12/27/1836: Stephen F. Austin dies
On this day in 1836, Stephen F. Austin, the founder of Anglo-American Texas, died at the age of forty-three. Austin had taken over his father's colonization scheme when Moses Austin died in 1821. He began the Anglo-American colonization of Texas under conditions more difficult in some respects than those that confronted founders of the English colonies on the Atlantic coast. He saw the wilderness transformed into a relatively advanced and populous state, and fundamentally it was his unremitting labor, perseverance, foresight, and tactful management that brought that miracle to pass. Some contemporaries criticized his cautious policy of conciliating Mexican officials, and Austin was initially a reluctant supporter of Texas independence, though he led volunteers against the Mexican army during the Texas Revolution and served as a commissioner to the United States on behalf of the provisional government. He ran unsuccessfully for president of the Republic of Texas in September 1836, but accepted the office of secretary of state from the victorious Sam Houston. Shortly before his death, Austin wrote, "The prosperity of Texas has been the object of my labors, the idol of my existence--it has assumed the character of a religion, for the guidance of my thoughts and actions, for fifteen years."


I would have loved to seen the Texas he saw and helped create.

43 sho is young!

Brave men for sure. Wonder if any of you Folks "Lady Relatives" are members of "The Daughters Of The Republic" ? Those Women and their Organization are keeping the Texas memory alive.

I always considered Sam Houston the Father Of Texas.

The wife's last boss decended from the "Original 300." God bless Texas.

Good stuff there. I am a descendant of Sam Houston.

God bless Texas.

My wife and daughters are members, just not active members. My wife has about a dozen ancestors that were here during the Republic years. She has some awesome ancestry.

Really cool!

We have friends that head up the US Daughters of 1812 in Arkansas. (Not Texas, but still pretty cool) A few months back they gave us some stars to hand out when we saw Veterans out and about. I struck up a conversation with a nice man who served in Vietnam at the store the other day, and after we spoke for a bit, I reached in my pocket and handed one to him. His reaction was pretty moving. Thank you to all our Veterans who made America so great!

Very cool.

Worth repeating.

🤠

It’s very cool. You can contact a VFW and they will come out and lead a flag “retirement” ceremony and take the flag. Cut off the stars and give them out. My boys used to love when we would have them come out and lead a ceremony. All schools should do this, but most don’t.

Nope. Austin is the Father of Texas and Lamar is Father of Education in Texas.

What a great name - Mirabeau.

And his middle name was Bonaparte!

AND, he wrote this - 'can't get more Texican:

To a Mexican Girl
My Isabel-dear Isabell
Oh, take the flowers I send thee;
And with the gift, the donor’s prayers,
All blessings to attend thee.
With health , and wealth, and lengthened life,
And many friends around thee,
Oh, be this world a world of flowers,
Without a thorn to wound thee.

Sweet girl, these flowers are like thyself,
Thy native vales adorning,
In all the lovely lights arrayed
Iris and the morning;

But brighter far than any rose,
That blooms by Bravo’s water,
Is that which decks thy father’s hall
Don Lopez’ smiling daughter.

Too oft, alas! unfeeling man
Is viper in the roses-
And many a tear the maid may shed,
Who on his faith reposes;

But wo betide the ruthless one,
By earth and Heaven rejected,
Who woos and wins so sweet a flower,
To leave its bloom neglected!

Full soon the bright bouquet will fade,
For beauty hath a fleetness;
But when the flowers have lost their hues,
They still retain their sweetness:

So will it be dear maid, with thee,
And all the gentle-hearted-
The power to please will linger still,
When beauty hath departed.

Oh, by-and-by, when I am old,
And thou in all thy glory,
Some gayer bard will sing to thee
His love-inspiring story;

And should he be, as I have been,
Still true to love and duty,
Then be the minstrel’s high reward
The hand and heart of beauty.

–by Mirabeau B. Lamar

Lamar and Houston hated each other. Bitterly.

My Grandmother's family apparently hated him too, was some bad blood there. We weren't allowed to talk about him when I was a boy and I don't know why. I've heard a few things, but don't know all of the details. All of those that knew the whole story (or their side) passed on when I was young and took it with them, I didn't appreciate the significance of our connection/relation until I grew up.

I have learned the hard way in life that sometimes, some things are better left alone.

He was likely a butthole who got things done. Leading that there victory at San Jacinto against overwhelming, better trained & better equipped forces helped every single one of us.

Yessr.

AND becoming the first President of our Republic of Texas. Twice. Also, one of 2 Texas' first senators.
Yes, Houston should be the Father of Texas.
Change my mind.

Seems we don’t appreciate our history until we get a little older. I knew my family had received land from Sam Houston, but couldn’t remember the details. Last night I asked my Mom because she wrote a book detailing our history all the way back to the 1500’s. Here is what she sent me:

When William Horn was twenty two he received a Mexican land grant consisting of 320 acres southeast of Nacogdoches, TX. Our family has a copy of the document dated April 15th, 1842 that reads in part;

"In the name of the Republic of Texas, to all whom these presents shall come. Know ye I, Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas aforesaid by virtue of the power vested in me by law and in accordance with the statutes of said Republic in such cases made and provided to by these presents grant to William B. Horn, his heirs or assigns, forever three hundred and twenty acres of land situated and described as follows”.

Another member of our family received over 4,000 acres just outside Corsicana. I was told the family later sold that land for .10 cents an acre.

Pretty cool that your family gave land to my family back in the 1830’s& 40’s

That is cool. Any of you who have surviving parents. You should try and get them to write down their stories. I give my parents journals every year and always remind them and ask them to share their story so that some day I can read back through them and share them with grand/great grand kids or whomever. I have journals that I write in to do the same for my son. I have tried to get home to start early doing the same. I give him a journal every year on his birthday to maybe encourage him to do so. The stories we have, the experiences we have, and the willingness to share and pass those on, is our best shot at immortality. I would encourage everyone to do this. I am very fortunate, both my parents are still living, but I love the thought of reading their journals at some point after they go to be with the Lord.

👍

Pretty cool indeed Sir.

I agree. My Grandparents, Parents, Aunt's/Uncle's, everybody died when I was young. I can't ask anybody questions LOL.

Family historical documents and pictures were lost in a house fire when I was 9 yrs old.

My 9 yr old Son and 6 yr old daughter both have their own journals now, which are private. My youngest Son has been taught how to make a fire and sharpen a knife by himself, and he does it well. He will make a fire and sit by himself in a chair by the fire writing in his journal. I don't bother him. He's a fire bug like me, but a smart kid and a good kid. I don't know what he is writing in his private journal to be read later when I'm dead LOL.