Part of an old map of the San Jacinto area from the Texas Revolution

Veteran Bio

Texian Location:  Participant

The Kemp Sketch

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MOSS, JOHN -- Emigrated to Texas in 1833, as is shown in the Headright certificate issued to him for two-thirds of a league and one labor of land by the Shelby County Board of Land Commissioners, April 2, 1839. A certificate for one-third of a league had previously been issued to him in 1838. This establishes the fact that he was single at the time of the battle of San Jacinto.

On page ___ of the army rolls in the General Land Office Mr. Moss is shown as having enlisted in Captain Hayden Arnold's Nacogdoches Company March 7, 1836 for a period of three months. He received Donation Certificate No. 127, February 10, 1860 for 640 acres of land for having participated in the Battle of San Jacinto. The land was surveyed in Erath County in 1874. Bounty Certificate No. 598 for 320 acres of land was issued in Mr. Moss' name, November 29, 1857 for 320 acres of land due him for having served in the army for a period of three months, dates of enlistment and discharge not being shown. The rights to the certificate had been assigned to A.C. Crawford.

Mr. Moss was living in Shelby County in January, 1840 when he sold his Headright certificate to L.B. Black for $2,000. He could not write and affixed his mark to the deed of transfer.

Written by Louis W. Kemp, between 1930 and 1952. Please note that typographical and factual errors have not been corrected from the original sketches. The biographies have been scanned from the original typescripts, a process that sometimes allows for mistakes in the new text. Researchers should verify the accuracy of the texts' contents through other sources before quoting in publications. Additional information on the veteran may be available in the Herzstein Library.


Battle Statistics

  • Died in Battle: No
  • Rank: Private
  • Company: Capt. Hayden S. Arnold

Personal Statistics

  • Came to Texas: 1833
  • Bounty Certificate: 598
  • Donation Certificate: 127