(General) John Robertson Jefferson
Born: 1 May 1804 Cumberland Co., VA
Married: 05 June 1841  Hinds Co., MS
Died: 23 March 1888  Seguin, Guadalupe Co., TX		Matilda C. Scott pasted this obituary of John Robertson Jefferson into a scrapbook that belonged to her daughter, Virginia. "In Memoriam Died at his residence in Seguin Texas, on Friday, March 23, 1888, General John R. Jefferson age 83 years, 10 months, and 12 days. The deceased was born in Cumberland Co., VA on May 11 A D 1804. This grandfather was one of two brothers, who settled and at one time owned a large portion of Cumberland Co. and was a cousin of President Thomas Jefferson, Sons respectfully of two brothers. Field and Thomas Jefferson. His grandfather married a cousin of Lord Brougham. This father John Jefferson, was also born in Cumberland Co., VA. and married Miss Sarah Criddle, a native of the same county in 1785, Her father John Criddle, was a farmer and a soldier of the Revolutionary War. It is a singular fact, that most of the Jefferson family have been females consequently the name is fast dying out. The deceased had only one brother and six sisters. This being a fair sample of the proportion of males and females in the family. When Gen. Jefferson was 11 years old his father died, and his mother moved to Nashville Tenn, in 1818 where he lived 11 years. In 1829 he went to New Orleans and was extensively engaged in stage contracts from 1832 to 1861 in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. He moved from New Orleans to Hinds Co. Mississippi, where he was married to Eliza Ann, daughter of Dr. Lewis Coor-Pender on the 5 day of June 1841. As the fruits of their marriage, 10 children were born to them only 4 of whom survive him. Viz. Mrs. Eugenia B. wife of Frank Sanders. Fenner Jefferson, Mrs. Mary Lou, wife of Hon. W. H. Burges of Seguin. and Mrs. Bettie Howard, wife of John D. Guinn of New Braunfels. His oldest daughter, Mattie Jefferson was married to Hayward Brahan on Feb. 14, 1867 and died Aug 7, 1877, leaving 4 children Annie J, Robert W. John Haywood, and Eugenia J. Brahan. His oldest son John R. Jefferson Jr. was married in December 1867 to Miss Jordie P. Miller of Seguin, and died in Tom Green Co., in Aug 1883 leaving 5 children John R. Jr. Lizzie, Nannie, Mary Lou and Mattie Brahan Jefferson. The deceased was a Brigadier General of Militia in Mississippi from 1842 to 1846. He moved from Hinds Co. Mississippi to Seguin Texas in 1853 where he has since resided. During the war he was United States Marital of the Western District of Texas. He was a fond and devoted husband and kind and affectionate father, and was held in great veneration by his many friends, not only in Seguin but throughout Western Texas. He was a great reader and always took great interest in the politics of his country. Though never an office seeker. He was always a staunch democrat and adopted and followed the great fundamental principles of pure democracy as taught and promulgated by his illustrious Kinsman, Thomas Jefferson. During the last year of his life he was a great sufferer, but he bore it all with out a murmur or complaint. He was a consistent member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. and having fought a good fight, he is now at peace in heaven wearing the Victor's Crown. To his surviving wife, children and grandchildren, I know that no word of condolence from me can fill the aching void in their hearts, and for health and strength to bear up under their sad bereavement, I would point them to the Heavenly Father who doeth all things for the best. I know it is hard for his loved ones and especially for his loved companion, who had traveled the rough and rugged road of life with him for more than 50 long years. to give him up, but they should remember, and feel consoled by the fact "that their loss is his eternal gain." It is hoped that his children and grandchildren will emulate his virtues and profit by the exemplary Christian life he lived and the examples he has left them.
Buried: Riverside Cemetery, Seguin, Guadalupe Co., TX

FATHER

John Robertson Jefferson

MOTHER

Sarah Smith Criddle

WIFE

Eliza A Coorpender

CHILDREN

1. Sarah Matilda Jefferson  b. 03 May 1843

    Married: Haywood Braham

2. Eugenia Burges Jefferson b. 05 Sep 1844

    Married: 1st A. Dudley Jeffries

                  2nd Frank B. Sanders

3. John Robertson Jefferson  b. 20 Apr 1846

4. Jennie Jefferson  b. Abt 1850

    Married: Frank Saunders

5. Fenner Jefferson  b. Abt 1853

                               d. Aft. 1888

6. Peter Field Jefferson b. 10 July 1856

                                    d. 10 Jul 1857

7. Bettie Howard Jefferson  b. 03 Mar 1857

8. Mary Lou Jefferson b. 01 Jan 1858

In a folder of historic homes of Seguin, we found a photo of The Jefferson Home.  "The house was built in 1849 by George Hollamon.  John R. Jefferson, who was a cousin of Thomas Jefferson, moved here in 1853.  He operated Stage Coach line, headquartered in Seguin, and owned a Tavern.  The house is located at 602 Saunders."

From "An Authentic History of Guadalupe County by Willie Mae Weinert, 1951"
"Perhaps John R. Jefferson was the greatest single operator of stage coach lines in the United States in the early days. He lost a fortune and gained a desire to come to Texas and recoup his financial losses by establishing new stage coach lines. He arrived in Seguin in the early fifties with his family and using Seguin as a 'hometown base' he successfully operated several such stage coach lines in Texas, according to John Henry Brown in his Encyclopedia of the New West.
To quote from that history, 'For a period of twenty-five years John R. Jefferson employed about one thousand head of horses on various stage lines in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama. From 1854 to 1858 he operated several stage coach lines in Texas.
During his residence in Mississippi he was a Brigadier General in the United State Army from 1824 to 1846. He was married in Hinds Co., MS June 4, 1841 to Miss Eliza A. Coorpender who was born in North Carolina in 1826.
The first home built by General Jefferson was a log house facing Jefferson Avenue School across Erkel Street on the west. This log house was torn down about 1909, but Jefferson Ave. and the Jefferson Avenue School still remain as monuments."

From the Handbook of Texas ONLINE "John R. Jefferson from 1842 to 1846 was brigadier general of Mississippi militia.  Jefferson moved to Seguin, Texas, in 1853.  He was owner of a tavern and operated several stage lines until 1858.  On April 22, 1862, he was appointed Confederate marshal of the Western District of Texas.  His amnesty was granted on May 5, 1866.  He died shortly afterward in Seguin."

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