Lucien Hopson

Lucien Hopson
November 25, 1803 - Ohio
February 16, 1896 - Austin, Texas

Soldier of San Jacinto. Lucien came to Texas in early 1836, most likely for the sole purpose of enlisting in the army in order to receive the bountiful land grants promised to each soldier if the rebellion against Mexico was successful. He formally enlisted for a period of eight months on February 3, and was first assigned to C Company of the Mina Volunteers before being transferred to 5th Infantry Company, 2nd Regiment, with whom he fought at the Battle of San Jacinto the following April. After his enlistment ended in November, he received title to over a thousand acres of land in Lampasas County and moved there to clear his property and prepare a homestead. He lived there quietly for twenty-five years until the beginnings of the Civil War. Too old to enlist, he put his mind to work and not only designed "a device for a Confederate States flag" (possibly a finial), but also invented a new type of projectile that would be approved by the Confederate Patent Office on September 25, 1862. Unfortunately, at the conclusion of the War, most C.P.O. records were destroyed, so exactly what the invention was and how it worked is unknown. He was awarded an additional tract of land in 1866 for his service at San Jacinto and became a member of the Texas Veterans Association, which was comprised mostly of soldiers who had fought in the Revolution. By the mid-1890s, Lucien had left his home and moved to Austin, where he passed away at the advanced age of ninety-three.

Republic Hill
Texas State Cemetery
Austin

Joseph White

Joseph White
? - Georgia
June 14, 1830 - San Felipe de Austin, Texas

Old Three Hundred colonist. Precious little is known of the history of Joseph White; details such as when he was born, when he first arrived in Texas and the circumstances of his death are all unknown. He applied for land in Stephen Austin's First Colony, possibly in 1821 or 1822, and was awarded one sitio of land in present-day Brazoria County on August 16, 1824. He was a farmer by profession and evidently well-respected by the rest of the original settlers, as he was elected the town magistrate on December 21, 1828. Obviously very successful at his profession, he bought several town lots during the following year, and in December, purchased half a league of land just west of Galveston Bay. Six months later, Joseph died of unknown causes and shortly afterwards a large part of his estate was auctioned off.

Note: Unmarked. During the Texas revolution, the entire town of San Felipe was burned to the ground, destroying all of the wooden grave markers. So although Joseph White is known to be buried in this cemetery, the exact location has been lost.  The photo below is representative of the oldest section of the cemetery where it is possible he still rests.


San Felipe de Austin Cemetery
San Felipe

Joseph Ehlinger

Joseph Ehlinger
1792 - Alsace, France
1845 - Houston, Texas

Soldier of San Jacinto. Originally apprenticed as a carpenter, Joseph's military career began as a member of Napoleon's army in the early 1810s. He participated in several battles during the Napoleonic Wars as well as the ill-fated march on Moscow before immigrating to the United States in 1834. Making his way from Baltimore to New Orleans, he traveled to Texas in early 1835 and enlisted in the army as part of William Heard's Company of Citizen Soldiers in the early days of the Texas Revolution. As one of the few soldiers with actual battlefield experience, Joseph served as drill master for General Houston, training the rest of the ranks on-the-go as they marched on the long retreat ahead of Santa Anna's Mexican forces towards Harrisburg. He fought at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, and for services rendered received 960 acres in what is now Fayette County. He returned to France in 1840 for a short time to bring his family to his new homestead before returning to his original profession, building several homes for new settlers, including the first hotel in Colorado County. In 1845, he was riding to Houston to visit some family members when, as he crossed a flooded Buffalo Bayou, his horse's legs became entangled in some wild grape vines that grew along the banks. In his attempts to free his horse, Joseph himself became entangled and drowned.

Note: This is a cenotaph. Nearly all of the graves in Founders Memorial Park were lost due to neglect, and although Joseph Ehlinger is known to be buried in this cemetery, the exact location is unknown.


Founders Memorial Park
Houston

Jonathan Peyton

Jonathan C. Peyton
? - Tennessee?
May 1834 - San Felipe de Austin, Texas

Old Three Hundred colonist. The earliest known records have Jonathan living in Nashville on July 2, 1818, when he married his cousin Angelina. They moved to New Orleans and lived there for four years before leaving for Texas aboard the ship Good Intent. Arriving at the port of Matagorda on June 18, 1822, they traveled through Texas for three years looking for a good place to set up a homestead before finally choosing San Felipe de Austin, settling there in October 1825. He applied for land as one of Stephen Austin's original colonists, and in 1827 received title to a league near what would later become Matagorda County. He remained in town, however, and found work running a ferry and freighting business, saving his money to purchase four lots in town where he built a combination inn and tavern that was run by his wife. Peyton's Tavern, as it was known, became a popular meeting spot in the town, and survived Jonathan's death in 1834 another two years until it was burned to the ground during the Runaway Scrape.

Note: Unmarked. During the Texas revolution, the entire town of San Felipe was burned to the ground, destroying all of the wooden grave markers. So although Jonathan Peyton is known to be buried in this cemetery, the exact location has been lost. The photo below is representative of the oldest section of the cemetery where it is possible he still rests.


San Felipe de Austin Cemetery
San Felipe

John McFarland

John McFarland
1770? - ?
1826 - San Felipe de Austin, Texas

Old Three Hundred colonist. It is believed that John and his brother Achilles were the first settlers in what would become Stephen Austin's provincial capital San Felipe de Austin; as early as May 1823, they were living in a cabin at the Atascosito Crossing of the Brazos River. As the town grew, he was awarded a lifetime license to operate the main ferry as long as he issued a report every six months to the head office. On August 10, 1824 he received his land grant just north of town and began operating a small farm and stockyard. Never marrying, John died sometime before December 1826 and was buried in the town cemetery.

Note: Unmarked. During the Texas revolution, the entire town of San Felipe was burned to the ground, destroying all of the wooden grave markers. So although John McFarland is known to be buried in this cemetery, the exact location has been lost.


San Felipe de Austin Cemetery
San Felipe