Individual Details
Joseph Bryson Wilmeth
(11 Sep 1807 - 15 Jan 1892)
J.B. Wilmeth and Nancy Ferguson were married in McNairy County, Tennessee on Dec. 26, 1826.
In the fall of 1831 Nancy's father headed a wagon train made up of ten families related by blood or by marriage and after a long journey landed in Lawrence County, Arkansas. Here they engaged in farming, raising livestock, and J.B. preached the gospel. During these years he also served as a soldier and helped escort the Choctaw and Cherokee Indians from their homes in that section to the newly formed Indian Territory (later Oklahoma). This march is called "The Trail of Tears".
In 1845 an agent for the Peter's Colony visited their community and J.B. became interested in going to live in this new land just opening up for settlers. In October of 1845 his wagon train moved out, headed for Peter's colony. The group consisted of the Wilmeth family, Frank Wilmeth, Jordon O. Straughan, and three young men hired to help with the teams. It was a long and hazardous journey, sometimes they had to stop and camp for several days while trees were cut and a bridge built so they could cross uncharted rivers and even small streams. On Dec. 26, 1845 they reached the present site of Dallas and made camp near John Neely Bryan's cabin while the men looked for a suitable location to homestead. On New Year's Day in 1846, J.B. Wilmeth and Jordon O. Straughan selected adjacent sections fronting on the river near present Grand Prairie. Life was pleasant for them, game was abundant, a snug cabin was soon built but Indian raids in other settlements kept them on edge.
J.B. told in later years how he was working in his blacksmith shop when a shadow fell across the door. It was an Indian girl and she had come to warn the settlement that plans were to raid this settlement on the next full moon. After much discussion, the wagons were loaded and the site abandoned and they headed back the way they had come, going back to Tennessee. There is a story told about why they did not actually go back home. They camped one night on the bank of a stream. When the time came for loading the wagons for another day of riding, Nancy took a seat on a log and said that she personally intended to stay forever in this new land. After discussion they wagons were unloaded for the last time and sites were selected for homsteads. They settled in Collin County on 320 acres of virgin prairie in 1846. They began to farm their land and soon built a grand two-story family home at the site.
Elder J.B. Wilmeth, along with pioneer settler Collin McKinney, established Collin County's first Christian Church in Liberty in 1846. J.B. organized McKinney's first Christian Church in 1848, and early worship services were held in his home. Between 1848 and 1887 the Wilmeth home also was the site of a free school taught by J.B. and his children. J.B. served on the commission that selected the Collin County seat and later served as district clerk and county judge.
The Civil War brought many changes in the family. J.B., his eight sons, and three sons-in-law all served in the Confederate Army, with J.B. holding the rank of Colonel. Two sons were killed in the war: J.B. Jr at the Battle of Corinth and W.C. lost in 1861. The Wilmeth children were: Mary Jane, Mansell W., Martha Marille, Keturah Miranda, James Ransom, Joseph Bryson, William Crawforn, Hiram Ferguson, Nancy Ann, John Ficklin, Andrew Jackson, Collin McKinney, and Sarah Elizabeth. J.B. and Nancy died one day apart.
With six wagons and a considerable herd of horses and sheep, J. B. Wilmeth and his family reached the village of Dallas, Texas and camped near John Neely Bryan's cabin the day after Christmas, 1845. Source: Dallas Morn. News of Oct. 3, 1930
Info from Larry Chenault
In the fall of 1831 Nancy's father headed a wagon train made up of ten families related by blood or by marriage and after a long journey landed in Lawrence County, Arkansas. Here they engaged in farming, raising livestock, and J.B. preached the gospel. During these years he also served as a soldier and helped escort the Choctaw and Cherokee Indians from their homes in that section to the newly formed Indian Territory (later Oklahoma). This march is called "The Trail of Tears".
In 1845 an agent for the Peter's Colony visited their community and J.B. became interested in going to live in this new land just opening up for settlers. In October of 1845 his wagon train moved out, headed for Peter's colony. The group consisted of the Wilmeth family, Frank Wilmeth, Jordon O. Straughan, and three young men hired to help with the teams. It was a long and hazardous journey, sometimes they had to stop and camp for several days while trees were cut and a bridge built so they could cross uncharted rivers and even small streams. On Dec. 26, 1845 they reached the present site of Dallas and made camp near John Neely Bryan's cabin while the men looked for a suitable location to homestead. On New Year's Day in 1846, J.B. Wilmeth and Jordon O. Straughan selected adjacent sections fronting on the river near present Grand Prairie. Life was pleasant for them, game was abundant, a snug cabin was soon built but Indian raids in other settlements kept them on edge.
J.B. told in later years how he was working in his blacksmith shop when a shadow fell across the door. It was an Indian girl and she had come to warn the settlement that plans were to raid this settlement on the next full moon. After much discussion, the wagons were loaded and the site abandoned and they headed back the way they had come, going back to Tennessee. There is a story told about why they did not actually go back home. They camped one night on the bank of a stream. When the time came for loading the wagons for another day of riding, Nancy took a seat on a log and said that she personally intended to stay forever in this new land. After discussion they wagons were unloaded for the last time and sites were selected for homsteads. They settled in Collin County on 320 acres of virgin prairie in 1846. They began to farm their land and soon built a grand two-story family home at the site.
Elder J.B. Wilmeth, along with pioneer settler Collin McKinney, established Collin County's first Christian Church in Liberty in 1846. J.B. organized McKinney's first Christian Church in 1848, and early worship services were held in his home. Between 1848 and 1887 the Wilmeth home also was the site of a free school taught by J.B. and his children. J.B. served on the commission that selected the Collin County seat and later served as district clerk and county judge.
The Civil War brought many changes in the family. J.B., his eight sons, and three sons-in-law all served in the Confederate Army, with J.B. holding the rank of Colonel. Two sons were killed in the war: J.B. Jr at the Battle of Corinth and W.C. lost in 1861. The Wilmeth children were: Mary Jane, Mansell W., Martha Marille, Keturah Miranda, James Ransom, Joseph Bryson, William Crawforn, Hiram Ferguson, Nancy Ann, John Ficklin, Andrew Jackson, Collin McKinney, and Sarah Elizabeth. J.B. and Nancy died one day apart.
With six wagons and a considerable herd of horses and sheep, J. B. Wilmeth and his family reached the village of Dallas, Texas and camped near John Neely Bryan's cabin the day after Christmas, 1845. Source: Dallas Morn. News of Oct. 3, 1930
Info from Larry Chenault
Events
| Birth | 11 Sep 1807 | North Carolina | |||
| Marriage | 26 Dec 1826 | McNairy County, Tennessee - Nancy Ferguson | |||
| Death | 15 Jan 1892 | Texas | |||
| Burial | McLarry Cemetery, McKinney, Collin County, Texas |  |
Families
| Spouse | Nancy Ferguson (1807 - 1892) |
| Child | Martha Marilia Wilmeth (1831 - 1930) |
| Child | Collin McKinney Wilmeth (1848 - 1898) |
| Child | Keturah Miranda Wilmeth (1833 - 1862) |
Endnotes
1. Find A Grave Memorial# 6389348.