The contracts were signed by groups of American and English investors originally headed by William Smalling Peters.
[2] Samuel Browning, Peters' son-in-law signed the first contract with the Republic of Texas in Austin on August 30, 1841.
These services included surveying, title documents, shot, powder, seed, and in some cases a log cabin.
[1][4] Unappropriated land within the original boundary was insufficient; settlers and trading posts were already in the area.
[1] The extensive area of Peters Colony included all or portions of Denton, Collin, Cooke, Grayson, Dallas, Tarrant, Wise, Palo Pinto, Ellis, Johnson, Montague, Parker, Hood, Clay, Jack, Erath, Wichita, Archer, Young, Stephens, Eastland, Wilbarger, Baylor, Throckmorton, Shackelford, and Callahan Counties.