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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VINATOR, JAMES -- Arrived at Velasco, January 29, 1836 on the schooner Pennsylvania with the soldiers recruited in New Orleans by Captain Amasa Turner. His name is now shown, however, on page 27 of the army rolls in the General Land Office as a member of Captain Hart's Company at Velasco, January 30, 1836. It was evidently omitted by mistake for on August 15, 1845 James Venator was issued Bounty Certificate No. 9971 for 640 acres of land for having served in the army from January 29 to July 29, 1836. Richard Roman, first lieutenant of Captain Hart's company January 29th became Captain Roman's company but the Land Office records do not show that he received donation land for his participation in the battle. Likewise the records do not disclose that he applied for a Headright Certificate.

The records of the Texas Veterans Association, of which he was a member, show that Mr. Venator was born in 1796 and that he was living in Nacogdoches County in 1874. He died in 1877.

Note: Mr. R. B. Blake, Nacogdoches, wrote to the compiler on August 18, 1938: "James Vinator does not seem to have owned any land in Nacogdoches county, and I have been unable to find any probate papers of his estate. Neither have I been able to find the record of any headright issued to him."

Voted at Velasco February 1, 1836 for delegates to the Constitutional Convention.



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. Richard Roman

Personal Statistics

  • Alternate Names: Vinaler, Venator
  • Date of Birth: 1796
  • Origin: Louisiana
  • Came to Texas: 1836 Jan 28
  • Date of Death: 1877
  • Bounty Certificate: 9971