Biography of Jesse Qualls
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Wanda Qualls
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Biography of Jesse Qualls
Gathered by Wanda Qualls
Note: The following information was taken from a notebook owned by Mary Lou Qualls Peek.
Jesse Qualls moved his family to Lowndes County Mississippi and settled in
the vicinity of Charleston where he followed farming untill he moved to Texas in 1854.
They located in Austin Co which is now Waller Co.
They made their home there untill after the Civil War. The record does not
indicate whether his wife died in Hempstead Texas but it is assumed she did.
Jesse Qualls moved to Gonzales County and died at the home of his sone Ed Qualls at Monthalia Gonzales County Texas.
He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years.
Jesse Qualls had accumulated a large amount of worldly goods before the Cival War.
He lost all of this with the exception of his land at the end of the Cival War.
Since he was an orphan he did this on his own.
Note: The following I received from Mary Lou Peek and written by Ethal Qualls.
Qualls Jesse Qualls was born in 1794 in Old North state (North Carolina).
Lee said his Grandfather told him he either drifted or was taken away from home when he was very young.
He just remembered his name. Jesse Qualls first wife was Mrs. Mary Maxwell, whom he married Aug 11, 1825.
She was born in S.C. (no date given). She passed away a few months after the birth of her son Henry Lawerence Qualls.
Born May 13, 1826. On June 13, 1828 Jesse Qualls married Pricilla Ann Eckols. She died in Hempstead Tex Jan 24 1868.
George Shaffer Qualls was the 6th child of this marriage. Born Sept 9, 1838 in Miss.
When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in I believe (Hoods Tex Brigade)
Then they thought they were not needed, and were sent home.
Soon after he went home George Qualls married Mary Montgomery Dec 13, 1861, in Hempstead, Texas.
He was called back into service and served through the entire war. I never had the pleasure of
meeting Lee's Father. George Qualls passed away Feb 14, 1904.
While I had met Lee we were not married untill May 02, 1906.
Among the few storys I remember was one in which the Flag bearer was killed
and Mr Qualls picked up the flag at the end of the battle he had 23 bullet holes in his clothes.
But not a scratch. (I do not know what engement this was.) Mr Qualls was also in the battle of Lookout Mountain.
Also the Battle of Getteysburg. Mr George S. Qualls was a great admirer of General Robert E. Lee Written by Ethel Qualls
The following information I recieved from David Schulz in Houston who is the greatgreatgreatgrandson of Jesse Qualls.
He sent me copies of the application for pension.
Jesse Qualls served as a private in the War of 1812 under the command of Captain Pugh of the North Carolina Militia.
He applied for his pension His description was 18 years old; about 125 lbs; blue eyes; dark hair.
In 1852 he applied for a county land warrent and recieved 80 acres.
He made an application for a pension in 1871 and was refused because he encouraged rebellion.
He reapplied in 1878 and finally recieved his pension of $8.00 a month.
He served as private from October 27 1813 untill February of 1814. He traveled 720 miles.
Note: I checked the land records and found that Jesse had 799 acres of land origanally in Hempstead.
After his death it was devided and George got 133 1/3 acres. W.Q.
1860 Austin County Texas Census Hempstead Precinct Page 172
1880 Gonzales County Texas Census ED 70 page 457
Jesse and Percilla deeded an acre of land to the Methodist Church on April 21 1874
to be used for church and school purposes but because of an epidemic the Church was never built.
Ref:Austin and Waller County History. When Jim and I were at the Archives in Gonzales County
we found references to Jesse Qualls in a folder there.
One was a copy of pages taken from the "Record of Southwest Texas" printed by the Goodspeed Brothers,
Publishers 1894. It said that Jessee moved to Texas in 1854.
He made his home in Waller County until after the war, then went to Gonzales County and lived with family until he died.
He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
His early life had been a hard one because he was left an orphan.
We also got a copy of his will that showed his land in Waller County and how it should be divided.
This was a hand written will by Jesse Qualls. The following is his last will and testement: Know all men present that I Jessee Qualls of the county of Gonzales state of Texas being in Good Bodily health and of Sound Mind and being Desirous of Settling my worldly affairs and directing how the estate of which I own shall be desposed of after My Death while I have strength and capacity so to do make and publish this my last will hereby revoking all other wills by me heretofore made.
First I direct that all my funeral expense be paid. second I have had my land on the Brazoz River in Waller County Divided into Six Equal Parts by the Surveyor
Part No1 I will to my Grandchildren Thomas Snell and Mary Snell my Son in Law & Daugher being their Father & Mother and they ? (couldn't read word - WQ) age the same for children.
No 2 I will to my Grandchildren John Glass and Julia Glass being the Father and Mother of said children and my Son in law and Daughter will they manage the same for thier children.
No 3 I will to Mary Taylor my daughter in law (Note: This was Milton Wesley Qualls Wife - WQ) during her lifetime then to be divided between my children
No 4 I will to My Son Henry L. Qualls and his heirs
No 5 I will to my son Edwin E. Qualls and his heirs
No 6 I will to my Grandchildren Geo S Qualls and Mary Qualls being Father and Mother of said children and my Son and Daughter in Law and they manage to land for their children.
It is my will that my Sons Henry L. Qualls and Edwin E. Qualls see that this is carried out as above directed by me in testimony where of I have Signed my name to this my last will in the Presents of C F Shindler and Eugene Barthey who I have requested to witness This my last will this my last will this 15 day of July 1881
Jesse Qualls Probate was filed March 4 1884 and posted in three places in Gonzales, Texas and the will was read May 1, 1884.
Note: The following information was taken from a notebook owned by Mary Lou Qualls Peek.
Jesse Qualls moved his family to Lowndes County Mississippi
and settled in the vicinity of Charleston where he followed farming untill he moved to Texas in 1854.
They located in Austin Co which is now Waller Co.
They made their home there untill after the Civil War.
The record does not indicate whether his wife died in Hempstead Texas but it is assumed she did.
Jesse Qualls moved to Gonzales County and died at the home of his sone Ed Qualls at Monthalia Gonzales County Texas.
He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years.
Jesse Qualls had accumulated a large amount of worldly goods before the Cival War.
He lost all of this with the exception of his land at the end of the Cival War.
Since he was an orphan he did this on his own.
Note: The following I received from Mary Lou Peek and written by Ethal Qualls.
Qualls Jesse Qualls was born in 1794 in Old North state (North Carolina).
Lee said his Grandfather told him he either drifted or was taken away from home when he was very young.
He just remembered his name. Jesse Qualls first wife was Mrs. Mary Maxwell, whom he married Aug 11, 1825.
She was born in S.C. (no date given). She passed away a few months after the birth of her son Henry Lawerence Qualls.
Born May 13, 1826. On June 13, 1828 Jesse Qualls married Pricilla Ann Eckols.
She died in Hempstead Tex Jan 24 1868.
George Shaffer Qualls was the 6th child of this marriage.
Born Sept 9, 1838 in Miss. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in I believe (Hoods Tex Brigade)
Then they thought they were not needed, and were sent home.
Soon after he went home George Qualls married Mary Montgomery Dec 13, 1861, in Hempstead, Texas.
He was called back into service and served through the entire war.
I never had the pleasure of meeting Lee's Father.
George Qualls passed away Feb 14, 1904.
While I had met Lee we were not married untill May 02, 1906.
Among the few storys I remember was one in whitch the Flag bearer was killed
and Mr Qualls picked up the flag at the end of the battlehe had 23 bullet holes in his clothes.
But not a scratch. (I do not know what engement this was.) Mr Qualls was also in the battle of Lookout Mountain.
Also the Battle of Gettarsburg. Mr George S. Qualls was a great admirer of General Robert E. Lee
Written by Ethel Qualls
The following information I recieved from David Schulz in Houston who is the greatgreatgreatgrandson of Jesse Qualls.
He sent me copies of the application for pension.
Jesse Qualls served as a private in the War of 1812 under the command of Captain Pugh of the North Carolina Militia.
He applied for his pension His description was 18 years old; about 125 lbs; blue eyes; dark hair.
In 1852 he applied for a county land warrent and recieved 80 acres.
He made an application for a pension in 1871 and was refused because he encouraged rebellion.
He reapplied in 1878 and finally recieved his pension of $8.00 a month.
He served as private from October 27 1813 untill February of 1814. He traveled 720 miles.
Note: I checked the land records and found that Jesse had 799 acres of land origanally in Hempstead.
After his death it was devided and George got 133 1/3 acres. W.Q.
1860 Austin County Texas Census Hempstead Precinct Page 172
1880 Gonzales County Texas Census ED 70 page 457
Jesse and Percilla deeded an acre of land to the Methodist Church on April 21 1874
to be used for church and school purposes but because of an epidemic the Church was never built.
Ref: Austin and Waller County History.
When Jim and I were at the Archives in Gonzales County we found references to Jesse Qualls in a folder there.
One was a copy of pages taken from the "Record of Southwest Texas" printed by the Goodspeed Brothers,
Publishers 1894. It said that Jessee moved to Texas in 1854.
He made his home in Waller County until after the war, then went to Gonzales County and lived with family until he died.
He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
His early life had been a hard one because he was left an orphan.
We also got a copy of his will that showed his land in Waller County and how it should be divided.
This was a hand written will by Jesse Qualls.
The following is his last will and testement:
Know all men present that I Jessee Qualls of the county of Gonzales state of Texas being in Good Bodily health and of Sound Mind and being Desirous of Settling my worldly affairs and directing how the estate of which I own shall be desposed of after My Death while I have strength and capacity so to do make and publish this my last will hereby revoking all other wills by me heretofore made.
First I direct that all my funeral expense be paid. second I have had my land on the Brazoz River in Waller County Divided into Six Equal Parts by the Surveyor
Part No1 I will to my Grandchildren Thomas Snell and Mary Snell my Son in Law & Daugher being their Father & Mother and they ? (couldn't read word - WQ) age the same for children.
No 2 I will to my Grandchildren John Glass and Julia Glass being the Father and Mother of said children and my Son in law and Daughter will they manage the same for thier children.
No 3 I will to Mary Taylor my daughter in law (Note: This was Milton Wesley Qualls Wife - WQ) during her lifetime then to be divided between my children
No 4 I will to My Son Henry L. Qualls and his heirs
No 5 I will to my son Edwin E. Qualls and his heirs
No 6 I will to my Grandchildren Geo S Qualls and Mary Qualls being Father and Mother of said children and my Son and Daughter in Law and they manage to land for their children. It is my will that my Sons Henry L. Qualls and Edwin E. Qualls see that this is carried out as above directed by me in testimony where of I have Signed my name to this my last will in the Presents of C F Shindler and Eugene Barthey who I have requested to witness This my last will this my last will this 15 day of July 1881 Jesse Qualls Probate was filed March 4 1884 and posted in three places in Gonzales, Texas and the will was read May 1, 1884.