Person:James Torbett (14)

Name	James Henry Torbett
Gender	Male
Birth`^?`	10 Jun 1823	Greenville, Augusta Co., VA
Marriage		to Sarah A. Herndon
Death^[1]	14 Aug 1913	Gunter, TX
Burial^[1]		1st Street Cemetery, Waco, Texas

Source; "The T Trail" by Don Tarbet Quoting ; "The Handbook of Waco & McLennon County" James Henry Torbett was born in 1823 at Greenville, VA, and grew up on the family farme in Virginia, Tennessee, and Georgia. As a member off a company of Virginians equipped by his uncle to defend the Texas frontier against the Indians in 1842, he was one of the first white persons to come to Waco. The company made it's way to the frontier by way of the old Caddo Trail and forded the Brazos river between Waco Creek and Barrons Branch where it visited the Waco Indian village.

In 1845 James H. volunteered for service in one of the regiments raised by the United States for the Mexican War and served two years. He went from Corpus Christi to Brownsville, then to Vere Cruz under General Zachary Taylor and was with the army of occupation in Mexico City under General Winfield Scott. (During this campaign his brother Hugh, who enlisted with him, lost his life south of the city.)

After his discharge, he returned to Georgia where he married Sarah A. Herndon of Rome GA. In 1853 he moved to Texas, settling first in Wood County, then in Johnson county. During the Civil War he served with a Texas regiment, the 17th (Consolidated) Regiment, Texas Dismounted Cavalry.

He also served with the 20th Regiment, Texas Cavalry (Bass), and the 10th Regiment, Texas Infantry (Nelson's) He settled in Waco in 1865 and served as deputy sheriff of McLennan County under Peter McClellan during reconstruction. He also served as Deputy District Clerk under Charles Beatty, Recorder of the City of Waco from 1874 to 1878, Alderman from the First Ward for three terms, and engaged in various business enterprises. In the 1860's he was the Supervisor of the Federal Census of 1880 for his congressional district.

James H. died a Gunter on August 14, 1913, and was buried in First Street Cemetery at Waco.

James is buried next to his wife Sarah A.

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