WHAT DO YOU KNOW about the Old 300?
WHAT DO YOU KNOW about the Old 300? The “Old 300” (actually 297) were the first Anglo families to form a colony in the Mexican state of Tejas. Moses Austin was a Missouri businessman with many varied investments, including mining, banking and others. He educated his son Stephen in the east. As a result of his business ventures, Moses Austin had much indebtedness and the financial panic of 1819 was devastating for him and his family. While attempting to settle his debts, he became ill and died leaving his vision of a colony in the Mexican state (Coahuila y Tejas) to son his Stephen F. Austin. Before his death, Moses Austin had begun seeking persons eager to acquire new land. However it was his son Stephen who dutifully, but with reluctance, took up his late father’s project and brought the new settlers to Texas from the years 1822 to 1824. The “families” were loosely defined. Some were people of means. Some were traditional families with children. Others were couples,