The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-20
GRANDFATHER OF TEXAS.
Forgotten Grave OF Moses Austin and the Story Of
Great Pioneer Which 1t Recalls
81. Iuuis olobe-ppmorat.

81. Louis Glooe-D Democrat.
In the Presbyterian cemetery at Potosi,
No., yust few miles south Of st. Louis,
stands a stone tomb. simple In Its srchi-
lecture. small In sire and very nearly ugly
from it's lack OF decorative touches, with
the name of ''Moses Austin" chiseled IN
plain Ietters on the sunken tablet In front
Such is the resting place. such is the only
monument Of any kind that has ever been
erected to the memory CT the nrst man
who planted a permanent settlement away
from the river courses In Missouri, one Of
the 1rst men Of Anglo-sAJon parcntage to
settle anywhere west OF the Mississippi
river, one OF the nrst to receive any Kind
Of concession from the Spanish govern
ment In these parts, the hrst to establish
a lead works In the United States, and
greatest OF all, the man who opened the
doors Of Texas to American immigration,
and thus made possible Its successful strug-
Re for Independence and final annexa.
Eaon TO the United States. The greatness
so glory or Texas may be traced directly
TO his plsns-nnd the Mexican war had its
indirect cause In his pies to the Spanish
governor for permission to locate q colony
OF Americans on the Brazcs--yet his grave
lies almost neglected under the very shad-
ow OF church, less than sixty miles from
81. Louis, near one OF the great trunk
nnes leading to the domain whose wonder
~ possibilities he was tho first American
Moses Austin was born a Durham, Conn.
IN the year 1857. A typical Yankee he was
lull OF business spirit and energy even as n
ooy, ana when later IN life revcrses came
ts him they but awoke III him q more In.
domttahle determination to succeed In the
struggle OF life and drove him on 10 greater
EFFORTS than Before. OF his hoyhood DAYS
there is but little record until he LETT his
parental homestead AZ Durham. I'm 1850, aud
proceeded to Philadelphia. where he entered
the employ Of his brother. the head of tho
NTHO1Gn AnEftU Il n a
position. Seven years Of his life pass nv
without note, aud then We find him marry.
ing Miss Maria Brown, Philadelphia girl
soon after which he Is sent by his brother
70 establish a branch house Of the Phila.
delphia hrm at Richmond. The business
at Richmond was well established when
Moses Austin learned Of some lead mines
IN WSihe county, Va, and. finding that
they wer. Of some richness, Mt once pur.
chased them. The manner of mining In TIE
States In those days did not appear very
satisfactory to Aus1in, So he Imported a
number Of English lead miners aud work
ers. and established lead works nj Rich.
nlond. He was thus the first To prosecute
lead mining IN n systematic manner IN his
country, mud by the establishment Of tho
works az Richmond laid the foundation for
our great lead industry. The mines on New
diver and the factory NJ Richmond proved
succeSsful ventures, but the house Mt phil.
adolphia hecame involved in financial dTi.
cultles which the Southern business culld
not hold up, and IN 1896 the firm OF stephen
Austin & Co.. with all It's qualifications,
went into bankruptcy.
SUCCESS IN MtNING.
Moses Austin was left almost pennies
by the failure Of the business In which M
~ lsul SuHaeI pun p5lseI5lW 6r1Auau sun
would be useless for him 10 attempt tnt
struggle anew on the old ground, turned
his face to the West for encouragement
News OF the wonderful but almost IN
worked lead deposits at Mine Breton NOV
Potosp, in Upper Louisiana mad reached
him before reverses overlook him IN busi
ness and II seemed to Austin that th'
finger OF his fate pointed in that direction
He accordingly took leave Of his fanny
md started on the long Journey 10 TN
country under SpatnS dominion. He visit
pd the deposits at Mine a Breton and tnct
explored the country tar to tde west 1ut
along the shores OF the Missouri, nnulr
satisfying himself that he could not do bet
ter than a. the place Of which nc mac
heard so much In the East. Despite IN
rame OF Breton the attempts TO work tn
lead deposits there had been hut spasmod
gt the best. fhcre We're settlements az Stc
lienevcve. Cape Glrardcau, Carondolet, 81
Louis and st. Charles, hut apart fror
these few inhabitants were 10 lie foun
In this country ar that time, French an
spanish had both been AFRAID TO ventur
back from the rivers for fear OF the say
ages and few miles from the little town
primcval nature existed, over which IN
Indians held absolute domain. During IN
summer mouths n lew hNhh9 NbAAAAN NNN'
sally forth occasionally 10 Mine Bretol
sct4,pe the deposits q trIne and then hurl
back To the Mississippi with their pllt
londs of lend ore and hearts heating
quick march OF terror that thoy might "
escape the warliko Osages. When AusN
therefore. sought n concession az Mlhr
Hrcton of the Spanish commandgnt ~
t.ouls II was not dtfhcult 70 OBTAIN
the authorizes at this place Il Only look'
Ike n courtship with death to attempt
settlement there. amt they granted me Y,
turesome Yankee n league or gronnu, wv
the nroyislnn that he should WORK u
mines regularly aud establish lend worI
near them TO the residents or the rlN
Settlemcnts this proylso would have nee
,,,Jyaiert Ia a refusal for they would u
admittedly have regarded " ms an impoS
bic tnsk. The osagcs were ne hogle M
with which little children were trlGns'n,
into the auiet OF fear. but NOT SO WIN q
tndouital,lc gentleman from virginia:
Rsrurning 90 tho Old Dominion. Mos
Austin hastily .preparcd ms iah,sN; o MI
Fri OF Years. FOR the tourney to ST LOU
and In the face ~ the strongest adNl
Friends implorcd him not to make 4, D
Austin md his wlfc were not the poor
20 quail from an undertaking after on
having decided To do Il. and through g
Wilderness therefore they resolved
march toward tho West and fortune. ~
tourney across the mountains was succet
fully made and thpn came the trlp dow
tho almost unpNpl0red Kanawha, on q
bosom Of which Mrs Austin was the M
white woman a. hoat Through dane
passed out IN the Ohio without ininr
and the remaindcr 81 the voyage. ao
that river and M the Mississippi ~
made almost without Incident
BRAvED THE INDIANS
Not very much work was accomplish
int Mine Breton IN 179S. the year
lAustin's arrival. but In 1890 he sent Ell
Rates. relative. TO establish permane
a.. -.