John Crittenden Duval (1816–1897) was an American writer of Texas literature. He has been noted as being the first Texas man of lettersDobie, J. Frank. "Duval, John Crittenden" in the Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. and was dubbed the "Father of Texas Literature" by J. Frank Dobie.Graham, Don B. "Literature" in the Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved September 26, 2008. His Early Times in Texas was initially published serially in 1867 in Burke's Weekly (Macon, Georgia) and was finally published in book form in 1892. The story, which became a Texas classic, recounted Duval's escape from the Goliad Massacre, in which his brother, Burr H. Duval, was killed, as well as other tales.
Another brother, Thomas Howard DuVal, was a distinguished Texas judge. Their father, William Pope Duval, was the Territorial Governor of Florida from 1822 to 1834.
References
Further reading Corner, William. John Crittenden Duval: The Last Survivor of the Goliad Massacre" in Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, v. 1, n. 1, pp. 47–67.
External links John C. Duval's Account of the Goliad Massacre John Crittenden Duval in the Handbook of Texas Online