Lone Star Texas

Lone Star

Dream

Stephen F Austin

MOSES AUSTIN AND TEXAS

In 1798 Moses Austin moved to present day Missouri,
which was then part of Spanish Louisiana. By the time the
U.S. purchased Louisiana in 1803, he had become a
wealthy bank owner in St. Louis. Unfortunately, in 1819
a financial crisis in the U.S. left Moses financially ruined.
He came up with a plan to establish a colony of U.S.
families in Texas. By charging them fees he could regain
his fortune.

MOSES AUSTIN AND TEXAS

In 1820 Moses Austin arrived in San Antonio and met
with Governor Martinez. The Governor denied his
request due to recent filibuster problems in Texas
and ordered Austin out of the city.

Get out of my town and don’t
come back!

You mad
Bro?

BARON DE BASTROP

Following his meeting with the governor, Moses
met with the Baron de Bastrop, a Dutch
businessman who had moved to San Antonio.
Bastrop agreed to help Moses and later convinced
the governor to approve the plan.

MOSES AUSTIN AND TEXAS

With his mission accomplished, Moses headed home.
However, his horses and supplies were stolen, and he
struggled through cold weather and flooded streams.
Moses became very ill with pneumonia and never
recovered.

I don’t feel so good.

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN IN TEXAS

After Moses died, Stephen F. Austin went
forward with his father’s plan. Austin was very
selective in choosing settlers. He believed his
colony’s success depended on hard working,
law-abiding people. Settlers would also have to
become Mexican citizens and convert to
Catholicism.

This is for
you Daddy!

A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

Austin relied on the help of a prominent politician in San
Antonio named Erasmo Seguin, a Tejano, to start his
colony. The two men became close friends and Seguin
helped Austin choose land for the first colony of American
settlers to immigrate to Texas.

This is for

THE AUSTIN COLONIES

In August1823 many of the colonists were
discouraged. The settlers had faced a bad drought
and attacks from Texas Indians. Austin worked
quickly to help the settlers and their numbers
began to increase. 297 families and single men
had received land in the colony. These settlers
became known as the Old Three Hundred.

THE AUSTIN COLONIES

In 1824 Austin founded San Felipe de Austin in
present day Austin County. San Felipe grew
quickly. With help from Tejano leaders, Austin was
able to acquire contracts for four more colonies.

THE EMPRESARIOS

In 1824 the Mexican government formed the
state of Coahuila y Texas. Following the
success of Austin’s colony, the Mexican
government passed a law to encourage more
immigration. The State Colonization Law of
1825 further opened Texas to immigration.

THE EMPRESARIOS

Many people became empresarios- business
people who promoted settlement of Texas.
Under the new law of 1825, a huge wave of
U.S. immigrants came to Texas.

THE EMPRESARIOS

By 1834 an estimated 21,000 settlers lived in
Texas. Although many empresarios helped settle
Texas during the 1820s, Stephen F. Austin
remained the most important. In just 10 years, he
helped bring more than 1,500 families to Texas.
Because of his many contributions, Austin is
known as the Father of Texas.

If only Dad was
here to see
Texas now.

I am
here, Son.