Jesse D. Brothers
Jesse D. Brothers, b March 1, 1814 in Tennessee, d December 30, 1862 on "Old Blue Ridge (present-day Stranger), Falls County, Texas and buried in present- day Blue Ridge Cemetery, married March 4, 1841 in Bowie County, Texas to Matilda Barzilla Maulding, b June 23,1825 in Shelby County, Tennessee, d January 14, 1906 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery - a daughter of Presley and Catherine (Barzilla) Maulding who emigrated to Texas when it was still the state of Coahuila under the Mexican Flag. Jesse D. Brothers- a friend and admirer of General Sam Houston, came also in the 1830's, and was a ward of his future wife's father. In 1840, both Jesse D. Brothers and the Presley Maulding family were residents in Red River County, Texas, and both signed the Petition in 1840 to establish a new county to be called "Bowie County."By 1850, Presley Maulding had died, and his widow, Catherine (Barzilla) Maulding was residing in the new Bowie County with six of her younger children who were not yet married: James, John, Taylor, William, Nancy Ann, and Elizabeth Maulding were at home; Presley Maulding, Jr. had married December 25, 1843 in Harrison County, Texas to Isabella V. Mabry, and was in his own home; Matilda Maulding had married March 4, 1841 to Jesse D. Brothers, and was in her own home; and was a son whose initial was "R." Maulding was also gone from the home. Three of these Maulding sisters married and settled in Falls County; Matilda (Maulding) Brothers, Elizabeth (Maulding) Roberts, and Nancy Ann (Maulding) Blaylock.
In 1851, Jesse D. Brothers, his 60 slaves, wife, and four children passed through the area now known as Stranger, Falls County, Texas - intending to move westward. They camped under the big oak tree (which fell several years ago), which stood in the middle of the road in what became the "business district" of Stranger - just in front of the acreage on which David and Dorcas (Menefee) Barclay lived in a log cabin. The Barclays provided the Brothers family with fresh produce, milk, and meat, and it has been said that it took "a cow a day" to feed the family and slaves. Jesse D. began his journey after a few days of rest, and traveled several days; but the memory of the sandy loam land of the prairie and the beauty and fertility of old Blue Ridge (present-day Stranger) caused him to turn his wagon caravan around, and they returned to camp again under the old oak tree in front of Barclay's home, until Jesse bought land and built his own family and slave's cabins on the high hill overlooking Big Creek and the vast lands between his land and Marlin, Texas.
Jesse D. and Matilda Barzilla (Maulding) Brothers were the parents of ten children:
James Brothers, b 1844 in Texas - married ca 1866 to Nancy Amanda Bell, b ca 1846 in South Carolina - a daughter of Samuel and Anna Bell- natives of South Carolina who had settled in Stranger, Falls County, Texas. The only identified child of James and Amanda (Bell) Brothers is James Milton Brothers, b October 1867, who married in 1887 to Sarah ("Sallie") Griffith, b July 1869 in Texas-a daughter of Leonard Lenore and Sarah (Owens) Griffith, and had Griffith Brothers b July 6, 1891, d January 21, 1900 and buried in Stranger Cemetery; Samuel Brothers, b ca 1895; Infant Son Brothers, b September 16, 1896, d October 12, 1896 and buried in Stranger Cemetery; Infant Brothers, b & d September 18, 1898 and buried in Stranger Cemetery; Travis Brothers, b ca 1900; a daughter, Ire- dell Brothers, b ca 1902; daughter Lilla (or Lila) Brothers, b ca 1905.
Milton Brothers, b May 3, 1846 in Texas, d February 21, 1873 on Big Creek in Falls County, Texas, at the hands of his companions while rustling cattle. He was buried by his father in present - day Blue Ridge Cemetery. He was not married.
William Brothers, b 1848 in Texas - was called "Uncle Billy" by almost everyone, and never married. He took the young men of Stranger on night fox hunts.
Mary Catherine Brothers, b 1851 in Texas - married a Mr. Stalbridge, and moved to Nederland, Texas.
Charles Brothers, b 1853 at Stranger, Falls County, Texas - no further information.
Infant Son Brothers, b & d 1854 - said to be buried in Garrett Cemetery at Stranger, Texas.
Nancy Brothers, b 1856 at Stranger - married first to David Crockett Kay - a son of Harris and Sarah (Dunn) Kay. Soon after their marriage, David was trying to pull a wagon out of the mud in which it was stuck. The wagon fell on him, killing him. David and Nancy had no children, and on April 15, 1870, Nancy (Brothers) Kay married second to C. M. Jack- son.
Taylor Franklin Brothers, b August 4, 1857 at Stranger, d October 11, 1914 - married Lenora Eliza- beth Pool (called "Nora'), b August 28, 1863 at Stranger, d February 3, 1943 - a daughter of Elias and Margaret (Bell) Pool.
Jesse Barzilla Brothers, b August 4, 1859 at Stranger, d March 3, 1933 - married Laura E. Hufs- tetler, b April 10, 1869 in Tennessee, d December 25, 1963 - a daughter of Mrs. Elvina Hufstetler. Her father had died during the Civil War, and his name has not been found. Laura's sister, Margaret Hufstetler, married James Leland McCoy, and they also settled in Stranger, Falls County, Texas.
Jefferson Davis Brothers, b December 23, 1861 at Stranger, d September 8, 1869 and buried in present- day Blue Ridge Cemetery by his parents and brother, Milton.
Jesse D. Brothers joined the Confederate States Army as the Civil War began (at age 47) to "defend his rights" as a large slave owner. While in the army, he caught the measles and was furloughed to recuperate. He had a relapse and died.
In 1867, Mrs. Matilda Barzilla (Maulding) Brothers married secondly to W. H. W. Williams, and they had two daughters:
Ida Maudee Williams, b 1869, d 1945 - married Abner W. Eddins, b 1866, d 1942 and both buried in Stranger Cemetery.
Infant Daughter Williams, b & d 1870.
W. H. W. Williams, b March 8, 1844, d November 23, 1869 before the birth and death of his second daughter, and was buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery by Matilda's first husband and two sons. When Matilda Barzilla (Maulding) Brothers Williams died in 1906 at Stranger, she asked to be buried "by her beloved companion of her youth," and she was buried by Jesse D. Brothers in Blue Ridge Cemetery, with her two sons and second husband nearby.
Some biographies from "Families of Falls County", compiled and edited by the Falls County Historical Commission.
Permission granted to Theresa Carhart by the Falls County Historical Commission, for use on this page.
