As he lay on his death bed, ravaged by the effects of pneumonia, Moses Austin gasped out one last request--that his son, Stephen, lead a group of pioneers deep into the heart of what would later become the state of Texas. Stephen Austin was an obedient son, and although he originally disliked his father’s plans for a Texas settlement, he was prepared to join him. Stephen agreed to his father's request. Although Stephen lacked his father’s aggressive leadership style, he had a patient and determined personality that would serve him well.
Stephen Austin's Early Education
According to Eugene Barker's biography of Stephen Austin on The Handbook of Texas Online, Stephen Austin was born in southwest Virginia on November 3, 1793, to Mary and Moses Austin. Moses Austin was an industrialist who dreamed of great success for his family and America. In 1798, he moved his family to southeastern Missouri where he established the town of Potosi, opened a general store, and invested his time and money in mining, smelting, and manufacturing lead, providing his son, Stephen, with a broad education as he watched his father's business grow.
Austin's Introduction to Politics and Law
Stephen, always eager to learn, was sent to Bacon Academy in Connecticut at the age of eleven then to Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. Following his graduation from the university, Stephen studied law. Like his father, Stephen was eager to participate in his community. He served in the legislature of the Missouri Territory when he was only twenty-one years old, from 1813 to 1819. In 1891, he was appointed circuit judge of the first judicial circuit of Arkansas. He served in this position for six months before leaving for New Orleans where he also worked as a lawyer.
The First Anglo-American Settlers in Texas
While Stephen pursued a legal career, Moses Austin made plans to lead settlers into Texas, which was still part of Mexico at that time and referred to as Mexican Tejas. Austin traveled to San Antonio to apply for a grant for 200,000 acres to be distributed among an initial 300 families, but he was denied his request. Frustrated and exhausted by his efforts, Austin prepared to go home, then he discovered the Baron de Bastrop was in town. Austin met Bastrop many years earlier. Bastrop provided assistance with a settlement in Louisiana and used this experience to persuade the Mexican government to accept Austin's proposal. Ultimately, Moses Austin received his grant. He was eager to return home and start the settlement project. Unfortunately, he caught pneumonia on the return trip. As he lay on his deathbed, he pleaded with his son, Stephen, to lead the settlers into Mexican Texas, and Stephen agreed. In January of 1822, Stephen Austin and the settlers established a colony on the lower Colorado and Brazos rivers.
Austin Struggles to Fulfill His Father’s Wishes
According to David Niven's The Texans, the colony got off to a rough start. Their supplies were supposed to arrive on a ship called the Lively, but the ship arrived at the wrong location, turned around, then ran aground near Galveston and all supplies were lost. The colonists continued to arrive as scheduled and depended on Austin for guidance. The first families to arrive in the area are referred to as the Old 300.
Austin used the gift of land to convince men who had supplies and skills necessary to the community to settle in the colony. As a former lawyer and judge, Austin knew he operated on tenuous ground as these new settlers did not have legal title to the land. To make matters worse, the newly-formed, independent Mexican government objected to the settlement immediately because Moses Austin was given the grant under a Spanish charter, not Stephen. Stephen traveled to Mexico City to confirm the rights of the settlers and establish his authority. He was successful. In addition to receiving administrative authority over the colony he was also given the title of Empresario.
Responsibilities of the Empresario
Stephen Austin's responsibilities as Empresario included representing the colonists in political issues. He was also responsible for establishing a legal system. He organized groups of armed men to protect the colony and these men later became known as the famous Texas Rangers. He was required to monitor immigration into the area--a very sensitive issue with the Mexican government--and to determine how much land each settler received. He supervised the construction of roads and schools, as well as businesses, such as sawmills and granaries.
The Texas Revolution and Austin’s Political Career
Austin once again traveled to Mexico City on July 18, 1833, this time to meet with Vice President Valentin Gomez Farias and discuss issues of immigration, tariffs, and a state government. He succeeded with the issue of immigration, but the population was considered too small to be a separate state under Mexican regulations. While Austin was away, war broke out between the settlers and the Mexican army. On his return, Austin held command of the army of colonists during the Siege of Bexar. After Texas won its independence he announced his candidacy for President of the newly-formed country, but he lost to the popular politician and war hero, Sam Houston.
Austin’s Death and Legacy
In 1836, Texas President Sam Houston appointed Austin to the office of Secretary of State. Austin was in office two months when he died on December 27, 1836. In a sad coincidence, Austin died of pneumonia, the same illness that caused the death of his beloved father. According to David Niven's The Texans, when he heard of Austin's death, Sam Houston issued a statement proclaiming Austin “the father of Texas.”
Stephen F. Austin is buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas. Austin College in Sherman, Texas is named in his honor, as is the Stephen F. Austin Junior High School in Galveston, the Stephen F. Austin High School in Houston, and the Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. The City of Austin, Texas and Austin County in Texas are also named in honor of the "Father of Texas," Stephen F. Austin.
Resources:
- Barker, Eugene C. “Austin, Stephen Fuller.” The Handbook of Texas Online.
- Nevin, David. The Old West: The Texans. Time Life Books, Canada: 1975.
- “Stephen Fuller Austin.” New Perspectives on The West. The official website of PBS.org.
Darla Sue Dollman - Darla Sue Dollman, BA, MFA, has expertise in classic films, the Old West, boating, and animals.
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