THOMAS ASA MOUNTS
The venerable Texas pioneer and subject of this article is a distinguished citizen of Clay County and a long time resident of the Lone Star State. Few men now living in it's borders have been Texan's for 62 years; fewer whose lives have spanned an era of such unprecedented growth and development as has occured in this commonwealth since it's admission into the union of states.

Thomas Asa Mounts was born in Greene Co., Illinois, January 2, 1827. Jessie Mounts, his father, was of French descent and settled in Illinois in 1831. His French ancestors settled in the state of Maryland from which point his descendants drifted south into the border of states of Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennesee. Jesse Mounts was a leading citizen of Greene Co., as is evidenced by his selection as a commissioner of the county. In 1841, having acquired a liking for frontier life, and having advised himself of the social conditions then existing in the Republic of Texas, he decided to cast his lot with it, and in 1843, brought his family to his new location. He stopped first in Lamar Co., but was granted land by Texan emigration and Land Co. in what was known as the Peters Colony and a year later located on south line of Collin County. He reside also in Dallas County,where he served as one one of it's county commissioners prior to the war. He was a farmer wherever he lived and died in Collin Co., in 1866 at 66 years of age. He was a soldier in the Blackhawk War, enlisting in Illinois which furnished him his sole military experience. He was married in Greene County Illinois to Nancy Harris, who died in Texas.
The issue of Jessie and Nancy Mounts; Rebecca Perkins, who died in Collin Co., leaving a family;
John who died in Waniwood, Indian Terr. without issue;
Elizabeth Fisher, who died in McEllanan Co.; leaving 3 children( Amena P., Viola, and Ella, all deceased);
Thomas Asa Mounts has 4 living children, 6 dead;
Eliza J. Witt died in Austin leaving 1 son who died in Vera Cruz Mexico, while a U.S. soldier in the war with Mexico.

Thomas Asa Mounts was 16 years old when he first saw Texas, then a Republic only 7 years of age. Being a frontier youth, his education was of the pick-up kind; reading, writing, and a little ciphering was all he was able to obtain. he was married first in Denton Co. at 20 years of age to Evaline Harmonson, a settler there from Arkansas. His wife died in Grayson Co., ten years later, where they had moved in 1852. Mr. Mounts had lived in Lamar, Collin, and Dallas County while with his father, and his home in Grayson Co. for some 10 years was 14 miles south of Sherman but in 1862 he moved near Cleburne and remained there 3 years; then he returned to Collin Co., and was a farmer near Van Alstyne until 1880; then he took up his location in Clay County.

By his union with Evaline Harmonson, Mr. Mounts had 5 daughters:
Serena McWhorter, deceased,had 11 children
Anne Creager, deceased, had 5 children
Josephine Mahair, deceased, had 3 children
Rebecca Gill, deceased, no children
Mattie Bryan,living, 1 child.

In 1859 Mr. Mounts married his second wife who was Susan Jane Carruth, daughter of Alexander and Betsy Carruth from Tennesee. Mrs. Mounts was born in 1835, died in Clay Co., Sept. 16, 1904. To this union were born 4 daughters and one son:
Angeline McKinney,deceased, had 3 sons
Bettie Smythe,deceased, had two daughters
Thomas Franklin Mounts, living, had 3 girls and 3 boys
Maude Orton,living, had 1 girl and 4 boys
Kate Kelly,living, had 3 girls and 4 boys

In 1846, Mr Mounts enlisted and was mustered in at Matamoros Mexico, in the 2nd Texas Infantry, U.S. Troops, for 3 months service in Mexican War. His Col. in command was George T. Woods, and Captain was E.M. Weller, commander of his company. Following the battle of Monterey in which he participated, he was mustered out owing to the expiration of his enlistment. He returned to former rural life. During the Civil War he belonged to a company of Home Guards, but was never called into the field for active duty.

In the matter of politics, the Mounts have supported Democratic principals in State and National affairs, but in the settlement of county affairs our subject has never failed to prefer the man to party, and a good man in whatever party, never failed of his confidence and support. He is a Master Mason, having joined the order in 1863.

Where Mr. Mounts settled 2 miles east of Bellevue in Clay Co., was his home until the death of his wife. The loss of his companion broke up his home, and the happier days of his last days were spent visiting among his children and grandchildren. He died at the ripe old age of 87. As the years had lengthened out and old age had crept upon him, he became vividly conscious that his life had spanned an era incomparably the greatest of our national life. He died March 26, 1914.

Author Unknown, written sometime between 1933 and 1951