| Notes |
- He fought at the Battle of San Jacinto which won Texas' independence from Mexico. He was a friend of William Hobard Whittington, who named the town of Devers, Texas after him.
Tom Dever settled in the Devers area before the Civil War and was a well-to-do stockraiser. Stage coaches from the town of Liberty carrying passengers to Sour Lake spa were known to stopover at Tom's home as it was on the way to the mineral springs.
His mother's brothers and his grandfather Yocum were in the infamous John A. Murrell gang who robbed travelers along the Natchez Trace in western Mississippi. His uncle Tom Yocum later became the leader of the infamous "Yocum gang" which terrorized East Texas in the early 1800's.
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Obituary:
Liberty Vindicator; May 16, 1890
Mr. Thomas Dever, familiarly know as "Uncle Tom" died at the residence of his son-in-law, John Green, near Victoria on the 5th inst. Mr. Dever was a Texas veteran and was 84 years old. Rapidly are the old landmarks passing away.
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In another column is a notice of the deceased.
Another Old Veteran Gone
Editor Vindicator: Another old veteran has been called from earth to the other shore. Uncle Tom Dever crossed the river on the 5th inst. By accident he bruised his hand with a piece of iron, which ran into erysipelas and then blood poisoning, which soon ended his earthly sufferings. "Uncle Tom" came to Texas in 1824 from Opelousas La. at the age of eighteen years. He was in the war of '35 and 36; fought at the memorable battle of San Jacinto; has lived in old Liberty county ever since, except when visiting his daughter of this county. At his death he was eighty-four years and three days old. He is done meeting with the old veterans on earth and will answer to the general roll call in the land of spirits. One by one the old line trees are cut down. Peace to his ashes.
FREE GREEN
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1809 - 1890 (81 years)
