David M. Quinn
Confederate Soldier and Ex-Sheriff of Jackson County

David M. Quinn was born in Macon, Georgia, on January 18, 1833. His mother died when he was small and his father moved with his family to Mississippi. Here David worked on a plantation and attended school until he was grown.

He joined the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was a member of Company A, 13^th Mississippi Regiment, Farkodale’s Division, afterwards known as Kershaw’s Division, Langstreet Crops, Army of Northern Virginia. He enlisted in 1861 and gave four years’ service to his country, and was mustered out in 1865. He seemed to have thirteen lives (instead of nine like a cat), for he was wounded thirteen times. He received a wound through the abdomen which he suffered at Maryland Heights, at the siege of Harper’s Ferry. He never entirely recovered from this wound and was never able to do heavy physical labor after his service for his country.

After the Civil War Mr. Quinn married at Memphis, Tennessee, in 1872. He sailed at once to Texas, landed at Galveston, moved to Indianola, and then to Corpus Christi. In a few years he moved to Jackson County, settling in the Burnettsville Community, which later became the Blair Community. While living here he made the race for Sheriff of Jackson County and was elected on June 14, 1876. He then moved to the county seat, Texana. He at the time filled the office of sheriff and tax collector. It was dangerous to be a peace officer at this period of time, as there was much drinking and the county was full of cattle thieves, bad men and desperados.

At this time there was not a bank in Jackson County. He had to keep the tax money until enough accumulated, and then he had to carry it to Austin. This was a long, tiresome task as the journey had to be made by horseback. He ran the risk of being robbed while making this journey. He always took some brave men with him and would leave after dark. He made most of the trip by night. He never was robbed, but on one occasion he was unfortunate enough to have his money bag to come untied and spilled a great number of the coins. They did their best to recover all the money in the dark and when they reached Austin, he found that only twenty-five cents was short; he paid it.

After serving his county as sheriff for a number of years, he retired from office. He became a rural mail carrier; being the first to carry mail out on the Cordele route.

David M. Quinn remained a citizen of Jackson County until his death on July 29, 1909.

The Cavalcade of Jackson County, Third Edition, page 411-412
Used by permission of the Jackson County Historical Commission
 

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