DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official Henderson County marker has to say about Jess Sweeten — and friend, this one's worth every mile. Now, picture 1929. Trinidad, Texas.
A man named Jess Sweeten is up in the steel rigging, working for Otis Elevator Company on the Texas Power and Light Company job. Hard work, high iron, the kind of labor that builds a particular kind of man. And when that job wrapped up, somebody noticed exactly what kind of man Jess was.
A fellow named Bob King had been appointed to find a new deputy constable for Trinidad. What he needed wasn't just a name on paper — he needed somebody who could handle the rough transient laborers working through the area. So Bob King watched.
And what he saw was Jess Sweeten break up a fight. Just like that. Jess had the tall and strong stature for it, and — here's the part that sealed the deal — the willingness to use his fists.
That'll get a man's attention every time. Jess formally began his career in law enforcement in 1930. And here's where the story gets a little deeper in the roots.
This wasn't some stranger to the law stumbling into a badge. Jess's great-grandfather, his grandfather, and his father had all been U.S. marshals. He grew up with high regard for the law baked right into him.
And on top of that, he was an expert marksman. Trinidad was in a state. Residents had taken on their own form of law and order, which had resulted in — as the marker puts it plainly — chaos and danger in the town.
Jess went to work on it. He had considerable success cleaning that town up, and several newspapers documented it. Word travels fast when a man's doing something right.
The newly elected Henderson County Sheriff, Joel Baker, was so impressed that he hired Jess as a deputy sheriff in 1931. The Athens Daily Review took note of this two-fisted deputy and gave him a nickname that sticks to this day — Two Gun Pete. Now, fame and success are funny things.
They can lift a man up, and they can complicate a working relationship. Jess's fame grew, and somewhere along the way, his relationship with Sheriff Baker declined — declined enough that Baker eventually asked Jess to resign. Here's where it gets interesting.
Jess was then offered a job as a Texas Ranger. A Texas Ranger. Most men in Texas would've worn that badge in their sleep.
Jess turned it down. He turned it down to become the deputy constable for Athens, working under Constable M. G.
Jepson. Jepson saw what he had. He encouraged Jess to run for county sheriff.
And in 1932, at twenty-six years of age, Jess Sweeten was elected the youngest sheriff in Texas at that time. Let that settle for a moment. The man who turned down the Rangers to take a deputy constable job ended up running the whole county.
Jess served as sheriff from 1933 to 1946, and again from 1949 to 1954. That's not a career — that's a calling. And he wasn't done.
At age seventy-two, Jess Sweeten earned his GED diploma. Then he became the special criminal investigator of the Third Judicial District, which included Henderson County. He died in 1980 in Athens.
From steel rigger to Two Gun Pete to the youngest sheriff in Texas — that's a life that didn't waste a single year.
What the marker says
Completing his work as a steel rigger in 1929 employed by Otis Elevator Company on the Texas Power & Light Company in Trinidad, Texas, Jess Sweeten was offered a job as a deputy constable in Henderson County. Bob King was appointed to find a new deputy constable for Trinidad and witnessed Jess break up a fight between the rough transient laborers working in the area. Jess" tall and strong stature and his willingness to use his fists made him a good candidate. Jess formally began his career in law enforcement in 1930. Jess" background in law started with his great-grandfather, grandfather and father who were all U.S. marshals. Jess grew up with high regard for the law and was an expert marksman. He had considerable success in cleaning up the small town of Trinidad where residents took on their own form of law and order, resulting in chaos and danger in the town. His success was documented by several newspapers. The newly-elected Henderson County Sheriff, Joel Baker, was so impressed that he hired Jess as a deputy sheriff in 1931. Jess was nicknamed "two gun Pete" by the Athens Daily Review. Because of his fame and success, jess and sheriff baker's relationship declined until Baker asked Jess to resign. He was then offered a job as a Texas Ranger but turned it down to become the deputy constable for Athens, under constable M. G. Jepson. Jepson encouraged Jess to run for county sheriff and, in 1932, at 26 years of age, Jess was elected as the youngest sheriff in Texas at that time. Jess served as sheriff from 1933-1946 and again from 1949-1954. At age 72, Jess earned his GED diploma and became the special criminal investigator of the 3rd judicial district which included Henderson County. He died in 1980 in Athens.