Jesse Grimes
Encyclopedia
Jesse Grimes was a Texas pioneer and politician. Before moving to Texas, he fought in the War of 1812
. He was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He served as Senator in the Republic of Texas Congress and in the Texas State Legislature. Grimes County was named in his honor.
Grimes was born in what is now Duplin County, North Carolina
, on February 6, 1788 to Sampson and Bethsheba Grimes. In the War of 1812, he served in an Infantry Company in the West Tennessee Militia. He married his first wife, Martha Smith, in 1813. The family moved to Washington County, Alabama
in 1817. Martha died during childbirth in 1824. They had nine children. He married Mrs. Rosanna Ward Britton in 1826. They had six children.
Grimes then moved to Stephen F. Austin's
second colony on the San Jacinto River in what is now Harris County, Texas
in 1826. The following year, he settled on what is now Grimes Prairie in Grimes County. On March 21, 1829, he was elected by the ayuntamiento of San Felipe de Austin as first lieutenant of the First Company, Battalion of Austin. He was elected sindico procurador (city attorney) of the Viesca precinct in December 1830 and in December 1831 was elected a regidor
of the ayuntamiento
(city councilman). On October 5, 1832, he became a member of Viesca District's subcommittee of safety and vigilance. On October 6, he was appointed district treasurer. He represented Washington Municipality as a delegate to the Texas Convention of 1833
and the Texas Consultation of 1835. On November 14, 1835 he was elected to the General Council of the provisional government.
Grimes served as Washington Municipality's representative to the Texas Republic's Constitutional Convention of 1836
at Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas
at which he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence
. On June 3, 1836, he formed a volunteer company in the Texas Army. He served as Senator from Washington County in the First Congress of the Republic of Texas
from October 3, 1836, to September 25, 1837. He served in the Sixth and Seventh sessions of the Republic of Texas's
House of Representatives as the member from Montgomery County . He completed Robert M. Williamson's unexpired term in the Eighth Congress, representing Washington, Montgomery, and Brazos counties, and was elected to the Ninth Congress, which ended on June 28, 1845.
After Texas
became a state, he served as State Senator in the First
, Second
, Third
, and Fourth Texas Legislature
s. He served as President pro tempore
of the Texas State Senate in the First Called Session of the Fourth Texas Legislature, in the Regular and Adjourned Session's of the Sixth Texas Legislature
, and all three sessions of the Eighth Texas Legislature
.
Grimes died on March 15, 1866, and was buried in the John McGinty cemetery, east of Navasota, Texas
. His remains and those of his second wife were moved to the Texas State Cemetery
on October 17, 1929.
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. He was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He served as Senator in the Republic of Texas Congress and in the Texas State Legislature. Grimes County was named in his honor.
Grimes was born in what is now Duplin County, North Carolina
Duplin County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 49,063 people, 18,267 households, and 13,060 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 20,520 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
, on February 6, 1788 to Sampson and Bethsheba Grimes. In the War of 1812, he served in an Infantry Company in the West Tennessee Militia. He married his first wife, Martha Smith, in 1813. The family moved to Washington County, Alabama
Washington County, Alabama
Washington County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. The county was named in honor of George Washington, first President of the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 17,581. Its county seat is Chatom. Washington County is a dry county.-History:The area was long inhabited...
in 1817. Martha died during childbirth in 1824. They had nine children. He married Mrs. Rosanna Ward Britton in 1826. They had six children.
Grimes then moved to Stephen F. Austin's
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin was born in Virginia and raised in southeastern Missouri. He was known as the Father of Texas, led the second, but first legal and ultimately successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families from the United States. The capital of Texas, Austin in Travis County,...
second colony on the San Jacinto River in what is now Harris County, Texas
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
in 1826. The following year, he settled on what is now Grimes Prairie in Grimes County. On March 21, 1829, he was elected by the ayuntamiento of San Felipe de Austin as first lieutenant of the First Company, Battalion of Austin. He was elected sindico procurador (city attorney) of the Viesca precinct in December 1830 and in December 1831 was elected a regidor
Regidor
A Regidor is a member of a council of municipalities in Spain and Latin America. Portugal also used to have the same office of Regedor.-Mexico:...
of the ayuntamiento
Ayuntamiento
Ayuntamiento In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . is the general term for the council of a municipality, or sometimes the municipality itself, in Spain and Latin America. Historically Ayuntamiento was often preceded by the word excelentísimo , when referring to...
(city councilman). On October 5, 1832, he became a member of Viesca District's subcommittee of safety and vigilance. On October 6, he was appointed district treasurer. He represented Washington Municipality as a delegate to the Texas Convention of 1833
Convention of 1833
The Convention of 1833 , a political gathering of settlers in Mexican Texas, was a successor to the Convention of 1832, whose requests had not been addressed by the Mexican government...
and the Texas Consultation of 1835. On November 14, 1835 he was elected to the General Council of the provisional government.
Grimes served as Washington Municipality's representative to the Texas Republic's Constitutional Convention of 1836
Convention of 1836
The Convention of 1836 was the meeting of elected delegates in Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas in March 1836. The Texas Revolution had begun five months previously, and the interim government, known as the Consultation, had wavered over whether to declare independence from Mexico or pledge to...
at Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas
Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas
Washington-on-the-Brazos is an unincorporated area along the Brazos River in Washington County, Texas, United States. It was founded when Texas was still a part of Mexico, and the settlement became the site of the Convention of 1836 and the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence...
at which he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence
Texas Declaration of Independence
The Texas Declaration of Independence was the formal declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico in the Texas Revolution. It was adopted at the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March 2, 1836, and formally signed the following day after errors were noted in the...
. On June 3, 1836, he formed a volunteer company in the Texas Army. He served as Senator from Washington County in the First Congress of the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
from October 3, 1836, to September 25, 1837. He served in the Sixth and Seventh sessions of the Republic of Texas's
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
House of Representatives as the member from Montgomery County . He completed Robert M. Williamson's unexpired term in the Eighth Congress, representing Washington, Montgomery, and Brazos counties, and was elected to the Ninth Congress, which ended on June 28, 1845.
After Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
became a state, he served as State Senator in the First
First Texas Legislature
The First Texas Legislature convened from 16 February to 13 May 1846 in regular session. Members of the House of Representatives and Senate were elected in December 1845, after an election on 13 October 1845 that ratified the proposed state constitution....
, Second
Second Texas Legislature
The Second Texas Legislature met from 13 December 1847 to 20 March 1848 in regular session. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1847.-Senate:...
, Third
Third Texas Legislature
The Third Texas Legislature met from 5 November 1849 to 3 December 1850 in its regular session and two called sessions. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1849.-Sessions:...
, and Fourth Texas Legislature
Fourth Texas Legislature
The Fourth Texas Legislature met from 3 November 1851 to 7 February 1853 in its regular session and one called session. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1850.-Sessions:...
s. He served as President pro tempore
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
of the Texas State Senate in the First Called Session of the Fourth Texas Legislature, in the Regular and Adjourned Session's of the Sixth Texas Legislature
Sixth Texas Legislature
The Sixth Texas Legislature met from 5 November 1855 to 1 September 1856 in its regular session and one adjourned session. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1855.-Sessions:...
, and all three sessions of the Eighth Texas Legislature
Eighth Texas Legislature
The Eighth Texas Legislature met from 7 November 1859 to 9 April 1861 in its regular session, a first called session, and an adjourned session. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1859....
.
Grimes died on March 15, 1866, and was buried in the John McGinty cemetery, east of Navasota, Texas
Navasota, Texas
Navasota is a city in Grimes County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,789 at the 2000 census. In 2005, the Texas Legislature named the city "The Blues Capital of Texas," in honor of the late Mance Lipscomb, a Navasota native and blues musician....
. His remains and those of his second wife were moved to the Texas State Cemetery
Texas State Cemetery
The Texas State Cemetery is a cemetery located on about just east of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas. Originally the burial place of Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary general and Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, it was expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War...
on October 17, 1929.
See also
- Timeline of the Republic of TexasTimeline of the Republic of TexasThis is a timeline of the Republic of Texas, spanning the time from the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836 up to the transfer of power to the State of Texas on February 19, 1846.-1836:Texas Declares Independence...
- History of TexasHistory of TexasEuropean conquistadors first arrived in the region now known as Texas in 1519, finding the region populated by various Native American tribes...
- Congress of the Republic of TexasCongress of the Republic of TexasThe Congress of the Republic of Texas was the national legislature of the Republic of Texas established by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836. It was a bicameral legislature based on the model of the United States Congress...
- Texas RevolutionTexas RevolutionThe Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...