The new Mexican government needed men they could trust to attract, acclimate, and administrate settlers for the Texas frontier. To do this, they depended on empresarios.
An empresario was a land agent or real estate contractor under the Mexican government’s colonization system. The word sounds like our word “emperor.” Though the empresarios were not rulers of their contracted kingdoms, the title must have sounded very grand to their ears. Perhaps that was part of what inspired these men to risk all for the opportunity to make their fortunes in Texas.
Few succeeded in making their fortune. Some lost their lives. But all made a name for themselves:
- Moses & Stephen F. Austin
- Samuel May Williams
- Green DeWitt
- Martín De León
- Haden Edwards
- Sterling C. Robertson
- James Power
- James Hewetson
- John McMullen
- James McGloin
- Arthur G. Wavell
- Frost Thorn
- John G. Purnell & Benjamin Drake Lovell
- Benjamin R. Milam
- Arthur G. Wavell
- Stephen J. Wilson
- John L. Woodbury & Joseph Vehlein
- David G. Burnet
- John Cameron
- Richard Exeter
- Lorenzo de Zavala
- Juan Dominguez
- Juan Antonio Padilla & Thomas J. Chambers
- Vicente Filisola
- J. C. Beales & José Manuel Royuela
Notice that there are Anglo names as well as Hispanic names. Often the two cultures worked in partnership. A rich blend of cultures has always been a part of our Texas heritage.
As we study the Road to Revolution over the next few weeks, we’ll also read about some of these brave adventurers, the hopes that inspired them, and their lasting contributions to Texas in order to better understand the people who settled Texas and what it was that motivated them to fight for independence.
