| William Read Scurry was born in Gallatin, Tennessee on February 10, 1821. He studied
law and was licensed to practice before he was twenty-one. Scurry came to Texas in 1840
and settled first in San Augustine. He traveled extensively throughout the state, calling
DeWitt, Nacogdoches, Red River and Travis counties his home at one time or another. He
enlisted as a private in the 2nd Texas Mounted Volunteers during the Mexican War
(1846-1847) and by the end of the war had been promoted to major in Col. George T. Wood's
regiment. After the war, Scurry practiced law in DeWitt County. About 1850 he moved to
Austin and bought a newspaper, the State Gazette, which he owned until 1854. He
represented DeWitt County as a member of the Secession Convention of 1861. Scurry
entered the Confederate Army as a lieutenant colonel in the 4th Texas Cavalry Regiment
commanded by James Riley. He was promoted to brigadier general on September 12, 1862.
General William Read Scurry
Scurry was mortally wounded on April 30, 1864 in the battle of Jenkins Ferry on the
Sabine River. He was buried in the Texas State Cemetery at Austin and his funeral oration
was given by Lt. Governor Fletcher S. Stockdale.
When the legislature of Texas was carving out and creating 54 counties in west and
northwest Texas, many of the notable men of the Republic and of the state were remembered
in the names of the counties created.
Scurry County was created and named on August 21, 1876. The county was organized on
June 28, 1884. |
