DUANE
Duane's take
The way the official marker tells it, here's the story of a dream that never quite touched the ground — but left its mark on Texas all the same. We're talking about Jane McManus, and Matagorda County holds the site of what she hoped would be something remarkable. In 1832, Jane McManus had a vision: settle thrifty Europeans on a Mexican land grant and build herself a colony right here in Texas.
There was just one problem. She never received the grant. Dream Colony, indeed.
Now, Jane McManus was no ordinary dreamer. She was the daughter of a U.S. congressman from New York, and she moved in distinguished company — she was a family friend of Stephen F. Austin himself, the man history would call the Father of Texas.
That's the kind of connection that makes a person believe the impossible might just be possible. Her brother Robert McManus joined the Texas venture with her, and whatever became of the colony plans, Robert stuck around long enough to fight in the war for Independence. So the family had skin in the game, one way or another.
The colonial plans failed. Let's not soften that. The grant never came through, the settlers never arrived, the dream stayed a dream.
But here's what's worth noting — Jane McManus did not walk away from Texas bitter. She stayed enthusiastic. In the 1850s, she and her second husband, General William Cazneau, lived in Eagle Pass for years.
Texas had a way of holding onto people who once believed in it. Beyond Texas, she built a whole other life: a career as a New York journalist and author. And she is said to have served as an advisor for the U.S. peacemakers after the Mexican War.
That's a resume that spans continents and conflicts. Her story ended in 1878, and it ended the way a certain kind of big life sometimes does — not quietly, not at home. A ship was lost at sea while she was journeying to her estate in Jamaica, and Jane McManus was lost with it.
Now the marker doesn't stop there. It steps back and names the full cast of empresarios who tried to shape Texas — because Austin may have been the most famous, but he was far from alone. Green DeWitt, Hayden Edwards, Robert Leftwich, Frost Thorn, Martin DeLeon, Ben Milam, General Arthur G.
Wavell, David G. Burnet, John Cameron, James Hewetson, James Power, Juan Dominguez, Juan Antonio Padilla, Thomas J. Chambers, General Vicente Filisola, J.C.
Beales, and Jose M. Royuela. That is a long roll call of ambition and risk.
Among all of them — every single one — Jane McManus was the only known lady colonizer. Her colony never rose. But her name is on the land anyway.
What the marker says
Prospective colonial leader who in 1832 hoped to settle thrifty Europeans on a Mexican grant, which she never received. Mrs. McManus, daughter of a U.S. congressman from New York, was a family friend of Stephen F. Austin, "Father of Texas". Joining her Texas venture was her brother, Robert McManus, who later fought in the war for Independence. Although her colonial plans failed, Jane McManus remained enthusiastic about Texas. For years in the 1850s she and her second husband, Gen. Wm. Cazneau, lived in Eagle Pass. She is said to have been an advisor for the U.S. peacemakers after the Mexican War. Outside Texas she had a career as a New York journalist and author. She died in 1878 when a ship was lost at sea as she journeyed to her estate in Jamaica. Although Austin was the most famous leader in Texas colonization, other empresarios included Green DeWitt, Hayden Edwards, Robert Leftwich, Frost Thorn, Martin DeLeon, Ben Milam, Gen. Arthur G. Wavell, David G. Burnet, John Cameron, James Hewetson, James Power, Juan Dominguez, Juan Antonio Padilla, Thomas J. Chambers, Gen. Vicente Filisola, J.C. Beales and Jose M. Royuela. Mrs. McManus was the only known lady colonizer.