Freestone County, Texas
Biographies


Seth Pool Melton

Born: April 3, 1821 at Dover, Stewart County, TN 
Died: April 18, 1878 in Freestone County, TX 
Buried: Melton Family Cemetery, Teague, Freestone County, TX 

  Seth was the son of William & Martha G. (Pettypool) Melton. Seth married Nancy 
Judith Mary Walker (Pettypool) Melton.  
   Seth fought in the Mexican-American War as was part of the Company B, 
Sixteenth Regiment, United States Infantry. Seth enlisted 4/1/1847 at Murray, KY, 
by Lt. Curd, giving age 26, eyes grey, hair dark, complexion fair, 5’9”, born 
Dover, TN, and occupation farmer. He entered and left as a private. Discharged 
8/7/1848 at Newport, KY.
   This infantry regiment served in Mexico having traveled down the Mississippi 
River to New Orleans then from New Orleans on ship to Port Isabel, Texas before 
entering Mexico.  Two members of the company died after landing at Port Isabel.
   After the Mexican-American War, he returned to Kentucky. Later, in the 1850 
Call. Co., KY, census his birthplace is KY, age 28, farmer.  Afterwards, he moves
to Freestone County, TX where he died.
   The Melton family cemetery was located 3 miles south of Teague, just off the
Teague-to-Luna road.
   Seth arrived in Freestone County, Texas to appear in the August 22, 1859 tax 
roll, but with nothing listed so probably just arrived. The 1860 tax list shows
Seth with 20 acres of "John South" grantee land.  The 1861 and 1862 tax lists show 
Seth with 19 acres of "John Self" grantee land. There is a "Jos. Self" "3.2155 ptd."
land on the parcel map southeast of Durham Avant's large parcel. Seth probably 
lived on the Mills/Luna road just past the old Mills community just off the road.  
  Seth appears in the 1860 Freestone County census as what the cursive looks like
"J.D." but all the rest of the family is correct. Seth is in jury lists in 1860 
and 1861.