So I was totally just running through all my old documents and found this little bit from about two years ago. This is all that was written. Enjoy.
James (Jolly) Rodgers McGrady was born on December 18th, 1829, to one Diana Rodgers, in a Teepee in East Tennessee. His mother was a part of the Cherokee nation, his father a drunkard who left James and his mother when he was only three years old. His father had been a white man, but one who had been adopted into the Cherokee nation, which was a cause for James to be discriminated against by his fellow Indians throughout his life. His mother had only had one previous child, Paul Waya Rodgers, who had been born five years prior, in 1824. After James’ father had left the family (some say he went to Texas), the Rodgers Family was forcibly removed from their land, just as the other Cherokee they lived with. Luckily for them, they weren’t forced into the Indian Territory, and stopped by a few family friends in southern Missouri to stay. It was here that Diana married Sam McGrady, around 1835. McGrady was an Irish immigrant who was moving through on his way to Central Texas, where his family had moved. The young James would use McGrady’s name in later years, while omitting “Jolly” from his full name.
The small Rodgers family soon arrived at the McGrady farm in Nacogdoches, Texas. Unfortunately, Diana died of pneumonia in 1838, and Paul and James were left with their father of only three years, in an area very hostile to Indians, especially Cherokees. While James could pass off as a white man, Paul was visibly Indian in heritage, and proudly so. In 1839, the local sheriff arrested Paul after four white men got into a fight with him. Paul had become something of a fighter by now, and managed to hold his own in the fight. An angry Sam McGrady arrived at the jailhouse later in the day, and demanded that Paul be released. A bail was paid, and Paul was released, much to the anger of many local residents. But, a few had gained a grudging respect for the Fighting Indian (as he was called by some around there), and a local cattleman named Edward Merchant hired him. James, also looking to make some money for his poor family, was brought on as well, after Paul haggled a bit with Merchant. James worked as a farm hand, while his brother joined other hired guns on the ranch to protect against cattle stealers and other such men. One could say that it was inevitable that the two Rodgers boys got involved in the Regulator-Moderator War, which brought them to San Augustine. Paul fought fiercely for the Moderators, while James acted as a courier between Edward Merchant and John Bradley. Luckily, neither of the boys was killed in the conflict, although Paul did kill two Regulators and injured one Texan militiaman. They were both present when Sam Houston arrived two weeks after the militia to help negotiate a peace between the two warring factions. The war had an effect on the development of James, who was in awe both by his brother’s ferocity in fighting those who would cross him, and his firsthand experience of Sam Houston accomplishing goals by eloquent word alone.
In the aftermath of the war, James decided that he needed grow without the help of his brother, and ran away from the Merchant farm. He arrived at his old home at the McGrady farm in December of 1845, where he received a hero’s welcome. The family threw him a large party, and gave him many gifts to help him on his upcoming journey to El Paso, to become a merchant. He was then approached by his stepfather, and given a present received from James’ birth father in the mail for his birthday (only three weeks prior). It was a Springfield-1835 musket, with a small note, proving that it was indeed from the father of James Rodgers, and Sam jokingly mused that it was a relic from the Alamo, perhaps Davy Crockett’s own rifle. With supplies and weapon in hand, James departed for El Paso, to begin his merchant business. His brother arrived at the McGrady farm a few days later, looking for his brother. James came under the tutelage of a Mexican merchant in El Paso, and studied under the man for a year. Nearly a year after he had arrived, James was speaking with an Apache tribe, trying to sell them goods from his master. It was here that he witnessed the Battle of El Brazito, and then watched as the Apache natives he had just been negotiating with attacked retreating Mexican soldiers. A few months later, his master told him that he would be assisting in guarding a trade caravan headed south (it held multiple goods from the man himself, hence the order). As a result of this, he was inducted into Colonel Doniphan’s unit, and issued one Mississippi Rifle, to replace his “outdated” Springfield. He went on take part in the charge on the right Mexican flank in the Battle of the Sacramento River. He decided to stay with the army, even after the caravan had reached its destination.
As fate would have it, he met his brother again, in the town of Parras. After Paul hadn’t found his brother, he had traveled to San Antonio and joined the army there as it had moved out. The two armies linked up at Parras, and went on to fight together in the Battle of Buena Vista, where they fought valiantly.
James (Jolly) Rodgers McGrady was born on December 18th, 1829, to one Diana Rodgers, in a Teepee in East Tennessee. His mother was a part of the Cherokee nation, his father a drunkard who left James and his mother when he was only three years old. His father had been a white man, but one who had been adopted into the Cherokee nation, which was a cause for James to be discriminated against by his fellow Indians throughout his life. His mother had only had one previous child, Paul Waya Rodgers, who had been born five years prior, in 1824. After James’ father had left the family (some say he went to Texas), the Rodgers Family was forcibly removed from their land, just as the other Cherokee they lived with. Luckily for them, they weren’t forced into the Indian Territory, and stopped by a few family friends in southern Missouri to stay. It was here that Diana married Sam McGrady, around 1835. McGrady was an Irish immigrant who was moving through on his way to Central Texas, where his family had moved. The young James would use McGrady’s name in later years, while omitting “Jolly” from his full name.
The small Rodgers family soon arrived at the McGrady farm in Nacogdoches, Texas. Unfortunately, Diana died of pneumonia in 1838, and Paul and James were left with their father of only three years, in an area very hostile to Indians, especially Cherokees. While James could pass off as a white man, Paul was visibly Indian in heritage, and proudly so. In 1839, the local sheriff arrested Paul after four white men got into a fight with him. Paul had become something of a fighter by now, and managed to hold his own in the fight. An angry Sam McGrady arrived at the jailhouse later in the day, and demanded that Paul be released. A bail was paid, and Paul was released, much to the anger of many local residents. But, a few had gained a grudging respect for the Fighting Indian (as he was called by some around there), and a local cattleman named Edward Merchant hired him. James, also looking to make some money for his poor family, was brought on as well, after Paul haggled a bit with Merchant. James worked as a farm hand, while his brother joined other hired guns on the ranch to protect against cattle stealers and other such men. One could say that it was inevitable that the two Rodgers boys got involved in the Regulator-Moderator War, which brought them to San Augustine. Paul fought fiercely for the Moderators, while James acted as a courier between Edward Merchant and John Bradley. Luckily, neither of the boys was killed in the conflict, although Paul did kill two Regulators and injured one Texan militiaman. They were both present when Sam Houston arrived two weeks after the militia to help negotiate a peace between the two warring factions. The war had an effect on the development of James, who was in awe both by his brother’s ferocity in fighting those who would cross him, and his firsthand experience of Sam Houston accomplishing goals by eloquent word alone.
In the aftermath of the war, James decided that he needed grow without the help of his brother, and ran away from the Merchant farm. He arrived at his old home at the McGrady farm in December of 1845, where he received a hero’s welcome. The family threw him a large party, and gave him many gifts to help him on his upcoming journey to El Paso, to become a merchant. He was then approached by his stepfather, and given a present received from James’ birth father in the mail for his birthday (only three weeks prior). It was a Springfield-1835 musket, with a small note, proving that it was indeed from the father of James Rodgers, and Sam jokingly mused that it was a relic from the Alamo, perhaps Davy Crockett’s own rifle. With supplies and weapon in hand, James departed for El Paso, to begin his merchant business. His brother arrived at the McGrady farm a few days later, looking for his brother. James came under the tutelage of a Mexican merchant in El Paso, and studied under the man for a year. Nearly a year after he had arrived, James was speaking with an Apache tribe, trying to sell them goods from his master. It was here that he witnessed the Battle of El Brazito, and then watched as the Apache natives he had just been negotiating with attacked retreating Mexican soldiers. A few months later, his master told him that he would be assisting in guarding a trade caravan headed south (it held multiple goods from the man himself, hence the order). As a result of this, he was inducted into Colonel Doniphan’s unit, and issued one Mississippi Rifle, to replace his “outdated” Springfield. He went on take part in the charge on the right Mexican flank in the Battle of the Sacramento River. He decided to stay with the army, even after the caravan had reached its destination.
As fate would have it, he met his brother again, in the town of Parras. After Paul hadn’t found his brother, he had traveled to San Antonio and joined the army there as it had moved out. The two armies linked up at Parras, and went on to fight together in the Battle of Buena Vista, where they fought valiantly.