Chapter 7

Austin Establishes a Colony

Moses Austin

Baron de Bastrop

• Moses Austin was the first Anglo American to secure permission from Spain to bring American settlers into Texas

• Bastrop was a personal friend of the Spanish governor and an old friend of Austin’s

• Baron de Bastrop helped Austin convince the Spanish governor that his plan was not an excuse for Americans to take Spanish land

Moses Austin Paves the Way

Stephen F. Austin Background

Erasmo Seguin

• Background:• Grown up on the frontier• Transylvania University in Kentucky• Missouri territorial legislature• Circuit judge in Arkansas

• Austin was determined to carry out his fathers plan

• Citizen from San Antonio that went with Austin to see the Spanish Governor to discuss the plans for settlement

Stephen F. Austin Continues his Father’s

Work

Where and why did he choose the location he chose?

• Austin spent Sept 1821 exploring Texas

• Decided the region between the Brazos and Colorado River would be the best place for the colony• Abundant water and natural

resources• Fertile soil• Mild climate• No other settlements

Austin Sets Colonies Boundaries

Survey

Ways to pay?

Requirements of settlers

• Austin surveyed, measured, the land to determine grant sizes and boundaries so settlers could get legal rights to property

• 12.5 cents per acre• Austin was willing to extend credit to new

settlers, allowing them to pay over time

• Requirements:• Become citizens of their new country• Take an oath of allegiance to Spain (later

Mexico)• Become catholic• Be of good moral character

Advertising for Colonists

Attraction to colony?

March 1822

• Prospect of gaining good farm land for low prices

• Went to San Antonio to report to the Spanish Governor, but realized Mexico had won its independence from Spain

• Austin’s settlement was not recognized his right to colonize

• Austin goes to Mexico City to try to get the new government’s approval

Good Land and Low Prices Attract Settlers

Austin’s stay in Mexico

Empresario

• In Mexico city, Austin found confusion and problems with the new government

• Mexican Law 1823: New government law about settlement• Austin could now give people,

including himself, more land and settle 300 families

Austin Impresses Mexican Leaders

List problems in the colony  

Militia

• Drought• Disagreements over ownership of land• Karankawas and Tonkawas raided

settlements and stole horses and cattle

• Austin raised a militia, temporary army unit, to protect the colony against the raids

Problems Develop in the Colony

The Old 300

San Felipe de Austin

• 300 families that came from Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Missouri who were the first to settle in the new area

• New capital in Austin’s colony located on the west bank of the Brazos

Men and Women of The Old 300

Augustin de Iturbide – Mexican Emperor overthrown

by Federalists in 1823 Federalists- Group of people who formed the new

government (believed in sharing power between the states and the national government

Centralists- believed that power should be concentrated in the federal government of Mexico city

Federalists Constitution of 1824- Written by Feds, divided Mexico into 19 states with 4 main territories

Coahuila y Tejas is formed

The Constitution of 1824

Restriction of colonization- passed in 1824 by

Congress: 3 important new laws1.) no one could receive more than

48,708 acres of land2.) no colony could be established

within 10 leagues of the coast nor within 20 leagues of international boundary without Mexican permission

3.) if you bought land contract, you must PERMANENTLY stay

Mexico passes Colonization Law!

After a payment of $30, family received as

much as 4,428 acres Single men – up to 1,107 acres When they married – additional 3,321 acres If they married a Mexican women – bonus of

1,107 acres Shortage of friars, meaning religion laws were

not a scrict

How the laws worked

Stephen F. Austin- By 1828, he had received 4

additional contracts under the new colonization law (500 new families)

In 1827 established the town of Bastrop – “Little Colony”

Final land contract – 1831 – With the help of Samuel M. Williams – land Northwest of original colony (This caused a big debate over land with Nashville Immigrants lead by Sterling C. Robertson!)

The Most Successful

Learned to speak Spanish Dealt well with Mexican authorities With help of militia, Indians became less of a

threat Most fertile soil in all of Texas

Why Austin was so successful

Second most successful Empresario Brought 400 families (Anglo) into Texas in

1825 Founded the town of Gonzales, became

colonies Headquarters Native American raids!!

Green DeWitt

Successful Mexican Empresario Expert rancher and horseman who brough 100

to 200 families MEXICAN into Texas and settled along the Guadalupe River

Wife, Patricia de la Garza de Leon, had family values through DOWRY aka valuable goods

Founded the town of Victoria

Martin de Leon

Majority of immigrants to Texas were women Worked alongside men and farmed, hunted,

defended land, tended livestock Could not vote, hold public office, or serve on

jury Women like, Jane McManus, even became

Empresarios – brought German colonists

Women in the colonies