The 1800s were not an easy time in which to live in Houston. Settlers built their homes from scratch, grew their own food, and protected their property against Indian attacks. The living conditions were not for the fainthearted. Scalawags, scoundrels, drinkers, gamblers, and those who patronized houses of ill repute were all common.
One establishment that served these people was located in Houston in the mid-1800s. Pamelia Mann bought what became Houston’s first hotel from its builder, Col. Benjamin Fort Smith. Pamelia named her place Mansion House. It was located on Congress Avenue at Main Street, facing what today is known as Market Square. Along with meals, guests were served tea, coffee, wine, and hard liquor. The Mansion House provided female companionship for its regular male visitors. Sam Houston, Texas congressmen, military leaders, and dignitaries were all frequent hotel visitors.
Not much is known about Pamelia’s early life. Some records suggest that she was born Pamelia Dickinson in Kentucky around 1800. It is thought that she married twice before finally marrying Marshall Mann.
The November 5, 1879, News – San Antonio said that Pamelia was born in Tennessee. Being an uncontrollable child, she ran away from home to New York City at age 16. There she worked in a brothel. Her bad temper brought her trouble. In a moment of anger, she pushed a coworker down a flight of stairs. Both the coworker’s legs were broken. Not wanting to face the consequences, Pamelia fled to New Orleans, where she opened her own brothel, which she named, “Sure Enuf.” She was reported to always carry a Bowie knife and a pistol. After one of Pamelia’s clients mistreated an employee, Pamelia shot and killed him. When she discovered that the client was the son of a local judge, she took a large sum of cash, her husband, and sons, and moved to Texas.
Pamelia’s first home in Texas was near the Brazos River in San Felipe, approximately 40 miles west of present-day Houston. One day a wagon driver was determined to keep his course straight through Pamelia’s property. As he was about to cut the fence blocking his way, he found himself looking at the end of a long-barreled rifle held by Pamelia’s 18-year-old son, Flournoy (“Nimrod”) Hunt. The driver returned to his wagon to retrieve his rifle. As he turned to approach the fence, he heard a woman’s voice booming from a nearby cabin, shouting, “Shoot him down, Nimrod. Blow his stupid brains out!” The man chose to follow another route.
During the 1836 Constitutional Convention, Pamelia and her husband ran a boardinghouse in Washington-on-the-Brazos. They sold meals for $1.25 a day. During this time her relationship developed with Sam Houston. After the convention was over, she returned to San Felipe.
After the fall of the Alamo in March 1836, the Mexican Army chased the Texian Army east. Sam Houston led the Texians, moving them to stay ahead of the Mexican Army. Pamelia joined them. At this time, little is known about the whereabouts of her husband Marshall. Pamelia apparently spent time in Houston’s tent and was observed combing his hair with his head in her lap.
Along the way, at Groce’s Point on the Brazos River, Houston’s officers took a yoke of Pamelia’s oxen she was traveling with, to pull an ammunition wagon. The roads were a muddy mess because of heavy rains, and only oxen had the strength to pull the heavy cannons. Pamelia agreed to lend her oxen because Houston told her they were headed to the U.S. border. When he turned the army south toward Harrisburg, she angrily asked for the oxen back. She cursed and informed Houston she would take her oxen, and she did. Houston let her leave but one of his men, Conrad Roher, chased after her. He returned the next day with a torn shirt. When teased by his fellow soldiers, he said that Pamelia was more man than woman.
After the Texas Revolution ended, Pamelia and her family moved to the new city of Houston, where she established the Mansion House. One night at the Mansion House, Dr. Chauncey Goodrich and Levi L. Laurens shared a room. This was the common practice at the time; single rooms were seldom used. The next morning, Dr. Goodrich discovered that a $1,000 note was missing from his wallet. He accused Laurens of the crime and challenged him to a duel in front of the Mansion House. Dr. Goodrich shot and killed Laurens, but the real thief, Marcus Stanley, escaped to New Orleans. He was later captured but it is unknown what happened to him. When the news reached Houstonians, outraged citizens ran Dr. Goodrich out of town.
Pamelia was an astute businesswoman. By 1840 she had $42,530, 2,250 acres of land, 10 lots, 13 slaves, four horses, 10 head of cattle, and a livery stable across the street from the Mansion House.
At about this time Pamelia’s troubles with the law began. One incident concerned a doctor checking out of the hotel. He asked for a trunk he left with Pamelia for safekeeping, but she refused to bring it. The doctor then summoned the city constable. When he presented a warrant for the trunk, Pamelia threatened him and chased him away. The constable later returned with a posse that she and her security guards chased away. They never returned.
In 1839, Pamelia was indicted for forgery. Mrs. Mary Hardy said that her husband lent Pamelia $1,000 and had a contract verifying the debt. When Mrs. Hardy showed Pamelia the contract, Pamelia produced a receipt of debt payment. It was supposedly signed by Mrs. Hardy and witnessed by William Barrett Travis, who had commanded the Alamo garrison. Pamelia was jailed, tried, and sentenced to be hanged. Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar pardoned her and the sheriff set her free.
Pamelia was plaintiff in seven civil cases, five of which she won. She was also defendant in 11 cases. The reasons for these lawsuits and the amounts awarded were never recorded.
Pamelia began seeing Tandy K. Brown before and after her husband’s death. Brown was 12 years younger than Pamelia. They were married in 1839. She and Brown continued to go back and forth with the law but they were never convicted of anything. Her son, Flournoy, married Mary Melvina Henry in an extravagant wedding at Mansion House in 1838. Many Republic of Texas leaders attended. Sam Houston was best man. Dr. Ashbel Smith, a prominent physician and official, was also there. Four years later, Flournoy was stabbed to death over an argument at the Harrisburg race track. Tandy K. Brown died of yellow fever in 1840. Pamelia died of the same disease two years after and was buried in Old City Cemetery which was later renamed Founders Memorial Park.
It’s ironic that the city’s top hotel and brothel were the same place, but not that a character like Pamela Mann would run it. She showed fearlessness and faced life courageously. She was indeed a Texas frontierswoman.
