Tidbits of Shelby County History
Early Citizens of Shelby County
Today is San Jacinto Day! We celebrate the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. It was the final battle of the Texas Revolution where Texas won its independence from Mexico.
The tall prairie grass rustled in the late afternoon sun on April 21st, one of the few signs of the Texian army's passage. They were nearly on top of the enemy camp before the Mexicans realized they were under attack. Amidst the roar of cannons, the Texians infantry fired one round, then charged the Mexican breastworks, shouting "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" Eighteen minutes later, the Mexican army was in a panicked retreat. Six hundred and fifty-nine Mexicans died at San Jacinto. The Texians only lost nine men. (Information from the San Jacinto Battlefield Memorial website.)
In 1840 the first and only census of the Republic of Texas was taken, recording a population of about 70,000 people. San Antonio and Houston were recorded as the largest and second largest cities respectively.
For this week's article, the information is take from the booklet, Land Certificates from Shelby & Harrison Counties, Texas 1838-1840, edited by Gifford White from the originals in the General Land Office, Austin, Texas. It covers 2nd and 3rd Class Headright Certificated granted during 1837-1839. This is by no means a complete list of citizens in the area during that timeframe. Check with the museum to see if you have an ancestor listed in this booklet or email me. For this week's article, I am only listing the names of the first 5 of each letter of the alphabet. Happy ancestor hunting!
NO |
Names of Applicants |
Quantity |
Date of Emigration |
|||
158 |
Addington, Arastus |
1280 |
May 1837 |
|||
147 |
Ashcroft, Levi H. |
640 |
June 1838 |
|||
199 |
Alrice, Wm C. |
640 |
Jan 7 1838 |
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299 |
Anderson, Perry |
320 |
Dec 1839 |
|||
386 |
Anderson, Lorenzo B. |
320 |
Dec 1839 |
|||
246 |
Brewster, Asa |
640 |
July 1836 |
|||
318 |
Barnes, John B. |
320 |
Nov 1838 |
|||
154 |
Bagby, Aaron |
1280 |
April 1837 |
|||
155 |
Bagby, Leroy |
1280 |
April 1837 |
|||
160 |
Boyden, Thomas |
640 |
Sep 1837 |
|||
136 |
Cunningham, John A. |
1280 |
Jul 1837 |
|||
235 |
Cannon, Henry B. |
640 |
Oct 1838 |
|||
130 |
Carlin, Hugh |
640 |
July 1839 |
|||
162 |
Choat, R.C. |
320 |
April 1839 |
|||
240 |
Craig, Joseph B. |
640 |
Sep 1839 |
|||
145 |
Chambers, John |
640 |
May 1837 |
|||
298 |
Davidson, Henry |
640 |
June 1836 |
|||
144 |
Dyson, Isaac C. |
640 |
July 1837 |
|||
230 |
Daggett, Ebenezer |
640 |
July 1837 |
|||
261 |
Daggett, E.M. |
320 |
April 1838 |
|||
261 |
Daggett, Charles B. |
320 |
June 1839 |
|||
206 |
Evans, Lorenzo |
1280 |
April 1837 |
|||
245 |
English, John D. |
320 |
Feb 1838 |
|||
132 |
Elliott, Wm |
320 |
Feb 1838 |
|||
211 |
Evans, Jesse |
1280 |
Feb 1837 |
|||
232 |
Eitson, James |
320 |
March 1839 |
|||
293 |
Fowler, Asa H. |
1280 |
Feb 1836 |
|||
294 |
Farguson, Henry |
640 |
May 1836 |
|||
236 |
Foster, Henry |
1280 |
June 1836 |
|||
244 |
Forsyth, Jefferson |
320 |
Aug 1838 |
|||
153 |
Fuquay, Alanson P. |
1280 |
April 1837 |
|||
196 |
Gillespie |
640 |
May 1837 |
|||
209 |
Gibson, Allen |
1280 |
March 1837 |
|||
255 |
Graham, G.L. |
320 |
Dec 1837 |
|||
142 |
Garrison, Michael |
640 |
June 1838 |
|||
178 |
Gillespie, W.C. |
640 |
Dec 1838 |
|||
231 |
Haley, Joseph W. |
640 |
June 1837 |
|||
224 |
Hurd, Hugh W. |
1280 |
Sept 1837 |
|||
223 |
Horn, Wm |
640 |
Sept 1837 |
|||
183 |
Houston, John |
640 |
Feby 1839 |
|||
191 |
Hinds, Mathias |
640 |
Sept 1837 |
|||
223 |
Irvin, James |
640 |
Aug 1838 |
|||
188 |
Irons, Edward |
640 |
Dec 1837 |
|||
158 |
Joice, Wm N. |
1280 |
May 1837 |
|||
162 |
Joice, Absalom P. |
640 |
May 1837 |
|||
132 |
Johns, James F. |
640 |
July 1837 |
|||
182 |
Jones, James A.S.F. |
320 |
July 1837 |
|||
265 |
Jester, Thoms (See Gs) |
640 |
July 1837 |
|||
192 |
Kelly, Richard |
640 |
Jun 1837 |
|||
168 |
King, John |
640 |
Oct 1839 |
|||
204 |
Kenedy, Thomas P. |
640 |
May 1839 |
|||
283 |
King, Thomas |
320 |
Nov 1839 |
|||
238 |
Keley, Cyrus K. |
640 |
Dec 1839 |
|||
245 |
Luther, M. |
640 |
July 1836 |
|||
286 |
Lowe, Wm |
1280 |
July 1836 |
|||
287 |
Lowe, Samuel |
1280 |
July 1836 |
|||
288 |
Larkin Simon |
640 |
July 1836 |
|||
289 |
Lowe, James |
640 |
June 1836 |
|||
166 |
Mosely Morrel H. |
640 |
Sept 1838 |
|||
224 |
Mathew, Nathan |
640 |
Nov 1838 |
|||
|
Manning, Joseph, Dec’d Ordered certificate issue to the heirs of said Manning in accordance with an act of Congress passed at Houston Jany 10th,1839 |
1280 |
Nov 1838 |
|||
167 |
Mosely, John H |
640 |
Oct 1838 |
|||
164 |
May, John |
1280 |
Oct 1836 |
|||
222 |
Mitchell, Alex’d |
1280 |
July 1837 |
|||
280 |
Norton, Wm. G. |
640 |
July 1836 |
|||
223 |
Nortchart, N.W. |
640 |
Nov 1838 |
|||
193 |
Neighbor, Lewis |
640 |
May 1837 |
|||
198 |
Nations, Edward |
640 |
May 1837 |
|||
199 |
Nations, Nathaniel |
640 |
March 1837 |
|||
275 |
Oakley, Frances |
640 |
June 1836 |
|||
274 |
Oldham Drury |
1280 |
June 1836 |
|||
273 |
Oldham, David |
640 |
June 1836 |
|||
272 |
Oakley, Wm |
1280 |
June 1836 |
|||
197 |
Oliver, Wm |
640 |
March 1837 |
|||
207 |
Patillo, George |
1280 |
March 1837 |
|||
134 |
Porter, Benjamin P. |
1280 |
Sept 1837 |
|||
150 |
Parish, Wm G. |
1280 |
April 1837 |
|||
122 |
Potts, Abington C. |
640 |
Dec 1838 |
|||
251 |
Potts, John T. |
320 |
Dec 1838 |
|||
238 |
Rhodus, Wm |
640 |
June 1836 |
|||
230 |
Robertson, Arthur |
640 |
June 1837 |
|||
195 |
Russell, Thomas |
640 |
April 1837 |
|||
203 |
Roan, Woodard |
1280 |
April 1837 |
|||
140 |
Reed, Wm |
1280 |
June 1837 |
|||
173 |
Sample, John |
640 |
April 1838 |
|||
206 |
Snider, Wm |
640 |
March 1839 |
|||
250 |
Shoon, David |
640 |
May 1836 |
|||
249 |
Shorter, Daniel |
1280 |
May 1836 |
|||
248 |
Smith, Wm W. |
640 |
June 1836 |
|||
247 |
Sanders, Margaret |
1280 |
June 1836 |
|||
240 |
Snell, Marjorit |
1280 |
June 1836 |
|||
255 |
Thornton, Stephen |
1280 |
May 1836 |
|||
254 |
Tolly, Henry |
1280 |
May 1836 |
|||
253 |
Turner, Hiram |
640 |
June 1836 |
|||
232 |
Turner, Samuel G. |
640 |
June 1836 |
|||
336 |
Truitt, Isaac |
640 |
Jany 1839 |
|||
283 |
Vanwinkle, Arthus H. |
1280 |
June 1836 |
|||
167 |
Vance, Wm M. |
1280 |
July 1836 |
|||
208 |
Vance, Lorenzo D. |
640 |
Dec 1837 |
|||
184 |
Vaughon, Alan |
1280 |
June 1837 |
|||
229 |
Wright, Henry |
640 |
June 1837 |
|||
228 |
Woods, Samuel |
640 |
Sept 1837 |
|||
221 |
Watkins, Elizabeth Admx of L.T. Watkins |
640 |
Dec 1837 |
|||
222 |
Watkins, Benjamin D.S. |
640 |
Dec 1837 |
|||
178 |
Watkins, Israel P. |
640 |
Aug 1837 |
|||
205 |
Young, Jesse |
1280 |
April 1837 |
|||
156 |
Yarborough, Wm |
640 |
May 1837 |
|||
248 |
Yates, Joseph C. |
640 |
Dec 1838 |
|||
144 |
Yarborough, Asa |
640 |
Dec 1838 |
|||
139 |
Yarborough, Joel |
1280 |
May 1837 |
|||
306 |
Young, Samuel |
1280 |
May 1836 |
|||
307 |
Young, William |
640 |
May 1836 |
|||
308 |
Young, Daniel |
640 |
May 1836 |
|||
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Successful Claims in District Court |
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Oct 7th 1841 |
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Bradley, John M. Admr for Harriet Nail, dec’d |
1 league |
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Hall, James N ass(ignee) of Richard B. English ass(ignee) of George W. Scoott |
1/3 league |
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Graves, John admr of James Adams dec’d |
1 league 1 labor |
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Hooper, Benjamin N. |
1 league 1 labor |
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Haley, Mark |
1 league 1 labor |
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