John Hallowell, local (not so) amateur historian and publisher of the Highland Lakes Magazine gave us a primer on local historical characters.
 
John, originally from Canada, has become well-steeped in Burnet County history and shared tales of three of the interesting characters who have come through these parts.
 
The first was Virginia Webster, once captured along with her mother by Comanches who returned to the area to establish the community of Strickling. She came back there, the site of her father's murder by the Comanches, at age 16. Strickling was on Northeastern Burnet County.
 
John then told of some of the lesser-known facts about the founder of Marble Falls, General Adam Rankin Johnson. At age 12 Johnson was put in charge of running a pharmacy until at about age 15 he was running a factory with 80 employees, successfully.  After the Civil War, returning here blinded he would stand guard on his front porch, protecting his wife and children from Comanche raiders, rifle in hand. When his wife declared "but you are blind" his quick response was "but they don't know that." 
 
The third, Tex Robertson, was quite well known throughout the area. Starting as a national champion and Olympic swimmer, and once the roommate of Gerald Ford, Tex established the highly successful Longhorn Camp.
 
Great program, John; and thanks to Rotarian Chuck Johnstone for bringing it.