Here is the third installment of information I have about the Hodge Family of Texas. Thanks to all you Texans who DID NOT point out my mistake (I said DAVID Austin instead of Stephen). I'm sorry about that. I know a David Austin which is probably why I used that name. The source of information used by Johnnie regarding the Hodge family involvement in the Texas War of Independence (which I submitted last night) was "Early History of Fayette County." A co-author was Houston Wade, but I don’t know anything else about this book. State of Texas to W. F. Hodge Patent No. 175,Vol. 4 Dated December 20th 1857 Filed for record May 16, 1882 Recorded in Vol. H-pp-424-425 of the Dedd [sic] Records of Bee County, Texas "In the name of the State of Texas: To all to whom these presents shall come, Know Ye, I, J. Pinkney Henderson, Governor of the State aforesaid by virtue of the power vested in me by law and in accordance with the laws of said State, in such cases made and provided, do by these presents grant to William F. Hodge, his heirs or assigns forever Twelve Hundred and Eighty acres of land situated and described as follows: - In Goliad District on a Dry Branch of the Medio about five (can’t read the next word) above the crossing of the road leading from Goliad to Loredo. Beginning at the South corner of a survey made for E. Stapp, a post from which a mesquite marked "A" bears North 68 degrees West five varas; thence South 70 degrees West Two Thousand and Seven varas to the Southwest corner, a post from which mesquite marked "T" bears South 78 degrees West five varas; Thence North 20 degrees West Thirty Six Hundred varas to the N.W. corner which is the South West corner made for Charles Clark---a post which bears from a Live Oak marked "C" South 30 East Twelve varas and from a Live Oak marked X South 89 degrees West 16 varas; Thence North 70 degrees East Three Hundred varas to a dry creek Two Thousand and Seven varas to the North West corner of W. Oitmores survey of Three Hundred and Twenty acres of land a post bearing from a mesquite mkd X five inches diameter, North 2 degrees East 35 varas; then! ce South 20 ? East ?" (remainder of document cut off). William Hodge married Mary E. Sudecoy, January 1, 1851, Fayette County, TX. The following children were listed in the 1870 Census Records of Fayette County. Alexander – born 1852 James – born 1856 Charles – born 1857 Lisa – Born 1861 Ella – Born 1867 (NOTE: It’s not clear who wrote the following information, so I do not know who has possession of the documents described – but it might be Johnnie Louise Kight) "We have a lot of records on William. He delt in land. Also owned quite a bit. We have his record that he was a Sgt. In the Civil War, Southern Cause. We have an abstract showing a warranty Deed signed by William N. Hodge and wife, F. G. Hodge. John M. Hodge bought this property from William and my great grandfather, Robert Archibald. It was dated from Alabama in February 1875. We often wondered why William went to Alabama. At that time the Germans were moving into that part of Texas and we felt like he sold his property for a good price…." Alexander Hodge’s Spanish Land Grant on file in the Spanish Archives of the State of Texas: No. 34 THIRD SEAL TWO REALES FOR THE YEARS OF 1826 and 1827, and eight Williams (Rubric) Honorable Commissioner Gaspar Flores: I, Alexander Hodge, native of the United States of the North, with due respect declare to you: That having moved to this country with my family and interests in order to acquire land for the maintenance of my said family, and having obtained permission from the Honorable Empresario Austin to select land and settle in the colony which the Supreme Mexican Government has authorized him to establish, I hope that by virtue of the authority conferred on you by the government of this State to conclude the pending affairs of said Empresario Austin’s first colonization enterprise, you will concede to and put me in possession of one league of land which is situated ojn the east margin of this Brazos River, adjoining and below that of Mills M. Battle, considering that I am ready to comply with the legal requisites on the matter, subjecting myself in all cases to the laws that govern. Therefore, I beg you please to do as I have said, wherein I shall receive favor and justice. Town of Austin, March 29, 1828 Alex. Hodge Town of Austin, March 29, 1828 Pass this petition to Citizen Estevan F. Austin so that he may report whether the declarer has the qualifications that the law requires and whether the tract he solicits is owned by any individual. Flores (Rubric) (NOTE: I’m missing one page of information that goes here as a continuation of the above Land Grant. It picks up in the middle of a document as follows): "…declarer, Alexander Hodge, according to the preceding report, we have agreed to grant and concede to him, and by the present we do grant and concede in the name of the government of the Mexican Nation to Alexander Hodge, to his heirs and successors, one league of land situated on the east margin of the Brazos River adjoining and below that of Mills M. Battle, without facility of irrigation, or which tract we shall put him in possession, delivering to him the corresponding title for this security as soon as he has paid the fees designated by the Fee Bill circulated by the Political Chief on May 20, 1824, and in evidence thereof we sign with attendant witnesses on the same day of said month and year, we certify. Gaspar Flores (Rubric) Attendant Witness H. H. League (Rubric) Estevan F. Austin (Rubric) Attendant Witness Samuel M. Williams (Rubric) We, said Commissioner Gaspar Flores and Empresario Estevan F. Austin, the witnesses James Beard, Thomas H. Borden, the adjacent landowner, the Surveyor Horacio Chrisman, and the interested party went to the aforesaid league of land which by the preceding decree we granted to the latter, situated on the east margin of the Brazos River, and at the lower corner of the league surveyed for Mills M. Battle on said margin of said river, the Surveyor began and thence surveyed 12,394 varas to another landmark in the prairie, and thence east 1,900 varas to another landmark in the prairie, and thence south 13,884 varas to said river where another landmark was fixed, and thence following the meanders of the river upward to where the first line began, comprising within said lines the amount of one league of land in area, bounded on the south by said river and on the west by the league of Mills M. Battle. We put the aforesaid …" (NOTE: remainder of document missing – actually, never sent to me). Honorable Commissioner Gaspar Flores: By virtue of the preceding decree I must say that the petitioner, Alexander Hodge, is worthy of the tract he solicits and that the statement in his petition is true; the tract he solicits is vacant, by virtue of which and the fact that he has the requisites prescribed by the law on the matter, the aforesaid league of land may be conceded to him. Town of Austin, March 1, 1828. Estevan F. Austin (Rubric) In the town of Austin on April 5, 1828, we, citizen Gaspar Flores, Commissioner of the Government, and Estevan F. Austin, Empresario to establish a new colony in Texas, by virtue of the commission conferred on the former by order of the Most Excellent and Honorable Vice-Governor of this State, communicated by the office of the Chief of the Department of Texas, Citizen Jose Antonio Saucedo, and dated March 19th of last year, in which said Honorable Gaspar Flores was appointed to replace the former Commissioner, Citizen Felipe Henrique Neri, formerly Baron de Bastrop, and authorized to conclude the pending affairs of Empresario Austin’s first colonization enterprise, and by virtue of the authority vested in both in consequence of the decree of the Superior Mexican Government, dated February 18th, confirmed by the decrees of the Sovereign Constituent Congress and the Supreme Executive Power, dated the 11th and 14th of April of 1823, and of that of the Commandant General of the ! Eastern Provinces, Brigadier Felipe de la Garza, issued June 16th of said year in the file of documents promulgated by said Empresario Estevan F. Austin on the immigration of three hundred families to be colonized in Texas, exercising the authority vested in us by said commission and decree and considering the merit and circumstances of the… (NOTE: following is the next page I have in this package. It appears to be a continuation of the page above, but I wouldn’t swear to it. There are no page numbers). …Alexander Hodge in possession of said tract, taking him by the hand, leading him over it, telling him in a loud and understandable voice that by virtue of the authority we have and in the name of the government of the Mexican Nation we put him in possession said tract with all its uses, customs, rights, and appurtenances, for him, his heirs and successors, and the aforesaid Alexander Hodge, as a token of finding himself in real and personal possession of said tract, threw stones, drove stakes, and performed the other necessary ceremonies, being notified of this obligation to cultivate it within two years, the term prescribed by law, and in evidence thereof, we, said Commissioner and Empresario sign with attendant witnesses in the absence of a natory [sic] in the term of the law, which we certify. In the town of Austin on April 12, 1828. Gaspar Flores (Rubric) Attendant Witness H. H. League (Rubric) Estevan F. Austin (Rubric) Attendant Witness Samuel M. Williams (Rubric) Coahuila and Texas to Heirs of William Hodge, Copy of Title – Third Seal: Two Reals, Established by the State of Coahuila and Texas for the Biennial Term of 1828 and 29. 30 &31 Williams, rubric Town of San Felipe, de Austin, March 12, 1831 To Citizen Empresario Stephen F. Austin’s agent in order that he may be pleased to report concerning this application, adding whether the land is vacant and outside of the ten littoral leagues. Arciniega, rubric Hom. Commissioner: - I, Alexander Hodge, grandfather of the children of William Hodge, deceased, one of the colonists introduced by Hon.Empresario Austin, in your presence with the greatest respect make known: That in the year 1824, my son, the said deceased person, arrived in this Country with his family with the object of settling himself permanently; he died in the year 1828 without having acquired possession of his land and leaving his children of a very tender age. For which reason I present myself to you in order that you may be pleased to admit this petition and to put me in possession of one league of land for the said minors, with the understanding that the league of land selected is situated on the right margin of the San Jacinto River and is the 3rd league above the junction and, furthermore, that, for the aforesaid, I offer to settle and cultivate said league as also to comply with the other obligations prescribed by same. Therefore, I beg you to be pleased to do as I have asked, for! , therein I shall receive favor. Town of Austin, March 12, 1831 Alexander Hodge Mr. Commissioner: - The Petitioner, Alexander Hodge, grandfather of the deceased William Hodge’s children, has manifested in his petition the claim of one league of land for the decedent’s said children. What he states regarding the time of their immigration into the country is very true and as their settlement in a desert without resourses [sic] cost their parents their lives, I consider it very just that their claim be attended to and that the league for which they apply be granted them, it being vacant and outside of the ten littoral leagues. Town of Austin, March 13, 1831. Samuel H. Williams, rubric In view of that set forth by citizen agent Samuel M. Williams in the preseding report, I admit this petition in conformity with the law and order that the land indicated be surveyed by Surveyor E. R. Wightman in order to issue the corresponding title to the interested party. Town of Austin, March 14, 1831 Migl. Arciniega, rubric I, Citizen Miguel Arciniega, Commissioner appointed by the Supreme Government of this State for the distribution and giving possession of lands and issuing of titles to the new colonists in Citizen Empresario Stephen F. Austin’s Colonization Enterprise, outside of the ten littoral leagues of the coast; Whereas the children of Wm. Hodge, deceased, have been received as a colonist in the colonization Enterprise contracted for with the Government of the State of Coahuila and Texas by Empresario Stephen F. Austin on the 4th of June, 1825, as shown on folio 1043 of this manuscript book, and the said children of said decedent having proven that they are orphans and finding in their persons the requisites prescribed by the State Colonization Law of March 24, 1825; In conformity with said law and the instructions of Sept. 4, 1827, which govern ?(can’t read word), and the addition article dated the 25th of April of the past year, 1830, and in the name of the State, I concede to, confer upon and put the said children of Wm. Hodge in real and personal possession of one league of land, which land has been surveyed by Surveyor Elias E. Wightman, previously appointed for the purpose, under the following situation and boundaries: Situated on the right margin of one of the branches of the San Jacinto and known as League No. 3, above the junction. And from the upper corner of league No. 2, and said margin, it being a land mark 3 varas distant from a black oak bearing North 35 degrees West and 7 varas distant from another black oak bearing South 2 degrees West a line was run West 7463 varas to a landmark, from which a black jack bears North 17 degrees East – 18 varas and another black jack bears South 9 degrees West 10 varas distant. Thence North 4000 varas to another landmark; from which a post oak bears South 33 degrees East 130 varas distant, and an other of the same kind bears South 39 degrees West 157 varas distant. Thence East 5237 varas to said river at a land mark 8 varas distant from a water oak bearing North 4 degrees East and 9 varas distant from a hickory bearing South 14 degrees West. Thence following the meanders of the River down to the place of beginning and comprising and area of one le! ague of land. Four twenty-fifths of said land belong to the class of arable land and twenty-one twenty-fifths to that of pasture land. Which serves as a classification for the price which he must pay to the State for it in accordance with Article 22 of said law, conceding to him the installments which it designates and under the penalties therein established; he being reminded that within one year he must erect permanent landmarks at every angle of the land and that he must settle and cultivate I in conformity with the provisions of said law. Therefore, exercising the powers conceded to me by said law and consequent instructions, I issue the present instrument and order that testimonio [sic] be taken of it and be delivered to the interested party so that he may possess and enjoy the benefit of the land, he, his children, heirs and successors or whoever, from his or from them, may have cause or right. Given in the town of San Felipe de Austin on the Twenty-third day of the month of April, 1831 and signed by me with witnesses of assistance according to law. Migl. Arciniega rubric Of Assistance Robert Taylor Jr. rubric Of Assistce C. C. Givens, rubric Testimonio [sic] was taken April 24, 1831 Austin, Texas, April 22, 1911 I certify that the foregoing five pages and fourteen lines contain a correct translated copy of the original title to Children of Wm. Hodge existing in the Spanish Archives of this office. P. H. Buckley, Spanish Translator I, J. T. Robison, Commissioner of the General Land Office of the State of Texas, do hereby certify that P. H. Buckley whose signature is subscribed to the foregoing certificate, is the Spanish Translator of this office, duly qualified according to law, and that her official acts as such, are entitled to full faith and credit. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of said office to be affixed, the day and date first above written. (seal) J. T. Robison, Commissioner Filed for record August 7, 1913 at 4 o’clock P.M. and recorded August 7, 1913 at 6 o’clock P.M. 1.. T. Randolph’s signature, Clerk, County Court, Walker Co., Texas Enjoy, CAROLYN HODGE