Not only was Austin’s application for land for a colony granted, but a special commissioner was sent to the United States with instructions to conduct the first band of immigrants into the country. Stephen F. Austin returned with the commissioner to secure a transfer of the grant made to his father, and was accompanied by fourteen persons, all of whom became settlers. Of these were Erwin, Barre, Beard, Belew and Dr. James Hewitson. The latter was born in Ireland, the others bear Irish names.
The overthrow of the Spanish power and the establishment of the Mexican government, a year later, did not affect the concessions made to Austin. They were confirmed by the new government, and the grantee’s powers to colonize were increased. Others, as well as he, were granted similar privileges. Each head of a family was to receive four thousand four hundred and twenty-eight acres of land, and one thousand seventy-six acres were assigned to each single man.
It will not be amiss to write that during the period mentioned, namely, the struggle for Mexican independence, General Count O’Donoju was in command of the Royal forces, and that his failure to bring about a reconciliation between the Revolutionists and his government occasioned his death, which occurred in the city of Mexico, July 5, 1821. Among the original three hundred colonists led by Austin into Texas were the following: Martin Allen, John and Edward R. Bradley, James Beard, Charles Breen, William Barrett, James Cummins, John Cummins, William Cummins, Morris Callahan, David Fitzgerald, Isaiah Flanagan, David Fenton, Charles Garrett, C. S. Corbett, Daniel Gilliland, John W. Moore, Michael Goulderich, William Holland, Francis Holland, Samuel Kennedy, John Kelly, Alfred Cannon, James Kerr, James Lynch, Nathaniel Lynch, Robert James, William Millican, William McWilliams, David McCormick, James McCoy, James McNair, John McNeil, Luke Moore, Daniel, John G. and Geo. W. McNiel, Arthur McCormick, John McFarland, John McClosky, Thomas McKenny, Stirling and Pleasant D. McNeil, Frederick Rankin, Elijah Rourk, Patrick Reels and John McCormick.
Among others to whom grants of land were made were “James Power and James Hewitson, ‘Irishmen,’ for two hundred families on Arransas Bay.” This colony was known as “Refugio,” and the grant was made on June 11, 1828. Another was to “John McMullen, and Patrick McGloin, ‘Irishmen,’ dated August 17, 1828, for two hundred families on the Nieces river.” This colony was known as “San Patricio.”
Both were composed mainly of natives of Ireland, with a sprinkling of Americans of their own blood and of mixed origin. The members of these two colonies took an active part in the movements which ended in the establishment of the Texan republic, and the ultimate annexation of Texas to the American Union. This tribute is paid them by John Henry Brown in his history of Texas, in connection with what he has written of the other colonies:
“The colony of DeLeon had increased considerably by the incoming of a good class of Mexicans, and quite a number of Americans, including several Irishmen and their families from the United States, the younger members being natives of that country, and among whom were the veteran John McHenry, a settler since 1826; John Linn with his sons, John J., Charles, Henry and Edward Linn, and two daughters. Subsequently, the wives of Major Kerr and John A. Moody, Mrs. Margaret Wright, Joseph Wright and others.
“From 1829 to 1834 the colonies of Power and Hewitson, with headquarters at the Mission of Refugio, and McMullen and McGloin, of which San Patricio was the capital, received valuable additions in a worthy, sober, industrial class of people, chiefly from Ireland, a few of Irish extraction born in the United States, and others who were Americans.
“They were more exposed to Mexican oppression than the colonists further East, and equally so to hostile Indians. Twenty-six of these colonists signed the Goliad Declaration of Independence, Dec. 20, 1835. Four of them signed the regular declaration of Texan independence, March 2, 1836, and fourteen of them fell in the slaughter of Fannin’s men, March 27, 1836. In the footnote below is given a partial list of these bold and open-hearted pioneers in reclaiming the southwestern portion of our territory.”
Those mentioned in the footnote are as follows: Signers of the Goliad Declaration of Independence—Morgan Bryan, John Dunn, Spirce Dooley, James Elder, E. B. W. Fitzgerald, Peter Hynes, Timothy Hart, Thomas Hansom, J. B. Kirkpatrick, Michael Kelly, Walter Lambert, Charles Malone, Edward McDonald, Hugh McMinn, Thomas O’Connor, C. J. O’Conner, Patrick O’Leary, Michael O’Donnell, James O’Connor, John Pollan, William Quinn, Dr. Alexander Lynch, Edward Quirk, John Shelly, Edward and James St. John and John W. Welsh.
Those butchered with Fannin’s men were—Matthew Byrne, Daniel Buckley, Matthew Eddy, John Fagan, John Gleason, John James, John Kelly, John McGloin, Dennis McGowen, Dennis Mahoney, Patrick Nevin, Thomas Quirk, Edward Ryan and Capt. Ira Westover.