TEXAS REVOLUTION WAR PENSION APPLICATION - JOHN STEPHENSON

Contributed by: Donald E. Pusch [pusch@ghg.net]

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John Stephenson of Orange County, Texas

Sons Elisha, George W., and Gilbert in the Texas Revolution

In August 1873, Elisha Stephenson and his brother, Gilbert Stephenson, gave 
testimony in support of Elisha's Republic of Texas pension application. 
Following are abstracts (prepared by the submitter, April 1999) of their two 
affidavits. Source: Pension Claim File of Elisha Stephenson, Republic of Texas 
Pension Claims, microfilm reel 240, frames 286-307, Texas State Library. The 
original file is part of the holdings of the Texas State Archives.

Affidavit of Elisha Stephenson: Stephenson, of Chambers County, Texas, formerly 
of Jefferson County, appears before N. B. Bundy, acting justice of the peace, 
Jefferson County, Texas, 26 Aug 1873, and states that he and his brother, George 
W. Stephenson, who died in 1846, volunteered for service and were mustered into 
the company of John C. Reed at Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas, some time 
between 1 and 15 Nov 1835; that he and his brother marched with Reed's company 
via San Felipe de Austin to San Antonio, entering San Antonio on 6 Dec 1835 and 
joining the command of Col. Edward Burleson; that he and his brother aided in 
the reduction of San Antonio; and that the two were honorably discharged 
following the Mexican surrender of that city. He states that he and his brother 
arrived home the last of December 1835. He states that he knows of no other 
living members of John C. Reed's company of Texas Volunteers. He further states 
that both he and his brother, George W. Stephenson, sent their discharge papers 
to Houston, then the capital of Texas, in order to secure bounty land and that, 
since that time, their discharge papers have been lost and they have never 
received bounty lands for their service. He further states that, although he 
hired agents to investigate his and his brother's claims and to locate the 
evidence of their service, no records could be located, either at the state 
archives or among the records of Jefferson County. Signed: Elisha Stephenson. 
Notarized by N. B. Bundy, Justice of the Peace, Jefferson County, Precinct no. 
1.

Affidavit of Gilbert Stephenson: Stephenson, of Orange County, Texas, appears 
before N. B. Bundy, an acting justice of the peace, Jefferson County, Texas, 26 
August 1873, and states that he, Elisha Stephenson, and George W. Stephenson 
joined John C. Reed's company of Texas Volunteers about 1 Nov 1835; that the 
three marched with Reed's company to San Felipe de Austin. He further states 
that he became ill at San Felipe de Austin and was allowed to return home, but 
that Elisha Stephenson, George W. Stephenson, and the rest of Reed's company 
joined with Ingram's company from Jasper and proceeded on westward. He further 
states that Elisha Stephenson and George W. Stephenson returned home around 
Christmas, 1835, at about the same time as other members of Reed's company, and 
that, from the narrations of members of the company, he believes that Elisha 
Stephenson and George W. Stephenson did participate in the reduction of San 
Antonio. Signed: Gilbert Stephenson. Notarized by N. B. Bundy, Justice of the 
Peace, Jefferson County, Precinct no. 1.