Haden Harrison Edwards

Haden Harrison Edwards (1771-1849), was a Texas settler and land speculator. Edwards County, Texas is named for him.

Early life

Haden Edwards was born in Stafford County, Virginia, on 12 August 1771. Haden was the son of John Edwards, Sr who later became one of the first two U. S. Senators from Kentucky. Edwards married Susanna Beall of Maryland and they had 13 children born in Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana & Georgia. Their first born John Hubell was born on April 4,1799 in Kentucky and their son Haden Harrison Edwards was born in 1813. In 1820 Haden and his brother Benjamin acquired a plantation near Jackson, Mississippi. Sometime after hearing the news regarding Anglo Colonization of Texas, Haden traveled to Mexico City where he joined forces with Stephen F. Austin, among others, in a 3 year attempt to persuade various Mexican governments to allow Americans to settle in Texas.

Haden was very wealthy and helped finance Austin. Through their efforts, laws were passed which allowed empesarios to introduce settlers to Texas.

Texas

The news of Moses Austin's plans to bring settlers into the Mexican state of Coahuila y Texas interested Edwards. In 1823 Edwards traveled to Mexico City as did Stephen F. Austin, Robert Leftwich, Lucius Woodbury, William Parrott, and Anthony Wolfe in attempt to convince high ranking Mexican officials to authorize American settlement in Texas. Leftwich and Andrew Irwin were seeking their grant on behalf of the Texas Association of Nashville. Combined, their efforts resulted Mexico passing the colonization law of 1824 and of 1825 in Saltillo. This law allowed empresarios to bring families to settle in Texas. Sadly, the friendship between Edwards and Austin soon turned downward, as Edwards believed that Austin claimed the best lands for himself and attempted to push his boundaries in every direction at the expense of others. Austin had even proposed that he, Austin, should become the only empresario for Texas. But this didn't discourage Haden Edwards.

Empresario Years

Edwards received a grant from Mexican authorities, north and east of Austin’s, to bring in eight hundred families in the vicinity of Nacogdoches. Like other empresarios he agreed to honor preexisting Mexican land grants and claims made by Spanish or Mexican officials. Edwards inherited some land claims over a century old in his region. His grant did have a large number of Cherokee Indians living on the land. In September 1825, Edwards and his brother Benjamin arrived in Nacogdoches. The brothers perhaps over reacted towards the local population and challenged their land claims.

Trouble in Texas

Edwards posted an order for all inhabitants to produce a valid title to their land. He also intended to collect a rather high self-imposed land fee. Often the people, who had lived on the land for decades, didn’t have paper documents to bolster their legal claim to the land. Edwards challenged their legal status and attempted to force many to leave their property. The settlers protested to Political Chief Saucedo. In June 1826 Mexican President Guadalupe Victoria annulled Edward’s contract and expelled him from Mexico. Word traveled slowly. On 22 November 1826, thirty-six armed men who supported Edwards, arrested the anti-Edwards alcalde Samuel Norris and other officials. The party then arrested Jose Antonio Sepulveda, commander of Nacogdoches’ tiny Mexican milita

Mexican Response

On 16 December 1826 the rebels rode into Nacogdoches and raised a flag of independence. On 21 December 1826 Edwards signed a document declaring the Republic of Fredonia, which would comprise land from the Sabine River to the Rio Grande. On 13 December 1826 Mexican Colonel Mateo Ahumada and Saucedo moved against the Texas rebels. Austin rallies the other colonist against Edwards and his attempt at open rebellion. Austin offers negotiations with Edwards, but he refuses. On 22 January 1827 Colonel Ahumada moved towards Nacogdoches. All was not going well inside the Edwards camp either. There was internal fighting and the rebellion weakened. With the advancing Mexican and Anglo troops Edwards fled to Louisiana for safety on 28 January 1827. He returned to Texas during the Texas Revolution and made his home in Nacogdoches until his death, on 14 August 1849. See also the Timeline of the Texas Revolution

Further reading

*Davis, William C.; "Lone Star Rising-The Revolutionary Birth of the Texas Republic"; Free Press; ISBN 0-684-86510-6
*Davis, William C.; "Three Roads to the Alamo"; Harper Collins; ISBN 0-06-017334-3
*Hardin, Stephen L.; "Texian Illiad- A Military History of the Texas Revolution"; University of Texas Press; ISBN 0-292-73086-1