James Collinsworth

Signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence

Founders Memorial Cemetery

Houston, Texas

  Originally from the State of Tennessee, James Collinsworth was an exremely acitive statesman and soldier during the Texas Revolution. Collinsworth served as one of the delegates from the Municipality of Brazoria to the Convention at Washington (today Washington-on-the-Brazos) in March of 1836. There, Collinsworth signed the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico. See his signature on page 9 of the Texas Declaration of Independence below.

  Following the Convention at Washington, Collinsworth served as aide-de-camp to Sam Houston with the rank of Major. Major James Collinsworth fought in the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836.

  Following the Battle of San Jacinto, James Collinsworth was appointed Secretary of State under Interim President, David G. Burnett. Burnett sent Collinsworth to the United States to meet with Collinsworth's old friend from Tennessee, President Andrew Jackson to seek the annexation of Texas. Due to a number of insurmontible political issues facing the United States at the time, his mission failed.

  James Collinsworth was chosen to be the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Texas. James Collinsworth died in Galveston on July 11, 1839 and his remains were brought to Houston and interred in the City Cemetery, now Founders Memorial Cemetery. In 1876, Collingsworth County, Texas was created and named after James Collinsworth whose name was misspelled in the legislation creating the new county.

   Founders Memorial Cemetery is located just west of downtown at 1217 West Dallas in Houston, Texas.  The entrance is located at the intersection of West Dallas and Valentine Street.

1936 Texas Centennial Monument 

Close-up of James Collinsworth's Monument in Founders Memorial Cemetery

JAMES COLLINSWORTH

BORN IN TENNESSEE, 1806.  DROWNED

GALVESTON, JULY 11, 1839 AND

HIS REMAINS BROUGHT BY BOAT UP

BUFFALO BAYOU TO HOUSTON.

HIS REMAINS INTERRED IN THIS

CEMETERY UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

TEMPLE LODGE NO. 4.  FIRST

MASONIC FUNERAL EVER HELD IN

TEXAS.

Erected by the State of Texas

1936

Page 9 of Texas Declaration of Independence 

The necessity of self-preserva-
tion, therefore, now decrees our eternal
political separation.

We, therefore, the delegates
with plenary powers of the people
of Texas, in solemn convention assembled,
appealing to a candid world for the
necessities of our condition, do here-
by resolve and declare, that our poli-
tical connection with the Mexican
nation has forever ended, and that
the people of Texas do now Constitute
a free, Sovereign, and independent
republic, and are fully invested with
all the rights and attributes which proper-
ly belong to independent nations; and,
conscious of the rectitude of our intentions,
we fearlessly and confidently commit
the issue to the decision of the Supreme
arbiter of the destinies of nations.

            Richard Ellis, President

   of the Convention & Delegate

                        from Red River

Charles B. Stewart       James Collinsworth

Thos. Barnett              Edwin Waller

Asa Brigham

 

   The Texas Declaration of Independence is located in the Texas State Library and Archives in Austin, Texas.

   It is very important to note that James Collinsworth also signed the Treaty of Velasco.

Founders Memorial Cemetery Index