An update for our Alamo Defender - Jonathan Lindley

Recently I found some new documents while browsing through the records on the Texas General Land Office website. (Yes - that's what I do for fun!)

I have also updated the original post on Jonathan Lindley to include these documents, which can be seen by clicking here.

There are three documents in particular that I would like to share; the first being a letter of recommendation from 1834, and the other two bounty land grants awarded posthumously to Jonathan Lindley for bravely defending the Alamo with his life.

The first document shown is a letter of recommendation written on 31st of October 1834 stating that Jonathan was an "honest industrious man and and a good Citizen."  The Mexican government required letters of recommendation from reliable citizens before a man could enter Texas and obtain land.  Since Jonathan was already in Texas in October 1834, this was probably a requirement in obtaining a land grant.  Jonathan's father, Samuel W Lindley, received a letter of recommendation before entering Texas, which can be seen here.  His brother-in-law, John Sadler, also received a letter of recommendation which is shown on the John Sadler post.

Jonathan Lindley letter of recommendation

This second document is a bounty land certificate dated May 14, 1839, Houston, Texas.  Jonathan Lindley was awarded 1280 acres of land situated in Panola County, ten and one-half miles south, twenty degrees west from Carthage, Texas. It was patented March 9, 1860.  This document clearly states that Jonathan Lindley was "killed at the Alamo."

Jonathan Lindley Bounty Land Certificate 1280 acres

This third document is a bounty land certificate for 640 acres and states, "That Jonathan Lindley having been killed at the Alamo 6th March 1836 is entitled to six hundred and forty acres of Donation land..."

Jonathan Lindley Bounty Land Certificate 640 acres

These documents and other land records for Jonathan Lindley were found on The Texas General Land Office website.  In the past, I have spent many hours and many dollars at the Texas General Land Office in Austin searching for records and then having copies made.  Now the records can be found online -- for free:).  And, the resolution of the copies are much better than the xerox copies I had made.   From the home page of the Texas GLO (glo.texas.gov), click on the History tab, then the Land Grant Search tab.  The Research Links tab also has many useful links.