Caleb Wallace: The last of Stephen Austin’s “Old Three Hundred”
by Robin Montgomery
At Whitehall, Grimes County, Saturday, 24 April, 2010, at 2:00PM, an official marker was dedicated in honor of the last settler to receive a grant under Stephen F. Austin’s original colony. Initially known as “Wallace Prairie”, the community of Whitehall honored its progenitor, Caleb Wallace. Let’s explore the intriguing sequence of events that led to Caleb obtaining the honor of being the last grantee.
Our story begins in 1821. This was the year that Moses Austin of Missouri came to Texas seeking to establish a colony. At the time, Texas was a political entity under the authority of New Spain, itself a colony of Spain. With luck, Austin received his grant. However, on the way home to make his final plans two unfortunate circumstances abruptly changed the course of Texas history. One of these circumstances was a revolution against the government of New Spain, leading to the birth of the new country of Mexico. The other unfortunate event was the death of Moses Austin, himself.
So, here was the dilemma of Stephen F. Austin, at the time an attorney in New Orleans: he felt obligated to fulfill his father, Moses Austin’s, dream. However, the government which had laid the foundation for that dream no longer existed. What was Stephen to do?
Being a man of determination as well as imagination, Stephen made his case in Mexico City, receiving, in 1823, a new contract to establish a colony in Texas. The next year the process of presenting the grants began, 272 of 307 grants being rewarded within a matter of weeks. Then the process abruptly was aborted for three years before the last 35 grants were presented.
Thus it was that, finally, on 14 May, 1828, Caleb Wallace officially received his grant, making him the “Last of the Old 300”. Interestingly, by this year, 1828, Austin had procured another three colonies, all adjoining the first, to form Austin Municipality extending initially from the Lavaca to the San Jacinto River, west to east, and from the Gulf to beyond the Old San Antonio Road, south to north. By November, 1830, with
the formation of the District of Viesca, the eastern boundary reached to the watershed between the San Jacinto and the Trinity.
The author is indebted to Dr. Roland Haden of Texas A&M, and Navasota Attorney, Faber McMillan, for the inspiration and some of the data for this column. Along with Dr. Robin Montgomery, et al, these named conducted the dedication ceremony in Whitehall 24 April, 2010, for details contact Roland Haden,
[email protected], Faber McMillan, [email protected], or Robin Montgomery, [email protected]
At Whitehall, Grimes County, Saturday, 24 April, 2010, at 2:00PM, an official marker was dedicated in honor of the last settler to receive a grant under Stephen F. Austin’s original colony. Initially known as “Wallace Prairie”, the community of Whitehall honored its progenitor, Caleb Wallace. Let’s explore the intriguing sequence of events that led to Caleb obtaining the honor of being the last grantee.
Our story begins in 1821. This was the year that Moses Austin of Missouri came to Texas seeking to establish a colony. At the time, Texas was a political entity under the authority of New Spain, itself a colony of Spain. With luck, Austin received his grant. However, on the way home to make his final plans two unfortunate circumstances abruptly changed the course of Texas history. One of these circumstances was a revolution against the government of New Spain, leading to the birth of the new country of Mexico. The other unfortunate event was the death of Moses Austin, himself.
So, here was the dilemma of Stephen F. Austin, at the time an attorney in New Orleans: he felt obligated to fulfill his father, Moses Austin’s, dream. However, the government which had laid the foundation for that dream no longer existed. What was Stephen to do?
Being a man of determination as well as imagination, Stephen made his case in Mexico City, receiving, in 1823, a new contract to establish a colony in Texas. The next year the process of presenting the grants began, 272 of 307 grants being rewarded within a matter of weeks. Then the process abruptly was aborted for three years before the last 35 grants were presented.
Thus it was that, finally, on 14 May, 1828, Caleb Wallace officially received his grant, making him the “Last of the Old 300”. Interestingly, by this year, 1828, Austin had procured another three colonies, all adjoining the first, to form Austin Municipality extending initially from the Lavaca to the San Jacinto River, west to east, and from the Gulf to beyond the Old San Antonio Road, south to north. By November, 1830, with
the formation of the District of Viesca, the eastern boundary reached to the watershed between the San Jacinto and the Trinity.
The author is indebted to Dr. Roland Haden of Texas A&M, and Navasota Attorney, Faber McMillan, for the inspiration and some of the data for this column. Along with Dr. Robin Montgomery, et al, these named conducted the dedication ceremony in Whitehall 24 April, 2010, for details contact Roland Haden,
[email protected], Faber McMillan, [email protected], or Robin Montgomery, [email protected]