Alexander McKinza
Waco, McLennan County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1834 Alexander McKinza moved to Nacogdoches, Texas, from his native Alabama. During the Texas War for Independence, he joined the Sabine volunteers under Capt. Benjamin F. Bryant and fought at the battle of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836. McKinza married Clarissa Brewer on March 14, 1839. He had a store near Douglass until 1857 and served as Justice of the Peace for Nacogdoches County from 1853 to 1857. He settled in McLennan County about 1860. (1976)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Alexander McKinza left his native Alabama for Nacogdoches in 1834, arriving on the eve of Texas's fight for independence. He joined the Sabine volunteers under Capt. Benjamin F. Bryant and fought at the decisive Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Settling into civilian life, he married Clarissa Brewer, kept a store near Douglass, and served as a Nacogdoches County justice of the peace before moving to McLennan County around 1860.
Why it matters
McKinza's story is that of the ordinary volunteer soldier-settler whose service at San Jacinto helped win Texas independence before he returned to build the ordinary institutions of frontier life.
Own a business near here? Add it to the map.
Related people
- · Alexander McKinza
- · Benjamin F. Bryant
- · Clarissa Brewer
Related events
- · Battle of San Jacinto
- · Texas War for Independence
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
David Smith Kornegay
Waco, TX
David Smith Kornegay was a soldier of the Texas Revolution who fought at the decisive Battle of San Jacinto in 1836 and later escaped the deadly Dawson Massacre of 1842. Born in North Carolina in 1810, he came to Texas in its founding struggle and died in 1856. The State of Texas erected this marker in 1936 during the centennial of independence.
Bosqueville Cemetery
Waco, TX
Burials began here as early as 1850 on ten acres given for a school and cemetery, where a log schoolhouse once served both Methodists and Baptists. The ground holds a striking cross-section of early Texas: veterans of the 1836 San Jacinto campaign, dozens of Confederate soldiers, pioneer families, and the unmarked graves of enslaved people. Each row of stones speaks to a different chapter of the state's contested past.
Old Walker Homestead
Waco, TX
Built around 1853 of locally made Waco sand brick, this Texas take on Greek Revival style was the work of James Walker and his son W. C. Walker. Both men were veterans of the Battle of San Jacinto, the 1836 clash that won Texas its independence. Their home is remembered as the first brick house in the rural part of the county.
Louis Moore
Waco, TX
Missouri-born Louis Moore came to Texas about 1834, received a Mexican land grant, and enlisted in the Texas Army in April 1836, guarding the baggage at Harrisburg during the decisive Battle of San Jacinto. He later served with the Texas Ranger company that established Fort Fisher, raised nine children, and spent his last years in the Chalk Bluff community.