Veteran Bio
The Kemp Sketch
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WILKINSON, JOHN--Born in Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina, June 16, 1802. He came to Texas in 1835, as is shown in Headright Certificate No. 184 issued to him January 20, 1838 for a league and labor of land from the Matagorda County Board of Land Commissioners. He sold the certificate March 7, 1839 for $1,500 to Robert H. Wynn.
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Mr. Wilkinson was second sergeant in Captain Thomas H. McIntire's Company at San Jacinto and on June 27, 1838 he was issued Donation Certificate No. 381 for 640 acres of land for having participated in the battle. On the same date he received Bounty Certificate No. 3955 for 320 acres of land for his services in the army from March 19 to June 19, 1836. He re-enlisted in Captain Thomas Stewart's Company of MATAGORDA VOLUNTEERS. He was issued Bounty Certificate No. 9561 for 320 acres of land ________ for having served in the army from June 17 to September 11, 1836.
Mr. Wilkinson moved from North Carolina to Tennessee and in the latter state was married to a young widow, Mrs. Ann Bateman Swisher who had a daughter Louise. Mr. Wilkinson died December 12, 1840. Mrs. Wilkinson was born at Franklin, Tennessee, December 7, 1807, died April 8, 1875. The graves of Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson are in the cemetery in the town of Matagorda and are marked.
Children of Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson were (1) Helen and (2) Ann Wilkinson. (1) Helen Wilkinson was born October 8, 1839, married John Francis Holt, a nephew of John Plunkett, a San Jacinto Veteran. Mrs. Holt died May 4, 1928. Mr. Holt, born April 28, 1838 died March 31, 1921. Their children were (a) Ann Elizabeth and (b) Louise Warren Holt. (a) Ann Holt married E.J. Kilbride and resided with her husband in Bay City, Texas. (b) Louise Warren Holt married H. S. Mayfield, Mr. and Mrs. Mayfield resided in Houston, Texas.
(2) Ann Wilkinson, daughter of John Wilkinson, married Dr. Thompson. Their children were Owen, Nell and Myrtle Thompson. Nell and Myrtle are dead. Owen Thompson lived in Fort Worth in 1939.
The following notice appeared in the Austin City Gazette, Austin, Texas, February 17, 1841: "Died - at his residence in Matagorda, in the prime of his life, J. F. Wilkinson, Esq., a native of Tennessee, and one of the old Colonists of Texas. He was a subaltern officer and fought at the Battle of San Jacinto, where the fetters of Texas were broken forever. He left a young family to lament his death."
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Written by Louis W. Kemp, between 1930 and 1952. Please note that typographical and factual errors have not been corrected from the original sketches. The biographies have been scanned from the original typescripts, a process that sometimes allows for mistakes in the new text. Researchers should verify the accuracy of the texts' contents through other sources before quoting in publications. Additional information on the veteran may be available in the Herzstein Library.
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Battle Statistics
- Died in Battle: No
- Rank: Second Sergeant
- Company: Capt. Thomas H. McIntire
Personal Statistics
- Date of Birth: 1802 Jun 16
- Birthplace: North Carolina, New Hanover County, Wilmington
- Origin: Tennessee
- Came to Texas: 1835
- Date of Death: 1840 Dec 12
- Bounty Certificate: 3955
- Donation Certificate: 381
- Wife: Ann Bateman Swisher
- Children: Helen Wilkinson Holt, Ann Wilkinson Thompson
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