James Franklin Perry (1790–1853) was an American who was an early settler and prominent citizen of

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

. James married to

Emily Austin Perry Emily Austin Bryan Perry (June 22, 1795 – 1851) was the sister of Stephen F. Austin and an early settler of Texas. She was an heir to Austin's estate when he died in 1836. She achieved significant political, economic and social status as a woma ...

, and together they operated Peach Point Plantation. He was involved in Texas land distribution.

Life

James Franklin Perry was born in

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Allegheny County () is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the state's second-most populous county, following Philadelphia Co ...

on September 19, 1790. He married

Emily Austin Emily Austin Bryan Perry (June 22, 1795 – 1851) was the sister of Stephen F. Austin and an early settler of Texas. She was an heir to Austin's estate when he died in 1836. She achieved significant political, economic and social status as a woma ...

on September 23, 1824. He was her second husband, and the two had six children together: * Stephen Samuel Perry (born June 24, 1825, in

Potosi, Missouri Potosi is a city in Washington County, Missouri, United States. Potosi is seventy-two miles southwest of St. Louis. The population was 2,660 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Washington County. Located in the Lead Belt, the cit ...

; died September 5, 1874, in

Brazoria, Texas Brazoria ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, in the metropolitan area and Brazoria County. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city population was 2,866. Geography Brazoria is located southwest of the center of Brazoria County at (2 ...

). *Emily Rosanna Perry (born September 24, 1826, in Potosi, Missouri; died December 6, 1827, in Potosi, Missouri). *Eliza Margaret Perry (born January 3, 1828, in Potosi, Missouri; died January 3, 1862, in Austin, Texas. *James Elijah Brown Perry (born May 17, 1830, in Potosi, Missouri; died February 14, 1831, in Chocolate Bayou, Texas. *Henry Austin Perry (born November 17, 1831, at Chocolate Bayou, Texas; died September 10, 1853, in Biloxi, Mississippi). *Cecilia Perry (born December 10, 1835, at Peach Point Plantation; died June 8, 1836, at Peach Point Plantation By marrying Emily Austin, James became owner of Peach Point Plantation and was one of the first plantation owners to shift from

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

to sugar production. He also was involved in the earliest plans for a

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

in Texas. He was offered the position of Secretary of the Treasury of the Republic of Texas in 1839, but declined. James was also the executor of the will of

Stephen F. Austin Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...

(Emily Austin's brother), a distinction that directly involved him in land distribution, maps, and early Texas colonial affairs. A court case related to titles of land was at one time filed and even appealed by Sam Houston against James Franklin Perry in his capacity as executor for Stephen F. Austin. James Franklin Perry and his son Henry each died from

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. ...

on September 13, 1853. There are obituary references to James in various newspapers.

Legacy

Letters between James, his wife, and their son,

Stephen Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

, serve as significant records, frequently referenced as foundational in Texas history. They were archived in the 1930s and housed at the Center for American History at the

University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,07 ...

. Perry's Landing, in

, is named for James Franklin Perry. There is an historical marker for James Franklin Perry at the

Gulf Prairie Cemetery Gulf Prairie Cemetery (also known as Gulph Prairie Cemetery, Gulf Prairie Presbyterian Cemetery, and Peach Point Cemetery) is located in Jones Creek, Texas, United States, off State Highway 36 and County Road 304 and was the original resting plac ...

. He is referenced as "James F. Perry" in the Supreme Court decision

Bryan v. Kennett ''Bryan v. Kennett'', 113 U.S. 179 (1885), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that, under the treaty providing for the Louisiana Purchase, the United States would recognize property interests granted by the previous so ...

.Bryan v. Kennett, 113 U.S. 179 (1885)
Justia.com; accessed September 13, 2015.

Life

Legacy

References

Further reading