Stephen F. Austin and the Empresarios

Spain (until 1821) and Mexico United States Spain (until 1821) and Mexico

United States Mexico

Empresarios Land agents appointed by the Mexican government to sell land in Texas. Usually sold land to Americans

Baron de Bastrop Alcalde in San Antonio Convinced Gov. Martinez to grant Moses Austin’s request to colonize TX City of Bastrop named for him

First Anglo American to get a land grant from Spain Moses Austin First Anglo American to get a land grant from Spain Father of Stephen F. Austin The first Anglo American to get permission from Spain to bring American settlers to Texas Lived in Missouri until a depression hit the U.S. and he lost all his money Went to Texas to ask the Spanish government if he could have a contract to bring Americans to settle Texas The Spanish were suspicious that Austin was really there to grab land until Baron de Bastrop convinced the Spanish officials otherwise Then… Moses Austin died

Ok Dad… I’ll carry out your plans for settling Texas. Stephen F. Austin Father of Texas Took control of his father’s land grant after his death Most successful empresario Received land grant with new Mexican government Founded city of San Felipe de Austin as capital The Old 300 Original settlers who came with Stephen F. Austin

Towns already in Texas when Moses Austin showed up San Antonio Goliad Nacogdoches Saltillo (captial of CyT) Nacogdoches San Antonio Goliad Saltillo

Reasons for allowing American Settlement Still needed to hold the land Mexicans did not want to live so far away from Mexico City Mexicans did not want to live near hostile Native Americans

Austin’s First Colony Located between the Colorado and the Brazos Rivers On the coast because he knew he would need a port. Austin got a ship, the Lively to take people and supplies to the new colony from New Orleans Everything went well until 1822: The Lively shipwrecked and Austin lost a lot of supplies and colonists Mexico won it’s independence from Spain in 1821… so now Austin had to get permission to colonize Texas from the new Mexican government

After securing his contract with Mexico, Austin traveled around Texas and found what he thought was the best land for settling What are some things that make land good for settling?

How It Worked… Each empresario would sign a contract with the government of Mexico whereby they promised to settle a certain number of families (in Austin’s first contract he was supposed to settle 300 families) REQUIREMENTS FOR SETTLING IN TEXAS: You had to become a citizen of your new country (Spain, and later Mexico) You had to become Catholic You had to be of good moral character

I CHOOSE YOU! Austin interviewed the settlers and chose the people he thought would be the best for a settlement. If you had an especially useful job (merchant, doctor, mill and ferry operators) they would get extra land.

Dividing the Land The deal that Stephen F. Austin worked out with Spanish (and then Mexican) officials included the following: Every man who came to Austin for land would receive 640 acres for himself 320 acres for his wife 160 acres for each child 80 acres for each slave Each settler paid Austin $0.12 an acre

Other Successful Empresarios Green Dewitt Brought 400 families Founded city of Gonzales Martin de Leon Settled the Guadalupe R. Founded city of Victoria

Irish Settlements Power & Hewetson South of De Leon’s colony Founded the city of Refugio 1st Irish colony McMullen & McGloin Along the coast Founded San Patricio

Why Use an Empresario? Most settlers could not speak Spanish and needed the empresarios help getting the title to their land Most of the desirable land was held by the empresarios After Austin opened the door… many more men came to Texas to make money as an empresario… these men brought hundreds of American families to Texas… Population of Texas in 1821 (When SFA started): 7,000 Population of Texas in 1833 (around the end of empresarios) 20,000 HOW DO YOU THINK THIS CHANGE IN POPULATION AFFECTED THE HISTORY OF TEXAS?

Towns already in Texas when Moses Austin showed up San Antonio Goliad Nacogdoches Saltillo (captial of CyT) Nacogdoches San Antonio Goliad Saltillo 24

Towns established after the Americans came Population BEFORE Empresarios: 7,000 Population AFTER Empresarios: 22,000 Towns established after the Americans came San Felipe Gonzales Victoria Refugio Galveston Bastrop San Patricio And many more… Nacogdoches Bastrop San Felipe de Austin Gonzales Victoria Refugio San Patricio Saltillo