Veteran Bio
The Kemp Sketch
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STANDIFER, WILLIAM BAILEY -- Born in Illinois, February 10, 1815. John Henry Brown in his Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas, page 384, has this to say about the Standifer (Standefer) family: "More than a century ago, three brothers of the name of Standefer, came from England, and settled in this country, one in Virginia, one in South Carolina, and one on the Western frontier. From the last Anderson Standefer was descended, being probably a son. About the beginning of the present century he married and moved to that part of Illinois known as the 'American Bottoms', where he lived till his death some eight or ten years later. He left surviving him a widow, three sons, James Williamson, William Bailey and Jacob Littleton, and a daughter, Sarah. Shortly after her husband's death, the widow Standefer moved from Illinois to Alabama, and settled in Franklin County. From there the family came to Texas ten years later in 1827, and for a time (about a year) lived near the line of what is now Brazoria and Fort Bend Counties, then designated by the general name of Austin's Colony. In 1828 they moved up on the Colorado, and the widow having married Leman Barker, they all settled in what was then called Barker's Bend of the Colorado, about five miles from the present town of Bastrop."
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The name of the William B. Standifer's mother is unknown to the compiler, except that her first name was Elizabeth. In the Headright Certificate issued to Mr. Standifer by the Bastrop County Board of Land Commissioners for one-third of a league of land, January 19, 1838 it is stated that he came to Texas in 1829. This differs two years from that given by Mr. Brown.
Mr. Standifer enlisted in Captain Jesse Billingsley's Company of "Mina (Bastrop) Volunteers" February 28 and was discharged at Mina June 1, 1836. This is shown in Service Record No. 448. He received Donation Certificate No. 733, dated January 3, 1839, for 640 acres of land for having participated in the battle of San Jacinto. On the same date he received Bounty Certificate No. 6062 for 320 acres of land for having served in the army from February 28 to June 1, 1836.
Mr. Standifer was twice married. He was first married to ______ McCutcheon (?). Their children were James, Arinda, Albert and Anderson. Albert was killed in the battle of Plum Creek on ________ while serving in the Confederacy.
After the death of his wife William Baily Standifer was on September 30, 1847 married to Nancy Smith at Bastrop. Their children were Lemuel, Thomas, Janie, Martha, Johnson, Samuel B., Edgar, Margaret, Joseph, Albert and Bud. Mr. Standifer died July 8, 1876, while a member of the Texas Veterans Association, and was buried in the "Hog Eye" Cemetery near Elgin. Mrs. Standifer died July 20, 1891, aged 60, and is buried in the cemetery at Elgin in a marked grave of Mr. Standifer.
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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.
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Battle Statistics
- Died in Battle: No
- Rank: Private
- Company: Capt. Jesse Billingsley
Personal Statistics
- Alternate Names: Standford, Standerford, Standerfer
- Date of Birth: 1815 Feb 10? 1812 Feb 10?
- Birthplace: Illinois
- Origin: Alabama
- Came to Texas: 1829
- Date of Death: 1876 Jul 8
- Burial Place: Hog Eye Cemetery, Elgin, Texas
- Bounty Certificate: 6062
- Donation Certificate: 733
- Profession: Farmer
- Wife: 1. Alzada Harrell; 2. Nancy Smith
- Children: James Elias, Arinda (Arendia), Jacob Lewis, William Anderson, Lemuel, Thomas Jefferson, Sarah Jane, Martha Emily, Johnson, Samuel Bailey, Edward (Edgar), Margaret Ellen, Joseph Eradious, Albert, Henry Taylor, Walter, Alice Corena
- Family at San Jacinto: Brother Jacob Littleton Standifer at San Jacinto; brother-in-law John Litton at Harrisburg.
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