History of Fort Bend County, containing biographical sketches of many noted characters

Front matter

HISTORY

OF

CONTAINING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF MANY NOTED CHARACTERS

Index

Page.

Austin, Moses 1

Austin, Stephen F 2

Baker, Captain Mosley 108

Biography of the Author v

Bordens, the Family of 166

Barnetts and Spencers 234

Business Men of Richmond 359

Billy Bowlegs, Seminole Chief 373

Calder, Captain R, J 148

County Officers at Close of Civil War 361

Chriestman, Horatio 246

Cason, Henry 110

Davis, William Kinchen 205

Disposition of Mexican Prisoners 245

Dyer, J. E 210

Death of Randolph Poster 173

Damon’s Mound 262

Darst, Abraham 341

Foster, Randolph 15

Fort Bend xi

Fort Bend County Men, Co. F, 4th Texas, Killed, etc., in Civil War. . 273

Fenn, John R 87

Foster, Aunt Lucy 171

First Court Held in Fort Bend County 355

Fields, Col. W. D 249

Facts About Fort Bend County 338

Falling of the County Bridge 344

Great Flood of 1899 333

Fossil Remains of a Great Animal 346

Great Storm of 1900 335

Estimated Loss by 336

Hunter, Dr. Johnson Calhoun 159

Hagan, Adam 248

Historical Bell 255

Historic Cannon 259

Index.

Page.

Hibbered, Loran 264

Hodge, Robert 340

Introduction

Incident of the Flood of 1899 333

Jones, Henry 52

Jones, Captain Randall 63

Jones, James and Hetty 60

Jones, Mrs. Julia 175

Long, General James, Epedition of 23

Lamar, General M. B 112

Long Mrs. Jane H., Mother of Texas 36

Little, Walter W 48

Land Titles Issued from 1824 to 1832 18

Mexican Account of the Battle of San Jacinto 122

Martin, Captain Wiley 109

Mier Expedition 183

Mier Prisoners and What Became of Them 212

Masonic Ruin 227

McKnabb, John, Santa Fe Prisoner 218

McElroy, Charles 241

Neel, Adam S 240

Newell, John D 109

“Old Whip,” Horse Santa Anna Rode at San Jacinto 155

Pathetic Incident During the Invasion of 1836 169

Pleasants, George W 243

Ryon, Colonel William M 208

Roster of the Terry Rangers 275

Rivers and Creeks of Fort Bend County 152

Richmond Bar 360

Railway Mileage 154

Smith, “Deaf” 69

Santa Anna’s Army in Fort Bend County 83

Shipman’s and Morton’s 177

Smith, Thomas J., one of Fannin’s men 229

Stafford, William 237

Sugarland — Colonel Cunningham’s Plantation 348

Santa Fe Expedition 219

Sad Incident of the Great Storm 336

Terry Rangers from Fort Bend County 266

Wilkinson, General William M 46

Waters’ Plantation 352

Worthington, R. H 340

A. J. SOWELL, 1904.

The material far this book being composed principally of biographies of pioneers, and my people being early colonists also, and myself inflicted by the Fates on the people of Fort Bend County, to write their history, by request I add a sketch of my people and self also. My father, Asa J. L. Sowell, came from Missouri to Texas with his parents, John and Rachel Sowell, in 1829, when but seven years of age, as a colonist under Green DeWitt, who settled Gonzales. Father was born in Tennessee near the ^‘Hermitage,’’ the residence of General Jackson, hence my first name of Andrew Jackson. Of the Sowell boys my father w’as the youngest of five brothers, the others being Andrew, Louis, William and John. There w^ere two sisters, Sarah and Rachel. After the war with the Mexicans in 1836, my people, having lost their home and everything on it, when Gonzales was burned during the invasion of Santa Anna, moved to the great bend in the Guadalupe River, near the present town of Seguin, where the John Sowell league was located. They were the first settlers in Guadalupe County, and my grandmother was the fifth white woman to cross the San Marcos River.

My ancestors, the Sewells, were Highland Scots, and fought in the armies of Wallace and Bruce against King Edward of England, and in that of Cromwell against King Charles. In America they w^ere arrayed under Washington against King George. At a very early day two

VI

Biography of the Author.

brothers settled on the Yadkin River, in North Carolina, from which sprang a lare progeny, and in the war of 1T7H, being North Carolinians, helped to defeat the famous Tarleton and Simcoe cavalry at the battle of the ‘^Cowpens.'’ We were also related to the Ohampes of Virginia, and one of them, John Champe, during the War of the Revolution, penetrated the British lines with the intent of capturing General Benedict Arnold and bringing him to Washington's camp, but was prevented by a great storm which set in on the night he planned to carry out his rather desperate undertaking.

My people were pioneers and fought Indians under General HaiTison at Tippecanoe, under General Jackson at the ‘^Horseshoe," Tallahassee, Talledega, and the British at New Orleans. In Texas they were Rangers under Hays, McCulloch, Burleson and others, and in the various Indian battles in which they participated Louis, William and Joseph Sowell were killed. Joseph Sowell commanded a company of Rangers, and was killed in a fight in Fannin County. His son, John Sowell, was captured by the Comanches and kept three years.

My mother, Mary Turner, daughter of Maj. William S. Turner, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and her great-grandfather, James Turner, was one of the early Governors of North Carolina.

I was born on the 2nd day of August, 1848, at Seguin, Guadalupe County. In 1855 I was forted up with others at Seguin during an Indian raid in which a white boy named Jewett McGee and a mulatto girl belonging to the Elams were killed by the Indians. In the early fifties my

Biography of the Author.

Vll father and some of my uncles left Seguin and settled on the Blanco River in Hays County, and the place is still known a^ ^^SowelPs Valley.” Here, when about six years old, I saw my first Indian, and came .near being captured by him. Five children of us, one sister older than myself, and three of Uncle Andrew^s children, were on top of a small mountain, getting cedar wax. The Indian came out of a cedar brake near by and advanced towards us, and was first discovered by my sister, who said, ‘^Look there, what an ugly man,” and ran. All took one frightened look and ran also. I being the youngest and very shortlegged, was left behind, but ran also, and all went screaming at the top of our voices. I finally tangled in the weeds, and fell, screaming like a young panther, and looked back at the Indian, who was close upon me. His long hair, painted face and black eyes are still fresh in my memory as he stooped and reached for me. I sprang away to one side like a little rabbit, evading his grasp and giving vent to a screech that was enough to have almost frightened the Indian himself, and it seemed as if that was the case, for he turned and ran back into the cedar brake. By this time the other children had crossed the open glade and started down the hill, all still screaming. I ran again as fast as I could, and at the brow of the hill met father and Uncle Andrew, each with a rifle. They had passed the other children, who told them that an old, ugly man was after them, and had caught Jack. Father was pale and breathing hard, having run all the way from the house and up the hill. He asked me where the man was, and between my sobs I told them, and pointed to the spot in

Till

Biography op the Author.

the edge of the brake where I had last seen him. Telling me now to follow the other children, they went on in pursuit of the Indian, but he eluded the search made for him, and in about an hour father and uncle returned.

When about grown I joined the Rangers and was in the Wichita campaign of 1870-71. I scouted, trailed Indians, suffered with cold, hunger, thirst, and witnessed many startling scenes. I was present at the scene of the Keenon and Paschal massacre, and helped to bury the victims, seven women and children. I was one of the eleven Rangers who made the fight with forty-one Indians at the Keep Ranch, and saved the women and children there ; was powder burned in the face, and one arrow cut the shoulder of my jacket.

If we should go back beyond the written history of any section of the great State of Texas and delve into the dim ages of the past, even confined to the narrow limits of Fort Bend County, what strange and wonderful sights we would see. Great animals, now extinct, would be discovered, compared to which the elephants of our day would appear dwarfish. They grazed over these prairies and slaked their thirst in the waters of the Brazos River. Their remains have beend found in the river near Richmond, an account of which will be given in its proper place in this wbrk. The river and the landscape were here when Columbus and his daring sailors, in their frail crafts, were plowing the unknown seas, with the beaks of the little ships pointing toward these shores. Wild savage tribes were here then, chasing the buffalo and other game, and their wigwams dotted the banks of our streams. They hunted and camped along the Brazos, fought with other tribes, and performed the scalp dance and war dance, and loud warwhoops resounded over the spot where Richmond now stands.

We would like to know by what name they called the great river on whose banks they lived. Brazos is a Spanish name, meaning an arm, and not the dialect of a savage with an unwritten language. They melted away before the advance of European civilization and names of places and tribes became extinct, leaving no trace of their exist-

X

Introduction.

ence, except rude mounds of stone and earth Vhich mutely told of another people which were once here, but now gone forever.

After the passing of many centuries, a strange race of people came upon the scene, marching up the Brazos valley in glistening armor and gaudy colored banners flying, striking the natives with terror and astonishment. These were the steel-clad cavaliers of Spain. They explored all of the rivers of Texas, from the mouth to the head of each, and gave them Spanish names. Over the spot where Richmond now stands no doubt they passed. After them came the French under Robert de La Salle in 1685, and it is very likely that he and some of his men were within the present limits of Fort Bend County. La Salle was a Norman by birth, but was at this time in the employ of the French King, and made an accidental landing on the then nameless coast of Texas while in search of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The unfortunate explorer was murdered by his own men, and the colony went to pieces. Some were killed by Indians, while others went north as far as Red River, and then drifted towards Mexico and were taken by the Spaniards.

We will now take up the modern history of Fort Bend County, which w’^e know something about, and will try to make it as interesting to our readers as possible, dealing in facts.

The Author.

One of the old original counties settled by colonists under Stephen F. Austin, was created from Austin County, December the 29th, 1837, and named for the old fort which was built in the bend of the Brazos River (where the town of Richmond now is) in 1821. The country is bounded on the east by Harris, west by Colorado, north by Austin, and south by Brazoria counties. This is the general boundary, other counties touching it in various places. It has 889 square miles of territory, and an area of 568,960 acres.

Richmond,

The county seat of Fort Bend County, was laid off the same year that the county was created, and named for Richmond, Virginia, which place was named for the Duke of Richmond, England. It is situated on the west bank of the Brazos River, 33 miles west of Houston, and about 63 miles from Galveston in a northerly direction. The population is about 1,500, has water works and an electric light plant, a bank, three railroads, long distance telephone exchange, a local telephone exchailge, cotton gins, grist mills, machine shop, incorporated land title abstract company, good churches, schools, hotels, etc. The lodges are represented by the Masons, Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World, Red Men, etc. The distance from Waco by river to Richmond is 328 miles, and from Richmond to the Gulf of Mexico ninety-five miles.

Xll

Fort Bend.

Rosenberg^

The next largest town in the county, is within about onequarter of a mile from the bank of the Brazos River. It has a population of more {han 800, and is situated about three miles west, or northwest, from Richmond on the Southern Pacific Railroad. It has good churches, schools, hotels, business houses, newspaper, etc.

There are other thriving towns in the county, to-wit: Fulshear, Orcbard, Missouri City, Duke, Areola, Foster, Simonton, Sartartia, Booth, Beasley, Garabaldi, Kendleton, Katy, Flewellen, Harlem, Thompson, and Sugarland. The latter has the largest sugar plantation and sugar refinery combined in the world, and has also a paper mill.

CHAPTER I. Moses Austin

For the information of our readers who are not familiar with the early colonial scheme of settling Texas with American colonists when it was a province of Spain, we will give a short sketch of the man in whose brain it originated and the various causes which led to it. Moses Austin was a native of Connecticut, born at the village of Durham in 1767. When a boy he went to Philadelphia, and in 1787 he married Miss Maria Brown. His brother, Stephen, was then at the head of an important house in Philadelphia, and Moses Austin soon after his marriage took charge of a branch house in Richmond, Virginia. In a few years the brothers purchased ChizzePs lead mines in Wythe County, Virginia, and Moses Austin took charge of the enterprise. At that place on the 3rd of November, 1793, Stephen Fuller Austin, the future colonial empresario of Texas, was born. Two other children lived to maturity and came to Texas, James Brown Austin and Emily M. Austin. James died of yellow fever at New Orleans in August, 1829. Emily married twice — first, James Bryan, and after his death James F. Perry.

In a few years the Philadelphia and Richmond house of the Austins failed, which also involved the loss of the lead mines. At this time reports came of rich lead mines in upper Louisiana (now in Missouri) which attracted the attention of Moses Austin. The territory then being

Fort Bend County.

under the dominion of Spain, he procured a passport from the Spanish minister to the United States in 1797 and Visited that region, and secured from the governor, Baron de Carondelet, a grant of a league of land covering the site where the town of Potosi, Washington County, Missouri, now is, and in 1779 removed there with his family and formed the first American settlement in that section.

He prospered in mining and other pursuits for some years, dispensed a liberal hospitality, and enjoyed an enviable character. But again disaster came. The failure of the Bank of St. Louis swept away his accumulations and left him almost destitute of means, having freely surrendered everything to his creditors. He was now fifty-three years old and began to look around for a new field of enterprise. His residence of twenty years in Missouri had made him familiar to some extent with Spanish laws and methods of administration, and he had also acquired considerable knowledge of Texas through the reports of Captain Pike and others, who, in 1812 and 1813, served under Magee and Perry, and from trappers and Indian traders. In possession of such knowledge and animated by an enterprising spirit, his mind naturally turned to Texas as a field in which to build up his shattered fortunes. With a forethought justified by results, he conceived the idea of founding a colony of his countrymen in the trackless wilderness of Texas. Traveling by land on horseback, he made the long and perilous trip to San Antonio, Texas, where he arrived on the 23rd day of December, 1820. Here, however, as soon as his presence and mission were known. Governor Antonio Martinez ordered him to quit the country, as he had violated its laws by entering the Province of Texas without permission of the Spanish King. This was a sad blow to the exalted ideas of Austin in regard to his colonization of the rich lands of Tex-

Moses Austin.

as east of San Antonio, and he wearily and in much despondency commenced making his preparations to return home, w'hen, fortunately, he met with the Baron de Bastrop, whom he had known in New Orleans and who was now a member of the municipal goyernment. To him Austin explained the peaceful object of his mission, and the Baron warmly espoused his cause and commended him to Governor Martinez as a worthy man and a former subject of Spain, and secured for him not only the good will but the earnest co-operation of the Governor and other authorities of the place, and these in turn recommended his proposed application to settle 300 families in Texas to the favorable consideration of General Don Joaquin Arredondo, Commanding General of the Eastern Internal Provinces, with headquarters at Monterey, Mexico.

Moses Austin, elated by these prospects of success, in January started on his homeward journey, leaving the Baron de Bastrop with instructions as his representative to look after his interests and inform him as soon as possible of the success of his application should it meet with favor. We do not know who his companions were on this return trip. He followed the old Spanish military road from San Antonio to Nacogdoches, and from there to Natchitoches, Louisiana. It was a severe winter, rains were frequent and the swollen streams had to be crossed by swimming or on rafts. A gloomy beginning for a great enterprise. Pinally, however, he reached his home in Missouri. Before leaving for Texas he abandoned a preconceived idea of establishing a farm on Bed River to facilitate the passage of immigrants through the wilderness of Arkansas. He, instead, determined to make New Orleans the gateway to Texas. Stephen F. Austin was therefore in New Orleans, having been sent there by his father, with instructions to make such conditional contracts as seemed

Fort Bend County.

necessary to provide for the prompt transportation of colonists % way of the Gulf to the coast of Texas.

Moses Austin arrived at ^‘Hazel Run,” the home of his daughter, Mrs. Bryan, with his constitution undermined and a fatal disease permeating his whole system, brought on by exposure to rain and cold in his long journeys. He lingered, however, for some months, but when he saw that his end was near, transmitted to his son the duty of executing his plans, full of promise to after ages, conveyed blessings to the members of his family present, and died on the 10th day of June, 1821.

One historian says of him :

‘‘Noble heart ! Great soul ! The perpetuation of thy fame needs no stately monolith or monumental pile!”

Chapter II

Stephen F. Austin.

It seems that on account of the long distance and slow transmission of mails in those days, that Stephen F. Austin, busy at New Orleans doing the work his father had intrusted to him, was not aware of the fatal illness and death of his father until some time after that sad event. Where the father, however, laid down the work the son took it up. The application of Moses Austin was approved by General Arredonda at Monterey on the 17th of January, 1821, a few days after the departure of Austin from San Antonio. This action of the Commanding General was in due time officially communicated to Provincial Governor Martinez at San Antonio, and he despatched Don Erasmo Seguin to the United States with instructions as special commissioner to inform Austin of the success of his application and conduct the first band of immigrants into the country. Being apprised of the arrival of Seguin at Natchitoches, and the particulars of his mission, Stephen Austin hastened from New Orleans to meet him. Here the devoted son learned, either by mail or mesenger, of the death of his father and of his wish that he should carry out his plans.

At this time Stephen F. Austin was 28 years of age, and had served as a member of the Territorial Legislature of Missouri, entering that body in 1813 and being regularly re-elected until 1819, when he removed to Arkansas for the purpose of establishing a farm to be used as an immigrant depot.

He remained in the Territory of Arkansas part of the years 1819-20. Moses Austin on his way to Texas in 1820

Fort Bend County.

proceeded to Little Rock, '^’'here lie met liis son. It was then decided to give up the farm project and for Stephen to go to New Orleans and there await the action of the Mexican or Spanish government upon the application for a. colonial grant.

Stephen F. Austin was born in Virginia and reared in Missouri. He attended school in Connecticut for a short time and completed his studies at Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky. Of good habits, clear mind, industrious, patient, his reputation was such as to inspire confidence of success.

Accompanied by the Commissioner, Don Erasmo Seguin, he left Natchitoches for San Antonio on the 5th of July, 1821, to confer. with Governor Martinez, secure a transfer of the grant made to his father, and ask permission to explore a portion of the country and select a district in which to locate his colony. Besides himself and Seguin, the party consisted of fourteen persons, all of whom became settlers, to-wit: Erwine, Barre, Marple, Beard, Belew, W. Smithers, Edward Lovelace, Henry Holstein, Neil Gasper, William Little, Joseph Polly, James Beard, William Wilson, and Dr. James Hewitson. Polly, Holstein, Beard and Little afterwards settled in Fort Bend County. On the first day of August, 1821, they encamped at the old San Antonio and Nacogdoches crossing of the Brazos, and on the 12th of the same month they arrived at San Antonio. Governor Martinez extended a cordial welcome to Austin, recognized him as successor to his father’s rights, and manifested a sincere desire to encourage his enterprise. Austin submitted to the Governor a plan for granting land to immigrants, the plan promising a section of 640 acres to each man over twenty-one years of age, half that amount to each married woman, 160 acres to each child and eighty acres to owners of slaves for each slave introduced. This plan was approved

Stephen F. Austin.

by the Governor, but was afterwards changed to a league and labor to each head of family, and 640 acres to single men. A league of land contains 4428 acres and a labor 177 acres. The league could be taken up in one place and the labor in another.

Austin hastily examined the country along the lower waters of the Guadalupe, Lavaca, Navidad, Colorado, Brazos and San Jacinto Rivers, and also along the Gulf shore. Selecting a site for his colony in that rich, alluvial region, he repaired by land to New Orleans. Before leaving, however, ^Austin selected a great bend in the Brazos River, where Richmond is now, and left five young men there to build a fort, the nucleus of a large settlement which gathered in due time. These five young men were the first installment of the “Old Three Hundred,’’ and their names and manner of building the fort, from which Fort Bend County took its name, will be given later on.

The groundwork of the edifice was now laid and it remained to erect the superstructure. This was a trying period in the life of Stephen P. Austin. The great responsibilities which he had assumed w^ere such as to call out the great mind and will which he possessed, constancy of purpose and ability as a leader. To carry out his plans he stood in great need of money, and, for a time, it worried him not a little, but in New Orleans he found Joseph L. Hawkins, an old schoolmate, and in him also found a friend, who not only had plenty of money, but was willing to help him. Through his aid a schooner called the “Lively” was loaded with provisions and farm implements and despatched to the moutli of the Brazos. Here the supplies were hid and the vessel returned to New Orleans. It was, however, soon sent back with another cargo of supplies and eighteen immigrants, and now comes a sad statement in regard to these unfortunate would-be settlers. The little ship or its passengers were never heard from any more. Whether they

Fort Bend County.

went down in a storm or were captured by pirates, none could tell.

In November, 1821, when the ^‘Lively^’ sailed on her «.econd voyage, Austin left New Orleans to lead the first body of immigrants into Texas. He reached the Brazos on the 31st day of December, 1821, crossed to tlie west side of that stream, and on January 1st, 1822, pitched camp on a creek in what is now Washington County and named it New Year’s Creek, which it still bears. Andrew Robinson and others settled in that vicinity and some came on down the river and settled at Fort Bend. Many immigrants still continued to arrive and formed settlements wherever it suited their fancy. Thus began the permanent settlement of Texas by the Anglo-Saxon race.

Austin now proceeded to the coast to meet the ^‘Lively” and to secure the other supplies left at the mouth of the Brazos. Here was a sore and sad disappointment for the bravo and energetic Austin. The Craunkaway Indians had found the supplies and carried them away and the ill-fated schooner never came. After long and anxious waiting Austin realized that the ^^Lively” had been lost at sea, and with a sad heart Avent back to liis colony, and on arriving there found that many additions had been made. Among these was his brother, James Brown Austin, Josiah H. Bell and his young wife, formerly Miss Mary McKenzie, of Kentucky. Her son, Thadeus C. Bell, born later in the year, was the second child born in the colony, having been preceded a few weeks by a child of Henry Jones, who had settled further down the Brazos about the time Mr. Bell and his wife reached Texas.

About this time (of the first installment) and a little later on, came Henry Jones, Randall Jones, James Jones, William Little, David Fitzgerald, David Randon, Styles, Spencer, the Mortons, the Thompsons, the Kuykendalls, William Stafford, Dr. Johnson Hunter, M. M. Battle, Ran-

Stepben F. Austin.

dolph Foster, Darst, Beard, Polly, Holstein, Wiley Martin, Eli Fenn, and others, whose names will be brought out as we proceed with the history, and all of whom settled in Fort Bend County.

Having proceeded thus far, Austin deemed it proper to report his progress to the Governor at San Antonio, and accordingly set out, with his mind full of his plans and exalted hopes of future prosperity. On arriving in San Antonio he was greatly surprised and disappointed to learn that a change had taken place in Mexico on account of a successful revolution, and that it would be necessary for him to go to the City of Mexico and procure from the new government a renewal of the authority and privileges granted. He accordingly left Josiah H. Bell as his agent; and with Dr Robert Andrews as a companion, rode out of San Antonio on the 20th of March, and made the trip to the City of Mexico — a distance of 1200 miles — in 36 days, safely reaching the capital on the 29th of April, 1822.

Late in March of 1822 the schooner ^^Only Son,’’ commanded by Capt. Benjamin Ellison, from New Orleans, entered Matagorda Bay with a number of immigrants seeking homes in the new colony. The vessel also had aboard supplies of provisions, household effects, and farming implements. She was owned by two of the immigrants, Kinchaloe and Anderson, and sailed from New Orleans on the Tth of February with a total of ninety colonists and prospectors, among whom were Abraham Clare, George Helm, Mr. Bray and his son-in-law (Charles Whitson), and a Mr. Morgan, with their families, and Greenup Hayes, of Kentucky, a grandson of Daniel Hoone. During this voyage a considerable number of the passengers died of yellow fever, and were buried at sea. A few days after the arrival of this schooner another vessel from New Orleans came to anchor in Matagorda Bay. Among the passengers on this boat were Samuel H. Williams,

Fort Bend County.

afterguards the famous secretary of Austin^s Colony, and Jonathan C. Peyton and wife. The immigrants from both vessels were landed on the west bank of the Colorado River, at a point three miles above the mouth of that stream. James Cummings conducted the newcomers into the interior— some to his camp, and some to a crossing on the Colorado River a few miles below w^here the town of Columbus is now situated.

When Stephen F. Austin reached the capital, politics were at a fever heat, and he found it impossible to secure immediate consideration of his claims.

Hayden Edwards, of Kentucky, Robert Leftwick, of Tennessee, Green DeWitt, of Missouri, and Gen. James Wilkinson, late of the United States Army, were also in the capital seeking permission to establish American colonies in Texas.

The first Congress summoned after the accession of Iturbide to power was still in session. The application to it by so many people wanting to introduce colonists led to the appointment of a committee to draft a general law on the subject. Austin very justly asserted and insisted that his claim was peculiar in its merits, and should receive consideration aside from general legislation intended to control future concessions. The committee, however, submitted to Congress a general bill. On the eve of its enactment into a law, October the 30th, 1882, Iturbide dispersed Congress, and appointed in lieu thereof a Junta composed of thirty-five members, and the question of colonization was referred to that body. Under the inspiration of its imperial master, the Junta passed a law, and it was approved by Iturbide, on the 4th of January, 1823. This was different in regard to land grants from the first contract which Austin made with the former government, and reads in substance as follows :