Early Years
Ireland was born January 1, 1827 in Hart County, Kentucky to Irish immigrants Patrick and Rachel (Newton) Ireland. Although he had little formal education, when he was 18 he was appointed deputy sheriff of the county. He went on to study law and was admitted to the bar.
In 1852, Ireland moved to Texas, where he settled in Seguin and practiced law. Two years later, he married Mathilda Wicks Faircloth. She died in 1856, and the following year Ireland married Anna Maria Penn. They had three children together.
Ireland was elected the mayor of Seguin in 1858. A firm believer in states' rights, Ireland was an ardent secessionist and served as a delegate to the 1861 Secession Convention. He joined the Confederate States Army as a private and was eventually promoted to colonel. Throughout the Civil War, Ireland served within the Texas borders, patrolling along the Rio Grande border and along the Gulf Coast.
Following the war, Ireland participated in the Reconstruction Convention of 1866 and was soon elected judge of the Seguin District. He was removed from his position the following year when Radical Republicans seized power.
Read more about this topic: John Ireland (politician)
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