April 28, 2016 - Joshua Hall Truitt was born in North Carolina on 11/21/1829 to James and Sarah Hall Truitt. His family migrated to Texas in 1838 and arrived before his tenth birthday. By 1840, the Truitt family settled in what is now known as the Pine Ridge area on lands where the Truitt cemetery is located.
Joshua grew up helping the family farm the land they had settled. His father, James A Truitt, was very involved in the affairs of the Republic of Texas and served in the Congress of the Republic in 1846 and 1847.
Following the lead of his oldest brother, Alfred M. Truitt, Joshua served with the Moderators in the local civil war and later enlisted in The First Texas Cavalry Regiment to fight in the Mexican War under Col. John C. Hays. He returned to Shelby County two years later in 1849 after being certified disabled.
The 1850 Shelby County Census shows twenty-year-old Joshua Truitt still living at home with his parents and younger siblings.
In 1852 Joshua married Mary Jane Ross who had just had her 14th birthday.
The Truitts were the first known contracted mail carriers for Shelby County. During the 1850’s through the 1860’s Joshua and his brother, Levi Marion contracted to bring mail from Natchitoches, La. to areas of East Texas ranging from Marshall to Nacogdoches, San Augustine and Jasper.
Masonic records from 1854 show Joshua Hall Truitt to be a charter member of Truitt Lodge # 149 which met at A.m. Truitt’s store.
1856 found Joshua Truitt in charge of cleaning out the Sabine River from Logansport/Brookland to Orange to facilitate increased transport of goods via the river.
Duty called again, and in 1863 Joshua enlisted with Captain D.M. Short’s Company E Third Regiment Texas Cavalry of the CSA. After two years and fighting in several battles, Joshua received orders to return home and resume mail delivery.
During the 1860’s Joshua Truitt served terms as County Commissioner and as Texas State Legislator. Later he operated a general mercantile store.
Joshua and Mary Jane had ten children. Mary died in 1913, and Joshua in 1916. Both are Buried in the Truitt Cemetery.
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas will be honoring Joshua Hall Truitt with a Citizen of the Republic Medallion Ceremony at the Truitt Cemetery Homecoming on May 7th, 2016. The public is invited to attend.
Direct descendants of Joshua Hall Truitt 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.
Sources:
1. History of Shelby County, Texas Published 1988 Vol. I by Shelby County Historical Society.
2. United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLG-XM4 : accessed 27 April 2016), Joshua Truit in household of James Truit, Shelby county, part of, Shelby, Texas, United States; citing family 29, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/cem_pics/cem_truitt.htm
4. http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/military/shortmusterroll.htm
5. Freemasonry in Shelby County, Texas 1846-1900 Published in 1965 by J.B. Sanders
