John Overton Trueheart ~ A Biography

John Overton Trueheart on Findagrave

Birth: 1801
Death: 1874

Western Frontiersman. He served in one of the first Texas Ranger companies under the famous John Coffee "Jack" Hays in 1841. Volunteer mounted forces were gathered to combat Indian raiders and the lawless elements of the colony. They had to provide their own horses, equipment and weapons. Thus became the now famous “Jack Hays’ Texas Rangers”. The Texas Rangers gained a national reputation in the Mexican War. In exchange for his service in The Texas Rangers he was given land grants in Galveston County, Galveston, Texas. He began a partnership in a general land agency in Galveston. This was to lead to a long line of family service to Galveston and Texas. Two of his children, Henry Martyn Truehart, and Charles William Trueheart were to become prominent in their own right, Charles becoming a physician, Henry opening a real estate business. A ranch house just outside of Ft. Davis is still there and has become a bed and breakfast as well as a historical landmark. Charles and Henry served in the Civil War and wrote letters throughout. Their letters to each other were published by the Texas A&M Press and titled ’Rebel Brothers - The Civil War Letters of the Truehearts’ in 1995. 

(bio by: Julie Karen Hancock (Cooper) Jackson) 

Texas Historical Marker Inscription:

Inscription:
After Coming to Texas from Virginia about 1838, John Trueheart received a land grant for his service with Jacks Hays' Rangers. He then began a partnership in a Galveston General Land Agency with Memucan Hunt and returned to Virginia for his wife Anne Tompkins (Minor) 1804-86 and their children. Trueheart family leadership is reflected in the City's Trueheart-Adrance Building and in several varieties of Oleander named for family members.