Austin Colonist
George Washington Pleasants was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, March 30th, 1809, and came from there to Texas in 1830, and first settled at Columbia, and lived there until 1833. There was a great cholera epidemic that year at Columbia, which nearly depopulated the town. Mr. Pleasants had two sisters to die there; one, Fannie, was the wife of Kinchen Davis, and mother of Captain W. K. Davis, father of Judge J. H. P. Davis, of Richmond. Captain W. K. Davis was a Mier prisoner, as will be seen from the account elsewhere of that expedition.
After the death of his sisters, Mr. Pleasants left Columbia with their children, and went out in the country to live. There were five or six of the Davis children, and two of the others, the names of whom (the latter) the writer has not been able to learn.
When the war commenced with the Mexicans in 1835 Mr. Pleasants went with the army of General Austin to San Antonia, and was in all of the fighting around that place, and helped to storm the town under Colonel Ben Milam. He remained with the army until after the battle of San Jacinto, and then settled in Fort Bend County. In June, 1842, he married Miss Jane Brush, who was born November 5th, 1821. She and her mother, who was a widow, came to Fort Bend on a visit to her sister, also a Mrs. Brush, they having married brothers. This was in an early day, and they came from New York on this visit, and, liking the country, remained here and made it their permanent home.
Mr. Pleasants acted as deputy sheriff under John V. Morton, in 1837 during the year of the organization of the county and election of first officers. He lived to an advanced age, and died in Blanco City, Texas, on the 7th of January 1891, while on, a visit to his daughter, Mrs. West, and his granddaughter, Mis. Spear. Mrs. Pleasants also died at Blanco City while on a visit there on November 1st, 1896. The remains of Mr. Pleasants were taken up one year after he was buried, brought to Richmond, and reentered in the cemetery at that place. Mrs. Pleasants was not buried at Blanco, but conveyed at once to Richmond, and buried beside her husband. Their family consisted of seven children, four boys and three girls, as follows, commencing with the eldest: Francis Cornelia, Mary O., Edward R., Jesse G., Frank P., Guy D. Bryan and Emma B.
Francis. Cornelia married Frank Bell July 11, 1866, she and her husband are now living in Richmond. Mr. Bell came to Texas in May 1854, a native of Alabama, born in Green County, 1825.
Mary O. married Wm. B. Robinson in 1865. Both now dead and buried in Richmond.
Edward R. married Nettie Bell in 1869. Both naw dead and buried in Richmond.
Jesse G. married Ettie Moore in, 1875. He died in 1882. His widow survives, and they had one son, Robert, now in the livery business in Richmond.
Frank P. died young; never married.
Guy Bryan died at nine years of age.
Emma B. married John Nest in 1883. Both are still living.