Charles Fordtran (May 7, 1881 - Nov 1, 1888)
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U S T I N C O U N T Y |
Marker Text: In Jan 1831 Charles Fordtran , a German of Huguenot descent, joined the colony of Stephen F. Austin. His first work was to supply land for Austin's partner Samuel May Williams, he was given a league (4,428.4) as his fee. Soon he brought two families of settlers who worked for him for a time, then obtained their own land in present Fayette County.
On July 4, 1834, he married Almeida Brookfield (1817-1887) daughter of noted Indian-fighting family. Fordtran also fought Indians, who stole livestock and kidnapped the wives and children of colonists. In the Texas War for Independence, he joined the "spy rangers" under Capt John Bird, defending civilians who were fleeting to escape the Mexican invaders. Charles Fordtran was one of the first tectonic settlers in Texas- arriving same years before the main tide of German immigration. Music and good living abounded in his home, he and his wife had 14 children, with nine living to adulthood of four sons in the confederate army during the Civil War (1861-1865) two survived, his descendants have made contributions to Texas history as industrialists, engineers, lawyers, physicians, and teachers. This marker stands on land he received in 1831. (1976) |
Marker No: 1941
Aluminum 27 x 42 Subject Marker
Geographic: 29.970573,-96.520752
Location: from Industry, take SH 159 West about 2 miles