John Marie Durst

Who was John Marie Durst?

John Marie Durst was an early settler who lived most of his life in Louisiana and Texas. He was a multi-linguist who learned the mercantile trade from his godfather Peter Samuel Davenport. Durst was a veteran of the Battle of New Orleans. He was a legislative representative under Coahuila y Tejas, during which he became involved in a land speculation controversy. Durst became a large land holder, due in part to an inheritance from Davenport. Because of a ride he made in 1835 to warn of Mexican troop movements, some have labeled him the Paul Revere of Texas. Durst was a Captain in the Republic of Texas militia under Major General Thomas J. Rusk. He was the founder of the community of Mount Sterling, Texas in Nacogdoches County..