John Leonard Randal, Surgeon

RANDAL, JOHN LEONARD (1800-1874). John Leonard Randal, Republic of Texas senator and physician, was born on February 11, 1800, in Stokes County, North Carolina, the son of John and Hannah (Harvey) Bull, who petitioned the state of North Carolina to change their name and that of their four children to Randal. The General Assembly at Raleigh ratified the name change on December 22, 1803.
John Bull Randal was born in 1766 in Halifax County, North Carolina. He died on 30 Dec 1851 in Franklin County, Georgia. John Bull Randal married Hannah Harvey in 1794 in North Carolina.
Hannah Harvey was born on 5 Jun 1776 in North Carolina. She died on 25 Nov 1832 in Franklin County, Georgia.
John Leonard Randal received his medical training at Cincinnati Medical College. He and his family were living in McNairy County, Tennessee, when, in the late fall of 1838, they moved to Texas and settled about a mile and a half south of San Augustine. Randal received his conditional certificate for land on June 7, 1839, and his unconditional certificate on May 6, 1844. He constructed a large two-story house that functioned as his residence and as a hospital for his patients. He succeeded James Gaines in the called session of the Sixth Congress in 1842, as a representative of the Shelby, Sabine, and Harrison districts in the Senate. He was reelected to the same office in the Seventh Congress, 1842-43. He joined the United States Army during the Mexican War and was appointed assistant surgeon on March 3, 1847. He was assigned to the Twelfth Infantry on April 9 and resigned on August 3, 1847. In 1858 he sold his property in San Augustine County and moved to Smith County, where, on September 27, 1859, he purchased 640 acres a few miles northeast of Tyler. On May 10, 1862, Randal enlisted in the Army of the Confederate States of America, Twenty-eighth Texas Cavalry, as regimental surgeon; he was recruited by his son, regimental commander Col. Horace Randal. He was later appointed surgeon of the Second Brigade of Gen. John G. Walker's division. His service, primarily in Arkansas, was cut short by his failing health. On March 22, 1863, he submitted his resignation, which was accepted on June 9, 1863. He sold his farm in Smith County on August 22, 1863. In 1867 he was paying taxes on a section of land in Grimes County. In 1868 he disposed of that property and purchased a 130-acre farm in Brazos County a few miles from Bryan. Randal, an Englishman by descent, reputedly inherited a considerable estate in England but preferred to remain a citizen of Texas and refused to claim his inheritance. He was married to Sarah McNeil Kyle, a descendant of Lord Stanhope, and they were the parents of eight children.
Lois Almedia Randal was born on 11 Feb 1831 and died on 23 Aug 1861
Brig. Gen. Horace Randal was born on 1 Jan 1833 and died on 30 Apr 1864.
Susannah Elizabeth Randal was born on 25 Jan 1835 and died in 1868.
Mary "Molly" Emily Randal was born on 15 Aug 1836 and died on 25 Mar 1910.
John "Leonard" Randal Jr. was born on 17 Sep 1838 and died on 6 Oct 1919.
Newton Randal was born on 13 Jan 1841.
Sarah Ann Randal was born on 30 Dec 1842 and died on 9 Jul 1922.
Eliza Jane Randal was born on 20 Nov 1845 and died on 16 May 1918.
Solon Randal was born on 7 May 1849 and died on 24 Oct 1885.

Randal died on his Brazos County farm on 11 April 1874 and is said to be buried in the old Boonville Cemetery, although his grave is unmarked.

Source: The New Texas Handbook

Photo submitted by Dorothy Kent Reilly

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