The Texas soldiers need to be remembered as individuals to understand the reasons Irish immigrants moved to Mexico and fought for independence from Mexico.
In the summer of 1834 Irish immigrants came to the province of Coahuila y Texas and settled in the Power-Hewetson Colony, now present day Refugio and Aransas counties. This online exhibit provides information on the importance of these Irish immigrants. This online exhibit examines the Power-Hewetson Colony’s Irish colonists to determine their significance to the history of Refugio and Aransas counties as well as the state as a whole by their participation in the Texas Revolution and subsequent regional development in order to help one understand the contrast between how this important ethnic group has been remembered in the past and how it can be interpreted in the future. Four of the six pages contain historical information on the Irish colonists as settlers and participants in the Texas Revolution. The other two pages provide a historical map and educational packets to viewers. The historical map page depicts all of the historical markers, monuments, cemeteries, and museum that relate to the Power-Hewetson Irish colonists on through the use of google maps and photographs. The educational packets page offers educational packets for teachers in 4th, 7th, and 8th grades. The website also contains scans or links to historical documents that relate to the Irish as settlers and participants in the Texas Revolution such as letters, deeds, bounties, and wills. The lack of discussion and explanation of these men being Irish leaves out a significant aspect of Texas history, which this website tries to correct and offers viewers a new public memory.
In the summer of 1834 Irish immigrants came to the province of Coahuila y Texas and settled in the Power-Hewetson Colony, now present day Refugio and Aransas counties. This online exhibit provides information on the importance of these Irish immigrants. This online exhibit examines the Power-Hewetson Colony’s Irish colonists to determine their significance to the history of Refugio and Aransas counties as well as the state as a whole by their participation in the Texas Revolution and subsequent regional development in order to help one understand the contrast between how this important ethnic group has been remembered in the past and how it can be interpreted in the future. Four of the six pages contain historical information on the Irish colonists as settlers and participants in the Texas Revolution. The other two pages provide a historical map and educational packets to viewers. The historical map page depicts all of the historical markers, monuments, cemeteries, and museum that relate to the Power-Hewetson Irish colonists on through the use of google maps and photographs. The educational packets page offers educational packets for teachers in 4th, 7th, and 8th grades. The website also contains scans or links to historical documents that relate to the Irish as settlers and participants in the Texas Revolution such as letters, deeds, bounties, and wills. The lack of discussion and explanation of these men being Irish leaves out a significant aspect of Texas history, which this website tries to correct and offers viewers a new public memory.
Upcoming Events
Irish History Day-Spring 2012 in Refugio, Texas
This event will allow people to share their stories, oral histories, historical documents, artifacts, and photographs that
relate to the Irish colonists of the Power-Hewetson Colony. There will be historians there to scan and record the shared
objects and stories. The historians will also talk to the people about donating some of the artifacts and photographs in
the future to preserve their communities history.
Power-Hewetson Colony Webiste: http://powerhewetsoncolony.omeka.net
This allows many people to access and share their knowledge of the Power-Hewetson Colony and Irish colonists.
People can share and contribute their stories, photographs, and historical documents by sending the content by
e-mail to [email protected]
Other Links
Handbook of Texas Online/Texas State Historical Association: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online
Institute of Texan Cultures: http://www.texancultures.com/
Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/
Refugio County Museum: http://www.refugiocountytx.org/museum.htm
Refugio County: http://www.refugiocountytx.org/index.htm
Texas General Land Office: http://www.glo.texas.gov/
Texas Heritage Trails: Texas Tropical Trail Region: http://www.texastropicaltrail.com/index.aspx?page=10
Texas Historical Commission:http://www.thc.state.tx.us/
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/
Institute of Texan Cultures: http://www.texancultures.com/
Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/
Refugio County Museum: http://www.refugiocountytx.org/museum.htm
Refugio County: http://www.refugiocountytx.org/index.htm
Texas General Land Office: http://www.glo.texas.gov/
Texas Heritage Trails: Texas Tropical Trail Region: http://www.texastropicaltrail.com/index.aspx?page=10
Texas Historical Commission:http://www.thc.state.tx.us/
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/
Created By: Kaitlin E. Wieseman
August 2011
August 2011
