Joseph H. Hawkins

Duane's take

The official marker tells it this way, and I'm just the one passing it along — here's the story of Joseph H. Hawkins. Now, you want to talk about a man whose fingerprints are all over early Texas, even though he never set foot in the place himself?

Pull up close, because this is that story. Joseph H. Hawkins was a Virginian by birth, but he made his name in Kentucky — practicing law, serving in the state legislature, winning a seat in the U.S.

Congress. By any measure, a man who had already done plenty. But then he moved to New Orleans, and that's where fate introduced him to a young Stephen F.

Austin — broke, uncertain, and not at all sure he wanted to pick up where his father had left off with this grand colonization scheme in Texas. Hawkins could've wished him luck and walked on. Instead, he did something rarer.

He believed in the man. He offered Austin a job to get him back on his feet, and later — and here's where it gets consequential — capital for the whole project. Real money.

In 1821, the two men sat down and made it formal. Austin acknowledged receiving four thousand dollars, and in return agreed to divide equally the lands he would receive as colonizer, as empresario. Four thousand dollars and a handshake on the future of Texas.

Hawkins didn't stop there. He sent boats — boats carrying supplies and colonists — down to meet Austin in Texas. He was all in.

And then, in 1823, Joseph H. Hawkins died. He left behind his wife, George Ann — born a Nicholas — and five children, and a mountain of debt.

George Ann gathered the children and returned to her native Kentucky, to be near her family and Hawkins' brother, Littleberry. She appointed a man named Nathaniel Cox to help settle her husband's estate, and then she waited to see what Texas would give back. The wait was not short.

In 1824, the Mexican government granted Austin, as empresario, almost a hundred thousand acres. But Mexican law required a person to reach majority age and live in Texas to own land. The Hawkins children couldn't immediately claim a single acre of what their father had helped make possible.

Austin worked alongside Cox, trying to find a suitable arrangement, and finally, in 1833 — twelve years after that original agreement — Austin conveyed to the Hawkins heirs some forty-two thousand acres of land in and around Brazoria County. Each of the children did come to Texas, at least for a time. Edmund St.

John was first — he died in 1836. Norbourne followed, and he died at Goliad that same year, 1836. George came next, and died in 1837.

Joseph Thomas made his way to Texas and died there in 1850. And Mary Jane arrived in 1839, but after her husband died she returned to Kentucky, and stayed. None of them persevered in Texas.

Not one. And yet — and this is what the marker wants you to sit with — Joseph H. Hawkins' legacy is apparent in the success of Austin's first colony, and in everything that sprang from that early Texas settlement.

The man put up the money, sent the boats, steadied the hand of the man who would become the Father of Texas, and then died before he ever saw any of it take root. Some investments, you don't collect on yourself. Sometimes you just make the thing possible.

What the marker says

Joseph H. Hawkins Native Virginian Joseph H. Hawkins practiced law in Kentucky, where he served as state legislator and U.S. congressman before moving to New Orleans. There he befriended Stephen F. Austin, who was broke and reluctant to complete his father's colonization plans on his own. Hawkins encouraged him to continue, offering him a job and, later, capital for the project. In 1821, the two men formalized an agreement in which Austin acknowledged receipt of $4,000 and agreed to divide equally the lands he would receive as colonizer, or empresario. Hawkins sent boats of supplies and colonists to meet Austin in Texas but died in 1823, leaving his wife, George Ann (Nicholas), and five children deeply in debt. She returned with the children to her native Kentucky to be near her family and Hawkins' brother, Littleberry. She appointed Nathaniel Cox to help settle her husband's estate. In 1824, the Mexican government gave Austin, as empresario, almost 100,000 acres, but law required a person to reach majority age and live in Texas to own land, so the Hawkins children could not immediately claim their share. Austin worked with Cox to find a suitable agreement and, in 1833, conveyed to the Hawkins heirs some 42,000 acres of land in and around Brazoria county. Each of Hawkins' children lived briefly in Texas. Edmund St. John (d. 1836) was the first, followed by Norbourne, who died at Goliad in 1836, George (d. 1837), and then Joseph Thomas (d. 1850). Mary Jane came in 1839 but, after her husband died, returned to Kentucky, where she stayed. Although none of his heirs persevered in Texas, Hawkins' legacy in Texas is apparent in the success of Austin's first colony and all that sprang from the early Texas settlement. (2002)