Born to Patrick Ireland and Rachel Newton near Millerstown, Kentucky, John Ireland (1827-1896) moved to Seguin, Texas, after studying law and being admitted to the bar in 1852. In 1857, he married Ann Maria Penn, with whom he had three daughters. A year later, Ireland was elected mayor and became a delegate to the Secession Convention in 1861. In 1862, he enlisted in the Confederate Army as a private and was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Following the Civil War, Ireland was appointed district judge and was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1866. Additionally, he was elected a senator and representative of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Legislatures, respectively. After serving as associate justice of the Texas Supreme Court from 1875 through 1876, Ireland was elected governor in 1882, a position he held until 1887. During his tenure, he facilitated the development of a number of state institutions, including the University of Texas. In 1887, Ireland returned to his law practice, working as an attorney until his death in 1896.
Source:
Elliott, Claude.
Composed of a letterpress, the John Ireland Papers, 1870, 1884-1891, chronicle Ireland’s activities as an attorney and a politician, especially his tenure as governor of Texas. The letterpress contains correspondence and telegrams concerning his law practice in Seguin as well as political affairs, legislation, and elections. Additionally, letters contain requests for clarification of earlier correspondence.
This collection is open for research use.
John Ireland Papers, 1870, 1884-1891, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s