His name, now a household word in Texas, was Moses Austin. He was born in Connecticut. Early in life he went to Philadelphia, later to Virginia, and still later to Missouri, or what is now known as Missouri. While here his adventurous nature was attracted toward Texas by the reports of Nolan, Magee and their successors. His ventures heretofore had been failures, and he became interested in the founding of a colony in the territory coveted by all who had seen or heard of it. With this object in view, and desirous of securing permission from the proper authorities, he made a journey to San Antonio de Bexar in December, 1820. His residence in Missouri, then under the dominion of Spain, familiarized him with the language and customs of its people. His mission was successful. He returned to his home, but like Moses, he was not destined to see the promised land, for he died shortly afterwards, transmitting to his son, Stephen F. Austin, the duty of executing his plans. His application for his grant of land for a colony had been approved by the Spanish power, about eight months before its fall, and the fact that this concession had been made, while the memories of the invasions of Nolan, Magee and Long were still fresh, proves that Austin was a man of tact and resources. His daughter had married James Bryan, so that here in the beginning, the Saxon and the Gael intermixed. Three sons, the product of this union, William J., Moses A., and Hon. Guy M. Bryan, have been among its most honored citizens. 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.