Martin Varner III (1785 - 1844)

Born 3 Mar 1785 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Eveline (English) Varner — married 26 Sep 1818 in Jonesboro, Red River County, Texas

Descendants

Died 14 Feb 1844 at age 58 in Wood County, Texas

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Martin Varner III settled in the Republic of Texas before February 19, 1846.

This profile is part of the Early Red River, Texas One Place Study.

Biography

Name: Martin Varner III.^[1][2]

Born: 3 Mar 1785 Fayette County, Pennsylvania.^[1][2]
(some sources day "4 March")

Migration: abt 1795 Warren County, Ohio.
Traveled from Pennsylvania with his family to join his father, who had moved to Ohio in 1791 to establish himself.

Note: Dec 1816 Grayson County, Texas.^[2]
Martin Varner & Henry Jones engaged in a battle with the Osage on the Red River near the present site of Denison. Varner was wounded.

Married: Elizabeth Eveline English, 26 Sep 1818 Jonesborough, Red River County, Texas.^[2]
(7 children)

Migration: abt Feb 1822 Independence, Washington County, Texas.
Joined Austin's colony in company with Henry Jones and his family.

Tax List: 1826 Austin's Colony, Texas.^[3]

Occupation: 1829 West Columbia, Brazoria County, Texas.^[2]
Established the first rum distillery in Texas near his cabin at the present site of Varner-Hogg Plantation State Park.

Military: 25 Jun 1832 Brazoria County, Texas.^[2]
Fought as a volunteer at Battle of Velasco.

Military: Apr-Jul 1836 Texas.^[2]
Served under Houston in the Army of the Republic of Texas.

Military: 21 Apr 1836 San Jacinto, Harris County, Texas.^[2]
In charge of the baggage train at Battle of San Jacinto and cared for the sick & wounded.

Tax List: 1840 Red River County, Texas.^[3]

Residence: abt Apr 1840 Van Zandt County, Texas.^[2]
Regarded as the first white settler in the part of Van Zandt County that became Wood County in 1850.

Died: 14 Feb 1844 Van Zandt County, Texas.^[1][2]

Buried: Varner Family Cemetery, Wood County, Texas.^[1][2]
Located on the Varner family farm -- not in Hainesville, as Find-a-Grave says. Inscription:L "Martin Varner, A volunteer soldier in the Texas War for Independence at San Jacinto, 1836. Erected by the State of Texas 1962."

Probate: 25 Mar 18443 Nacogdoches County, Texas.^[4]

Land: 22 Sep 1846 Wood County, Texas.^[5]
Grantee: Varner, Martin
Certificate #113
Patentee: Varner, Martin
Patent Date: 22 Sep 1846
640 A., Wood County, Nacagdoches District
File 58, Patent 37, Patent Vol. 1
Class: Nac. Don. [Nacogdoches Donation grant]

Martin Varner III was a Texan.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Find-a-Grave Martin Varner
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10} Wood County, 1850-1900 (Mineola, TX: Wood County Historical Society, 1976), p. 155.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Texas Tax List Index, 1820-1890.
4. ↑ Texas Wills and Probate Records, 1833-1974, Administrators Record, 1838-1895; Case No. 98.
5. ↑ Texas General Land Office. Abstracts of All Original Texas Land Titles Comprising Grants and Locations.

From Texas State Historical Association Online:

Martin Varner (March 3, 1785 – February 14, 1844) was one of the original American settlers in Mexican Texas, known as the Old Three Hundred, and was a veteran of the Texas Revolution.

Early life Born in German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, he moved with his family to Warren County, Ohio in 1791.[1]

In 1815, Varner moved to Arkansas Territory and joined with a group of like-minded individuals who moved on to the land south of the Red River. They established the town of Jonesborough in what is now Red River County, Texas.[1] Varner married Elizabeth Inglish (English) at Jonesborough on September 26, 1818.[1]

Texas In 1821, many of the Spanish colonies in the Americas gained independence. Among the new countries created as a result of the revolutions was Mexico.

Varner heard of Stephen F. Austin's colony on the Brazos River, and he went to see him, signing with the Old Three Hundred. Varner settled in Independence temporarily.[1]

In 1824, Varner was given Mexican land grants in Brazoria and Waller counties. His Brazoria County property was located outside of what is now West Columbia, at what is now known as the Varner–Hogg Plantation State Historical Site. Varner raised sugar cane on the property, and built a rum distillery there. In 1834, Varner sold the property to Columbus Patton.[1]

Varner participated in the Battle of Velasco in 1832. He later served in the Army of the Republic of Texas from April through July, 1836. He was awarded 320 acres (1.3 km2) of land in Wood County for his service, but he and his family were forced to abandon their land during the Runaway Scrape. For his service during the Battle of San Jacinto, he received a further 640 acres (2.6 km2) in Wood County. He later joined his family in Lamar County, where he bought 1,700 acres (6.9 km2) near Fort Lyday. He later moved back to Wood County, where he and his family became the first permanent settlers. He used the money from the sale of his plantation in Brazoria County to buy up the lands of other San Jacinto veterans.[1]

During a land dispute with a neighbor, Varner was shot in the back and his son, Stephen F., was shot and killed by a Mexican named Gonzales. Martin Varner died three days later. A marker has been placed on the Wood County property by the Texas Historical Commission.

• http://tshaonline.org
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Varner