Colonel John Ireland

After the Constitution of 1876 cut the Supreme Court from five judges to three and ended his term as associate justice, he ran against Richard Coke for the United States Senate in 1876 and against Gustav Schleicher for Congress in 1878, losing both. He then won the governorship twice, but in 1887 lost another Senate race, to John H. Reagan. He married Matilda Wicks Faircloth in 1854 and, after her death, Anna Maria Penn in 1857, and had three daughters. He practiced law in Seguin until his death in 1896.

What the plaque says

Colonel John Ireland Home Town of Texas Confederate Colonel John Ireland. Delegate to Secession Convention 1861. Joined army as private. Won laurels in that most brilliant wartime effort - the defense of the 800-mile Texas coast in September 1862, repulse of Federals at Corpus Christi. Ireland captured fleet Captain Kittredge, his flag and arms. Though Ireland was an infantry officer he once plunged waist-deep to capture a Federal vessel off Padre Island. At war's end he was in command of the 8th Texas Regiment defending Galveston. A memorial to Texans who served the Confederacy. Erected by the State of Texas 1964. (Reverse) Governor John Ireland 1827-1896 Kentucky-born, came to Texas 1853. Mayor of Seguin 1858. Member Constitutional Conventions 1866, 1875. District judge 1866-67, removed by Reconstruction authorities. Legislator 1872-75. Called "Oxcart John" for opposing land grants subsidies to railroads. Supervised plans to oust Governor E. J. Davis in bloodless conflict marking political end of Texas reconstruction. Judge state supreme court 1875-76. Governor of Texas 1882-86. Fence-cutting wars brought on when certain landowners began fencing the open range prompted him to call special Legislature which made fence-cutting a felony. He ruled that state capitol be of Texas stone. Urged stricter enforcement of criminal laws, economy in government, reducing public land sales. Term was marked by opening of University of Texas and first labor disturbances Texas had known. Buried State Cemetery, Austin. Delegate to Secession Convention 1861. Joined army as private. Won laurels in that most brilliant wartime effort - the defense of the 800-mile Texas Coast. In September, 1862, repulse of Federals at Corpus Christi, Ireland captured Fleet Captain Kittredge, his flag and arms. Though Ireland was an infantry officer he once plunged waist-deep to capture a Federal vessel off Padre Island. At war's end he was in command of the 8th Texas Regiment defending Galveston. BACK: Kentucky-born. Came to Texas 1853. Mayor of Seguin 1858. Member Consititutional Conventions 1866, 1875. District Judge 1866-67, removed by Reconstruction authorities. Legislator 1872-75. Called "Ox-cart John" for opposing land grants, subsidies to railroads. Supervised plans to oust Governor E. J. Davis in bloodless conflict marking political end of Texas' Reconstruction. Judge State Supreme Court 1875-76. Governor of Texas 1882-86. Fence-cutting wars, brought on when certain landowners began fencing the open range prompted him to call special Legislature which made fence-cutting a felony. He ruled that State Capitol be of Texas stone. Urged strict enforcement of criminal laws, economy in government, reducing public land sales. Term was marked by opening of University of Texas and first labor disturbances Texas had known. Buried State Cemetery, Austin.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Sophienburg Museum and Archives — 13 mi
  The hilltop where Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels raised the Adelsverein's headquarters in 1845, now the museum and archive of the German colony that became New Braunfels.
• Gruene Historic District — 14 mi
  A cotton town on the Guadalupe that the boll weevil emptied, rescued in the 1970s by a kayaking architecture student, with a dance hall that says it has never closed.
• Spring Lake and the Meadows Center — 23 mi
  The headsprings of the San Marcos River, among the longest-inhabited places in North America, once an amusement park with a swimming pig and now seen from glass-bottom boats.
• Natural Bridge Caverns — 24 mi
  The largest known cavern in Texas, found in 1960 by four college cavers under a ranch family's land, entered beneath a 60-foot limestone bridge and still growing.

More markers nearby

• Guadalupe County, C.S.A. — steps away
• Juan Seguin — steps away
• Juan Nepomuceno Seguin — steps away
• Second Baptist Church of Seguin — 0.4 mi