John Irons, 17881842 (aged 54 years)

Name
John /Irons/
Birth
about 1788
Newspaper Article
Public Notice
March 14, 1811
St Louis, Missouri
Note: TAKE NOTICE

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

Marriage
about 1815 (aged 27 years)
Tax Record
1816
Lawrence County, Missouri Territory
Note: Name in Index
Newspaper Article
List of Letters
October 4, 1817
St Louis, Missouri Territory
Birth of a daughter
1817
Arkansas County, Missouri Territory
Note: In 1817, the area that would become Hempstead County (created in late 1818) was part of the vast Arkansas County in Missouri Territory.

In 1817, the area that would become Hempstead County (created in late 1818) was part of the vast Arkansas County in Missouri Territory.

European-American settlement in this southwestern region was extremely sparse, with only a handful of isolated pioneer families and no established towns or villages.

For someone born in "Arkansas" in 1817 (per later census records), the birth likely occurred in one of these isolated pioneer households in the future Hempstead County area, as this was among the only spots with any white settlement in southwestern Arkansas Territory at that time.

The overall non-Native population of the entire Arkansas region was under 2,000 in the late 1810s.

Business Contract
Build a House & Store
1819
Hempstead County, Arkansas Territory
Note: John Irons and Joseph Harris, builders, contracted with Amos N. Price and William Fisher to build a store and house at Saline Landing.
Court Record
Covenant Broken
June 30, 1819
Hempstead County, Arkansas Territory
Note: William Fisher (surviving partner of the firm Price & Fisher) vs John Irons and Joseph Harris
Note: 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

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.

Petition
Grand Jury Presentment
April 1820
Hempstead County, Arkansas Territory
Note: Grand Jury Presentment

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*"]

Court Record
Jury Duty
August 29, 1820
Hempstead County, Arkansas Territory
Note: United States vs Richard Yarberry - Assault & Battery

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.

Court Record
Jury Duty
August 30, 1820
Hempstead County, Arkansas Territory
Note: The United States vs John Henry Marley - Indictment for Larceny

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.

History
Austin Colony
1821
Census
1823 (aged 35 years)
Brazos County, Province of Texas
Election Return
Voted in the Alcalde
December 20, 1823
San Felipe de Austin, Texas Colony
Birth of a son
Property
Land Grant
July 9, 1824
San Felipe de Austin, Texas Colony
Note: Grantee John Irons

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

Note: John Irons originario de los Estados de América y vecino de la otra habitante sobre el margen oriental del río de los Brazos.

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

Note: John Irons originally from the United States of America and resident of the other inhabitant on the eastern bank of the Brazos River.

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

Tax Record
Stamp Tax
January 18, 1825
San Felipe de Austin, Texas Colony
Land Purchaser: Jared Groce (aged 42 years) — Relationship
Note: Irons to Groce—Original Deed-------------------------------- $6:00

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

                                                                  Copy------------ $1:50
Note: What can reasonably be assumed from this notation?

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.

Census
1826 (aged 38 years)
Texas
Affidavit
Mention of Mr Irons
July 18, 1826
San Felipe de Austin, Texas Colony
Note: Affidavit Concerning Counterfeit Money 18 July 1826 Department of Texas --- Austins Colony.

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 id 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

Birth of a son
about 1826
Texas
Birth of a son
about 1827
Texas
Event-Misc
1828
Hempstead County, Arkansas, USA
Note: Not on the tax list.
Marriage of a daughter
December 28, 1834
Lake Creek Settlement, Montgomery County, Texas
Death
between 1830 and 1842 (aged 54 years)
Research task

John Irons received a title to land in 1824, but is not mentioned in Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families...a notice dated 1829 at the beginning of the 'book' indicates families had to come forward to register and pay fees. John Irons name is not recorded in the register...why not?

February 4, 2026
User: DaveH
Note: Findings:

Findings:

The Register of Families (the manuscript book maintained by Austin and his office) primarily served as a record of incoming settlers, their family details, origins, arrival dates, and related information to support the colonization process and land issuance under Mexican law. It was compiled starting around 1825 and continued into the 1830s, with entries for thousands of Anglo-American immigrants to Mexican Texas.
John Irons does not appear in this register for a key reason tied to the timeline and purpose of the document:

The Old Three Hundred (including Irons) were the earliest core group of settlers who arrived mostly in 1823–1824. Their land titles were issued by the land commissioner Baron de Bastrop (authorized by Mexican authorities) between July and August 1824 for the bulk of them, with some finalized later.
By the time the formal Register of Families was actively maintained and expanded (post-1825), these initial grantees were already established, had received their titles, and were not "new" arrivals needing registration in the same way later immigrants did.
The register focused more on subsequent waves of settlers (those arriving after the initial 300 were largely placed), who came under continuing colonization efforts. It recorded details for compliance, fees, oaths of allegiance, and to track population growth for Austin's ongoing empresario obligations.

Last change
March 13, 202614:46:05
Author of last change: daveh
Family with Polly Baker
himself
17881842
Birth: about 1788
Death: between 1830 and 1842
wife
Marriage Marriageabout 1815
3 years
daughter
1817
Birth: 1817 29 21 Arkansas County, Missouri Territory
7 years
son
1823
Birth: about 1823 35 27
4 years
son
18261858
Birth: about 1826 38 30 Texas
Death: about 1858
2 years
son
1827
Birth: about 1827 39 31 Texas
Birth
Newspaper Article
Tax Record
Newspaper Article
Business Contract
Court Record
Petition
Court Record
Court Record
Tax Record
Affidavit
Name
Death
Newspaper Article

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

Tax Record

Name in Index

Business Contract

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

Court Record

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.

Petition

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*"]

Court Record

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.

Court Record

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.

Property

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

Tax Record

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.

Affidavit

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 id 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

Event-Misc

Not on the tax list.

Research task

Findings:

The Register of Families (the manuscript book maintained by Austin and his office) primarily served as a record of incoming settlers, their family details, origins, arrival dates, and related information to support the colonization process and land issuance under Mexican law. It was compiled starting around 1825 and continued into the 1830s, with entries for thousands of Anglo-American immigrants to Mexican Texas.
John Irons does not appear in this register for a key reason tied to the timeline and purpose of the document:

The Old Three Hundred (including Irons) were the earliest core group of settlers who arrived mostly in 1823–1824. Their land titles were issued by the land commissioner Baron de Bastrop (authorized by Mexican authorities) between July and August 1824 for the bulk of them, with some finalized later.
By the time the formal Register of Families was actively maintained and expanded (post-1825), these initial grantees were already established, had received their titles, and were not "new" arrivals needing registration in the same way later immigrants did.
The register focused more on subsequent waves of settlers (those arriving after the initial 300 were largely placed), who came under continuing colonization efforts. It recorded details for compliance, fees, oaths of allegiance, and to track population growth for Austin's ongoing empresario obligations.