264
TEX.AS ST.ATE LIBRARY
the construction given by the Govr. to that clause in 'the Law which says that all contracts between the Empresario & the colonists shall be respected- No. 1642 [183--?], ANONYMOUS. NOTES UPON THE "FIRST SETTLE- MENTS ON MATAGORDA BAY" AND OTHER COLONIES 47 First Settlements On Matagorda Bay. On the west bank of the Garcites 48 Creek, and 49 is called to this day old La Bahia and about one and half League above Its J\Iouth are to be seen the ruins of a fort and vilage, said to be the first scttlemt of La Salle. and is that settlement no doubt which some have represented as founded on the Lavaca river) or river of cows-La Salle or the Jesuits who came with him built a Mission on the Margin of the Bay del esspiritu Santo and abont 800 yards from the Mouth of the Guadalupe river- Some of the posts and other ruins are remaining to this day. 1824. Martin Dileon 50 -Obtained a consession or grant from the Most excellent Deputation of Texas to found a Town on the Margin of the rio Guadalupe under the stile of "Guadalupe de Victorio" and authority to Intr_Q_duce 41 Mexican famalies, who should have lands corresponding to them. But no definate bounds was given. 1825-Genl. State Colonization Law passed by the Legislature of Coahuila & Texas. 25 March Contract entered into by Dewitt to introduce 400 fnmalies in the following bounds (limits) ''Begining at a point on the "Lavaca river contiguous to the colony of the CHizen s.•f. "Austin and 10 Leagues in a right line from the Coast of "the Gulf of Mexico Thence up the west bank of said Lavaca "to where the San Antonio road to Nachogdoches crosses- "Thence with said road westerly to· a point 2 Leagues W.'lst "of the Guadalupe river-Thence S. Easterly, and parallel "to said river leaving open the said distance of two Leagues "to a point 10 littieral Leagues from the Gulf of J\Iexico "Thence Eastwarly, and pararllel to the Coast leaving open "10 leagues-to the place of beginnig. -----One of the conditions entered into by Dewitt was to respect all legitimate Claims within his limits. Dewitt and Dileon disputed about titles and the latter petitioned Govt.-& the Govr. of the State by Decree of of [sic] 6th. Oct. 1825-Confirmed him in the possession given by the "JJfost excel- "A? Df. ••very· small herons[?] with white faces [?] Saguine's tSeguin's] ancestors first settled here. [Note in document. The word should be "gorcetas" rather than "Garcitea."] "The sentence would read more plainly if the word "which" were substituted for "and." '°De Leon. Spelled Dileon throughout the document.
Powered by FlippingBook