Before the Texas Senate in December 1836, Stephen F. Austin explained that the containment of hostile Indians to the north saved the adjoining area of his colony below from “anarchy and civil war.” A major reason for the containment of those tribes lay in the leadership of J.G.W. Pierson as interim director and military leader of Sterling Robertson’s Colony of that northern region. The area over which Pierson exercised authority was the scene of the documented fiercest Indian fighting in the history of Texas. Unmatched for valor and impact on our area’s history, Pierson is also one of the founding fathers of Montgomery and Grimes Counties.
The death of his second wife, Elizabeth Montgomery, in 1833, prompted Pierson to go to Robertson’s Colony bent initially on directing the establishment of the city of Sarahville de Viesca, at the time slated to become the capital of Texas. As indicated before in this space, he took with him his former brother-in-law, Andrew Montgomery, as chief surveyor, along with Andrew’s brothers Edley and John also surveyors. This prompted a message to Pierson from the acting governor of Texas on February 13, 1836, seeking his help to recruit volunteers for the battle for Texas Independence. In the message the governor remarked that “this district was surveyed by many of the citizens of (the by then established} Montgomery and Grimes Prairie.” (Jenkins, Papers of the Texas Revolution 1835-36”, vol.9, p156).
Earlier, in 1835, Pierson represented the Municipality of Viesca at the Consultation in San Felipe de Austin. Here he served on the “Committee of Five” which gave birth to the Texas Rangers, of which one of the Montgomery brothers, Edley, became an early recruit. In the same year, Pierson and a few friends founded the town of Independence, which became known for a while as “The Athens of Texas,” the original home of both Baylor and Mary Hardin Baylor Universities. In 1836, upon recruiting the remaining Montgomery brothers, Andrew and John, with others, to fight at San Jacinto in April, on June 30, 1836, Pierson organized a militia company of 74 men that provided security to settlers after that encounter. On May 31, 1837, Pierson became “Captain of Volunteers” of Washington County, then encompassing all or parts of nine present counties, including the later Montgomery County.
Space does not allow for details of the many other exploits of Pierson such as his escapades related to the Somerville Expedition of 1842 and the spinoff “Mier Expedition”, where he escaped death by Mexican Forces due to what he learned upon making friends with the Mexican servant lady attending the unit over which he was captain. Also managing an escape was a member of his unit, his former brother-in-law and companion in arms, Andrew Montgomery. who, upon searching for food for Pierson’s company, happened to meet with a man with whom he had shared scarce bread earlier. The man alerted him to the recapture of the Pierson Company, while directing him to the route to freedom.
A man of multiple talents and skills, with his later wife, Narcissa Cartwright, J.G. W. Pierson settled around the area of ‘Hi Point’, which community he had birthed, near Plantersville. This proved to be the area of his final place of rest. near that of his former relatives and companions in arms, Andrew, John and Edley Montgomery, of the original Montgomery’s of Montgomery County.
If the full content does not display, visit the article originally published on this site
