|
One of the earliest
white settlers was John R. Bevil, who moved to Texas before
1829 and received a first-class land grant on the Angelina
River near the site of present Jasper. Bevil's settlement
became known as Bevilport and was an important
river-navigation point from 1830 until 1860. In 1829 Lorenzo
de Zavala obtained a Mexican empresarial grant covering most
of what is now Jasper County. During the Texas Revolution
volunteers from Bevilport joined other Texans in
confrontations with Mexican troops at Anahuac, Bexar, and
Nacogdoches.
|
|
In the 1860
presidential election a substantial majority of Jasper County
voters chose John Breckinridge, a Southern Democrat, over
Constitutional Unionist John Bell. Meetings to discuss
secession were held throughout the county, and in early 1861
the county's voters chose secession by a margin of 318 to 25.
A Jasper County resident, Dr. William Neyland, was appointed
brigadier general of the Second Brigade of Texas State Troops
and placed in charge of recruiting for the Confederacy in
Jefferson, Orange, Newton, Tyler, Liberty, Hardin, Polk,
Chambers, and Jasper counties. One of the first companies to
be organized in Jasper County was Company C of the
Twenty-fifth Texas Dismounted Cavalry. In 1862 Company E of
the Lone Star Rifles was mustered into service in Jasper. The
Confederate government in Texas collapsed in the summer of
1865, and Union troops arrived in Jasper County the following
year.
Cities and Towns
|
Browndell |
Evadale |
|
Brookeland |
Jasper |
|
Buna |
Kirbyville |
|