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

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

 

 

 

 

 

Successful Claims in District Court

 

Oct 7th 1841

 

 

 

 

 

Bradley, John M. Admr for Harriet Nail, dec’d

1 league

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hall, James N ass(ignee) of Richard B. English ass(ignee) of George W. Scoott

1/3 league

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graves, John admr of James Adams dec’d

1 league 1 labor

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hooper, Benjamin N.

1 league 1 labor

 

 

 

 

 

 

Haley, Mark

1 league 1 labor