James Franklin Perry

James Franklin Perry (1790–1853) was an American who was an early settler and prominent citizen of Texas. James married Emily Austin Perry, operated Peach Point Plantation, and was involved in Texas land distribution.

Life

James Franklin Perry was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania on September 19, 1790.[1] He married Emily Austin on September 23, 1824.[1] He was her second husband, and the two had six children together:[1]

  • Stephen Samuel Perry (born June 24, 1825 in Potosi, Missouri; died September 5, 1874 in Brazoria, Texas).[2]
  • Emily Rosanna Perry (born September 24, 1826 in Potosi, Missouri; died December 6, 1827 in Potosi, Missouri).[3]
  • Eliza Margaret Perry (born January 3, 1828 in Potosi, Missouri; died January 3, 1862 in Austin, Texas.[4]
  • James Elijah Brown Perry (born May 17, 1830 in Potosi, Missouri; died February 14, 1831 in Chocolate Bayou, Texas.[5]
  • Henry Austin Perry (born November 17, 1831 at Chocolate Bayou, Texas; died September 10, 1853 in Biloxi, Mississippi).[6]
  • Cecilia Perry (born December 10, 1835 at Peach Point Plantation; died June 8, 1836 at Peach Point Plantation[7]

By marrying Emily Austin, James became owner of Peach Point Plantation and was one of the first plantation owners to shift from cotton to sugar production. He also was involved in the earliest plans for a railroad 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[8] (Emily Austin's brother), a distinction that directly involved him in land distribution, maps, and early Texas colonial affairs.[9] 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.[10]

James Franklin Perry and his son Henry each died from yellow fever[11] on September 13, 1853. There are obituary references to James in various newspapers.[12]

Legacy

Letters between James, his wife, and their son, Stephen, serve as significant records, frequently referenced as foundational in Texas history.[13] They were archived in the 1930s and housed at the Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin.[14]

Perry's Landing, in Brazoria, Texas, is named for James Franklin Perry.[15] There is an historical marker[16] for James Franklin Perry at the Gulf Prairie Cemetery. He is referenced as "James F. Perry" in the Supreme Court decision Bryan v. Kennett.[17]

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References
  1. "James Franklin Perry profile". Brazoria County Historical Museum. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  2. "Stephen Samuel Perry profile". Brazoria County Historical Museum. Archived from the original on February 25, 2001. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  3. "Emily Rossana Perry". Brazoria County Historical Museum. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  4. "Eliza Margaret Perry profile". Brazoria County Historical Museum. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  5. "James Elijah Brown Perry profile". Brazoria County Historical Museum. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  6. "Henry Austin Perry profile". Brazoria County Historical Museum. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  7. "Cecilia Perry profile". Brazoria County Historical Museum. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  8. Letter of H.N. Cleveland, San Filipe de Austin, to James F. Perry, Executor of S.F. Austin, November 14, 1838
  9. Allen, Winnie. "Perry, James Franklin". Handbook of Texas Online. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  10. "Sam Houston, Apellant, vs. James F. Perry, Executor" (digital image). 1837.
  11. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro
  12. http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/PERRY/2001-01/0978754454
  13. "A Guide to the James F. and Stephen S. Perry papers, 1785-1942". University of Texas at Austin.
  14. Cummins, Light Townsend (2009). Emily Austin of Texas (1795-1851). TCU Press. pp. 277-FN5. ISBN 0-87565-351-0.
  15. Allen, Winnie. "Perry's Landing, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  16. Nienke, William; Morrow, Sam (2005). "James Franklin Perry profile". Texas Historical Markers. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  17. Bryan v. Kennett, 113 U.S. 179 (1885) Justia.com; accessed September 13, 2015.

Additional References
  • Sallie Glasscock, "Peach Point Plantation," Texas Parade, April 1951.
  • Jones, Marie Beth (1982), Peach Point Plantation: The First 150 Years, Texian Press, ISBN 0-9630042-0-4
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