Robert U. Peebles, physician, land speculator and legislator, was born in South Carolina in 1798.
He came to Texas in 1828 and practiced medicine in San Felipe de Austin. In 1831 he began land speculation. He moved to Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico, and received a land grant of 400 leagues which he parceled out to Texas settlers. In 1835 he returned to Texas and was made land commissioner for Stephen F. Austin's colony. He refused to cease issuing land patents as decreed by the Consultation in 1835 and, four days before the Mexican army reached San Felipe, loaded the Texas land records in a wagon and took them to Louisiana for safekeeping. In 1836 he returned them to Austin. After the revolution, Peebles operated a plantation near Cuero, served as a representative to the House of Representatives from Fort Bend County (1842-1843) and from DeWitt and Goliad counties in 1851. He died in 1872.
From the description of Peebles, Robert U., papers, 1832-1887; 1834-1858. (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 39302834
