Freestone County, Texas
Biographies




Biography of Thomas Allen Bounds
   (21 Nov 1844-9 Feb 1913, buried in Wortham cemetery )
   (m1 abt 1865 in MS? to Margaret Jane Clark)
   (m2 4 Nov 1886 in Navarro Co., TX to Rhoda Virginia Bledsoe)
   
Book - Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, 
Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas.  Lewis Publishing Company, 
Chicago, 1893.  p. 427-428.

"
   T.A. Bounds & Bros., merchants of Wortham, Freestone county. -- The former 
was born in Mississippi in 1844, a son of James H. and Margaret (Woolf) Bounds,
natives of North Carolina and Alabama. The father came to Mississippi with his
father, Thomas Bounds, in 1839, locating in Limestone county. The parents were
married in Kemper county, Mississippi, and reared a family of ten children, 
namely: T. A., our subject; J. E., a resident of this State; Martha J., widow of 
John Longbotham; J. V., engaged in business with our subject; Sarah A., widow of
William Anderson; Mary M., wife of J. P. Lindley, of Limestone county; Amanda A.,
wife of J. W. Mallard, of Wortham; John S., of Hillsboro, Texas; and T. W., a
physician of this city. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bounds still reside in Limestone county,
where the former is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He has been a minister
of the Methodist Protestant Church for forty-five years a steadfast veteran in 
the cause of his Master.
    T.A. Bounds was educated in the subscription schools of Mississippi. In March,
1863, he joined Company B, Second Mississippi Cavalry, under Colonel McCarty, and
participated in all the battles from the retreat from Jackson, Mississippi. He
was one of the twenty-four men who had charge of the rear guard of Johnston's
army; was engaged in conscript duty through Mississippi until General Sherman
made his raid through to Meridian, Mississippi; took part in the battels of Rome,
Atlanta and Jonesboro; then returned with Hood on his Tennessee raid; served in
the battles of Franklin and Murfeesboro, which were his last engagements, except
in covering the retreat of the army. Mr. Bounds was one of the twenty men who set 
fire to the Richland bridge, near Pulaski, Tennessee, and was also one of six 
left to keep it burning. He was caught by the Yankees, and had considerable 
trouble in reaching his command, having lost his cartidge-box, but was carried
about 300 yards on a friend's horse. He was afterward one of two men selected to
hunt the Yankees.
    Mr. Bounds surrendered at Montgomery, Alabama, and was then engaged in farming
in Mississippi until 1865. In that year, in company with his father's family, he
came to Texas.  In that year, in company with his father's family, he came to 
Texdas. He purchased 100 acres of raw land, paying $4 per acre, in this county, 
and the first year resided in his smokehouse. He then erected a small dwelling,
and has since added to his original purchase until he now owns 4,000 acres, with
1,200 acres under a fine state of cultivation. In 1874, in company with his father,
he embarked in the merchantile business in Wortham, which was then the third dry-
goods house of the city. In company with his brother he now carries a stock 
amounting to about $8,000, and does an annual business of $30,000. In addition
to this, Mr. Bounds also has about 1,000 head of cattle, and a fine grade of 
horses and mules.
   He was married, in 1865, to Miss Margaret J. Clark, a native of Mississippi, 
and a daughter of Hugh and Laura (Henson) Clark. To this union have been born ten
children, eight now living: Willis H., John T., Jesse V. and Allin H. (twins), 
Laura E., M. S., E. S. and R. G.  The mother died in 1885, aged thirty-seven years,
having been a member of the Methodist Protestant Church for many years. In 1886
our subject was united in marriage with Miss R. V. Bledsoe, also a native of 
Mississippi and a daughter of George E. and Helen (Moore) Bledsoe.  Mr. and Mrs.
Bounds have three children: George P., W. O. and an infant. Both our subject and
wife are members of the Methodist Protestant Church. Mr. Bounds arrived in this
State with less than $50 in cash; from that he has amassed a fortune by his 
industry and energy, thus showing to the rising generation of men what can be 
accomplished by a little preseverance, coupled with steady habits. His success
is entirely due to his own exertions, has been liberal to a fault, is the poor
man's friends, and is always willing to assist those who help themselves.
   "