Stephen Fuller Austin, more than any other person, changed Texas from a wilderness to a great republic. He is known as the Father of Texas. Stephen Austin was born in Virginia in 1793. His parents were Maria Brown and Moses Austin.

In 1798 the Austin family moved to Missouri, which still belonged to Spain. Moses Austin wanted to set up a colony in Texas. In 1821 he received permission from the Spanish government to do this. But Moses Austin died before he could set up his colony. His dying request to his son, Stephen, was that the plan to make a colony in Texas be carried out. "Tell Stephen to take the people to Texas," were the dying words of Moses Austin.

Stephen Austin picked up where his father had left off. However, in 1821, Mexico won its freedom from Spain. The new Mexico government did not recognize Austin's colony. It took Austin over a year in Mexico City to get the Mexican government to accept his colony. It took Austin over a year in Mexico City to get the Mexican government to accept his colony.

Austin returned to the United States. He began to advertise for American settlers to take to his colony. Austin brought the first 300 Anglo-American settlers to Texas. By 1833 over 1300 families were living in Austin's colony.

Austin chose settlers for his colony with care. He was kind to those who could not pay for land. He never turned away good people. However, Austin did turn away drunks, gamblers, and hunters. He allowed no idle people or people who swore in his colony. A few times Austin had those who broke his rules punished.

In 1836, Texas became an independent republic. Austin was asked by friends to run for the office of president. Austin was defeated in the election by Sam Houston.

After the election, Austin planned to retire to his farm. However, President Houston asked him to serve as Texas' first secretary of state. Austin accepted the position. He served as secretary of state until his death in December of 1836. In 1839 the capital city of Texas was renamed Austin. This was done in honor of Stephen F. Austin.

Stephen F. Austin gave his whole life to the colonists. Changing the wilderness into farm and ranch lands had become his cause. In ten years Austin's settlers cleared more land, raised more crops, and built more towns than in all the years since Europeans first came to Texas.

1. Why was Stephen F. Austin well prepared to lead a colony of settlers?
2. How did Austin's reasons for wanting bring settlers to Texas change?