[basham.ged]
Info taken from George Lee - Hampton fought in the Texas War of Independ
en ce in the volunteer militia commanded by Capt. William Scurlock. He rec
iev ed 320 acres of land in Panola and Shelby Counties. Hampton's father J
am es also applied for a land bounty grant following the revolution, b
ut h is claim was denied. The next year, 1837, Hampton married Susan Humph
rie s. Both James and Hampton West appear in the 1840 census for Shelby C
o. Ab out 1840 the West and Humphrey families became embroiled in what lat
er bec ame known as the "Regulator's War". Apparantly they as well as t
he other r esident's of the area were involved in horse trading - and stea
ling. It w as a practice that had almost gained respectibility, dating ba
ck to the ti mes when wild mustangs were captures and smuggled across t
he Spanish front ier to supply the anglo puching west across the Mississip
pi.
Unfortunately, the horse herds that Hampton West and his brother in l
aw Sq uire Humphries were capturing were not wild, but belonged to so
me of the a reas newcomers. Because of this the two young men were haul
ed in fro nt of the founder of the Regulators, Charles W. Jackson to fa
ce vigilan te justice. They were taken to a tan yard where Squire was hors
ewhipped un itl he revealed his part in the venture. Then "Old Man West" s
tepped forwa rd and took up for his son, Hampton, saying "the 'boy' had on
ly done wh at he had told him to do. Furthermore, for poor folk like him a
nd his cla n, horse thievery was a way of life and had been for years." T
he Regulator 's were moved by his sad story and agreed to let all thr
ee go , provided t hey left the country. But they did not leave. Instea
d, an opposing forc e, the Moderators" was formed and the trouble escalat
ed until the whole ar ea was aflame with killings and burned out cabins.
His grave in Steele Branch Cemetery has a bronze marker - Citizen Repu
bl ic of Texas. Tombstone - A friend to his country and a believer in Chri
st.
Appear on muster roll - pg 35 Return of Captain Hooper's Cavalry, San Au
gu stine July 6, 1836
1840 census of Shelby Co. land listed as S1476
1840 Citizen's of Texas vol 3 Land Grands by Gifford White DRT library
in book Bounty and Fonation Land Grants of Texas by Thomas Lloyd Mi
ll er - rcvd bounty wnt 5022 for 320 acres from S War on Dec 6, 1836 for s
erv ice from July to Oct. 1836. 320 acres in Shelby Co. were E P
TD T h im on 7 NOv. 1850. Pat 25 Vol 6 abst 806 Glo file Shelby BTY 22