Alfred was born in Tennessee to his Parents: Dr. John Green Thurmond and Ann Louisa Sturgis.
He relocated to Texas in 1836 to join the army but arrived after the Texas Revolution.
In 1842-44 he served as a Spanish Interpreter for the Republic of Texas under the Command of: Col. W. S. Fisher until the Command fell into the hands of the Mexicans while on the Mier Expedition. It was decreed that one in ten of the 176 men were to be executed under Col. Juan de Dios Ortiz direction and Alfred was required to interpret the sentence to the prisoners. The 176 beans were placed into a large jar; 17 Black, 159 White. Captain E. Cameron was the 1st to extract a White bean followed by his Officers. When all the beans were drawn, seventeen men were blindfolded and tied up facing an Old Hacienda. They were then fired upon for 10-12 min until their bodies were ripped apart, almost beyond recognition.
About a month later both Alfred and his Captain E. Cameron were manacled together and taken to Mexico City. Then, by order of General Santa Ana, they stood Captain Cameron in front of a wall in Huehuetoca, and shot him. Alfred and the remaining men were held as prisoners until his subsequent discharge on Sept 16, 1844.
His duties as interpreter during his capture entitled him to both Rank and Pay as "Major" while only having been mustered in as a Private. He performed his duties as Ranger and Interpreter until his release from Perote Prison. Unfortunately when payment was issued, he was paid at the Rank of "Private" because he was in California and not present to dispute the settlement at the time. His wife later submitted a Petition to the State of Texas but her request was declined.
Alfred served as Town Marshall of Victoria during Rafael Vasquez Raid and joined in the aid of San Antonio. While still imprisoned, he was reelected Town Marshall (1847-1848). He was also elected Sheriff of Victoria County on 7/13/1846 and reelected 8/7/1848 until 8/5/1850.
He married Julia A. McGrew on Oct 4, 1848, in Victoria, Texas. The couple had one son named: Alfred McGrew Thurmond.
During his service as a lawman, he studied law and became and Attorney when he was admitted to the bar in 1853. He was then 37 years old.
On Sep 16, 1861, he enrolled as a Confederate in the Civil War. His initial Rank was First Lieutenant in the 7th Cavalry (7th Mounted Volunteers; Third Regiment, Sibley's Brigade). He was later Elected to the Rank of "Captain" on Feb 23, 1862, and became a Commissioned officer in Company A, Texas 7th Cavalry Regiment. When the War ended he took the Oath of Amnesty on July 29, 1865, and retired to his ranch at Mesquite Landing, Refugio County, TX.
He also served in the Texas House of Representatives as follows:
Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870 - 11th Legislature
Jan 14, 1873 - Jan 13, 1874 - 13th Legislature
Finally, Alfred Sturgis Thurmond went on a Sailing boat for a Prospecting Tour, bound for Tuxpan, Mexico on Jan 21, 1875; but never returned. He was lost at Sea sometime in Jan 1876.
He relocated to Texas in 1836 to join the army but arrived after the Texas Revolution.
In 1842-44 he served as a Spanish Interpreter for the Republic of Texas under the Command of: Col. W. S. Fisher until the Command fell into the hands of the Mexicans while on the Mier Expedition. It was decreed that one in ten of the 176 men were to be executed under Col. Juan de Dios Ortiz direction and Alfred was required to interpret the sentence to the prisoners. The 176 beans were placed into a large jar; 17 Black, 159 White. Captain E. Cameron was the 1st to extract a White bean followed by his Officers. When all the beans were drawn, seventeen men were blindfolded and tied up facing an Old Hacienda. They were then fired upon for 10-12 min until their bodies were ripped apart, almost beyond recognition.
About a month later both Alfred and his Captain E. Cameron were manacled together and taken to Mexico City. Then, by order of General Santa Ana, they stood Captain Cameron in front of a wall in Huehuetoca, and shot him. Alfred and the remaining men were held as prisoners until his subsequent discharge on Sept 16, 1844.
His duties as interpreter during his capture entitled him to both Rank and Pay as "Major" while only having been mustered in as a Private. He performed his duties as Ranger and Interpreter until his release from Perote Prison. Unfortunately when payment was issued, he was paid at the Rank of "Private" because he was in California and not present to dispute the settlement at the time. His wife later submitted a Petition to the State of Texas but her request was declined.
Alfred served as Town Marshall of Victoria during Rafael Vasquez Raid and joined in the aid of San Antonio. While still imprisoned, he was reelected Town Marshall (1847-1848). He was also elected Sheriff of Victoria County on 7/13/1846 and reelected 8/7/1848 until 8/5/1850.
He married Julia A. McGrew on Oct 4, 1848, in Victoria, Texas. The couple had one son named: Alfred McGrew Thurmond.
During his service as a lawman, he studied law and became and Attorney when he was admitted to the bar in 1853. He was then 37 years old.
On Sep 16, 1861, he enrolled as a Confederate in the Civil War. His initial Rank was First Lieutenant in the 7th Cavalry (7th Mounted Volunteers; Third Regiment, Sibley's Brigade). He was later Elected to the Rank of "Captain" on Feb 23, 1862, and became a Commissioned officer in Company A, Texas 7th Cavalry Regiment. When the War ended he took the Oath of Amnesty on July 29, 1865, and retired to his ranch at Mesquite Landing, Refugio County, TX.
He also served in the Texas House of Representatives as follows:
Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870 - 11th Legislature
Jan 14, 1873 - Jan 13, 1874 - 13th Legislature
Finally, Alfred Sturgis Thurmond went on a Sailing boat for a Prospecting Tour, bound for Tuxpan, Mexico on Jan 21, 1875; but never returned. He was lost at Sea sometime in Jan 1876.
Alfred was born in Tennessee to his Parents: Dr. John Green Thurmond and Ann Louisa Sturgis.
He relocated to Texas in 1836 to join the army but arrived after the Texas Revolution.
In 1842-44 he served as a Spanish Interpreter for the Republic of Texas under the Command of: Col. W. S. Fisher until the Command fell into the hands of the Mexicans while on the Mier Expedition. It was decreed that one in ten of the 176 men were to be executed under Col. Juan de Dios Ortiz direction and Alfred was required to interpret the sentence to the prisoners. The 176 beans were placed into a large jar; 17 Black, 159 White. Captain E. Cameron was the 1st to extract a White bean followed by his Officers. When all the beans were drawn, seventeen men were blindfolded and tied up facing an Old Hacienda. They were then fired upon for 10-12 min until their bodies were ripped apart, almost beyond recognition.
About a month later both Alfred and his Captain E. Cameron were manacled together and taken to Mexico City. Then, by order of General Santa Ana, they stood Captain Cameron in front of a wall in Huehuetoca, and shot him. Alfred and the remaining men were held as prisoners until his subsequent discharge on Sept 16, 1844.
His duties as interpreter during his capture entitled him to both Rank and Pay as "Major" while only having been mustered in as a Private. He performed his duties as Ranger and Interpreter until his release from Perote Prison. Unfortunately when payment was issued, he was paid at the Rank of "Private" because he was in California and not present to dispute the settlement at the time. His wife later submitted a Petition to the State of Texas but her request was declined.
Alfred served as Town Marshall of Victoria during Rafael Vasquez Raid and joined in the aid of San Antonio. While still imprisoned, he was reelected Town Marshall (1847-1848). He was also elected Sheriff of Victoria County on 7/13/1846 and reelected 8/7/1848 until 8/5/1850.
He married Julia A. McGrew on Oct 4, 1848, in Victoria, Texas. The couple had one son named: Alfred McGrew Thurmond.
During his service as a lawman, he studied law and became and Attorney when he was admitted to the bar in 1853. He was then 37 years old.
On Sep 16, 1861, he enrolled as a Confederate in the Civil War. His initial Rank was First Lieutenant in the 7th Cavalry (7th Mounted Volunteers; Third Regiment, Sibley's Brigade). He was later Elected to the Rank of "Captain" on Feb 23, 1862, and became a Commissioned officer in Company A, Texas 7th Cavalry Regiment. When the War ended he took the Oath of Amnesty on July 29, 1865, and retired to his ranch at Mesquite Landing, Refugio County, TX.
He also served in the Texas House of Representatives as follows:
Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870 - 11th Legislature
Jan 14, 1873 - Jan 13, 1874 - 13th Legislature
Finally, Alfred Sturgis Thurmond went on a Sailing boat for a Prospecting Tour, bound for Tuxpan, Mexico on Jan 21, 1875; but never returned. He was lost at Sea sometime in Jan 1876.
He relocated to Texas in 1836 to join the army but arrived after the Texas Revolution.
In 1842-44 he served as a Spanish Interpreter for the Republic of Texas under the Command of: Col. W. S. Fisher until the Command fell into the hands of the Mexicans while on the Mier Expedition. It was decreed that one in ten of the 176 men were to be executed under Col. Juan de Dios Ortiz direction and Alfred was required to interpret the sentence to the prisoners. The 176 beans were placed into a large jar; 17 Black, 159 White. Captain E. Cameron was the 1st to extract a White bean followed by his Officers. When all the beans were drawn, seventeen men were blindfolded and tied up facing an Old Hacienda. They were then fired upon for 10-12 min until their bodies were ripped apart, almost beyond recognition.
About a month later both Alfred and his Captain E. Cameron were manacled together and taken to Mexico City. Then, by order of General Santa Ana, they stood Captain Cameron in front of a wall in Huehuetoca, and shot him. Alfred and the remaining men were held as prisoners until his subsequent discharge on Sept 16, 1844.
His duties as interpreter during his capture entitled him to both Rank and Pay as "Major" while only having been mustered in as a Private. He performed his duties as Ranger and Interpreter until his release from Perote Prison. Unfortunately when payment was issued, he was paid at the Rank of "Private" because he was in California and not present to dispute the settlement at the time. His wife later submitted a Petition to the State of Texas but her request was declined.
Alfred served as Town Marshall of Victoria during Rafael Vasquez Raid and joined in the aid of San Antonio. While still imprisoned, he was reelected Town Marshall (1847-1848). He was also elected Sheriff of Victoria County on 7/13/1846 and reelected 8/7/1848 until 8/5/1850.
He married Julia A. McGrew on Oct 4, 1848, in Victoria, Texas. The couple had one son named: Alfred McGrew Thurmond.
During his service as a lawman, he studied law and became and Attorney when he was admitted to the bar in 1853. He was then 37 years old.
On Sep 16, 1861, he enrolled as a Confederate in the Civil War. His initial Rank was First Lieutenant in the 7th Cavalry (7th Mounted Volunteers; Third Regiment, Sibley's Brigade). He was later Elected to the Rank of "Captain" on Feb 23, 1862, and became a Commissioned officer in Company A, Texas 7th Cavalry Regiment. When the War ended he took the Oath of Amnesty on July 29, 1865, and retired to his ranch at Mesquite Landing, Refugio County, TX.
He also served in the Texas House of Representatives as follows:
Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870 - 11th Legislature
Jan 14, 1873 - Jan 13, 1874 - 13th Legislature
Finally, Alfred Sturgis Thurmond went on a Sailing boat for a Prospecting Tour, bound for Tuxpan, Mexico on Jan 21, 1875; but never returned. He was lost at Sea sometime in Jan 1876.
