Jane’s husband began his legal profession right away and from 1858 through 1861, he stayed employed at the firm of W. Hess Jones and James A. Ware Attorneys.

 

By 1859, “residents in need of legal counseling could choose between lawyers Charles Lovenskiold, James Ware, William O’Docherty, and Walter Merriman.” (Ref. 3004)

 

On June 11, 1859, their little family grew as Jane gave birth to their first child - a daughter named Frances Glassell Ware.  Her birth record shows her place of birth as Corpus Christi.  In 1860, the Nueces County census shows the Ware family taking in a boarder, William O’Docharty, who was their same age.  William was a lawyer too, and it was common practice to open your home to boarders if they needed a temporary place to stay.

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Census


Grave for William O’Docharty

 
By this time, the Wares were comfortably established in their Texas home.  Boundary lines had changed between Nueces County and San Patricio County around 1858, but by 1860, things were settled off.  Although he worked in town, James had been able to build his ranch (with the help of his slaves) on land which was located twelve miles above San Patricio, on the Nueces River.  Therefore, after the boundary adjustments, his land was then registered in Nueces County.  Although slavery was not widespread in the area, “in the case of one married couple, lawyer James Ware owned two slaves while his wife, Jane, had three of her own.” (Ref. 3004)
 

Nueces River

Practically every substantial person in the county had a cattle brand and “the ownership of a brand was something to be proud of.” (Ref. 3296)  James was no different.

Cattle and horse brand registered for James A. Ware

1860 Nueces County Census (Ref. 2751)  

The Wares spent a lot of time between their home in Nueces County and Galveston, where they often stayed with Jane’s parents or her Uncle William.  James’ legal practice, which dealt with money collections made in western Texas and business transactions dealing with the purchase or sale of lands, often meant traveling for him - with Galveston being a frequent destination.  It was nice to have relatives to stay with.  Jane, always close to her parents, must have loved being able to share her young daughter with doting grandparents while James conducted his business.

Things were heating up on the political front in the country though, and the threat of war seemed ever imminent.  In 1859, “Mat Nolan, sheriff of Nueces County, was authorized to raise a company of cavalry.  Nolan’s Mounted Rangers, 98 strong, mustered at Banquete.  They volunteered to serve six months, long enough, they thought, to win the war.  Other companies mustered at Corpus Christi included W.S. Shaw’s Light Infantry, James Morgan’s Infantry Company, John Graham’s Mounted Coast Guards, James A. Ware’s Partisan Rangers, and the Corpus Christi Artillery Company.”(Ref. 578) This military organization was known as the Corpus Christi Guards, and James was elected as a 1st Lieutenant.  He quickly rose to the rank of captain.

 
(Ref. 578)

“Later in the war, members of all the reserve companies appear on the muster rolls of B. F. Neal’s Artillery Company and James A. Wares’s Partisan Rangers, both of which were stationed at Corpus Christi.”  (Ref. 3240)

Even with political turmoil mounting, Nueces County was growing rapidly.  “Tax rolls in 1848 reported only 647 cattle and nineteen horses. By 1860, however, records showed 56,454 cattle and 8,554 horses and mules worth an estimated $489,520. Farming was not extensive and was only for subsistence.” (Ref. Handbook of Texas)

According to the local newspaper from Corpus Christi called “The Ranchero,” James decided in 1860 to expand his ranch so that it included sheep - starting with prime stock that he had sent down from his father’s plantation in Virginia.  The paper recorded that, “sheep-raising in Western Texas has been attended with the most flattering results, and those engaged in this profitable pursuit are constantly improving their flocks with the choicest breeds that can be obtained.” (Ref. Ranchero Oct. 20, 1860)  On October 27, 1860, the following article appeared with greater details on James’ new investment.  His father, Josiah Ware, had long since gained a reputation as one of the finest breeders in Virginia.  His Cotswold sheep had won about every agricultural prize they could.

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With the arrival of his new stock and his legal business doing well, the year 1860 proved to be a profitable one for James and Jane.  As one writer quoted in The Ranchero:

“Texas is a great, beautiful, dry, windy, cotton, cattle, Methodist, live-oak State,” and the Wares were putting down solid roots in this new soil.  However, things were about to turn upside down for them and the entire country.

The broad, clear Nueces River flows southward and parallel to the Rio Grande, outlining the once-treacherous area known as the ‘Nueces Strip.’  (Ref. 756 Photo by Susan Dial)