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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WESTGATE, EZRA C. -- Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1813. On May 4, 1838, Mr. Westgate was issued a Headright Certificate for one-third of a league of land by the Harrisburg County Board. In the certificate it is stated that he came to Texas in January, 1836. He was a member of Captain William Wood's company at San Jacinto and it is reasonable to assume that he enlisted in Captain Sidney Sherman's company in Kentucky, as did the majority of the men of Captain Wood's company. The Land Office files do not show that he received Bounty or Donation Certificate for his services in the army. Land secured on his Headright Certificate was surveyed in what are now Gillespie and Bandera Counties in 1859.

Mr. Westgate's name appears on an undated muster roll of Captain Nicholas M. Dawson's company, as a member of that company in the summer of 1836. Mr. Westgate is shown as having been born in Philadelphia in 1813. He was described as being 6 feet high, of dark complexion, with dark eyes and black hair, and was by occupation a clerk. Captain Dawson's roll may be found in the Archives of the State Library.

No bounties.

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. William Wood

Personal Statistics

  • Date of Birth: 1813
  • Birthplace: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
  • Origin: Kentucky
  • Came to Texas: 1836 Jan