A Guide to the Power and Hewetson Collection, 1824-1835


Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	Archives of the Comandancia General de la Inspeccion de los Estados Internos de Oriente
	Title:	Power and Hewetson Collection
	Dates:	1824-1835
	Abstract:	This collection concerns the colonization of Texas, particularly James Power's and James Hewetson's request to their Mexican government for small islands across from their original grant. The documents reflect the concern of the Mexicans over the advance and encroachment of the Anglo-Americans.
	Accession No.:	81-128
	Extent:	43 items
	Language:	Materials are written in English.
	Repository:	Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin

Biographical Note

After the 1825 Mexican colonization law opened Coahuila and Texas to Anglo-American settlers, James Power (1788?-1852) and James Hewetson (1796-1879) organized Power and Hewetson Colony, petitioned to become empresarios, and received a large tract of land between the Lavaca and Guadalupe Rivers, which they later expanded to also encompass the area from the Guadalupe to the Nueces River. James Hewetson had met Stephen F. Austin in St. Louis, Missouri and then accompanied him to Texas, leading him to decide to seek his fortune in the new territory. Additionally, Power and Hewetson took possession of the abandoned Nuestra Señora del Refugio Mission.

Hewetson eventually sold his interest in the colony although he did retain his headrights and purchased lands. He married a Mexican widow, Josefa Guajardo, and maintained a home in Coahuila, Mexico. He did not take part in the Texas Revolution, but did visit Texas several times and aided Texans who came through Coahuia.

Power represented Refugio at the Convention of 1836 and signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. He sat on the committee that wrote the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, helped raise supplies for the Texas army, then founded the town of Aransas City (which no longer exists) in 1837. He represented Refugio again at the Second Congress and at the Convention of 1845.

Sources:

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Hewetson, James," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/HH/fhe36.html (accessed June 9, 2010).

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Power and Hewetson Colony," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/PP/uep3.html (accessed June 9, 2010).

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Power, James," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/PP/fpo36.html (accessed June 9, 2010).

Scope and Contents

The Power and Hewetson Colony Collection, 1824-1835, concerns the colonization of Texas, particularly James Power’s and James Hewetson’s request to the Mexican government for small islands across from their original land grant. The documents reflect the concern of the Mexicans over the advance and encroachment of the Anglo-Americans, particularly Manuel de Mier y Terán and Martín de León, whose colony comprised part of Power’s original claim. Also included are references to disturbances from the various Indian tribes of the region caused by the secularization of the missions.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.


Index Terms

	Subjects (Persons)
		Hewetson, James, 1796-1879 -- Archives
		Leon, Martin de, 1765-1833
		Letona, José María, 1799-1832
		Mier y Teran, Manuel de
		Musquiz, Ramon, 1789-1852 -- Archives
		Power, James, 1789-1852
		Viesca, José María
	Subjects
		Texas -- Colonization -- 19th Century -- History -- Sources
		Indians of North America -- Texas -- Government relations -- History -- Sources
		Land grants -- Texas -- History -- Sources
		Missions -- Texas -- History -- Sources
	Places
		De Leon's Colony (Texas) -- History -- Sources
		Power and Hewetson Colony (Texas) -- History -- Sources

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Power and Hewetson Collection, 1824-1835, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.