Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/264

 PROMINENT PERSONS

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the territorial legislature of Missouri in 1813, and annually reelected until iSig.vvhen he removed to Arkansas, where he was ap- pointed circuit judge. His father had re- ceived from Mexico a large grant of land near the boundary of Texas, for colonization purposes, conditional on his locating three hundred families. At his death, in 1820, Stephen, in pursuance of his father's request proceeded immediately to colonize the tract. After many delays and much difficulty, he finally had the grant confirmed and planted on the present site of Austin a colony of some two hundred families. He was con- stituted governor by Mexico, and as such possessed dictatorial powers: but he gov- erned with justice and clemency. In 1833 the American settlers became discontented, and Austin was appointed by the colony as a commissioner to carry a petition for the separation of Texas and Coahuila, which then constituted one state. The Mexi- can government, however, failing to con- 'sider the petition, Austin wrote to his peo- ple in October to form themselves into a separate colony, without awaiting Mexico's consent. This letter being intercepted, Aus- tin was thrown into prison for many months. President Santa Anna, in May, 1834, called a council to hear the petition. Austin ap- peared before it, and by his eloquence won a promise of the repeal forbidding citizens of the United States from immigrating into Texas. The council also promised to estab- lish a postal system and to station four thousand soldiers at Bexar to protect the frontier; but declined the prayer for separa- tion. Austin was detained as a prisoner. but at the end of two years was allowed to return to his colony. At their first consul- tation, in 1835, Austin advised that any at-

tempt by the Mexican government to dis- arm the colonists should be met by armed resistance. To this the colonists gladly ac- ceded. Austin endeavored to effect a re- conciliation, but all terms were haughtily rejected by the Mexicans ; he determined to make no further overtures for peace, hos- tilities followed, the revolutionists were vic- torious at Gonzales, Conception and San Antonio, and Austin was made commander- in-chief of the army by acclamation, and forthwith sent to Gen. Sam Houston for aid in carrying on the revolution. Austin was sent as commissioner to Washington in No- vember, 1835, to appeal to the United States government for aid, and made a favorable impression at the national capital. In 1836 the independence of Texas was declared, Sam Houston was elected first president of the republic, and he appointed Austin secre- tary of state. He died December 27, 1836.

Hunt, Thomas Poagc, born in Charlotte county. \'irginia, in 1794: was graduated at Hampden-Sidney College in 18 13, then took a course in theology, and in 1824 was licensed to preach the Gospel ; for a number of years he was pastor of churches in Virginia and North Carolina, after which he changed his line of work, becoming a temperance lec- turer, in which capacity he attained a wide reputation; in 1836 he took up his residence in the city of Philadelphia, remaining there for three years, at the expiration of which time he removed to the Wyoming Valley and there spent the remainder of his days ; in addition to the work above mentioned, he served as agent for Lafayette College dur- ing the years 1840-41-42-43-44-45, and was the author of the following articles which he published: "History of Jesse Johnson

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