Nesbitt Memorial Library Journal, Volume 6, Number 1, January 1996 Page: 37
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Texas Cultures Online and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Nesbitt Memorial Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Consider the Lily: The Ungilded History of Colorado County, Texas
now Colorado County, was to field only half a company, reflecting, one must suppose, the
area's then limited population.4
On February 2, 1830, the ayuntamiento turned its attention to the settler's land
grants, ordering several persons, including those interested in the labors on the Colorado
River that adjoined the Elizabeth Tumlinson league, to appear before them on March 2.
That day, William Bluford Dewees entered his claim to title to the labors, but the
ayuntamiento disallowed it and declared the labors vacant. The same day, they addressed
the situation regarding William Rabb's land grant on the Colorado River. In addition to his
single league, Rabb had been granted a bonus of three leagues on condition that he build
a saw and grist mill. The ayuntamiento avoided mention that he had not yet complied with
that condition, but pointed out that he had been driven off the land three times by Indians,
and recommended that title to his bonus leagues be affirmed. Their recommendation,
however, was not acted upon. Instead, two months later, the ayuntamiento reversed all its
previous decrees regarding land, including that which had declared the Colorado River
labors vacant, but decided to investigate all of Austin's land grants to be sure that the terms
under which they were given had been complied with.5
Like Rabb, another settler on the Colorado, James Cummins, had been granted
bonus land on the condition that he build a mill, a condition which he too had as yet failed
to comply with. Cummins had gotten a full hacienda (five square leagues) as his bonus. On
September 3, 1829, he agreed to convey two of the five leagues to William Robinson, on
condition that Robinson build a mill on one of the two leagues before April 1, 1830.
Robinson did not complete the mill, and consequently, did not get title to the land. On April
2, Cummins, worried about his own title, wrote the land office. He explained that he had
made every attempt to construct the mill, but, because of a lack of skilled labor and proper
provisions, he had failed. He threw himself on the mercy of the government, pointing out
that he had expended most of his resources in attempting to build the mill, that the debts
he had incurred had compelled him to sell the league on which he had settled and which
he had spent six years developing, and that if he were forced to forfeit the hacienda, he
would be unable to support his large family. He asked for either more time to build the mill,
4 Eugene Campbell Barker, ed., "Minutes of the Ayuntamiento of San Felipe de Austin," Southwest-
ern Historical Quarterly, vol. 21, no. 3, January 1918, pp. 299, 302, 304, 310, 398-399. The northernmost
boundary of the Fourth Militia District, and thus the southernmost boundary of the district which was to field
half a company was: along the Atascosito Road from the Lavaca River to Skull Creek, thence along Skull Creek
to the Colorado River, thence to Eagle Lake, thence to the lower line of Thomas Slaughter's league on the San
Bernard River, thence to the head of Llano Creek.
5 Barker, ed., "Minutes of the Ayuntamiento of San Felipe de Austin," Southwestern Historical
Quarterly, vol. 22, no. 1, July 1918, pp. 79, 82, 83, 86-87. On November 10, 1829, Dewees had purchased
the labor granted to James Cummins from Zadock Woods, who had purchased it from Cummins (see Colorado
County Deed Records, Book A, p. 307, or Spanish Translated Book A, p. 65).37
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Nesbitt Memorial Library. Nesbitt Memorial Library Journal, Volume 6, Number 1, January 1996, periodical, January 1996; Columbus, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth151396/m1/37/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Nesbitt Memorial Library.