January 3, 1823 Stephen F. Austin receives a grant of land in Texas from the government of Mexico. Austins Colony was the first legal settlement of North American families in Mexican-owned Texas. Led by the Empressario, Stephen F. Austin, an initial grant for three hundred families--the Old 300--in 1821 opened up Texas to a flood of American immigrants, as many as 30,000 by the time of the Texas Revolution in 1835. This colonial period that brought Anglo and African settlers from the United States into contact with the governmental and ranching traditions of Spain and Mexico helped set the course for much of Texas history in the 19th century--and was only overshadowed later by the discovery of oil in Texas in the 20th century. The settlement of Austins colony from 1821 to 1836 has been called the most successful colonization movement in American history. Many of the historical events of Southeast Texas owe their origin to this colony. Fort Bend County was one of the most heavily populated areas of the colony. Stephen F. Austins father, Moses, laid the foundation for this colony in Texas during late 1820 and 1821, but died before being able to implement his plans. Stephen, although hesitant at first, decided to finish what his father had begun. Austin travelled to San Antonio de Bexar, where he was declared the rightful heir to his fathers grant. Austin was issued an empressario contract to settle three hundred families in Spanish Texas. The Spanish demanded the settlers be, among other things, loyal to the offical government and religion of Spain. Both the government and Austin realized the necessity of having colonists of reputable character, and both made this a prerequisite for immigration. Soon after gaining this contract, the eleven-year war for Mexican Independence ended successfully, and the new Mexican government affirmed Austins contract to settle Texas with families from the United States. Austin next set out to find land for his colony. He decided on the rich river bottom between the Brazos and Colorado Rivers, south of the El Camino Real. The area of Austins Colony included land that is now contained in 19 Texas counties. Settlers began arriving during 1821 and 1822, transforming this area from an unsettled wilderness into a sparcely settled rural community. These colonists receiving the first three hundred land grants came to be called the Old Three Hundred, and over 57 of them received land in what is now Fort Bend County. One of these Old 300 was Henry Jones, who located his league along the Brazos River south of the Old Fort or Fort Bend--now Richmond. Jones league (4,428 acres) was adjoined by his brother Johns quarter league. The George Ranch Historical Park is located on the John Jones Quarter League. The promise of inexpensive land was the most prominent reason for emigrating from the United States at this time. Austin advertized in newspapers along the American western frontier, publicizing the abundant land--available for 12 1/2 cents per acre--one tenth the cost of public land in the United States. Colonists moved to the colony particularly from the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Some came overland by horse, wagon, or foot, while many others sailed from New Orleans and Mobile to the Texas port cities of Brazoria and Matagorda. The trip by either means was dangerous. In August, 1824, the Mexican congress, newly independent of Spain, passed regulatory authority over immigration to the states. The state of Coahuila y. Texas passed, in March, 1825, a colonization law which basically conformed to the provisions of the earlier national law of April, 1823. Austin later settled three additional grants in the same area under these state- awarded contracts, and one more in partnership with Samuel Williams. These grants were administered as one body, so by 1830, Austin had established a colony of about 1,500 families. tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/adp/history/hispanic_period/tenoxtitlan/austins_colony.html
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 18:13:10 +0000
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