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Adam never used the moniker "Red" during his lifetime but was assignedthe name by record keepers
and historians in DeWitt Colony, TX, todistinguish him from his prominent and younger cousin
"Black" AdamZumwalt, Jr. The tag "Sr" was probably adopted by him for the samereason since
he had no sons named Adam. Residences & events: 1819 Femme Osage and Darst's Bottom, MO. He owned property in bothareas, as did brother Andrew. 1828 Gonzales, TX. This was the date of arrival according todaughter, Elizabeth and other family members who related thefollowing: "Adam Zumwalt's family came from Missouri to Gonzales in1828 being a part of DeWitt's colony. They came by boat and landed inMatagorda Bay. While the men were unloading the boat, the women andchildren walked along the beach gathering luscious dewberries whichthey found under a bluff bank. They looked up and saw several Indiansin war paint and feathers looking down a them. They ran to the boat,but when they got there she (who?) was not with them. She hadfainted and the men had to carry her to the boat." 5/20/1829 was the date of arrival recorded on land grant records. 1/28/1830 Adam was granted a league and labor of land. 8/10/1831 Adam petitioned as a farmer for title of his labor of 177acres: "Honorable Commissioner: I, Adam Zumwalt, a native of the Unitedstates of the North, the formalities of the law permitting, appearbefore you and say that having been admitted by the Empresario, Greende Witt, to settle the lands of his Colony as the Law ofColonizatition of the State prescribes and as appears on thiscertificate which I duly enclose, being as I am married and havingseven children, two boys, and up until the present time not having thetitle of possession to the tract that corresponds to me as a settler,by the present petition I entreat that you may put me in possession ofone labor, although it only contains 712,400 varas, which is thequantity I have known it to be, and which is localed adjacent to theCommons of the Town on the Guadalupe River, reserving for myself therite as stock raiser to ask, by another petition, for the 24 labors ofpasture land on the San Marcos River about one league above this Town;in acceding thereto, you shall give me justice." Dated and signed byAdam. The tract was surveyed by Byrd Lockhart and described as "situated inthe proximity on the northeast side of the Guadalupe....north to theboundary of the town tract....following the meanders of the Riverupward to the place where it began." 11/15/1831 Adam again petitioned for title to land, this time for hisleague of 4428 acres: "Honorable Commissioner: I, Adam Zumwalt, a native of the UnitedStates of the North, by this second petition, and by means of theformalities of the law make know to you that you having seen fit toacceed to a petition I made, dated the 10th of last month of August,asking for a fraction of a labor of arable land which, as a farmer inthis enterprise of Citizen Green de my due, in consideration of mylarge family and the reasons which I presented on that date, asappears on the witnessed document in my possession; I, by thispetition as a breeder of stock, ask you please to put me in possessionof a superficies of 24,000,000 varas which I lack to complete theleague and which are entirely vacant on the northeast bank of the SanMarcos River adjacent to the boundary line of the land of the Town andabout six miles above this Town; in acceeding therto you will do mejustice." Dated and signed by Adam.. By 3/1836 St James St, facing the Municipal Plaza, Gonzales, TX. Hisresidence there was one of the "32 prominent structures of thevillage" built in the inner part of the village proper. The houseserved as a boarding house/hotel and the kitchen supplied a restaurant. 2/29/1836 In the face of the Battle of the Alamo, many families fromSan Antonio and outlying areas sought refuge in Gonzales. Relatives,Elizabeth Zumwalt Kent and family moved in with Adam and the childrentold of of sleeping on the floor where they could hear the big guns ofthe seige all the way from San Antonio. 3/13/1836 Following the fall of the Alamo, Adam's job was to help thefamilies, including his own, evacuate and head east toward the SabineRiver in what is now known as the Runaway Scrape. The entire town wasthen torched, leaving only Adam's kitchen and the smokehouse ofanother resident standing. 6/6 - 9/6/1836 A short stint in the Federalist Army of the Republicof Texas would earn a labor of land for Adam. 1837 - 1838 They returned to rebuild their homes and lives amid therubble, putting up tents and temporary structures where the house oncestood. Local history said he provided housing and meals for severalreturning settlers while they rebuilt their homesteads and businesses.It was probably about this time the family began to spend considerabletime developing the farm and ranch on their league north of town onthe San Marcos. 4/2/1838 Joseph Smith of Gonzales Co posted a $700 bond to insuretitle of 379 acres, which was part of his headright league assigned toAdam. 9/30/1838 Smith sold land that was on Peach Creek about 10 miles eastof Gonzales to Adam. 9/9/1847 Adam transferred 320 acres of the previous entry todaughter, Emaline House. 1/11/1841 The town minutes noted that Adam was denied a petition tocut as much rail timber on the town tract as had been appropriatedfrom his league to build a fence on the town tract. 6/11/1841 Adam deeded a 320 acre tract on the northeast bank of theSan Marcos to daughter, Caroline Burnham. The land was part of hisheadright league. 9/6/1842 Gonzales, TX. He bought lots 1, 2, 4, and 5 in block 31just east of Military Square at a public sale for $57. 10/2/1843 He transferred 329 acres of his headright league on theeast bank of the San Marcos to daughter, Mahala Crawford. The tractwas bounded on the south by Caroline's land. 4/24/1846 Son, Jesse, was the next to receive real estate. He got600 acres on the northeast bank of the San Marcos adjoining the towntract of Gonzales on the north and the river on the lower corner,which included part or all of Adam's labor of land. 7/28/1846 Adam deeded 600 acres each to : William, Harvy, Nancy, andEmaline Darst. 5/17/1847 He sold lots 1 and 2 of the town block to Felix Chenaultfor $60, a real profit compared to the buy price. 6/12/1849 Daughter, Caroline Burnham, received another "inheritance"from her father, a labor of land that Adam had received for armyservice. It was located on Peach Creek about 15 miles east ofGonzales. 11/16/1849 He sold the block of 4 town lots where his boarding houseonce stood to WV Collins for $4000. That block would later house thePlaza hotel and restaurant business, very fitting. 1850 Gonzales Co, TX. At census time the family was living on theirleague near the Old Slayden Community in the Guadalupe River District.Adam had property = $2000. |
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His will, dated 1845, "attests to his meticulous attention todetails." "Republic of Texas, Gonzales County. I, Adam Zumwalt, Senr. of saidcounty, being of sound mind, but infirm & feeble in health, do make &ordain this to be my last will & testament. I give to my wife all mywork oxen & Horses except two colts, and one third of the balance ofmy Stock; also all my household & Kitchen furniture & farmingutensils, tools, etc. Also one half of a debt due by W. J. Riddle,the other half belongs to my son Jesse. I wll give to her all myNegro property during her lifetime, and the use & enjoyment of myresidence, either to cultivate or rent out to aid her in making asupport. I give & bequeath to each of my Six children herein named towit, Jesse, Emaline, John, William, Harvey & Nancy an equal Share ofall the League of land on which I now reside, except what has beendeeded off by me, to be given off to them as they respectively becomeof age; Jesse to have the privilege of selecting his share either onthe upper or lower line. I give to each of my Daughters Mahala &Caroline (to each of whom I have already given 320 acres), asufficiency out of my patented Lands to make their Shares of Landequal to the shares of the six children heretofore named--To my otherchildren not already named I give & bequeath all the balance of myunpatented lands, they paying all further expenses of clearing themout. I give to my daughter Emaline & son????????????? selling all thecorn now on hand, except a sufficiency to support my family untilanother crop is made & appropriate the money to their own use. Aftergiving my wife one third of my stock, I desire that the balance besold if necessary to pay my just debts, which consist so far as I nowremember of the following to wit, the note of twelve dollars to C.Braches, given by Mr. Burnham, which am to pay-one note to Threadgill& James, for Thirty one dollars balance of four dollars to D.C.Vanderlip when the suit of W.W. Smith is decided after which I wishthe remainder of my stock equally divided among all my children. Iwish my Town property consisting of Eight lots, and my Labor adjoiningTown tract, to be sold by my Executor at such time as he in hisJudgement may deem most advisable to a good sale within five years,and the Proceeds equally divided among all my children; and until itis sold I want it rented out & the profit divided among all. In thebequests of this will, I desire the children of my daughter Mahala toreceive the portion to which she would be entitled if living. Idesire my young children all to live with their mother until theyrespectively become of age & that she have the raising control &management of them in the same manner I would have myself were Iliving. I appoint my son Jesse the Executor of this my last will &testament, and it is my desire that no further action be had on thiswlll in the Probate Court, than its proof & registration. It is myfurther will that my Negro property after the death of my wife shallbe sold & the proceeds equally divided among all my children, & shouldthere be any other property or debts due me not heretofore mentioned,I desire it to be divided among all my children. In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand & Seal this 3rd day of Februay 1845.Signed & Sealed in presence of D.S.H. Darst and William E. Jones." Jesse later resigned as Executor and David Darst replaced him. |
| The cemetery is on his original grant of land near the old Slaydencommunity. |