Today marks the 160th anniversary for Thomas Gooch and Verlinda Jennings, my Great-great grandparents.
And index to Williamson County marriages records their marriage as 7 Mar 1852. A later pension file gives it as 1852, but the county record is more reliable.
—-G. McLin, Williamson County, Texas Marriage Records 1849-1860 ([S.l. : s.n., 198-?]), p. 3.
One month later they purchased land near Verlinda’s family. Here is an abstract of that record. William Jennings was her father:
22 April 1852- …I, G.W. Glassock of [Williamson County] have bargained unto Thomas Gooch, of [Williamson Co] …land on the waters of Berrys Creek for the consideration of one hundred dollars to me in hand paid by Thomas Gooch…Beginning at William Ginnings [William Jennings] North west corner; thence South 71 West 894 varas to the east line of 640 acres surveyed for J.M. Glassock bears a stone corner; thence South 19 East 1205 varas to the corner of said six hundred forty acre tract a live oak bears 35 East 40 varas another bears South 32 West 32 varas; thence N71E; 894v to W. Jennings thence N19W with Jennings line 1205 varas to the beginning, containing one hundred and ninety acres of more or less…G.W. GLASSOCK (seal) attest: J.B. BERRY
—-Texas. Williamson County Clerk, Texas, Williamson Co. – Deeds, 1848-1902; Index, 1835-1904 ([S.l.] : Southern Microfilm Corp., 1973, 1988-1989, Salt Lake City : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah), Film #0977901, v. 3, p. 234.
Here is a link to an explanation of what a “vara” was. (Hint: it is an early unit of measurement for lands that were once under Spanish control.)
Here is a link to an explanation of the “metes and bounds” system for surveying land.
A year and a half later he purchased more land:
27 Dec 1853- …we, Joseph P. Pulsifer of Jefferson County, and William Brazier of Williamson Co…for…the sum of seventy-five dollars to us in hand paid by Thomas Gooch…have sold…to Thomas Gooch…land situated in Williamson Co…being a part of two blocks, numbering 25 and 26, containing sixty six and a half acres of land more or less. Beginning at the NE corner of fraction S. of block 26; and running S 71 degrees W 79.5 varas crossing North San Gabriel to the NW corner of said block 26; from thence S 19 degrees E to the middle San Gabriel, thence N with the meanderings of said stream to the junction of said stream with the North San Gabriel, thence with the main channel of the North San Gabriel to the E boundary of the fraction S of block 26; Thence N 19 W to the place of beginning as represented, upon a plat recorded in Land Register No. 5 page 76 in the County Court of said Williamson County; being a portion of the third of a league of land patented to Joseph P. Pulsifer, and recorded in the aforesaid office…and I William Brazier for the said Joseph P. Pulsifer, for our heirs…witness my hand…this 27th December 1853…Brazier Pulsifer, by William Brazier,atty, for Joseph P. Pulsifer.
—Texas. Williamson County Clerk, Texas, Williamson Co. – Deeds, 1848-1902; Index, 1835-1904 ([S.l.] : Southern Microfilm Corp., 1973, 1988-1989, Salt Lake City : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah), Film #0977902, p. 101.
Less than three months later they purchased more land:
7 Feb 1854- …we, Joseph P. Pulsifer of Jefferson Co and William Brazier of Williamson Co…for…eighty dollars to us in hand paid by Thomas Gooch of…Williamson, …do…sell…land in Williamson Co…being a block of forty acres of land No 28 as represents upon the Record of the County of said Williamson County Court, by a platt or map recorded in Land Register No 5 page 76 being a portion of the third of a league of land patented to the said Joseph P. Pulsifer…Witness our hands and seals this 7th day of February 1854. ..Joseph P. Pulsifer, William Brazier, by J.B. Harrell, their attorney in fact.
—Texas. Williamson County Clerk, Texas, Williamson Co. – Deeds, 1848-1902; Index, 1835-1904 ([S.l.] : Southern Microfilm Corp., 1973, 1988-1989, Salt Lake City : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah), Film #0977902, p. 203.
On Granny's Trail 