James Alfred Head

  General Notes:

From Handbook of Texas Online:

"HEAD, JAMES A. (1797– 1872). James A. Head, legislator and Texas Ranger, was born in Alabama or Georgia in June 1797 and moved to Texas in 1835. On October 26, 1835, he enlisted at San Felipe de Austin in Silas M. Parker's ranging company, said to be the first Texas Rangersqv, and served until he was discharged at Fort Sterling on January 25, 1836. After the Texas revolution Head began farming in what was then called Navasota County, where he served in a company of minutemen. In 1840 he was registered to vote in Washington County but owned 17,789 acres in Robertson County. Head was elected justice of the peace of Navasota (now Brazos) County on March 1, 1841, and was later that year elected to the House of Representatives of the Sixth Congress, where he served until 1842. He was elected chief justice of Brazos County in September 1848 and was reelected in August 1850. He soon resigned from the bench; his successor was elected on August 8, 1851. By December 1852 Head was a resident of Robertson County. He died on September 22, 1872. He was married and had children.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Clarksville Northern Standard, December 16, 18143. Compiled Index to Elected and Appointed Officials of the Republic of Texas, 1835– 1846 (Austin: State Archives, Texas State Library, 1981). Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Founders and Patriots of the Republic of Texas (Austin, 1963-). Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Muster Rolls of the Texas Revolution (Austin, 1986). Telegraph and Texas Register, October 6, 1841. Texas House of Representatives, Biographical Directory of the Texan Conventions and Congresses, 1832– 1845 (Austin: Book Exchange, 1941)."

From Daughters of the Republic of Texas Patriot Ancestor Album, Volume 2, Leslie Gray Currey, 4th granddaughter:

"They lived for a time in Pike County, Alabama before migrating to Texas on January 21, 1835. For his service to the Nashville Company and leadership in bringing new settlers to Texas, James received land in present day Limestone County. Head family members established Ebenezer Baptist Church and the community of Headsville, also known as Heads Prairie.

On Oct. 26, 1835, James enlisted in Silas Parker's "Ranging Company," later the Texas Rangers. He served as Justice of the Peace for Navasota (now Brazos) county. In 1841 he represented Navasota County in the House of Representatives, the Sixth Congress, Republic of Texas." ¹

  Additional Information:

• Alt. Birth: Alabama, United States.

James married Elizabeth Seale, daughter of Thomas Seale and Rachel Baxter, on 27 Dec 1818 in , Jones County, Georgia. (Elizabeth Seale was born on 16 Jun 1804 and died about 1848.)