USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The title Old 300 refers to the settlers who received land grants as part of Stephen F. Austin’s first colonial contract in Mexican Texas.

Detailed explanation-2: -By late 1825, Austin had brought the first 300 families to his settlement, the Austin Colony; these 300 are now known in Texas history as the Old Three Hundred. Austin had obtained further contracts to settle an additional 900 families between 1825 and 1829.

Detailed explanation-3: -The main area of Austin’s Colony was located in southeast Texas within an area bounded by the Lavaca and San Jacinto rivers, the San Antonio Road, and the coast. A small settlement, called the “little colony, ” was also established along the Colorado River above the San Antonio Road, near the present-day city of Austin.

Detailed explanation-4: -Austin, the “Father of Texas.” The northern territory of Mexico, Austin negotiated a grant with the Mexican government to bring 300 colonists to settle a large area of land between the San Antonio and Brazos Rivers. Heads of families were offered grants of 4, 605 acres at a cost of about 12 ½ cents an acre.

Detailed explanation-5: -Austin into the Mexican state of Tejas were of Celtic origin, and half that number were of Scottish descent. In all, 342 pioneers applied for the 297 grants (thus, the term Old Three Hundred) of land given to Austin by the Mexican government. Most were distributed from 1823-24 and the remainder in 1827.