Texas Colonies and Stephen F. Austin

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Texas Colonies and Stephen F. Austin

• Picture Brazos River

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Background Colonies in Texas

• Spain wanted people living in Texas but had a
  difficult time getting many people there.
• Except San Antonio, the civil settlements
  werenot large and closer to Mexico than
  Louisiana.
• There was a need for population that would soon
  be fulfilled.

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Moses Austin

• American born in Connecticut, lived in Missouri
• Owned a bank in Missouri had problems after
  Panic of 1819
• Felt Spanish territory (Mexico) was a good
  opportunity to re-establish business prospects
• Met with Texas governor Martinez who did not
  trust Americans due to filibuster threats
• Moses Austin leaves the meeting discouraged

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Bastrop and Colonies

• Moses meets an old friend, Baron de Bastrop, who
  offered to help him with Governor Martinez.
• Bastrop helps Moses formally request land to
  bring settlers to in Texas.
• Martinez approves of the colonies and Moses
  returns to Missouri.
• He becomes seriously ill on the journey home and
  calls for his son Stephen to see him.

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Stephen F. Austin

• Son of Moses Austin
• Trained lawyer and spent time in Missouri and
  Louisiana
• As a promise to his dying father agrees to build
  colony
• Begins the process by meeting with officials in
  San Antonio

Famous Portrait of Stephen F. Austin
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Austin Prepares for the Colony

• August 1821, Austin meets with Erasmo Seguin to
  begin planning the colony.
• He explores east Texas looking for a suitable
  place for the colony.
• He chooses an area between the Brazos and
  Colorado rivers.
• The area had rich farm land, water, timber and
  mild climate.

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Ready the Colony!

• Austin now goes to Louisiana to advertise for
  settlers.
• He reports proposed location of the colony and
  land terms to Governor Martinez in Texas.
• Finances and a ship, The Lively, are secured in
  New Orleans with Joseph Hawkins.
• Austin sets the terms and price for purchase into
  the colony as well as applicants requirements.

Brazos river
Map of Texas coastline
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Colonists Requirements

• Applicants to the colony must meet the following
• Willing to become loyal Mexican citizens
• Join Catholic Church
• Law-abiding citizen
• Have reputation as hard working
• No history of drunkenness or vagrancy
• All others need not apply

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First attempt to settle Colony

• The Lively took the first colonists to Texas.
• The ship landed on the Brazos instead of the
  Colorado where Austin settled in 1822.
• Many of these settlers returned to U.S.
• On the second trip to Texas The Lively wrecks
  outside Galveston many supplies lost and
  colonists struggle.
• Austin goes to San Antonio to report to Martinez
  and seek help and finds a surprise..

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A New Agreement

• Austin must travel to Mexico City to renew the
  colonys contract with the new political leaders
  of Mexico.
• Austin spent most of 1822 in Mexico City trying
  to convince the new leaders to approve the
  colony.
• In January 1823, the Imperial Colonization Law
  was passed which secured the colony and allowed
  for new settlers to join.
• Austin gains the respect and trust of Mexican
  officials during his meetings and returns to
  Texas in April 1823.

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The Colony Grows

• Austin establishes the first headquarters of the
  colony to help discouraged settlers and secure
  order.
• He establishes a set of laws to guide the colony
  based on American and Mexican laws. Austin was
  also the only legal authority in the colony.
• By Fall 1824, the colonys contract was almost
  complete as 297 families had settled in the
  colony.
• This group became known as The Old Three
  Hundred.

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The Old Three Hundred

• These people were
• Mostly Americans from south United States
• Farmers with some education
• Some slaveholders
• Some important members
• Samuel May Williams
• John P. Coles
• Jared Groce
• Jane Long
• They become the foundation of colonization of
  Texas.

Gravestone of David McCormick, member of Old
Three Hundred. He is buried in Brazoria County
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Further Developments

• 1824, San Felipe de Austin, near the Brazos,
  becomes the official capital of Austins colony
• It becomes the financial and political capital of
  the colony and becomes second largest business
  center in Texas. San Antonio is the 1st
• The new areas of the colony grew between 1825 and
  1831. The Little Colony was separate from
  Austin and was home to 100 new families.

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Other Empresarios and Colonies

• 1824- Many changes in Mexican Government
• Constitution of 1824
• National Colonizational Law of 1824
• Texas and Coahuila combined to create new state
  of Coahuila y Texas
• The success of Austins colonies allows others to
  become empresarios. Some were
• Green DeWitt- had colony near Guadalupe river and
  founded town of Gonzalez
• Martin de Leon- founded Victoria, mainly had
  colonists from Mexico

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Austins Legacy

• Austins colony settled over 1500 families.
• San Felipe de Austin and Bastrop were important
  business centers during the colonial times in
  Texas.
• Mexican officials trusted him and his colonists.
• He is known today as the Father of Texas.

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Thank You, Stephen

• Think about Texas without the contribution of
  Stephen F. Austin
• We all need to tell him
• THANK YOU