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De Leon's Colony was the only empresario colony in Texas that consisted mostly of Mexican families. The Colony was established in 1824 after Martín de Leon (1765-1833) petitioned the provincial deputation of Texas for permission to settle forty-one families from Tamaulipas on the lower "reaches" of the Guadalupe River.
The De Leon Colony Records consist of legal documents and correspondence dated 1831-1835. Land titles in the colony and town tracts of Victoria make up the bulk of the records.
The De Leon Colony Records consist of legal documents and correspondence dated 1831-1835. Land titles in the colony and town tracts of Victoria make up the bulk of the records.
De Leon's Colony was the only empresario colony in Texas that consisted mostly of Mexican families. The Colony was established in 1824 after Martín de Leon (1765-1833) petitioned the provincial deputation of Texas for permission to settle forty-one families from Tamaulipas on the lower "reaches" of the Guadalupe River. Although boundaries were not established as part of the contract, the colony occupied an area between the Lavaca and Nueces Rivers. A subsequent contract in 1829 allowed for the addition of another 150 families. From 1825 until de Leon's death in 1833, conflicts arose repeatedly between de León and the neighboring colonies of Green DeWitt and Power and Hewetson over the colony boundaries and other issues.
The city of Guadalupe Victoria (present Victoria) was also founded by de Leon.
The land commissioner, Fernando de Leon issued 102 land titles for De Leon's Colony and 59 titles for town lots in the city of Guadalupe Victoria.
For more information, see the entry for De Leon's Colony at the Handbook of Texas Online.
The city of Guadalupe Victoria (present Victoria) was also founded by de Leon.
The land commissioner, Fernando de Leon issued 102 land titles for De Leon's Colony and 59 titles for town lots in the city of Guadalupe Victoria.
For more information, see the entry for De Leon's Colony at the Handbook of Texas Online.
The De Leon Colony Records consist of legal documents and correspondence dated from 1831 to 1835. Land titles in the colony and town tracts of Victoria make up the bulk of the records, with a small amount of correspondence regarding the establishment of the colony.
1824-1840
1.93 Linear feet (13 document boxes)
Spanish
De Leon's Colony Records are arranged into 2 series:
1. Contract records and correspondence, 1824-1834 contain letters and other documents regarding the establishment of the colony.
2. Titles and testimonios, 1831-1840 are arranged in chronological order.
Because the Records are physically part of the Spanish Collection, the contract records, correspondence, and testimonios are mixed in with material from other collections which accounts for the addition of 9 document boxes while only adding 4.75 linear inches of material to the collection.
1. Contract records and correspondence, 1824-1834 contain letters and other documents regarding the establishment of the colony.
2. Titles and testimonios, 1831-1840 are arranged in chronological order.
Because the Records are physically part of the Spanish Collection, the contract records, correspondence, and testimonios are mixed in with material from other collections which accounts for the addition of 9 document boxes while only adding 4.75 linear inches of material to the collection.
De Leon's Colony Records (SC.DL). Archives and Records Program, Texas General Land Office, Austin.
Unrestricted access.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
