The Genealogy & Family History Social Network

IRISH ON MEXICAN LAND GRANTS IN TEXAS - PRE TEXAS REVOLUTION

Several Counties of Southern Texas, USA were settled by Irish men and women, some recruited directly from Ireland and some recruited from Irish immigrants living in New York City and Baltimore, Maryland in the late 1820's through early 1830's.

The arrival of these Irish in Texas and their colonization of that wild area has been thoroughly documented in books such as, "The Forgotten Colony, San Patricio de Hibernia by Rachel Bluntzer Hebert; "The Irish Texans" by John Brendan Flannery; and the definitive history, "The Texas Irish Empresarios and their Colonies, Refugio and San Patricio" by Father William H. Oberste.

There is however, little documentation regarding the recruitment of the Irish Colonists in Ireland, New York and Maryland.

My G-G-G-Grandparents, Felix and Bridget CARRIGAN HART emigrated from Ireland to New York between 1822 (when their daughter Catherine was born in Ireland) and 1829 (when their son Timothy was born in New York). They were aboard the ship Albion when it arrived in Texas in 1829.

Felix HART's father Teddy HART and his wife Mary (I think her maiden names were MCCAULEY O'BOYLE) HART and their family also sailed aboard the Albion after living for a time in Baltimore, MD. I do not know if Mary was the mother of Felix or if she was Teddy's second spouse. Teddy died aboard the Albion enroute from New York to Texas.

I know nothing about the recruitment efforts of the Irish Empressarios in New York City or Baltimore (where Teddy and Mary had settled as early as 1810).

I do however know that some HART surnamed Irish families were later recruited from County Wexford. Here is a partial text of a 1896 disposition regarding that recruitment and later settlement.

Welder-Lambert Lawsuit, No. 449, District Court, Refugio County, Texas 1896

Rosalie B. Priour was born in Balomy, County of Wexford, Ireland, August 1, 1820. Her maiden name in which she was baptized as an infant was Bridget Hart, but she was confirmed in the Catholic Church by the name of Rosalie B. Hart. This is a copy of the deposition, in which she answered questions, in a suit between Dolores Welder and Phil Lambert, recorded in the District Clerk's office in Refugio County, in the year 1896. These answers reveal much history concerning the arrival of the colonists brought over to this area by James Power in 1833. She was about 12 years old when she came to Texas with the colonists, and was 71 years old when this deposition was given. Her remarks are as follows:

Deposition of Rosalie B. Priour
"I was born in Balomy, County of Wexford, Ireland, I do not remember the Parish in which I was born, but the Parish in which I was born joined the Parish of Balleygarrett. After waiting some time at Liverpool for our ship to start for America and after spending Christmas in Liverpool, we embarked upon the ship and started for America, shortly after Christmas of the year 1833 or in the early part of 1834. My father's family consisting of himself, my mother and three children; two sisters and myself, came to America as colonists, in a colony brought out from Ireland by Mr. James Power, Sr. My father's name was Thomas Hart, my mother's name was Elizabeth, nee Elizabeth O'Leary. My father's family together with all the colonists who came over on the same vessel with me settled in Refugio County, in the town of Refugio, upon lots donated to each head of a family. I do not remember whether these homesteads were donated to the colonists by Mr. Powers or the Mexican Government."

I would like to find out if my ancestors Teddy and Felix HART also came from County Wexford.

Lacking this, I would love to find anything about the recruiting efforts of James HEWETSON and James POWER in County Wexford, New York City or Baltimore during the late 1820's and early 1830's.