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Stephen Fuller Austin, born in
Austinville, Va., Nov. 3, 1793, died . Dec. 27, 1836,
Often referred to as the Father of Texas,
for the hundreds of families he brought into this state due to the
relatively poor economic conditions in the United States at the time,
Stephen F. Austin was very successful in recruiting families to move to
Texas. On the death (1821) of his father, Moses Austin, he took over a grant
to bring U.S. settlers into Spanish Texas. Under the terms of a special act
in 1824 and additional contracts in 1825, 1827, and 1828--all granted by the
newly independent Mexican government--the colonizer was responsible for the
settlement of more than 1,200 American families in Mexican Texas.
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Stephen
Fuller Austin
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Texas Bob
Under this tree, near West Columbia,
Texas, a Texas Historical Monument marks the place where Austin died
December 27, 1836
Texas
Bob
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Stephen F. Austin died December 27th
1836 in the home of George B. McKinstry. The McKinstry home is
locate a few miles out side of the then Capital of Texas, Columbia.
Austin at the time of his death was serving as the Secretary of State of
the recently formed "Republic of Texas". On
Christmas eve Austin had taken to bed with a chill and sank quickly into
fever and delirium. About noon of the 27th of December he raised
from his pallet next to the fireplace and proclaimed, "Texas is
recognized! Did you see it in the papers?" and died. Upon
his death the President of the Republic of Texas Sam Houston said,
"The father of the Texas is no more! The first
pioneers of the wilderness has departed! General Stephen F. Austin,
Secretary of State, expired this day." because of "his
high standing, undeviated moral rectitude ... untiring zeal and valuable
service,"
Houston also ordered a thirty-day period of mourning with all civil and military
officers to wear crepe on their right arms and every post and garrison to
fire a twenty-three gun salute - one for each county. |
