Mary Ann (Polly) is the first person to die in Burnet County, Texas, during an epidemic of diphtheria during the Civil War sometime in 1863. She is buried in the Joy Cemetery, Fairland, Burnet County, Texas.

FROM PIONEERS OF THE SIX BULLS-THE NEWTON COUNTY, MISSOURI SAGA-3RD SERIES, EARLY FAMILIES, VOL. V BY LARRY A. JAMES, 1992

William Lewis Chesser was born on 10 December 1819 in Tennessee and died ca 1876 in San Antonio, Texas. He married first Mary Ann (Polly) Reed in May 1841 in Newton County, Missouri. She was born in1827 in Arkansas and died ca 1863 at Fairland, Texas. He married a second time to Lucretia Jane McDonald on 03 August 1868 in Gillespie County, Texas. She was born on 26 January 1833 in Illinois and died on 07 December 1928 at Animas, New Mexico.

FROM BURNET COUNTY HISTORY, VOL. I BY DARRELL DEBO, PUBLISHED BY THE BURNET COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION, 1979

Was a petitioner for the formation of Burnet County (from Williamson) in 1852. He was elected in 1852 as a county commissioner in newly formed Burnet County. Also was a member of the Masonic lodge, Ruthven.

W.L. Chesser is found on a list of Frontier Troops organized 15 December 1863 in Burnet County, Texas during the Civil War

FROM FREEMASONRY IN BROWNWOOD-A CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF BROWNWOOD LODGE NO. 279, A.F. & A.M., BROWNWOOD, TEXAS BY DONAVON DUNCAN TIDWELL, DEPARTMENT OF PRINTING, MASONIC HOME AND SCHOOL, FORT WORTH, TEXAS, 1966

CHAPTER 1-IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION Despite the danger of Comanche raids, new settlers continued to come to Brown County as is evidenced by the fact that several more Freemasons were residing in the County in the fall of 1864.

John S. Reed was one of these. According to the 1860 census of Burnet County he was then 30 years of age, a native of Arkansas, and he and his wife, Susan, had three daughters, Mary, Martha and Sarah, aged 10, 8 and 6. The daughters were natives of Texas, indicating his residence in the state went back to 1850 and probably earlier. He was a very ardent Mason, having received the Entered Apprentice on April 12, 1856, the Fellowcraft in June and the Master Mason on July 13, 1856 in Valley Lodge No. 175 at Hamilton (now Burnet), Texas. He became a dual member of the Ruthven Lodge No. 248, serving as the first Junior Warden and then as Master in 1862. He demitted from Valley Lodge in 1862 and affiliated with Llano Lodge No. 242, retaining his membership in Ruthven No. 248. he was a charter member of Brownwood Lodge and presided over the first two meetings. He was a Royal Arch Mason.

CHAPTER 4-THE LOWEST VALE The year 1869 ended on a low note. At the December 11, 1869 meeting demits were granted Arch A. Moore and Robert A. Tate, while four charter members were suspended for nonpayment of dues. These were: John S. Reed, Wm. Booker Smith, Wm. C. Phillips and Albert W. Conner. These brethren held dual membership in Ruthven Lodge No. 248 and they simply permitted their Brownwood membership to lapse. However, Ruthven demised in 1870 and nothing is known of these brethren after that with the exception of A.W. Conner.

PER TEXAS STATE ARCHIVES MUSTER ROLL CARD:

John evidently served in state/frontier troops during the Civil War as follows:

Reed, J.S. Pvt, Comm. Officer Moseley, D.H. Capt.

Organized Company of 2nd Frontier District, Brown County, Maj. Geo. B. Erath commdg. TST.

Enlisted February 5, 1864 in Brown County.  Served 10 days at $2.00 - $20.00; Age 30

Remarks: R&F 73; Enrolling Officer Brooks W. Lee; Mus. Off. Maj. G.B. Erath; 1 shotgun and 1 pistol; Company organized under the Act December 15, 1863. 1 muster roll dated 2/5/1864 and 1 pay roll dated 2/5/1864 to June 1, 1864

John also served in the Mexican War in James S. Gillet's Company - 2nd Service. Mustered in at Camp Arbuckle, Texas 16 June 1848 to 16 December 1848. He was a private, age 19.

It must also be noted here that John was apparently in the cattle business with his brother, William Daken Reed in Comanche County about 1870-1873 and was a part of the firm, Reed Bros. & Co. which comprised William Daken Reed, John S. Reed, Dake's son, Benjamin Franklin Reed, C.T. Judd and George Hogg.

John received a Mexican war pension, which gives his date of death as 26 Sept 1887 in Big Spring, Howard Co. Texas. He married his wife Eliza America Vest 1871 at Bagdad, Williamson Co. TX per pension.

FROM HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY 1882-1982, p. 574-575

John S. Reed was county tax assessor 1882-1886. George Hogg was County Judge 1882-1884.

FROM HOWARD COUNTY...IN THE MAKING BY JOHN HUTTO, 1936,

The first fraternal organization perfected in Big Spring was that of the Masonic order, the Staked Plains Lodge No. 598, A.F. and A.M. which was chartered December 12, 1884. The charter officers were: John S. Reed, Worshipful Master; F.M. Day, Senior Warden; George Bauer, treasurer; George Hogg, secretary; Z.R. Porter, Senior Deacon; J.B.D. Boydstun, Junior Deacon; and R.H. Black, Tiler. 

On 1860 Burnet County, Texas census, Burnet PO, p. 155, household 32-32, listed as stock raiser. On 1870 San Saba County, Texas census, San Saba PO, p. 110, household 71-71, listed as a merchant.