created by Sarah Seely DeWitt and her daughter, Evaline, from Naomi DeWitt’s wedding dress” and it became a potent symbol during the fight. Another young woman of Gonzales, Caroline Zumwalt, is also credited in some accounts with assisting in crafting or decorating the flag alongside Evaline.

The creation of the “Come and Take It” flag was Evaline DeWitt’s most famous contribution to the Texan cause. Though a non-combatant, her role demonstrated the critical involvement of women in the struggle for Texas independence. The flag’s message of defiance – “Come and Take It” – echoed the sentiments of the American colonists and would resonate throughout Texas history. Indeed, this flag is considered the first flag of the Texas Revolution, and its debut at Gonzales marked the point of no return in the colonists’ break from Mexican rule. The successful stand at Gonzales, with the flag flying, gave the Texians an early morale boost. News of the “Come and Take It” confrontation spread, rallying more volunteers to the Texian army.

In the months that followed, Evaline and her family likely endured the dangers and hardships of the war. In early 1836, as Santa Anna’s forces advanced into Texas (leading to the fall of the Alamo in March), many families in Gonzales—including women like Sarah and Evaline—joined the “Runaway Scrape.” This was the mass evacuation of Texian civilians eastward to avoid the Mexican army’s path. It’s not documented in detail how far the DeWitts went, but they probably sought safety farther east in the colonies until after the Texian victory at San Jacinto in April 1836. Once the Republic of Texas secured independence, Evaline’s family would have returned to their home area to rebuild their lives.

The flag that Evaline helped create became an enduring symbol of Texas independence and pride. In later years, the original “Come and Take It” flag was lost to history (its exact fate is unclear, with some believing it was eventually captured or destroyed by Mexican forces), but its legend lived on. Replicas and illustrations of the flag have been preserved; for example, a replica of the famous flag now hangs in the Texas State Capitol in Austin as a tribute to that opening salvo of the revolution. Evaline’s contribution to Texas history – turning a wedding dress into a banner of revolt – has been celebrated in books and lore ever since. As the Texas State Historical Association summarizes, the story of the flag’s creation by Sarah and Evaline DeWitt remains one of the cherished popular narratives of the Revolution.

MARRIAGE TO CHARLES MASON AND FAMILY LIFE IN THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS

After Texas won its independence from Mexico, Evaline DeWitt continued into adulthood as part of the new Republic of Texas’s settler society. In the summer of 1838, at age 20, she married Charles Mason, a recent settler or participant in the Texian cause. Their marriage took place in Houston in August 1838. At that time, Houston was the capital of the Republic of Texas (and a burgeoning town), so it may have been the location of convenience or necessity for obtaining a marriage license and ceremony. It is also possible that Charles Mason had business or government connections in Houston, or that Evaline was visiting relatives there. The archival record simply notes that “Eveline Dewitt married Charles Mason in Houston in 1838.” This union joined Evaline, a woman of the Gonzales pioneer family, with Charles Mason, about whom comparatively less is documented in published histories.

Shortly after their marriage, Evaline and Charles Mason settled back in Gonzales, Texas, which remained her home for the rest of her life. There, they started a family and established themselves in the community. Charles Mason became a farmer and stockman in Gonzales County. The Masons prospered modestly and were regarded as an upstanding family in the area. Over the 1840s and 1850s, Evaline gave birth to several children, helping to further root the Mason family line in Texas.

Evaline and Charles Mason had at least three children:

Charles W. Mason, born March 8, 1841 in Gonzales. He grew up to marry Alvina Matthews (the Matthews family was another early Texas clan), and they had one son, Charles W. Mason Jr., born in 1867. Tragically, the elder Charles W. Mason died on September 8, 1867 at just 26 years old, possibly due to illness in the difficult years following the Civil War. His infant son would carry on the Mason name, living until 1947.

DeWitt “Dee” Mason, born September 9, 1844. Evaline and Charles chose to name this son after Evaline’s maiden name, a tribute to the DeWitt family legacy. DeWitt Mason married Maria Pratt on August 25, 1874. They had a large family, with children named Fletcher Stockdale Mason, Sallie Mason, Eveline Mason (a daughter likely named after her grandmother Evaline), Tate Mason, Pratt Mason (named after the mother’s maiden family), and DeWitt Mason Jr.. Many of these grandchildren were born in the late 1870s and 1880s, and thus Evaline lived to know them. The name Fletcher Stockdale is noteworthy – it likely honors Fletcher S. Stockdale, a Texas statesman of that era – reflecting the Mason family’s engagement with Texas’s public life.

Isham M. Mason, born about 1856 in Gonzales. (He was recorded as age 4 in the 1860 census.) Isham’s name may indicate family ties or friends – “Isham” was a name found among early Texans and could have been chosen to honor someone the family respected. Less is documented about Isham’s later life; he would have been only a child when the Civil War started. It’s possible he survived into adulthood given that no childhood death is noted, but records of his marriage or death were not prominent in sources.

Evaline devoted herself to raising her children and running a household on the Texas frontier. During the Republic of Texas period (1836–1845) and after Texas’s annexation to the United States in 1845, her life revolved around family and community. The Gonzales area recovered from the ravages of war and grew steadily. The Mason family, like others, farmed their land and participated in local civic life. We know that Evaline’s extended family remained nearby: her mother Sarah DeWitt lived in Gonzales until her death in 1854, and some of Evaline’s siblings also settled in the region. For instance, Evaline’s older sister Naomi Quirk DeWitt had married a man named Matthews (possibly connected to the same Matthews family that Evaline’s son Charles W. married into), and likely lived in Gonzales County as well. The DeWitt-Mason family networks in Gonzales were part of the fabric of early Texas society.

It’s worth noting that the 1840s and 1850s were eventful in Texas: the Republic became the State of Texas in 1845, the Mexican–American War of 1846–48 brought more change, and frontier life was still arduous. The Mason family witnessed these developments, though they are not recorded as playing a major public role. During the Civil War (1861–1865), Evaline’s sons were of fighting age. Indeed, her eldest son Charles W. Mason served in the Civil War (likely for the Confederacy, as most Texan men did), though details are scarce. The end of the war and the Reconstruction period were difficult years in Texas; many families suffered losses from disease and economic hardship, which could explain the early death of Charles W. in 1867. Through all of these trials, Evaline remained a resilient figure, much like her mother.

By the 1870s and 1880s, Evaline DeWitt Mason was regarded as a pioneer matriarch in Gonzales. She had lived through the Texas Revolution, the era of the Republic, statehood, war, and recovery. As her children grew up and had families of their own, Evaline took on the role of grandmother. She was known locally for her connection to the famous Gonzales flag story, though interestingly, in those days the contributions of women were not always highlighted in history books. Family and local tradition, however, kept the story alive that Mrs. Mason (née DeWitt) had been one of the young women who made the “Come and Take It” flag.

LATER YEARS, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND LEGACY

In her later years, Evaline remained an active member of the Gonzales community. Described as a warm, intelligent woman, she carried the legacy of the DeWitt family into a new generation. She was likely involved in church activities and may have been sought out for her memories of the early days of Texas. As one of the oldest living residents of Gonzales by the 1880s, she was a link to the revolutionary past. Contemporary accounts indicate that the community held her in high esteem. Her longevity and firsthand knowledge of Texas’s struggle for independence made her something of a local treasure.

Evaline lived to see the 50th anniversary of the Texas Revolution (1886) and the growth of Texas well into the late 19th century. She and Charles celebrated many years of marriage. In November 1882, after 44 years together, Charles Mason passed away in Gonzales. He was buried in the Gonzales Masonic Cemetery, a cemetery associated with the local Masonic lodge (interestingly fitting the family name). Evaline, now a widow, was cared for by her family. She likely spent her final years living with one of her adult children or close relatives. In fact, her obituary mentions that she died at the home of “Mrs. Ford, two miles east of town,” which suggests she was staying with a daughter or granddaughter whose married name was Ford at the end of her life. Surrounded by children and grandchildren, Evaline remained in the only community she had known in Texas since childhood.

Evaline DeWitt Mason died on November 27, 1891, at the age of 74. The Gonzales Inquirer newspaper published an obituary honoring her long life. It noted the passing of one of the area’s original settlers, stating that in her death “Gonzales loses one of its oldest inhabitants” and recounting that she had witnessed the “trials and hardships” of Texas’s early days firsthand. Evaline was laid to rest beside her husband in the Gonzales Masonic Cemetery, not far from where the cannon she helped defend had been buried long ago. Many of her descendants were also buried in Gonzales soil.

Evaline’s legacy is intertwined with both her family and the broader history of Texas. As the daughter of a prominent empresario, she personified the pioneer spirit that brought Anglo-American settlers to Texas. As a young woman who contributed to the creation of the “Come and Take It” flag, she became a symbol of Texan women’s patriotism and courage. Her life spanned the era of Mexican Texas, the Republic, and statehood – a bridge between early Texas and the modern era.

BROADER HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE DEWITT FAMILY

The DeWitt family to which Evaline belonged played a significant role in Texas history. Green DeWitt’s colony was one of the most successful Anglo colonies in Texas after Stephen F. Austin’s. The town of Gonzales, founded under Green’s grant in 1825, became known as the “Lexington of Texas” for the Battle of Gonzales that sparked the Revolution – an event in which the DeWitt family had direct involvement. The fact that Evaline and her mother crafted the colonists’ battle flag highlights how the family’s influence went beyond just colonization and into the fight for independence.

Other members of Evaline’s family also left their mark. Her sister Naomi DeWitt (who likely contributed the wedding dress for the flag) married Joseph Matthews, and together they helped settle the area; her descendants intermarried with other pioneering families (as seen by the Matthews name appearing again in Evaline’s own descendants). Evaline’s eldest sister Eliza DeWitt married Maj. Joseph Hardeman and also settled in Texas, contributing to the Hardeman family line (the Hardemans were involved in early Texas politics and military affairs). The DeWitt sons, Christopher and Clinton DeWitt, also participated in the Republic’s life – for instance, Clinton Edward DeWitt served as a Texas Ranger and later a Confederate officer, according to some family records. Youngest sister Minerva DeWitt married Enoch Jones and continued the family line in Texas. In sum, all six of Green and Sarah’s children became part of the fabric of 19th-century Texas, through marriage, service, and community building.

The DeWitt family legacy was formally recognized by the State of Texas. In 1846, the new Texas legislature created DeWitt County, naming it for Green DeWitt to honor his contributions as an empresario. Historical markers and local histories have since acknowledged Sarah DeWitt’s and Evaline’s role in making the “Come and Take It” flag – for example, a 1936 Texas Centennial plaque in Gonzales commemorates Sarah Seely DeWitt (and by extension the women of Gonzales) for their patriotic actions. Every October, the city of Gonzales holds a “Come and Take It” festival that celebrates the 1835 battle and the flag; this is a living tribute to the handiwork of Evaline and her mother. The flag design itself has been adopted into Texas iconography, appearing on everything from memorabilia to political banners, symbolizing Texans’ independent spirit. Each time that flag is remembered, Evaline DeWitt Mason’s quiet but critical contribution to Texas history is also remembered.

Evaline’s story illustrates the often overlooked contributions of women on the Texas frontier. Through acts of courage and creativity—like converting a wedding dress into a battle flag—she helped shape the course of events. She then lived a full life witnessing Texas grow from a sparse colony into a thriving state. Evaline DeWitt Mason passed away as a respected pioneer grandmother, but her legacy lives on in the annals of Texas history and in the descendants she left behind. Her life is a testament to the endurance and influence of the DeWitt family in Texas, from colonization and revolution to community building and beyond.

TIMELINE OF KEY EVENTS IN EVALINE DEWITT MASON’S LIFE

Date Event October 30, 1817 Birth: Evaline DeWitt is born in Missouri to Green DeWitt and Sarah Seely DeWitt. Dec 15, 1808 (Before Evaline’s birth) Her parents marry in St. Louis County, Missouri. Green DeWitt serves in the War of 1812 soon after. 1826 Move to Texas: The DeWitt family relocates to Mexican Texas, establishing DeWitt’s Colony at Gonzales. Evaline, age 8–9, arrives on the Texas frontier. October 2, 1835 Battle of Gonzales: Evaline (age 17) and her mother Sarah create the “Come and Take It” flag from Naomi’s wedding dress, which is flown as Texians defy Mexican troops at Gonzales. This marks the first battle of the Texas Revolution. March–April 1836 Runaway Scrape: Evaline and her family likely evacuate Gonzales as Santa Anna’s army advances. Texas wins independence after the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. August 1838 Marriage: Evaline DeWitt marries Charles Mason in Houston, Republic of Texas. She moves with him back to Gonzales to start their life together. Mar 8, 1841 Birth of Child: Son Charles W. Mason is born in Gonzales. He is the first of Evaline’s children. Sep 9, 1844 Birth of Child: Son DeWitt “Dee” Mason is born, named in honor of Evaline’s maiden family. c. 1856 Birth of Child: Son Isham Mason is born in Gonzales (he is four years old in the 1860 census). Nov 28, 1854 Death of Mother: Sarah Seely DeWitt (Evaline’s mother) dies in Gonzales at age 65. She is buried in the DeWitt family cemetery on her land grant. Feb 1861 – Apr 1865 Civil War: Texas joins the Confederacy. Evaline’s sons Charles (20) and DeWitt (17) reach military age; Charles W. Mason is believed to serve in the war. The family endures the war years in Gonzales. Sep 8, 1867 Death of Son: Charles W. Mason dies at age 26, shortly after the Civil War, leaving behind one infant son. Aug 25, 1874 Family Marriage: Son DeWitt Mason marries Maria Pratt. Evaline’s grandchildren from this marriage will be born in subsequent years, extending the Mason–DeWitt lineage. Nov 21, 1882 Husband’s Death: Charles Mason dies in Gonzales. He is buried in Gonzales Masonic Cemetery, where Evaline will later join him. Late 1880s Evaline is honored as one of Gonzales’s oldest residents. Local histories begin to record the story of the “Come and Take It” flag and her role in it, preserving it for future generations. November 27, 1891 Death: Evaline DeWitt Mason passes away at age 74 at a family member’s home near Gonzales. Her obituary in the Gonzales Inquirer commemorates her as an early pioneer (“one of its oldest inhabitants”). She is buried beside her husband in the Gonzales Masonic Cemetery. 1935 Legacy: On the Texas Revolution centennial, the legend of the “Come and Take It” flag (and the women who made it) is widely celebrated. A replica of the flag is displayed in Austin, and historical markers honor Sarah DeWitt’s and Evaline’s contribution. DeWitt family descendants continue to live in Texas, preserving her memory.

Throughout her life, Evaline DeWitt Mason stood as a witness to Texas history – from colonization and revolution to statehood and beyond. Her personal story, woven into the larger tapestry of the DeWitt family and Texas’s fight for independence, exemplifies the courage, resilience, and legacy of the pioneer women of Texas.