Hurley Family Tree

TAKE NOTICE

The Creditors John Irons, are hereby notified, that he will apply to Silas Bent, one of the Judges of the court of common Pleas, for the District of St Louis, at his Chamber, near St Louis on Friday 22nd inft between the hours of ten o'clock in the morning and three o'clock in the afternoon of the same
day, to be permitted to take the benefit of the act, concerning insolvent debtors.

John Irons

March 3rd 1811

Name in Index

In 1816, Hannah Core and her husband, John, sued John Irons for "speaking and publicizing...scandalous and defamatory words" that they claimed wrongly accused Hannah of "fornication." Because of Irons' "false, malicious, and scandalous words," they insisted that "the said Hannah is hurt, injured, degraded, and damnified in her good name, credit, and reputation and has fallen into public scandal, infamy, and disgrace among all her neighbors.

William Bennett vs. James Campbell

This day came the parties aforesaid, by their attorneys, and also came a Jury, to wit: Jeremiah Conaway, Joseph Campbell, Peter Gallagness(?), Joseph Harris, John Irons, William Looney, Bazil Boren, Robert M. Williams, Robert Bean, Richard Perkins, Robert Ferguson, & Daniel Robbins — twelve good and lawful men, duly elected, tried and sworn upon their oaths, do say that the defendant did take the horse in manner and form as the said plaintiff in the declaration hath alleged, and assess the damage of said plaintiff at six and a fourth cents. Whereupon it is considered and adjudged by the Court that the said plaintiff have and recover of the said defendant, as well the said six and a fourth cents, as also his costs and charges in this behalf laid out and expended, & the said defendant in mercy [&c.].

John Irons & Polly Baker — Marriage, Notation on Missing Record

No marriage record has been located for John Irons and Polly Baker. An estimated marriage date of c. 1819 is inferred from the birth of their known first child, Elvira Eliza (m. James Rankin), calculated at c. 1820 per the 1823 Texas "census" and her own later census records.

The absence of a record is consistent with the general poor survival of Arkansas Territory documents from this specific period, rather than evidence the marriage did not occur. Hempstead County was newly organized in December 1818; county-level marriage record-keeping across Arkansas generally begins around 1820, just after the inferred date of this marriage. The 1820 federal territorial census was lost entirely, and Hempstead County's own 1823 sheriff's census survives only as a total population count, with no household-level detail. No marriage record for this couple should therefore be expected to exist, independent of whether the marriage took place.

John Irons and Joseph Harris, builders, contracted with Amos N. Price and William Fisher to build a store and house at Saline Landing.

William Fisher (surviving partner of the firm Price & Fisher) vs John Irons and Joseph Harris

This day the said defendants by their attorney Wm. Wallis filed their plea in abatement to which the plaintiff by his attorneys filed his replication and also a demurrer

Same)
vs
Same)

Same plea replication and demurrer filed as above Missrs Cassidy and Bates suggested the death of the plaintiff and move the court that a scire facies issue to the legal representatives of the deceased to come into court at the next term granted.

Grand Jury Presentment
Hempstead County, Southern Circuit of the Territory of Arkansas
April Term, 1820

We the undersigned, composing the Grand Jury for said County, represent to His Excellency James Miller, Governor in and over said Territory, that the inhabitants of said county labor under many difficulties by reason of numbers of the different Indian Tribes being suffered to stroll and reside in the bounds of the County.

A considerable band of the Cherokees have been suffered to locate themselves and form a Village in the immediate vicinity of our settlements; and great numbers of the Choctaws and other Indians are continually suffered to stroll through the country. Many outrages have been committed on Citizens of the County by several of those Indians in stealing of horses and robbing the citizens of their property.

In September 1817, at one sweep were stolen from Joseph English and others fifteen horses out of the immediate neighborhood of Mr. English. These horses were stolen by the Osages, we have no doubt; in the same year several were robbed of other property, and indeed those Indians did not stop here but actually murdered one of our citizens.

In the year 1819 the Cado Indians stole at one time fourteen horses from Capt. Nathaniel Robins and others.
In the Winters of 1818 and 1819 the Cherokees stole a horse from Mr. Amos Kuykendall.
In the Summer of 1819 the Cado Indians stole one horse from Capt. James Bryan.
A few weeks since the Cherokees stole two horses from a Mr. Geering.
A few days since two valuable horses were stolen out of Judge Woodward's pasture and are supposed to be stolen by the Cherokees, Choctaws or Cados.
Also two other horses belonging to Mr. Elijah Stuart have been missing for some time and supposed to be stolen by the Cherokees (Their Village not being far distant from Mr. Stuart's farm).

Also two other horses missing belonging to Mr. Silas Rowls and have been seen with the Cherokees.
Those horses have been stolen from different sections of the Country.
A few days since the house of John Irons was robbed of sundry articles of Merchandise and provisions by the Cherokees.
Also the Store of Mr. Squire Riggs [Griggs] broken open and robbed of sundry articles of Merchandise by the same Indians.
Also the Tanyard of Isaac Pennington robbed of a considerable quantity of Leather.
All these robberies have been committed within a few days.
Signed:
S. RUDDELL WILSON — Foreman
1st. J. JAQUES
2nd. BASIL BERRY
3rd. JOHN LAMB
4th. CALVIN MERRY
5th. WILLIAM GRASON
6th. WILLIAM WHITESIDES
7th. JOHN MCLAND
8th. GEORGE F. SMITH
9th. BENJ. CLARK
10th. JAMES DYER
11th. WILLIAM SIMS
12th. SILAS ROWLS
13th. C. MORRISS
14th. D. CLARK
15th. HENRY RUYL
16th. [likely the last juror, though OCR cuts off slightly; appears as "16*"]

United States vs Richard Yarberry - Assault & Battery

The prisoner Richard Yarberry appeared in open court and being arraigned pleaded not guilty and put himself upon this country for his trial.
Where upon there came a jury to wit Jesse Smith, Seth Bradley, Isaac Lee, Sam'l Warning?, John Ward, James Ward, Bailey English, James Williams, John Irons, John Campbell, George Tate, John Robb (Rabb), who being elected tried and sworn well and truly to try and a true deliverance to make between the United States and the prisoner at the Bar upon their oaths do say that we the jury find the prisoner not guilty - It is therefore considered by the court that the prisoner Richard Yarberry be discharged without delay.

The United States vs John Henry Marley - Indictment for Larceny

The prisoner John Henry Marly being brought to bar of the court and arraigned pleaded not guilty and put himself upon the country for his trial

Whereupon there came a jury towit Westly Pierce, Jonathan Hampton, Wm Matlock, Jacob Pennington, Elijah Barker (Baker), Edmond Sawyers, John Irons, Gabriel Frost, Wm Whiteside, Jno Lamb, Mirick Davis, Rowland Hewit, who being elected tried and sworn well and truly to try and a true deliverance to make between the United States and the prisoner at the bar upon their oaths do say "we the jury find the prisoner Guilty.

Whereupon it is considered and ordered by the Court that the said John Marly - pay to the said - Jacob L Nugent - the sum of three dollars & fifty cents & that the said Maily (Marly) stand in the pillory for the space of one hour & receive five lashes on his bare back laid on - On petition it is ordered that the foregoing sentence stand open until such time as the Governor pleasure can be known - as to the infliction of said sentence.

Grantee John Irons
Residence Date 16 Jul 1824
Residence Place Waller, Texas, USA
District Austin
Acres 4428.40 Acres
Adjoining Acres 4428.40 Acres
Class Title
Patent Number 116
Patent Volume 1
Register Number 1060

John Irons originario de los Estados de América y vecino de la otra habitante sobre el margen oriental del río de los Brazos.
Digo Que habiéndome trasladado a dicho territorio con mi familia y con interés con ánimo de dedicarme
en el establecimiento colonial permitido por el supremo gobierno de la nación mejicana al empresario D.
Stephen F. Austin, espero que admitiéndome con mi familia como uno de los primeros pobladores de la
se sirva concederme y ponerme en posesión de la porción de tierra que la ley concede a los colonos en el concepto de que estoy pronto a poblarla y cultivarla ya que me obligo sujetándome en todo a las leyes que rijan, y a defender los derechos de la independencia y libertad de la patria tanto como vivo se halla hacia como dejo referido, que en ello reciba Gracia y justicia.
a de San Felipe de Austin a [día] de Julio de año1824.
John Irons

John Irons originally from the United States of America and resident of the other inhabitant on the eastern bank of the Brazos River.
I declare that having moved to said territory with my family and with the intention and resolve to dedicate myself
to the colonial establishment permitted by the supreme government of the Mexican nation to the empresario Mr.
Stephen F. Austin, I hope that by admitting me with my family as one of the first settlers of the [colony], you will deign to grant me and put me in possession of the portion of land that the law concedes to the colonists, on the understanding that I am ready to settle and cultivate it, since I bind myself subjecting myself in all things to the laws that govern, and to defend the rights of the independence and liberty of the patria [fatherland/nation] as much as I live, as is herein stated, that in this I may receive grace and justice.
At San Felipe de Austin on the [day] of July of 1824.
John Irons

John Irons received title to his Waller County sitio on July 16, 1824, ranking him among approximately the first quarter of Austin's Old Three Hundred colonists (roughly position 67–76 of ~300 total titles) to have their land formally granted, during the initial wave of issuances by commissioner Baron de Bastrop that began July 7, 1824.

Irons to Groce—Original Deed-------------------------------- $6:00

                                                                  Copy------------ $1:50

What can reasonably be assumed from this notation?

It documents a transfer of title or conveyance of real property (most likely land, given the context of Austin's Colony in the mid-1820s, when land grants and sales were rampant among settlers). The phrase "original deed" strongly indicates a formal deed (escritura or título) for transferring ownership or title to land or perhaps other property.

Not necessarily a sale: While "deed" often implies a sale (venta), it could also be a gift, exchange, mortgage/lien release, or confirmation of title (e.g., formalizing a prior informal claim or headright allocation). However, the context of stamp taxes on "original deed" entries in the Austin Papers leans toward transfers of property rights, frequently sales or conveyances among settlers.

John Irons and Stephen Richardson declared they were present on Saturday 30th of July, 1825 in town San Felipe de Austin , when David Richmond was lying dangerously ill in said place ; he declared he gave and bequeathed to LAWRENCE RICHARD KENNEY of same Colony all his worldly effects, including land granted on the Brazos River for the benefit of Richmond 's mother, then in Ireland, lands then in the hands of Micajah Byrd of this Colony. Kenny was appointed sole executor - and David Richmond died same night.

Affidavit Concerning Counterfeit Money 18 July 1826 Department of Texas --- Austins Colony.

This day personally appeared before me Stephen F Austin Judge in and for the Colony aforesaid John Foster who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that for some time last fall when in this Country his son Isaac Foster at Mr Irons place handed him a piece of money as a Gold piece from from Mr William Cooper with a request from said Cooper that deponent would with it and other money handed at the same time purchase for him the said Cooper a steel mill in New Orleans. The said piece of money proved to be counterfeit and said deponent deposes is the same identical piece now presented and as aforementioned was handed to him by his son Isaac. - - - San Felipe de Austin 18 July, 1826 (signed) John Foster - - - Subscribed and sworn to before me (signed) S. F. Austin Judge

John Irons — Death Notation

John Irons died sometime before 1830, per the marriage record of his widow, Polly (Baker) Irons, to John C. Smith in Austin's Colony, Texas, in 1830 — a legal remarriage that necessarily postdates his death. This is corroborated by an 1900 affidavit given by Mulvina Roberts, stating "the said John Irons died, leaving the said Polly Irons; afterwards the said Polly Irons married a man by the name of John C. Smith." No confirmed date, cause, or place of death has been established; 1830 stands only as a firm upper bound.

Title Bond
Benjamin Rigby To Thomas Taylor

In the Town of San Felipe de Austin, on the 27th day of May, 1831, before me, Walter C. White, First Regidor, and on account of the absence of the Alcalde exercising his functions, personally appeared Benjamin Rigby, Colonist of this Colony, whom I know and recognize, who declared that by this instrument he binds and obligates himself, his children, heirs and successors, unto Thomas Taylor, his heirs and successors, in manner and form following, to wit: that he, the said Rigby, has this day received from the Commissioner of the Fort a title for one League of Land on Bedias Creek, granted to him as a man of family in conformity to the Colonization Law, and inasmuch as the said Rigby is not in a situation to pay the fees due and expenses on the same, without great inconvenience to himself and his family, and the said T. Taylor having paid the amount which has to be paid on the delivery of the title, and become responsible for all the other amounts which may be hereafter due on the same, the said Rigby binds and obligates himself to make to the said Thomas Taylor a full and complete transfer or deed to one half of said League of Land, which half the said Taylor has the right of choosing whenever called upon so to do, after the laws of this State or Department may permit; hereby binding his person and property, present and future, to pay all losses, damages, costs, expenses, and all and every other injury or inconvenience which may be incurred or may result to said Taylor on account of his failure to make to said Taylor the transfer or deed when called upon; and by this instrument gives, grants, and delivers full, ample, and peaceful possession to the said Taylor of the half of the said League which he may select, with the right and privilege of making and building houses, opening fields, cutting timber, using water, &c., without any further permission, consent, or assent of the said Rigby, within or upon the half of said League which he may select. Furthermore, the said Rigby hereby authorizes the Alcalde or any other judicial officer of this jurisdiction to compel him to comply with this obligation by levying execution on his property in the most summary way, hereby renouncing all exemption, benefit, and others which by the laws might favor him. In faith of which he signs this with me and two assisting witnesses, as the law requires.

Walter C. White
Benjamin Rigby
Witness: Lewis L. Reeder
Witness: John Irons

A document dated 1831 bearing John Irons's apparent signature is of doubtful authenticity, given it postdates his documented death. Consistent with a well-documented pattern of forged signatures on land instruments involving deceased early Texas colonists (whose headrights/land claims retained value after death), this document should be treated as a probable forgery or posthumous fabrication rather than evidence he was still living in 1831.