Stephen Fuller Austin

In 1821, Stephen Austin established the first settlement of Anglo-Americans in Mexico’s largely uninhabited Texas territory, where his late father had secured a land grant. The colony thrived and expanded, and, with the Mexican government’s blessing, Austin emerged as the primary governing authority. When Mexico banned slavery in 1829, Austin resisted, and an exception was soon granted. A firm believer that his interests were best served under Mexican rule, Austin helped ensure Texas remained a part of Mexico for as long as it did.

It was with reluctance that Austin joined other Anglo-Americans in the war for Texas’s independence from Mexico in 1836. Ultimately, even that hesitation was not enough to diminish the great admiration he engendered as the founder of Texas. During the late 1830s, a commemorative portrait of Austin (resembling this painting) appeared on fifty-dollar notes issued by the Republic of Texas.