Veteran Bio
The Kemp Sketch
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BELDEN, JOHN -- Born in New York. He enlisted in Captain William J. Cook's Company of "New Orleans Greys," October 22, 1835 and arrived in Texas October 25. Although badly wounded in the Storming and Capture of Bexar, December 5 to 10, 1835 he fought at San Jacinto in Captain Amasa Turner's Company. In his official report on the capture of Bexar, Colonel Francis W. Johnson said of Mr. Belden: "Our loss in this night (the 8th) attack consisted in one man only - Belden of the Greys, dangerously wounded while in the act of spiking a cannon...."
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Mr. Belden was issued Bounty Certificate No. 148 for 320 acres of land for serving in the army from October 22, to December 16, 1835. In the certificate it is stated that he had participated in the Storming and Capture of Bexar. He traded the certificate for if "one three year old Iron grey mare...." He was issued Donation Certificate 573 for 640 acres of land, October 25, 1838 for having participated in the battle of San Jacinto. The land was surveyed in Harris County on Bray's Bayou.
President Houston on December 18, 1837 approved an act of Congress granting to Mr. Belden a league of land for having been permanently disabled while serving in the army. Mr. Belden sold the certificate for the land at Houston, July 10, 1840 to Bucknam Canfield for $200.00. He was issued a Headright Certificate for one third of a league of land by the Harrisburg County Board, January 5, 1838.
Mr. Belden was married at Houston, October 24, 1839 to Frances Emeline Bartlett. He died in Houston September 15, 1841. The records of Holland (Masonic) Lodge No. 1 show that his funeral was under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity. His grave in the City Cemetery on West Dallas Avenue, Houston, is marked.
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Written by Louis W. Kemp, between 1930 and 1952. Please note that typographical and factual errors have not been corrected from the original sketches. The biographies have been scanned from the original typescripts, a process that sometimes allows for mistakes in the new text. Researchers should verify the accuracy of the texts' contents through other sources before quoting in publications. Additional information on the veteran may be available in the Herzstein Library.
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Battle Statistics
- Died in Battle: No
- Rank: Private
- Company: Capt. Amasa Turner
Personal Statistics
- Birthplace: New York
- Origin: Louisiana
- Came to Texas: 1835 Oct 25
- Date of Death: 1841 Sept 15
- Burial Place: City Cemetery, Houston, Texas
- Other Battles: Bexar
- Bounty Certificate: 148
- Donation Certificate: 573
- Wife: Frances Emaline Bartlett
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