Edward H. Tarrant

Edward H. Tarrant
Member of the Third Texas Legislature
from the district
In office
November 5, 1849 – November 3, 1851
Member of the Fourth Texas Legislature
from the district
In office
November 3, 1851 – November 7, 1853
Personal details
Born 1799
Bamberg County, South Carolina, U.S.
Died August 2, 1858(1858-08-02) (aged 59)
Parker County, Texas, U.S.
Resting place Pioneer Rest Cemetery
32°45′54″N 97°19′46″W / 32.76487°N 97.329434°W / 32.76487; -97.329434 (Pioneer Rest Cemetery)
Spouse(s) Mary Danforth
Occupation Military officer, rancher/planter, & politician
Profession Brigadier-general
Military service
Allegiance  United States
 Texas
Service/branch
  • Kentucky militia
  • Tennessee militia
  • 4th Brigade of N.E. Texas (militia)
Battles/wars

Edward H. Tarrant (1799 – August 1858), for whom Tarrant County was named, served the Republic of Texas and the State of Texas by fighting hostile Indians for two decades. He also served in the Texas House of Representatives during both of periods.[1][2]

Early life and education

Edward was a young veteran of the War of 1812, taking part in the Battle of New Orleans (1814–15) at the age of 19, probably as a private in the Kentucky state militia. Having moved to Tennessee, he was elected a colonel of the Tennessee state militia, in the frontier environment. By 1827, Tarrant had become a sheriff of Henry County, Tennessee; but he moved to Texas by the early 1830s and established a ranch in Red River County. He became one of the most prosperous landowners, and he owned slaves.

Career

In September 1837, Tarrant was elected to represent Red River County in the House of Representatives of the Second Texan Congress; but after a few months he resigned to serve the republic by directing ranger activities against the Indians in 1838. In 1838-39, he served as chief justice in Red River County and was elected Brigadier-general of a northeast Texas militia unit called the Fourth Brigade. Tarrant's Indian-fighting career culminated in the battle of Village Creek, east of present-day Fort Worth, in May 1841.

Tarrant served two terms in the state House of Representatives, between 1849 and 1853. In April 1851, he married Mary Danforth. The couple resided on Chambers Creek near Italy, Ellis County, Texas.

As fighting Indians had become his specialty, in 1857 Tarrant moved part of his household to Fort Belknap in present-day Young County. He led a "go-to" fighting force to protect settlers in that locale from frequent Indian uprisings.

Later life and death

In 1857 Tarrant began moving part of his household to Fort Belknap. On one of his journeys General Tarrant fell ill and died on August 2, 1858 at the home of William Fondren, which is 10 miles from Weatherford, Texas, in Parker County.[3] He was initially interred in the William Fondren family cemetery. On January 28, 1859, Tarrant's remains were moved to a grave on his Chambers Creek family farm in Ellis County, Texas.[4][5]

Tarrant's final resting place, effective March 3, 1928, was Pioneer Rest Cemetery in Fort Worth. The Texan city of Fort Worth now serves as the seat of his namesake county.

References

Further reading

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