Jesse Qualls

Biography of Jesse Qualls
Gathered and contributed by Wanda Qualls


Note: The following information was taken from a notebook owned by Mary
Lou Qualls Peek.

Jesse Qualls moved his family to Lowndes County Mississippi and settled in
the vicinity of Charleston where he followed farming untill he moved to
Texas in 1854.  They located in Austin Co which is now Waller Co.  They
made their home there untill after the Civil War.  The record does not
indicate whether his wife died in Hempstead Texas but it is assumed she
did.  Jesse Qualls moved to Gonzales County and died at the home of his
sone Ed Qualls at Monthalia Gonzales County  Texas.  He was a member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years.  Jesse Qualls had
accumulated a large amount of worldly goods before the Cival War.  He lost
all of this with the exception of his land at the end of the Cival War.
Since he was an orphan he did this on his own.

Note: The following I received from Mary Lou Peek and written by Ethal
Qualls.

Qualls Jesse Qualls was born in 1794 in Old North state (North Carolina).
Lee said his Grandfather told him he either drifted or was taken away from
home when he was very young.  He just remembered  his name. 
Jesse Qualls first wife was Mrs. Mary Maxwell, whom he married Aug 11, 1825. She was
born in S.C. (no date given).  She passed away a few months after the
birth of her son Henry Lawerence Qualls. Born May 13, 1826. On June 13,
1828 Jesse Qualls married Pricilla Ann Eckols.  She died in Hempstead Tex
Jan 24 1868. George Shaffer Qualls was the 6th child of this marriage.
Born Sept 9, 1838 in Miss. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in I
believe (Hoods Tex Brigade)  Then they thought they were not needed, and
were sent home. Soon after he went home George Qualls married Mary
Montgomery Dec 13, 1861, in Hempstead, Texas. He was called back into
service and served through the entire war. I never had the pleasure of
meeting Lee's Father. George Qualls passed away Feb 14, 1904.  While I had
met Lee we were not married untill May 02, 1906. Among the few storys I
remember was one in which the Flag bearer was killed and Mr Qualls picked
up the flag at the end of the battle he had 23 bullet holes in his clothes.
But not a scratch. (I do not know what engement this was.) Mr Qualls was
also in the battle of Lookout Mountain.  Also the Battle of Getteysburg.
Mr George S. Qualls was a great admirer of General Robert E. Lee Written
by Ethel Qualls

The following information I recieved from David Schulz in Houston who is
the greatgreatgreatgrandson of Jesse Qualls.  He sent me copies of the
application for pension.

Jesse Qualls served as a private in the War of 1812 under the command of
Captain Pugh of the North Carolina Militia.  He applied for his pension
His description was 18 years old; about 125 lbs; blue eyes; dark hair. In
1852 he applied for a county land warrent and recieved 80 acres.  He made
an application for a pension in 1871 and was refused because he encouraged
rebellion.  He reapplied in 1878 and finally recieved his pension of $8.00
a month.  He served as private from October 27 1813 untill February of
1814. He traveled 720 miles.

Note: I checked the land records and found that Jesse had 799 acres of
land origanally in Hempstead.  After his death it was devided and George
got 133 1/3 acres.  W.Q.

1860 Austin County Texas Census Hempstead Precinct Page 172 1880 Gonzales
County Texas Census ED 70 page 457 Jesse and Percilla deeded an acre of
land to the Methodist Church on April 21 1874 to be used for church and
school purposes but because of an epidemic the Church was never built.
Ref:Austin and Waller County History. When Jim and I were at the Archives
in Gonzales County we found references to Jesse Qualls in a folder there.
One was a copy of pages taken from the "Record of Southwest Texas" printed
by the Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers 1894. It said that Jessee moved to
Texas in 1854. He made his home in Waller County until after the war, then
went to Gonzales County and lived with family until he died.  He was a
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  His early life had been a hard
one because he was left an orphan. We also got a copy of his will that
showed his land in Waller County and how it should be divided. This was a
hand written will by Jesse Qualls.  The following is his last will and
testement:

Know all men present that I Jessee Qualls of the county of Gonzales state
of Texas being in Good Bodily health and of Sound Mind and being Desirous
of Settling my worldly affairs and directing how the estate of which I own
shall be desposed of after My Death while I have strength and capacity so
to do make and publish this my last will hereby revoking all other wills
by me heretofore made. First I direct that all my funeral expense be paid.
second I have had my land on the Brazoz River in Waller County Divided
into Six Equal Parts by the Surveyor Part No1 I will to my Grandchildren
Thomas Snell and Mary Snell my Son in Law & Daugher being their Father &
Mother and they ? (couldn't read word - WQ) age the same for children. No
2 I will to my Grandchildren John Glass and Julia Glass being the Father
and Mother of said children and my Son in law and Daughter will they
manage the same for thier children. No 3 I will to Mary Taylor my daughter
in law (Note: This was Milton Wesley Qualls Wife - WQ) during her lifetime
then to be divided between my children No 4 I will to My Son Henry L.
Qualls and his heirs No 5 I will to my son Edwin E. Qualls and his heirs
No 6 I will to my Grandchildren Geo S Qualls and Mary Qualls being Father
and Mother of said children and my Son and Daughter in Law and they manage
to land for their children.  It is my will that my Sons Henry L. Qualls
and Edwin E. Qualls see that this is carried out as above directed by me
in testimony where of I have Signed my name to this my last will in the
Presents of C F Shindler and Eugene Barthey who I have requested to
witness This my last will this my last will this 15 day of July 1881 Jesse
Qualls Probate was filed March 4 1884 and posted in three places in
Gonzales, Texas and the will was read May 1, 1884.



Note: The following information was taken from a notebook owned by Mary
Lou Qualls Peek.

Jesse Qualls moved his family to Lowndes County Mississippi and settled in
the vicinity of Charleston where he followed farming untill he moved to
Texas in 1854.  They located in Austin Co which is now Waller Co.  They
made their home there untill after the Civil War.  The record does not
indicate whether his wife died in Hempstead Texas but it is assumed she
did.  Jesse Qualls moved to Gonzales County and died at the home of his
sone Ed Qualls at Monthalia Gonzales County  Texas.  He was a member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years.  Jesse Qualls had
accumulated a large amount of worldly goods before the Cival War.  He lost
all of this with the exception of his land at the end of the Cival War.
Since he was an orphan he did this on his own.

Note: The following I received from Mary Lou Peek and written by Ethal
Qualls.

Qualls Jesse Qualls was born in 1794 in Old North state (North Carolina).
Lee said his Grandfather told him he either drifted or was taken away from
home when he was very young.  He just remembered  his name. Jesse Qualls
first wife was Mrs. Mary Maxwell, whom he married Aug 11, 1825. She was
born in S.C. (no date given).  She passed away a few months after the
birth of her son Henry Lawerence Qualls. Born May 13, 1826. On June 13,
1828 Jesse Qualls married Pricilla Ann Eckols.  She died in Hempstead Tex
Jan 24 1868. George Shaffer Qualls was the 6th child of this marriage.
Born Sept 9, 1838 in Miss. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in I
believe (Hoods Tex Brigade)  Then they thought they were not needed, and
were sent home. Soon after he went home George Qualls married Mary
Montgomery Dec 13, 1861, in Hempstead, Texas. He was called back into
service and served through the entire war. I never had the pleasure of
meeting Lee's Father. George Qualls passed away Feb 14, 1904.  While I had
met Lee we were not married untill May 02, 1906. Among the few storys I
remember was one in whitch the Flag bearer was killed and Mr Qualls picked
up the flag at the end of the battlehe had 23 bullet holes in his clothes.
But not a scratch. (I do not know what engement this was.) Mr Qualls was
also in the battle of Lookout Mountain.  Also the Battle of Gettarsburg.
Mr George S. Qualls was a great admirer of General Robert E. Lee Written
by Ethel Qualls

The following information I recieved from David Schulz in Houston who is
the greatgreatgreatgrandson of Jesse Qualls.  He sent me copies of the
application for pension.

Jesse Qualls served as a private in the War of 1812 under the command of
Captain Pugh of the North Carolina Militia.  He applied for his pension
His description was 18 years old; about 125 lbs; blue eyes; dark hair. In
1852 he applied for a county land warrent and recieved 80 acres.  He made
an application for a pension in 1871 and was refused because he encouraged
rebellion.  He reapplied in 1878 and finally recieved his pension of $8.00
a month.  He served as private from October 27 1813 untill February of
1814. He traveled 720 miles.

Note: I checked the land records and found that Jesse had 799 acres of
land origanally in Hempstead.  After his death it was devided and George
got 133 1/3 acres.  W.Q.

1860 Austin County Texas Census Hempstead Precinct Page 172 1880 Gonzales
County Texas Census ED 70 page 457 Jesse and Percilla deeded an acre of
land to the Methodist Church on April 21 1874 to be used for church and
school purposes but because of an epidemic the Church was never built.
Ref:Austin and Waller County History. When Jim and I were at the Archives
in Gonzales County we found references to Jesse Qualls in a folder there.
One was a copy of pages taken from the "Record of Southwest Texas" printed
by the Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers 1894. It said that Jessee moved to
Texas in 1854. He made his home in Waller County until after the war, then
went to Gonzales County and lived with family until he died.  He was a
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  His early life had been a hard
one because he was left an orphan. We also got a copy of his will that
showed his land in Waller County and how it should be divided. This was a
hand written will by Jesse Qualls.  The following is his last will and
testement:

Know all men present that I Jessee Qualls of the county of Gonzales state
of Texas being in Good Bodily health and of Sound Mind and being Desirous
of Settling my worldly affairs and directing how the estate of which I own
shall be desposed of after My Death while I have strength and capacity so
to do make and publish this my last will hereby revoking all other wills
by me heretofore made. 
First I direct that all my funeral expense be paid.
second I have had my land on the Brazoz River in Waller County Divided
into Six Equal Parts by the Surveyor Part No1 I will to my Grandchildren
Thomas Snell and Mary Snell my Son in Law & Daugher being their Father &
Mother and they ? (couldn't read word - WQ) age the same for children. No
2 I will to my Grandchildren John Glass and Julia Glass being the Father
and Mother of said children and my Son in law and Daughter will they
manage the same for thier children. 
No 3 I will to Mary Taylor my daughter in law (Note: This was 
Milton Wesley Qualls Wife - WQ) during her lifetime
then to be divided between my children 
No 4 I will to My Son Henry L. Qualls and his heirs 
No 5 I will to my son Edwin E. Qualls and his heirs
No 6 I will to my Grandchildren Geo S Qualls and Mary Qualls 
being Father and Mother of said children and my Son and 
Daughter in Law and they manage to land for their children.  
It is my will that my Sons Henry L. Qualls and Edwin E. Qualls 
see that this is carried out as above directed by me
in testimony where of I have Signed my name to this my last will in the
Presents of C F Shindler and Eugene Barthey who I have requested to
witness This my last will this my last will this 15 day of July 1881 
Jesse Qualls 
Probate was filed March 4 1884 and posted in three places in
Gonzales, Texas and the will was read May 1, 1884.


Note: Jesse Qualls was born in 1794 in North Carolina and died on October 6 1883
in Mathalia, Gonzales County, Texas.  He is buried in Cost, Texas.
He served in the War of 1812 in South Carolina.

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