October 28, 2015 Presented by the William Carrol Crawford DRT - Jesse Amason arrived in Texas by 1834. Amason fought in the Texas Revolution and received two land grants from the Republic of Texas. He also had received a Mexican head right land grant of a "league and a labor" (4605 acres of land), which was recognized by the Republic of Texas. Jesse located that grant in Shelby County Texas. Sarah A. (Inman) Amason received a widow's pension because Jesse also fought in the War with Mexico in 1846 and in 1847-48.
Jessie Amason married Sarah Inman in 1839. The 1860 census for Beat No 6, Shelby, Texas shows both Jessie and Sarah as being born in Tennessee. Their children are listed as Mary age 18, John age 14, Hiram 13, M. T. age 12, Malicey 6, M. A. (female) age 2. Jessie was the father of Jennie Amason Irish who married Joseph Rowe “Jodie” Irish, the son of Milton Irish, another Republic of Texas Patriot.
Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers reveals Jessie served with Robert’s regiment in the 11th infantry in 1862 at the age of 52.
Jessie belonged to the Newburn Masonic Lodge from 1855 through 1860 and served as the lodge treasurer in 1857.
Jessie Amason donated 50 acres for the township of Center. Much of the central part of the town of Center is located on land originally owned by this citizen patriot of the Republic of Texas, and town founder. Amason died on March 30, 1870 and is buried at the Gibbs Family Cemetery. A memorial marker was later placed at Oaklawn Memorial Park.
Direct descendants of Jesse Amason are eligible to apply for membership in The Daughters of the Republic of Texas or The Sons of the Republic of Texas organizations.
For information contact Maggie Casto at 936-248-3361. Information regarding The Daughters of the Republic of Texas organization and membership will be available at the Pinecone and Mistletoe Christmas Market at the John D. Windham Civic Center on November 6th and 7th.
Sources:
1. "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:3QPG-6VW : accessed 2015-03-26), entry for Jesse /Amason/.
2. History of Shelby County, Texas Published 2002 by Shelby County Historical Society.
3. History of Shelby County, Texas Published 1988 Vol. I by Shelby County Historical Society.
4. http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/Shelbydead/All-Ande.htm
5. https://www.tsl.texas.gov/arc/repclaims/repintro.html
6. "Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZ4C-Q38
7. Freemasonry in Shelby County, Texas 1846-1900 Published in 1965 by J.B. Sanders
