Veteran Bio

In Service Record No. 8266 it is certified that Mr. Wade served in the army from March 12 to June 12, 1836, and was a member of the gun crew that had charge of the "Twin Sisters" cannon at San Jacinto. For this service he on February 8, 1838, received Bounty Certificate No. 2899 for 320 acres of land. On May 15, 1838 he was issued Donation Certificate No. 74 for 640 acres of land for having participated in the battle of San Jacinto. On June 9, 1838 he received Bounty Certificate No. 3780 for 320 acres of land for having served in the army from June 13 to September 13, 1836.

In the sketch of his life published in the "Texas Almanac" in 1872 Mr. Wade said that at Groce's on the Brazos, he, Richardson Scurry, Benjamin McCulloch, Temple O. Harris and Thomas Green were detailed by General Houston to man the "Twin Sisters" in Captain Isaac N. Moreland's company. After the battle Mr. Wade rejoined Captain Ware's Company and remained in it until discharged June 12th. On July 4th he was elected Captain of a company and reported with it to General Thomas J. Rusk at Victoria. He was assigned to Colonel Edwin Morehouse's regiment.

Retiring from the army, Captain Wade secured a position as a printer on the "Register and Texas Telegraph" at Columbia, moving to Houston with the paper. He moved back to Montgomery and for a time was Deputy County Surveyor. In 1845 he began publishing the "Montgomery Patriot", moving it later to Huntsville where he ran it for a year and then sold it. Returning to Montgomery County in 1854 he was County Surveyor until removed by Governor E. J. Davis. He was living in Montgomery in 1870. He died in Travis County, October 9, 1879 while a member of the Texas Veterans Association. While living in Huntsville he joined Forest (Masonic) Lodge No. 19.

The compiler has been unable to locate Mr. Wade's grave.

"Editors Texas Almanac": Your kind invitation to the veterans, induces me to send my name, age, etc., together with a brief sketch of my services, which you can put in such shape as you please for your Almanac.

I came to Texas in 1835 from the Western Creek Nation, being advised so to do by Gen. Houston. I came when he made his second trip to Texas, on the 11th of October, 1835. I joined troops going from Nacogdoches to Bexar, (Rusk's Company) was taken sick and remained in San Felipe, and the present site of Montgomery, until the meeting of the Convention at Washington, when I joined Capt. Ware's company; heard of the fall of the Alamo and hastened to the Colorado; was under Sherman at the upper encampment until the retreat; Gen. Sherman will remember me. At Groce's I was detailed, by Gen. Houston, with Dick Scurry, Ben McCulloch, Tom Green, T. 0. Harris and others, to man the "Twin Sisters", which the lamented I.N. Moreland was appointed to command; staid with the Twin Sisters till after the Battle of San Jacinto; rejoined Ware's Company, and was discharged on the 11th of June, 1836.

Gen. Rusk hearing the Mexicans were rallying on the Rio Grande, called for men. I was elected Captain of a company on the 4th of July, 1836; reported to Rusk at Victoria; was assigned to duty with my company in the regiment of Col. Ed Morehouse; served three months, the term of enrollment, and discharged my company. I then went to Columbia and worked as a compositor on the Telegraph; came round to Houston with Cruger and Moore, after their purchase from the Borden's, and was foreman for them until the opening of the Land Office in 1838.

I then returned to Montgomery and was appointed to the office of Deputy Surveyor; elected County Surveyor when that office became elective by the people, and was elected Colonel of Militia at its first organization. I started the Montgomery Patriot in 1845, moved it to Huntsville, and with the assistance of George Robinson published it one year and sold out. I returned again to Montgomery in 1854, and have been surveyor until displaced by Gov. Davis.

Matthew Cartwright, R. Martin and myself are the only survivors of the Battle of San Jacinto, in this country.

I am a native of the city of New York, and 56 years old; have set type beside Greeley and Kendall when a mere boy."

Note: John M. Wade's account of battle S.J. "Daily Democratic Statesman" Austin, April 21, 1878. Wade-Texas Almanac 1872.

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