John Ross Kegans 1817-1897

Was the Son of;
James William Kegans 1778 – 1826
Agnes Marie Wolfe 1780 –

Was a sibling of;

James Kegans 1802 – 1836
Mahala Kegans 1803 – 1849
Nancy Ann Kegans 1809 – 1870
Sarah Kegans 1812 – 1846
Hamilton Kegans 1815 – 1865
Washington Secrest Kegans 1819 –

Husband of;

Clarinda Pevehouse 1824 – 1898

Children of Clarinda Pevehouse and John Ross Kegans;

Mary Clarinda Kegans 1845 –
James Bingham Kegans 1847 – 1935
John Hamilton Kegans 1848 – 1926
Sally Kegans 1850 – 1854
Elizabeth Jane Kegans 1853 – 1919
Nancy Eleanor Kegans 1855 – 1956
Elsie Kegans 1858 – 1900
America Kegans 1859 – 1936
Nellie Gray Kegans 1861 – 1949
William Foster Kegans 1864 – 1945

John Ross Kegans 1817-1897

****************************************
From the remembrances of Nancy Eleanor Kegans Tweedle, on her father John Ross Kegans

appeared in an interview in a Temple, TX newspaper, 1935.

Mrs. Tweedle's father, John Kegans, came to Texas in 1826 and settled in Brazoria county with his family. He was a member of the Summervelle expedition to

the Rio Grande in 1841, was a chapter Mason and belonged to the Methodist church. He moved to Bell county in 1854 and settled on the Big Elm near the present

town of Oenaville. He lived in a tent until he was able to erect a log cabin in which the family lived for years. At that time many wild animals roamed this

section, Mrs. Tweedle recalls, including bears, wolves, wildcats and rattlesnakes so large that they had to be shot..

On a little creek near the new homestead the family found an alligator and the hold in which the gator was found has been known as Alligator hole ever

since..



*****************************************************************************************
John Ross Kegans -- Survivor of the Mier Expedition



John Ross KEGANS was a veteran of the Mier expedition and spent time in Perote prison. "More has been written about John R Kegans then any of the rest of the

family and all seems to be complimentary, he would have been a man to know in my
personal opinion."
Quoted from "A MAN CALLED JIM" Anemone Love Binkley 1986 who quoted from "I WENT TO MEIR" Jacob W. Hartman 1850

Hartmans description, "I, Kegans, Price, Sylvester and Hodge were detailed to make their way distance of one hundred and fifty yards to take an intersection,

when they began to draw fire from the Mexicans who were stationed on the flat buildings.

Hartman was chosen by the other four to station himself on top of the only two story building, to be in a position to stop the rifle fire. Before leaving,

Kegans looked up at Hartman, a five foot four inch man and laughing said "Now Little Jake, don't fly off your perch, we will be back for you in a little

while." After Hartman's anger died down from this insult of being called "Little Jake" instead of a more dignified Jacob, his anger and resentment turned

into admiration for the four young men.

He described it in these words: " Through the eyes of a small man, fifteen years their senior, they appeared to be perfect specimens of manhood, tall,

muscular and supple as is found only in the young. My gaze fell on Kegans as he crouched behind and ox cart, and I reflected on our conversation only minutes

before, when he had teased me about my perch. I searched the laughing face my memory produced, and I could find no mockery, no unkindness, only good humor

which seemed to be so much a part of John's makeup. He was larger then any of the rest of us, standing well over six feet and over his big frame was
spread at least two hundred pounds of muscle. At this point, he moved from behind the cart and ran on down the street from doorway to doorway, moving his big

body quickly and with a gracefulness and agility that seemed to be inherent."

He relates further: "After an interminable length of time, Price hurried around the bend in the street. I strained my eyes to see if the others followed, and

my throat tightened as I saw Sylvester, then Kegans, and finally Hodge round the bend, kneeling and firing as they came. The group paused a few minutes and

exchanged fire with some Mexicans in the street behind them, then I saw them relax, laugh with each other and almost as one, turn and look in my direction.

As the four grinning faces hurried toward me I realized their official objective had been to take the intersection from the enemy, but they had added and

unofficial objective of their own--- to rescue me as soon as possible. Now, I began to understand very faintly the spirit of the Texans which set them apart

from the rest of the people the world over."