Empresario James Power - Texas Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This is a marker that describes one of the movers and shakers of early Texas history. He was a contemporary of Stephen F Austin in that he was an empresario who had land grants he populated with settlers. Mr. Power was a friend of General Sam Houston and Power also was a signer of both the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Texas Constitution. He is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Refugio county, near the city of Refugio.

If traveling from Sinton, TX toward Victoria, TX on US-77, upon entering the City of Refugio, US-77 is called S. Alamo Street. Continue on S. Alamo Street for two blocks until you reach the intersection with E. Empressario Street. Turn right onto E. Empressario and then turn left at the end of the block onto Commerce Street (Yes, it is a quick zig-zag around the block!). Park on either side of the street in front of the Refugio County Courthouse. This marker about Empresario James Power is on the left side of the walkway when facing the courthouse. It is between the pink granite centennial marker and the building itself. The address of the Refugio County Courthouse is 808 Commerce Street, Refugio, TX.

Marker Number: 1482 Marker Text: (1789 - 1852) Born in Ireland, Colonial James Power came to New Orleans in 1809 and to Texas in 1823. With fellow Irish Empresario James Hewetson (1796-1870), he was awarded contracts to settle Irish Catholic and Mexican families between the Guadalupe and Lavaca Rivers. Their territory was extended in 1830 to the Nueces. Power went to Ireland to recruit colonists. On the return voyage sickness and shipwreck tragically reduced their numbers. In 1835 he urged his colonist to garrison Goliad, and battled staunchly against hostile Indians. He was a fine diplomat and helped secure Indian neutrality during the Texas Revolution. A close friend General Sam Houston, Power signed both the the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. In 1838 he was commissioned to conclude a treaty with the Lipan Indians. In 1842 he was briefly imprisoned by a Mexican invasion force. He represented Refugio in the Republic of Texas Senate and at the Annexation Convention of 1845. Power married twice, to Dolores (d. 1836) and later Tomasa Portilla, Spanish-born daughters of Empresario Felipe Portilla, and had seven children. He died at Live Oak Point, his principal home, in 1852, and was reinterred at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Refugio, about 1872. (1976)

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Date Logged Log   06/05/2019 WayBetterFinder visited it