Wyatt-Shelton Genealogy

From Bluegrass to Bluebonnets______________________________________________________

Descendants Of Jordan & Susannah Wyatt
the second generation

Jordan Wyatt 1820 -1896

Jordan Wyatt,II was the son of Jordan Wyatt and Susannah Welch. He was born in Estell County Kentucky on 2 March 1820.

1846-1848

Arrived Texas by 1846.
Volunteer U.S. Federal Service, Mexican War.
Enlisted with the First Regiment, Texas Mounted Volunteers, better known as the Texas Rangers.First served with Company E, recruited at Cedar Springs, Falls County Texas from July to September 1846, and in John Long's Company, recruited in San Antonio, Texas from May to June 1847.
He re-enlisted for twelve months in company H, recruited in Austin, Texas from June 1847 to June 1848, serving under Captain James S. Gillett.
These companies saw battle on the Rio Grande, and also lost several of their men in skirmishes with the indians.

1849-1850

Jordan married Charlotte Petty in 1849. His Mexican War record states they married in Bexar which at that time was a large Land district.
They appear on the 1850 census of Milam County indicated by * as married within the census year. Jordan's occupation listed as "ferryman."

Charlotte, born about 1824, was the daughter of Theophalus Petty and Charlotte Sorrells. Her parents came from Butler County Kentucky to Texas before 1849, and appear on the same 1850 census of Milam County.
Although both Jordan and Charlotte were born in Kentucky there are no records to indicate that they arrived in Texas together or even knew each other.

Theophalus Charlotte (Sorrells) Petty

1851-1859

Bell County was established in the latter part of 1850 from division of Milam land District, and Jordan appears on the tax rolls of Bell County 1851-54.
According to his Mexican War pension record, the family lived six years in Bell County, one year in Bastrop County and one year in Lampasas County, where he had received a land grant for his war service.

1860-1880

Jordan and Charlotte appear on the census records of Burnet County.

The Civil War period brought increased lawlessness and activity on the part of indian raiders. Some of the men of the county organized into ranger forces to protect their homes and the homes of their neighbors whose menfolk were had gone off to the war.
Jordan was a member of the Ridge Company of Infantry under the leadership of Captain A.J.Ridge; Organized in October 1861. Later he was in Company three under Captain G.C.Bettie, organized in January 1864.

In 1875 Jordan and Charlotte purchased 160 acres along the east bank of the Colorado River near McAnnely's Bend. This land, a part of the William Hargrove 640 acre headright, was purchased from the heirs of John Giddings for the sum of $42.00. The deed states that Jordan Wyatt had been living on this land for "many years."

Farming and ranching was the main way of living in that area and Jordan was primarily a farmer, but he did run few cattle under the brand "WY".
It was on this farm that he and Charlotte raised their five boys and two girls:

William Bell Wyatt ,Andrew Jackson Wyatt , Isom R.Wyatt , Susannah Wyatt ,
Mary Charlotte Wyatt , Jordan Wyatt iii , Marcus Wyatt

Across the river and a little downstream of the Wyatt Farm was the town of Bluffton destined to be moved to a new townsite in 1936, was at this time in history a thriving little community. Built along the banks of the river, a hotel, cafe, feed store, grist mill, and a ferry operation was among its establishments.
Bluffton also boasted quite a saloon, and cowboys "shooting it up" was not uncommon.
Many of the pioneers of Bluffton have descendants remaining in the area today. Among them are the Herridges, a family allied with the Wyatts by marridge.

Charlotte died on 5 July 1889, and Jordan died 4 march 1896. Both are buried in Tow, Llano County. Their gravestones still stand and are legible.

NOTES & SOURCES:

Family interviews.
Muster rolls, Mexican-American War.
Ranger Muster Rolls, Lone Star Guards, Texas State Archives, Austin.
Census and Tax records, Milam, Bell and Burnet Counties.
History of Bell County Texas, by George W. Tyler, page 103.
History of Burnet County Texas, by M.G. Bowden.
Burnet County Records, Deed Book J, page 110.
Register of Brands, Burnet County Records.
Pension Application #C6700, Mexican War, National Archives, Washington DC.
Additions and corrections to these pages are welcome.