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Submitted: 7/10/21 • Approved: 10/30/21 • Last Updated: 11/2/21 • R435374-G0-S3
CAPTAIN
Mexican American War
June 6, 1804 - March 27, 1861
Who manned one of the Twin Sisters Cannon at the Battle of San Jacinto and was a Veteran of the Mexican War, 1847.
Born in Tennessee June 6, 1804 Died March 27, 1861
Erected by the State of Texas 1936
Veteran - Battle of San Jacinto, Republic of Texas Veteran, Veteran of the Mexican War 1847, Bedias Postmaster, Elected to House of Representatives as Doorkeeper, Asst. Sargent at Arms & Assistant Doorkeeper, and County Commissioner of Grimes County 1849.
Marker corrections: His marker states he was born in Tennessee on June 6, 1804; actual birthday is June 26, 1804; and he was born in Rowan, North Carolina; the family relocated to Giles, Tennessee after his birth. Died in Austin, Travis County, Texas. Mother: Margaret Henderson; Father: Thomas R. Plaster (served in the War of 1812)
Mr. Plaster, with his wife Dollie B. Samuel Plaster, left Giles Tennessee headed towards Texas to a little town, known today as Bedias, located in Grimes County, Texas. The town is named for the Bidai Indians that occupied the land, whose Caddo name means “brushwood”. Settlement of the area began in 1835 when Thomas Pliney Plaster established a plantation a few miles west of the present townsite; earlier reports of the community refer to it as “Plasterville”.
Thomas Pliney Plaster Fought in Texas Revolutionary War in 1836. He served as Lieutenant in L.B. Frank's Ranger Company from March 1, 1836 until April 1, 1836. He served as Sergeant from April 2, 1836 in Captain Isaac N. Moreland's Company of regular Artillery Corps until June 27, 1836.
At the battle of San Jacinto, Plaster manned one of the "Twin Sisters" cannons along with Ben McCulloch. During the battle, the Twin Sisters performed admirably securing front lines with blow after blow. When the cannon ran out of ammo they were loaded with whatever the Texans could get their hands on within reach. During Texas Independence, official U.S. policy was to remain neutral. Despite the policy, much of the U.S. watched the events in Texas unfold, many regiments formed around the country to join the fight against Santa Anna and the Mexican army. In Cincinnati, Ohio, a group of citizens willing to do their part for Texas freedom acquired two cannons and sent them to Texas. The cannons arrived in Galveston in April 1836. Upon their arrival, the cannons earned their famous name. Because of the doctor accompanying the cannons, along with his twin daughters, someone remarked that there are two sets of twins stepping off the boat. That simple observation earned the cannons their nickname, “Twin Sisters,” and that began legacy of the cannons and the men who manned them.
Even after manning one of the cannon’s, Thomas he was tried by court-martial for a now unknown offense and sentenced by Brig. General Thomas J. Rusk to be reprimanded before the entire army on parade on the evening of June 27, 1836 and dismissed from service. He rejoined the army a few days later on July 5th of that same year, as a private in Capt. George Washington Poe's First Artillery Battalion, and by Aug 1, 1836 he had been promoted to regiment Quartermaster of the First Cavalry Regiment of the First Brigade, Army of the Republic of Texas. From then until Nov 22, 1836, he was stationed at Camp Johnson, on the Lavaca River.
After the Revolution he returned to his plantation with an Honorable Discharge on August 23, 1836, Thomas then obtained a large land grant of “2/3's of a league” from the Republic of Texas, which was recorded in August of 1838 in the northern part of what is present day Grimes County. Where, by 1840, he owned 2,952 acres. He built a large log home that was located near the Plaster Family Cemetery outside of Bedias. It is known that Sam Houston, on his trips from Washington-on-the-Brazos, would often remain overnight at Thomas's home in Grimes County and then continue his journey to Huntsville, which was Houston's home.
After annexation in 1845, Thomas served as Postmaster in Bedias for a few years and was elected to the First Legislature of the state of Texas and nominated Doorkeeper.
Mr. Plaster also fought in the Mexican War as 2nd Lt. in James Gillespie's Co. of Montgomery County, recruited in San Antonio April 25, 1847. He also served in Gillespie's company of 1st Texas Mounted Rifles. Believed to have been promoted to Captain, Thomas P. Plaster was elected County Commissioner in Grimes County in 1849.
Thomas was also elected Assistant Sergeant-At-Arms for the Texas House of Representatives for the 6th Legislature at regular session on November 5, 1856 under Governor E.M. Pease and Lt. Governor Hardin Richard Runnels. He was then elected Assistant Doorkeeper for the Texas House of Representatives for the 7th legislature for regular session November 2, 1857 and February 16, 1858 under Governor Hardin Richard Runnels and Lt. Governor F.R. Lubbock to wit, page 6 House Journal, Austin, Nov 2nd, 1857. Mr. Henderson of Harris nominated Thomas P. Plaster for Doorkeeper and there being no other nominations was declared elected as the doorkeeper. He kept this position until his death.
His wife Dollie died in 1857, at age of 49, giving birth to their eleventh child, named Dollie after her mother. They are buried at the Plaster Family Cemetery. Captain Plaster died March 23, 1861 of pneumonia. He was buried in the Austin State Cemetery short distance from Stephen F. Austin, Father of the Republic of Texas.
From the land grant to Mr. Plaster, he made and acre of it the Plaster Family Cemetery. The first burial was a young slave, the second was Thomas’ mother Margaret. Thomas Pliney Plaster, C. Shack Ross, who was killed in Italy in WWII and Tommie E. Ross who died captive in Korea were all honored on a memorial plaque The State of Texas erected and placed at the Plaster Family Cemetery. The plaque was likely stolen as it no longer exists.
The cemetery is currently being managed by a descendant. It is inaccessible to the public as it is located on Private Property.
Contributed on 7/10/21 by deanakh1
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Record #: 435374