George Lawton Bledsoe
Aurora, Wise County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Georgia native George Lawton Bledsoe (b. 1805), a carpenter and cotton gin builder, came to Texas in 1834. A veteran of the Texas Revolution and the Battle of San Jacinto, he received a pension for his military service and patented land grants in Brazoria, Cooke, Jack, Fannin, and Wise counties. He was married to the former Ellen Bowdre (d. 1850) and had five children. Bledsoe is buried here along with his daughter Georgia and a brother-in-law, Preston E. Bowdre. Ellen Bledsoe and the couple's other four children are buried in Fannin County, probably in Bledsoe Cemetery near Dial.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Georgia-born George Lawton Bledsoe, a carpenter and cotton-gin builder, came to Texas in 1834 and fought in the Texas Revolution, including the decisive Battle of San Jacinto. He earned a military pension and patented land grants across five counties as the young republic and state took shape. He is buried here alongside his daughter and a brother-in-law.
Why it matters
Veterans like Bledsoe won Texas independence and then settled the land they had fought for, embodying the revolutionary and expansionist roots of the Lone Star State.
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Related people
- · George Lawton Bledsoe
- · Ellen Bowdre
Related events
- · Texas Revolution
- · Battle of San Jacinto
Themes & tags
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