Thomas Jackson (Immortal 32 Gonzales Ranger)

The DeWitt Colony Alamo Defenders,

The Immortal 32 Gonzales Rangers:

Thomas J. Jackson is often cited as having been born in Ireland. He was a resident of Gonzales and Private rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. DeWitt Colony land grant records show he entered the colony 6 Jul 1829 with a family of four and received a sitio of land. His league was southeast of Gonzales next to his father-in-law Jonathan Cottle's league on the west bank of the Guadalupe River. On 18 Sep 1830, he registered his mark and cattle brand in Gonzales witnessed by Gonzales District (San Felipe Ayuntamiento) Comisario James B. Patrick "....his ear mark a swallow fork in the right ear, and a half cross in the left ear and his brand the letter T and J united which he says is his true mark and brand and that he has no other."

He was married to Louisa Cottle, sister of Alamo defender, George Washington Cottle. After Thomas Jackson’s death in the Alamo, she married James B. Hinds. Jackson was also among the Old 18 who confronted the Mexicans at Gonzales over the Gonzales cannon. Brother-in-law Almond Cottle represented the heirs of Thomas Jackson on the Gonzales Tax Rolls of 1839.

Most lists of those who fell at the Alamo list him as Thomas J. Jackson of Ireland. However, research has not shown any documents where the middle initial J. was used, nor that he was from Ireland. On the contrary, a voucher in the archives at Gonzales shows he had a note on a fellow from Missouri and his daughter Margaret always listed him as born in Missouri on her census returns. (This paragraph comes from Find-A-Grave description.)