EARL, WILLIAM
Born in Rapidies Parish, Louisiana, August 6, 1811, a son of Matthew and Nancy Earl. In the Headright Certificate issued to Matthew Earl by the Sabine County Board of Land Commissioners for a league and labor of land it is stated that he had arrived in Texas in 1824; and in the Headright Certificate issued to William Earl February 1, 1838 by the Sabine County Board for one-third of a league it is stated that he came to Texas in 1824.
William Earl was a member of Captain Benjamin F. Bryant's Sabine Company at San Jacinto. In an affidavit in the Pension Papers signed by him and dated in Houston County December 2, 1870, he stated that he served in Captain Bryant's Company from March 31 to May 2, 1836.
In 1841 Mr. Earl was sheriff of Sabine County. In about 1860 he moved to Houston County and later to Trinity County. He was married to Amanda White, an adopted daughter of James T. White. Mrs. Earl at her death was buried in Mount Zion Cemetery near Wakefield, Polk County, Texas. Mr. Earl died at Pennington, Trinity County, January 6, 1873, and is buried in the cemetery there.
An Affidavit made by the only two children of Mr. and Mrs. Earl, Richard E. and Ada T. Earl, is in the Pension Papers in the Archives of the State Library Austin, dated at Homer, Angelina County, Texas, November 23, 1874. The following was extracted from it: "... and that the said William Earl was born in Rapids Parish in the State of Louisiana on the 6th day of August, 1811,--and that he immigrated to Texas in the year, 1821, and that he was enlisted and served as a soldier in behalf of the Texas cause, in the Revolution that separated Texas from Mexico,--that he was a private in Capt Grayson's company, Regiment of Col. James Bullock, Sabine County Troops, and that he was engaged with his said command in the fight with the Mexican forces at Nacogdoches on the 2nd day of August in the year 1832 was afterwards regularly engaged as a Texas Soldier in said Revolution and participated in the fight at San Jacinto in April 1836--was honorably discharged from the service....."
Richard E. Earl, child of Mr. and Mrs. William Earl, lived at Pennington, Texas. He was married to Nannie Nixon. Mrs. Earl died at Winnsboro, Louisiana.
Ada T. Earl daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Earl, was married to S. E. Buffington. Mr. Buffington died at Pennington March 11, 1900. Mrs. Buffington died there March 31, 1931.
