Did Stephen F. Austin die a virgin?

[tracesoftexas]

Hey guys,

Okay .... I know it's a weird question, but do y'all know if there are any recorded instances or any proof of Stephen F. Austin having slept with a woman? I'm writing an essay about Austin's life and, if the general consensus is that he may have died a virgin, I may use that fact to make a larger point.

Obviously with Travis we have both his children and his diary entries re: prostitutes and with Bowie, Crockett, Sam Houston etc... we know that all of them were not virgins on account of their children, but what about Austin?

Thanks. As I say, I know it's a weird question.

[Rich Curilla]

The only think that might even vaguely relate to this truly "weird question" is that I think Austin commented in one of his letters that "Texas is my mistress." Personally, since this was before the Victorian Era, I'd bet on cousin Mary Holley.

[tracesoftexas]

Well, here is my larger point: right before he died, if he had reason to ponder such things, Austin might have considered himself a failure. He had gone to Texas because, really, he was out of options otherwise. Things had not gone well for him financially and professionally. And we know that he was a sensitive, romantic soul and that he had a "girlfriend" of sorts while at Transylvania college, but my guess here is that he probably considered himself a failure with women and relationships.

So there he was, dying, and probably thinking that his life had not amounted to much. Sure, Texas was independent, but only for a few months before Austin passed away. He had no way of knowing how history would unfold, what Texas would become.

So the central irony of his life, to me, is that he may have died thinking that he was a failure or that he hadn't amounted to much but look at his magnificent legacy. Had you told him that the first word uttered from the moon was to be the name of a city in the nation that he had engendered, I'm sure he would have been completely floored.

[Rich Curilla]

Very interesting point-of-view. I have read a fair amount about Austin and can't find anything in your thoughts that are off-beam with what I see as the Austin reality. And the moon thing never even occurred to me. One thing to ponder however is that, if indeed Austin could consider Texas his "mistress," she might have been a mistress of choice.

[sloanrodgers]

Since Austin was a Virginia gentleman, unmarried, living in the woman poor frontier and it was the 19th Century, I don't see how his status
is relavent. Austin also fulfilled his deceased father's dream. That's no failure for a son.

[Bill Manuel]

Skr,
I agree with you on this. Who really cares "NOW" if he was a virgin or not. He was a great man. Thats all that counts. He could have kept his sex life private. Not all men bost about it!
tracesoftexas, I really wouldn't drag his good name threw the mud. Just let it go. Just saying! :-)

[sloanrodgers]

Thanks. With the absence of evidence, rumor and innuendo, speculation on the bedroom activities of famous people is easy and becoming more popular. I think it really took off with the internet and the descendants of Sally Hemings' fortune or misfortune in sharing some DNA with Thomas Jefferson. Nevermind that Jefferson's uncle and cousins shared the same genetic material and were known to consort with their slave victims. Jefferson is guilty by association, but not necessarily fornication.

[Rich Curilla]

I think the key to your post, tracesof, is that you said it is "to make a larger point." Otherwise there are far more important and significant things folks need to know about this gentleman.

Someone once said that a work of art is only as good as what it has to say.

[Valerie Hyatt Martin]

I attended a presentation last November at San Felipe de Austin where my daughter presented on Travis and her now fiance' Jason Guilbeau presented on "The Godfather of Texas: Joseph Hawkins." This is what I have learned from Jason's research on Austin,the Austin family and Joseph Hawkins, the man who was Moses' friend and who bankrolled Austin, so Texas could happen. Hawkins was the one who talked Stephen into following his father's wishes, because Stephen was reluctant. I don't believe you will find the mention of women in his life,except those he was related to or who were friends of his family or married friends of his family. Being with a woman did not seem what he wanted for his life, but we do know he did say Texas was his mistress. Certainly, Texas took all of his time, his effort, his money (Hawkins money, and that's story in itself), and clearly once he accepted the challenge, his devotion was to Texas.

[Bill Yowell]

I am very interested in finding out more about this Joseph Hawkins. Where was he from. Is he possibly related to David Crocketts' mother who was a Hawkins. My wife is a Hawkins and she has already established a connection to Rebecca Hawkins, but there are still some blanks we need to fill in. Where can we start to learn more of this Joseph Hawkins.

[Valerie Hyatt Martin]

Here is a summary of JHawkins:
www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fhaaz

I did a quick search of Hawkins on Ancestry.com. His grandfather John, emigrated from England to Virginia. His father, Edmund moved the family to Kentucky. Hawkins died in New Orleans in 1823...was born in Kentucky. Possible though that his uncle's settled in Tennessee and that there is a connection to David Crockett. There is another Hawkins family which emigrated through Baltimore which went to Tennessee...might be them.
I found this in a google search:
archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/CHOATE/1999-07/0933438636
Hope this helps.