Why Ben Edwards seized the Old Stone Fort in Nacogdoches?

Answer 1

Haden Edwards had been given an empresario contract by the Mexican government in 1825 to settle 800 families near Nacogdoches. When Haden Edwards arrived in East Texas he found that there were already people living on the land that was part of his empresario contract. The terms of his contract required him to respect the property rights of people already there. Many people did not receive land titles or could not find them. Haden Edwards offered to sell them new land titles. The settlers complained to the Mexican government. The Mexican government said that Haden Edwards could not charge people for new land titles. The Mexican government then canceled Haden Edwards' empresario contract in October 1826. Benajmin Edwards, the brother of Haden Edwards, took matters into their own hands. Benjamin Edwards and a group of settlers and Cherokee Indians part of East Texas to be the independent Republic of Fredonia. Benjamin Edwards and his men rode into Nacogdoches and took over the Old Stone Fort and adopted a declaration of independence for their republic.