Signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Jesse Grimes was born in the Duplin County area of North Carolina on February 6, 1788.
In 1812, Jesse served in Capt. John Looney's Company of Infantry, West Tennessee Militia, War of 1812. In 1813 he married Martha Smith, a highly educated lady for that time. A son, Robert was born (1814), a daughter Harriet Elizabeth (1815). They moved to Greens County, Georgia in 1816 where Alfred Calvin was born (1817) and later Rufus (1819). In 1820 they moved to Washington County, Alabama and Lucinda (born 1821), and Jacob (born 1822). Mary Jane (b: 1823), and twins William Ward and Martha Ann (born 1824) were born. Martha died giving birth to the twins.

In 1826 Jesse married Rosana (Ward) Britton (1803-1871). They came to Texas in 1827, settling first in Montgomery County, later moved to what is now Grimes County. The second marriage produced 6 more children: Gordon (b:1830), Harvey (born 1832), Leonard (born 1833), Helen (born 1835), Emily L. (born 1838), and Nancy (born 1840).
He first settled in Stephen Austin's second colony on the San Jacinto River but the following year moved to the area now known as Grimes County.

He signed up with the Texas militia as a first lieutenant in the Austin Battalion in 1829 and over the next few years held many key positions in the provisional government. Elected as one of the Washington County delegates for the Convention of 1836 to discuss the coming secession and war with Mexico, he traveled to Washington-on-the-Brazos and there signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. After Texas won its independence, he was elected to the Senate of the Texas Congress as the Washington County delegate from October 1836 to September 1837; when he moved to Montgomery County, he served in the Senate again from November 1841 to December 1843, then again in 1845.

Grimes County was named for him in 1846 by petition of his constituents in honor of his work. Jesse Grimes died on March 15, 1866 and was buried in a small cemetery outside of Navasota. In 1929, the remains of he and his second wife were reinterred in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin in recognition of his service to the Republic of Texas.

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Jesse Grimes was the son of Sampson (Samson)Grimes b: 8/10/1749, VA - d: 1812, NC and Bathsheba Winder b: 7/3/1756 - d: 1817. They were married 6/10/1780 in Dublin, NC

In 1812, Jesse served in Capt. John Looney's Company of Infantry, West Tennessee Militia, War of 1812. In 1813 he married Martha Smith, a highly educated lady for that time. A son, Robert was born (1814), a daughter Harriet Elizabeth (1815). They moved to Greens County, Georgia in 1816 where Alfred Calvin was born (1817)and later Rufus (1819). In 1820 they moved to Washington County, Alabama and Lucinda (b: 1821), and Jacob (b:1822). Mary Jane (b: 1823), and Twins William Ward and Martha Ann (b: 1824) were born. Martha died giving birth to the twins.

In 1826 Jesse married Rosana Ward Britton (1803-1871). They came to Texas in 1827, settling first in Montgomery County, later moved to what is now Grimes County. The second marriage produced 6 more children: Gordon (b:1830), Harvey (b: 1832), Leonard (b:1833), Helen (b: 1835), Emily L. (B: 1838), and Nancy (b: 1840).

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GRIMES, JESSE
Jesse Grimes was born in Dublin county, North Carolina, February 6, 1788. He was a son of Sampson Grimes (born in Virginia, August 10, 1749) and Bethsheba Grimes (born July 3, 1756), a daughter of John and Ann Wirtder of the state of Maryland. Young Jesse Grimes left North Carolina in 1817 and moved into Alabama, from which state he came to Texas, arriving at the Sabine River in December of 1826. He settled first on the San Jacinto river, at a point about ten miles above its junction with Buffalo Bayou He remained here only about one year, for in the fall of 1827, he settled in what is now Grimes County in what soon came to be known as Grimes Prairie Community. Here he engaged in farming and stock raising. His, however, was not a typical southern plantation. He gave little attention to cotton bur seems to have done diversified farming. He was a slave owner but seems never to have been very enthusiastic for the institution. He never owned more than three or four slaves at one time, and when the question of secession came up, Grimes took the same attitude as did Sam Houston.' Few men took greater interest in the political affairs of that period than did Jesse Grimes. He was elected sindico of the precinct of Viesca, December 19, 1830. In the following year, he was elected regidor of the ayuntamiento of San Felipe de Austin. Jesse Grimes was a member of the Consultation in 1835. This body appointed him to serve as a member of the General Council, in November of 1835, and while in the General Council he was one of the committee on Land and Indian Affairs. Jesse Grimes was also a member of the General Convention of March, 1836, and his name appears among the signers of the Declaration of Independence proclaimed March 17, 1836. He also signed the first Constitution of the Republic of Texas, adopted March 17, 1836, a Grimes continued an active participant in the affairs of the Republic of Texas, serving as a member of the Senate in the First and Ninth Congress, and as a member of the House in the Sixth. Seventh, and Eighth. After Texas became a state, Grimes continued as a member of the Senate in all legislatures except the fifth down to the year 1857. Politically. Jesse Grimes was affiliated with the Democratic Party. As stated above, however, he was opposed to secession. In a letter to J. D Cordova, Esq., dated March 26, 1857, Grimes comments upon his public career as follows: Jesse Grimes was married twice. His first wife's maiden name was Martha Smith (born August 4, 1879, in Alabama) who died in 1824. They were married in 1815 and nine children were born to the union, namely: Robert Henry (born October 12, 1814), Harriet Elizabeth (born August 20, 1816), Alfred Calvin (born December 30, 1817), who was killed in the Alamo in 1836, Rufus (born July 23, 1819), Lucinda (born October 15,1820; died in early childhood), Jacob (born March 28, 1822; died 1855), Mary Jane (born May 5, 1823; died in early childhood), William Ward (born November 16, 1824; died in early childhood), and Martha Ann (born November 16, 1824), twin to William Ward. The second marriage of Jesse Grimes was to Miss Rosanna Ward Britton (born December 31, 1803; died in Grimes County, December 6,1870), whom he married in Alabama in the year 1826. She was a daughter of Frances and Mary (Ward) Britton, who had immigrated to Alabama from South Carolina. There were six children born to this second marriage, namely: Gordon (born November 28, 1829; died in early childhood), Harvey (born June 14, 1831; died at age of twenty-three years) Leonard (died in childhood), Helen (February 13, 1835) Emily (born June 10, 1838), and Nancy (born April 25. 1840). The writer has found that in spite of the large family reared by Jesse Grimes, there are very few descendant now living. None have been located by the name of Grimes Mrs W. C. Preston, now of Fort Worth, Texas, was formerly Miss Anna Ehlinger. Her mother was Nancy Grimes, who was the youngest daughter of Jesse Grimes by his second wife. Mrs. W. C. Preston seems the best authority on the present whereabouts of the descendants of Jesse Grimes. The unusual fatality in the family is said to have been caused by tuberculosis. (Early History of Grimes County by E.L. Blair M.A. 1930 -