From Proud Heritage, Volume I by DCPA, currently out of print.
Thomas Jefferson Nash was the youngest of six children born to Thomas Nash (1772-1842) and Lucy Bailey Nash (1775-1857) in Nelson County, Virginia. At age seven his family moved to what was then Washington County, Kentucky – later to become Marion County. There he secured his education in log cabins followed by six months attendance at Lebanon Seminary in 1825.
He professed the “most important part of his life” to be the result of attending a Camp Meeting shortly after leaving school when he “submitted my case to the Lamb of God.” He affiliated with the Methodist Church, which remained his lifelong choice.
Mr. Nash assisted his father on the farm through his 24th year. In 1831 he and his brother-in-law, Squire Bates, bought and drove some horses to Virginia for resale. This was not profitable in currency but was rewarding in seeing Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. He met, courted and married Eliza Floed on April 12, 1832. From her family they inherited “several negroes”, then spent considerable time in nursing, feeding, clothing and housing them. Mr. Nash supported the abolition of slavery but thought it should come about gradually with the owners being compensated for their investments. This, as we know, did not happen and “by one act of the government they lost about $6,000.00 worth of them.”
In 1835 and again in 1838 he bought and drove hogs (400 in 1835) to Alabama. Each drive resulted in small profits. Ten years later he drove some mules to Alabama and Mississippi, making little profit, thus ending his stock driving pursuits. In 1835 or 1836 he was chosen by a company of State militia and was commissioned a Captain by the governor and later promoted to Colonel, a designation he carried all his life. He offered his services in the Mexican war, but, being a Democrat, was not selected by the Whig Governor. He and his fellow Democrat officers resigned their commissions as a result of being passed over.
In 1847 he entered politics, running for but not winning a seat in the state legislature. At the next election he ran again, was elected and was a leader in changing state law to provide for the election of judges, sheriff and other local offices rather than the places being filled by appointment. Having read of the lures of far-off Texas, in 1854 he departed Louisville by boat – down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans thence up the Red River to Shreveport, then by horseback he viewed the lands of East, North and Central Texas – deciding to settle nine miles north and somewhat east of Dallas. Using the same route he returned to Kentucky, sold his interests and, with his family, 3 sons-in-law, and his slaves, and with several neighbors formed a wagon train and returned to Texas and struck camp in White Rock bottom near the Greenville Road crossing. He leased and worked farm land between that site and Dallas for four and a half years. He then purchased land from W. W. Keene 10 miles north of Dallas, making this his permanent homesite.
Thomas Jefferson Nash and his wife, Eliza Floed, had fourteen children, namely in age order: Lucy Jane (1833-1911); Martha Marietta (1835-1855), Isabelle Louise (1836-1906), George Washington (1838-1913), Thomas Fletcher (1840-1841), Charles Lafayette (1842-1928), Josephus Jefferson (1844-1879), Matilda Audelia (1846-1862), Mary Eliza (1849-1902), Thomas Fletcher (1850-1908), Albert Redford (1852-1944), Butler Powell (1854), Mildred Elizabeth (1856-1914), Emma Edmonia (1856-1891).
Colonel Nash was elected and served as a County Commissioner in 1860, 1861, 1876, 1877 and 1878. In 1861 he was nominated and served the Texas Secession Convention, considering this to be the most important event in his public career. He supported secession and never regretted his position on the subject. Mr. Nash believed slavery was wrong and supported Henry Clay’s doctrine of gradual emancipation.
Mr. Nash was highly respected by all and often served as the arbitrator when neighbors had problems. He was an avid reader of history, scientific publications, essays upon technical subjects, newspapers and periodicals. He closely studied natural philosophy, chemistry, astronomy, and agriculture. He was a craftsman in wood working, iron, masonry and leather work as well as a good tailor, making shoes and suits for the family and neighbors. In 1868 Mr. R. D. Jones built the first cotton gin in the area. The following year Mr. Nash built and operated the second gin on his farm near his homesite.
He died March 3, 1886, being 77 years of age, in the home of his son, Lafe Nash. He was buried in the family cemetery on the farm which he settled. Years later when the farm was sold the remains of persons buried there were exhumed and reburied in a common grave in the Garland Cemetery on Miller Road. The common grave marker bears the following names: Lucy Nash (January 7, 1775-November 2, 1857), Thomas J. Nash (October 15, 1808-March 3, 1886), Eliza Nash (May 28, 1817-July 7, 1873), Ross (Son of C. L. and Hannah Nash), Josephus J. Nash (July 5, 1844-November 11, 1878), Emma E. West (July 24, 1858-April 22, 1891).
Thomas Jefferson Nash was a true Texas Pioneer, a farmer, a public servant, loving father, dedicated husband, upright in moral and ethical conduct who, joined by his wife Eliza, left a rich heritage respected and carried on by more than a thousand descendants this day.
By Joe B. Motley, great-grandson, Garland
