The Old 300 refers to settlers in Moses Austin and Stephen F. Austin’s colony in Texas. Moses Austin petitioned the Spanish government to be allowed to settle in Texas in late 1820 and received his grant in early 1821. Shortly thereafter, Moses Austin died in Missouri and his son Stephen F. Austin elected to replace his father in the arrangement. This was later confirmed by the Spanish governor who formally recognized Stephen F. Austin as the person to succeed Moses and complete the grant.
For the next few years, Stephen F. Austin made arrangements with families to settle in Texas for which they received titles to their respective properties. Part of the arrangement included provisions that the allocated properties had to be occupied by the settlers within two years of the grant. Out of nearly three hundred grants, almost all individuals and families were able to comply with this provision. Only about 7 were forfeited.
Austin’s colony included land along the Colorado, San Bernard and Brazos rivers in the general vicinity of current day Washington, Grimes and Fayette counties and it extended to the Gulf of Mexico. Most colonists were from southeastern states, some were slave holders, and some were already land owners. The original arrangement was with the Spanish government, as noted above. In August 1821, Spain had accepted the independence of Mexico. So, Austin negotiated with the Mexican government to make similar contractual provisions with it, so all of the contracts were effectively between the settlers and Mexico.
Austin kept a record of his settler families and it is preserved in the archives of the Texas General Land Office. Some time ago, someone mentioned that they were told that their ancestors included a well known Texas historical figure, but one not having to do with the Old 300. We have not yet been able to verify the connection they were looking for, but in the process of researching that question we were surprised to discover a direct connection to one of the families listed below. There is also an organization for descendants of the Old 300 called sfaold300.org and they meet from time to time. Could you be a descendant?
Families of the Old 300: | |||||
Elijah Allcorn | Merit M. Coats | Thomas S. Haynes | Elizabeth McNutt | June Salmeron | Samuel M. Williams |
Martin Allen | John P. Coles | James Hensley | William McWilliams | Joseph San Pierre | Solomon Williams |
Abraham Alley | James Cook | Alexander Hodge | Shubael Marsh | Robert Scobey | Thomas Williams |
John C. Alley | John Cooke | Francis Holland | Wily Martin | Marvin Scheick | Zadock Woods aka Zaduck |
Rawson Alley | William Cooper | William Holland | William Mathis | James Scott | |
Thomas Alley | Robert Cooper | Kinchen Holliman | David H. Milburn | William Scott | |
William Alley | John Crownover | James Hope | Samuel Miller | William Selkirk | |
Charles Alsbury | James Cummings | C.S. Hudson | Samuel R. Miller | Owen Shannon | |
Harvey Alsbury | John Cummings | George Huff | Simon Miller | David Shelby | |
Horace Alsbury | Rebecca Cummins | John Huff | James D. Millican | Daniel Shipman | |
Thomas Alsbury | William Cummings | Isaac Hughes | Robert Millican | Moses Shipman | |
Simeon Asa Anderson | James (Jack) Cummins | Eli Hunter | William Millican | Bartlet Sims | |
John Andrews | James Curtis, Sr. | Johnson Hunter | Joseph Minus | George Washington Singleton | |
William Andrews | James Curtis, Jr. | John Iiams [sic] | Asa Mitchell | Phillip Singleton | |
Samuel Angier | Hinton Curtis | Ira Ingram | John L. Monks | Christian Smith | |
James E.B. Austin | Samuel Davidson | Seth Ingram | John H. Moore | Cornelius Smith | |
John Austin | Thomas Davis | John Irons | Luke Moore | John Smith | |
Stephen F. Austin | D. Deckrow | Samuel Isaacks | Moses Morrison | William Smeathers | |
James B. Baily | Charles Demos | Alexander Jackson | William Morton | Gabriel S. Snider | |
Daniel E. Balis | Peter Demos | Humphrey Jackson | David Mouser | Albert L. Sojourner | |
William Baratt | William B. Dewees | Isaac Jackson | James Nelson | Nancy Spencer | |
Thomas Barnet | John Dickinson | Thomas Jamison | Joseph Newman | Adam Stafford | |
Thomas Hudson Barron | Nicholas Dillard | Henry W. Johnson | Charles Isaac Nidever | William Stafford | |
Mills M. Battle | Thomas M. Duke | Henry Jones | M.B. Nuckols | Thomas Stevens | |
James Beard | George Duty | James W. Jones | James Orrick | Owen H. Stout | |
Benjamin Beason | Joseph Duty | Oliver Jones | Nathan Osborn | John Strange | |
Charles Belknap | Clement C. Dyer | R. Jones | William Parks | Walter Sutherland | |
Josiah H. Bell | Thomas Earle | Imla Keep | Joshua Parker | David Tally | |
Thomas B. Bell | G.E. Edwards | John C. Keller | William Parker | John I. Taylor | |
M. Berry | John Elam | John Kelly | Isaac Pennington | George Teel | |
Isaac Best | Robert Elder | Samuel Kennedy | George S. Pentecost | Ezekiel Thomas | |
Jacob Betts | Charles Falenash | Alfred Kennon | Freeman Pettus | Jacob Thomas | |
Francis Biggam | David Fenton | James Kerr | William A. Pettus | Jesse Thompson | |
William Bloodgood | James Fisher | Peter Kerr | John Petty | Thomas J. Tone | |
Thomas Boatwright | David Fitzgerald | William Kerr | J.C. Peyton | James F. Tong | |
Thomas Borden | Isaiah Flanakin | William Kincheloe | James A.E. Phelps | Samuel Toy | |
Caleb R. Bostwick | Elisha Flowers | William Kingston | I.B. Phillips | John Trobough | |
John T. Bowman | Isaac Foster | James Knight | Zeno Philips | Elizabeth Tumlinson | |
Edward R. Bradley | John Foster | Abner Kuykendall | Pamelia Picket | James Tumlinson | |
John Bradley | Randolph Foster | Brazilla Kuykendall | Joseph H. Polley | Isaac Vandorn | |
Thomas Bradley | James Frazier | Joseph Kuykendall | Peter Powell | Martin Varner | |
Charles Breen | Charles Fulshear | Robert Kuykendall | William Prater | Allen Vince | |
Patrick Brias | Charles Garret | Hosea H. League | Pleasant Pruitt | Richard Vince | |
William B. Bridges | Samuel Gates | Joel Leakey | William Pryor | Robert Vince | |
David Bright | William Gates | Benjamin Linsey | Andrew Rabb | William Vince | |
Enoch Brinson | Freeman George | John Little | John Rabb | James Walker | |
Bluford Brooks | Preston Gilbert | William Little | Thomas J. Rabb | Thomas Walker | |
Robert Brotherington | Sarah Gilbert | Jane H. Wilkinson Long | William Rabb | Caleb Wallice | |
George Brown | Daniel Gilleland | James Lynch | William Raleigh | Francis F. Wells | |
John Brown | Chester S. Gorbet | Nathanael Lynch | L. Ramey | Amy White | |
William S. Brown | Michael Gouldrich | John McCroskey | David Randon | Joseph White | |
Aylett C. Buckner | Thomas Gray | Arthur McCormick | John Randon | Reuben White | |
Pumphrey Brunet | Jared E. Groce | David McCormick | Frederic H. Rankin | Walter C. White | |
Jesse Burnam | Robert Guthrie | John McCormick | Amos Rawls | William White | |
Micajah Byrd | John Haddan | Thomas McCoy | Benjamin Rawls | Boland Whitesides | |
Morris A. Callihan | Samuel C. Hady | Aechilles McFarlan | Daniel Rawls | Henry Whitesides | |
Alexander Calvit | George B. Hall | John McFarlan | Stephen Richardson | James Whitesides | |
David Carpenter | John W. Hall | Thomas F. McKinney | Elijah Roark | William Whitesides | |
William C. Carson | W. J. Hall | Hugh McKinsey | Earle Robbins | Nathaniel Whiting | |
Samuel Carter | David Hamilton | A.W. McClain | William Robbins | William Whitlock | |
Jesse H. Cartwright | Abner Harris | James McNair | Andrew Roberts | Elias D. Wightman | |
Thomas Cartwright | David Harris | Daniel McNeel | Noel F. Roberts | Jane Wilkins | |
Sylvenus Castleman | John R. Harris | George W. McNeel | William Roberts | George I. Williams | |
Samuel Chance | William Harris | John McNeel | Edward Robertson | Henry Williams | |
Horatio Chriesman | William J. Harris | John G. McNeel | Andrew Robinson Sr. | John Williams | |
John C. Clark | George Harrison | Pleasant D. McNeel | George Robinson | John R. Williams | |
Antony R. Clarke | William Harvey | Sterling McNeel | James Ross | Robert H. Williams |
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Hello! I’ve been reading your site for a long time now and finally
got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from
Lubbock Texas! Just wanted to tell you keep up the good
work!
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I believe one of my ancestors and his family were among the old 300. Is there a way to find this out? I’ve tried ancestry etc but only got so far. Thanks.
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It might be helpful to check with this group: https://www.sfaold300.org/
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