Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 5 of 372
300 p., 34 port. ; 32 cm.View a full description of this book.
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THE
BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF
TEXAS."j^^ISTIN, STEPHEN F. " In the eye of reason
~. ^^ and of truth,") says Bancroft, "a colony
^9^ is a better offering than a victory." If this
be true-if it be true that the man who
lays in the wilderness the foundation of a State, is
more entitled to the gratitude and respect of mankind
than he who defends or destroys institutions
once established, then the name of Stephen F.
Austin is one which ought to occupy a high place in
the estimation of the present age and of posterity.
Whenever the story .|is life shall be truly written,
if indeed it ever sallf be, it will be seen, and admitted
by all, that he was in truth the man who first
ed American enterprise into what was then a vast
wilderness: that lie was the man who first planted a
colony in Texas, and who nursed it through a feeble
infancy; who toiled for it and suffered for it, and
who stood by it under all manner of discouragemients
until it grew to strength and vigor. It will be
then seen how completely he sacrificed all considerations
of personal ease and of personal aggrandizement
to the accomplishment of the great object of
his ambition. It will then be seen that he knew no
day of rest from the moment, when in early manhood
he entered the wilderness with a dozen followers,
to the close of the eventful year 1836, when, in
the midst of unremitting toil, he bowed his head
and died. It will then be seen that he was a man ofeminent talents, of rare virtues, and of gentlemanly
accomplishments; that he was forbearing, patient,
and constalt; that he was prudent in counsel, courageous
in action, and amiable in private life; and,
to crown all, that he was, in every sense of the word,
an honest man, whose word was always as good as
his bond. It is well known that the idea of planting
a colony of North Americans in the Territory of
Texas, originated with Moses Austin, the father of
the subject of this sketch. !{Moses Austin was a
native of Durham, in the State of Connecticut. He
came of a highly respectable family, received a
liberal education, and was regularly bred to the
business of merchandise. He was'a man of uncom.mon
sagacity, and of an enterprising character. He
began life as a rmereliant, in the city of Philadelphia.
He afterwards removed to the city of Richmond, in
Virginia, and subsequently purchased the lead mines
known as Chissel's mines, on New river, in Wythe
county, in that State. Here he engaged extensively
in mining, and in the manufacture of lead. He
introduced artisans from England, and established
the first manufactory of shot and sheet lead that
was established in the United States. A little village
grew up around. him at New river, which was called
Austinville, at which place Stephen F. Austin was
born, on the 3d day of November, 1793.
In the year 1797, the enterprising disposition of
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
Biographical view of Texas and its history including narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history and information about important point in history including: the pioneer days of Texas, Texas' transition from a Mexican state to being part of the United States, and the wars in which Texas citizens took part.
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Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas, book, 1880; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5827/m1/5/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .