Deposition

Deposition of William St. John, one of the colonists of the Power-Hewitson Colony, taken during Welder-Lambert Lawsuit, No. 449 in District Court of Refugio County, Texas, 1891

"Probably one-third of the people who started with me from Ireland to America died of cholera. I don't think as many as one-half died. I remember the names of most of them who came with me. I don't remember the names of all, there were some who returned to Ireland, approximately eight." Being asked to mention such colonists as he could remember, the witness mentioned 34 named and then stated that if the list of colonists was read over to him he thought that he could remember all who came on the ship with him and who remained.

Plaintiffs then introduced in evidence in connection with the testimony of said witness, St. John, a list of the names of persons to whom grants were extended in Power and Hewitson's colony, containing the names of such grantees, the quantity of land granted with date of such grant. This list shows the names of 250 persons as grantees, but of this number it appears from the fact that a different quantity than one league or one-quarter of a league was granted, that nine of said grantees were not colonists; in other words, said list shows 241 grants of one league or one-quarter of a league, of these 103 to single men, 0ne-quarter league each, and 138 to heads of families, one league each.

Attached to this list and at the end thereof was a certificate by the Spanish translator in the General Land Office (whose position was in turn duly certified to by the Commissioner of said office) and which said certificate of said Spanish Translator was to the effect that "said list was a correct translated list of all the original titles issued in Power and Hewitson's colony existing in the Spanish archives of said General Land Office" and further " that said list shows the names of the colonists who obtained headrights as such and the amount granted to each person, the status whether married or single of each, when the same occurs in the title, but omitted when not stated in the title and state's folio of file or Vol. No. 17 (containing titles of said colony) on which each is found and the date of issue -- heads of families 136, single men 95 -- From this list it appears that all of the grants were dated between August 6, 1834 and December 31, 1834. The names of said grantees who received either one league or one-quarter of a league was then read to said witness, William St. John, and he stated that of said grantees the following named persons came over from Ireland with him in May 1834 to say: Of those stated in said list to be married, these: John Sennet, John Caughlin, Edmund St. John, Isabella O'Brien, James Collyer, John Shelley, William Bourke, Mary Ann Roach, Michael O'Donnell, James McGehan, F. P. Fitzsimmons, Thomas Connor, Martin Power, Michael Riley, Mary Byrne, James Bray, Michael O'Donnell, John James, Catherine Dugan, Edmund Quirk, Michael Fox, Thomas Hayes, William LaVenry, Elizabeth Hart, Peter Kehoe, - and of those stated in said list to be single men these to say: Patrick Shelley, John Roach, William McGuill, William Redmond, M. Fitzsimmons, John Fitzsimmons, Charles Kelley, John Kelley, James St. John, John Keating, Michael Keating, Patrick Bray, George McKnight, Michael Quirk, Martin Lawler, Cornelius Hayes, Walter Lambert, Thomas Quirk, and witness, William St. John. He stated of said grantees the following named persons did not come on said ship with him in May, 1834, but were then within the bounds of McMullen and McGloin's Colony and subsequent to May 1834 came into the bounds of Power and Hewitson's Colony - to say, of those stated in said list to be married the following: Robert Carlisle, Bridget Quirk, Mary Hart, Felix Hart, John Hart, Daniel O'Boyle and of those stated in said list to be single the following: Martin Toole, Michael Toole, John Toole, Lorenzo Carlisle, James Carlisle, Timothy Hart, Patrick Quinn, William Quinn, William Quinn, Timothy Hart, John Toole, John Hart, Luke Hart, Pat Hart; he stated that of said grantees, the following named persons were within the bounds of Power and Hewitson's colony when he arrived in May 1834; to say, of those in said list said to be married the following: Anastacio Reojas, John Scott, John Malone, Peter Hynes, Juan Popedano, Jose Miguel Aldrete, Patrick Downey, Nicholas Fagan, Estevan Lopez, Ira Westover, John Dunn, Ed. M. McDonnough, Robert Hearn, Antonio Sideck, Carlos de la Garza, John G. Sideck, John Polland, Peter Teal, Edward Perry, Elkanah Brush, and of those stated in said list to be single men the following: Thomas Scott, John Hynes, Jose Maria Aldrete, John Scott, Richard Downey, John Downey, Patrick Downey, Thomas Downey, James Downey, William Crane. The Portilla family (the list showing their names as follows:): Felipe Roque Portilla, Calistro Portilla, Juan Portilla, Francisco Portilla, Encarnecion Portilla, Rafael de la Garza, James Power, Jr., Charles Shearn; he stated that of said grantees recited in said list, he, witness, did not know these parties now where they came from nor when they came to the colony, but states he did know they did not come on the ship with him in May 1834; to say of those recited to be married, the following: John Clark, Antonio de la Pena, Jesusa de Leon, Garrett Roach, Thomas Mullin, Rosa Brown, Maria Josefa Rios, Cornelius P. Herman, Thomas Galen, William Robertson, Santiago W Serna, Lazaro Serna, Jose Maria Valdez, Maria Josefa Traviesa, Elliott Ware, Juan Gonzales, Leonardo Rodriguez, Desidro Nira, Juan Garza, Juan Jose Garza, Jose Vidaurri, Maria Josefa Rios, Francisco Ramon, Juan Flores, Miguel Manchaca, Antonio Gozlascoche, Miguel Musquiz, Guadalupe D. de Cogian and family, George Morris, Juan Rener, Geronimo Huissar, Caleb Bennett, Julius de la Garza, Maria Antonio de la Garza, Cayetana de la Garza, John Brown, James Brown, Leandro Brown, Ynez Rene, Isaac Robertson, Henry R. Eyles, Jose Manual Blanco, Thomas Holden, Hugh O'Brien, Jose Maria Cobarrubias, Edmund Murphy, Augustin Fernet, Jose Varian, Domingo Morris, Pedro Villa, Benjamin Dale, Sarah Hall, Pedro Gallardo, Malcolm McCauly, Ignacio Castro, Thomas Benuellas, and two sons-in-law, Victoriano Juarez, Pedro Villareal, A. V. Lupe, James Douglas, Phoebe Crane, Samuel McCauley, James McCune, William Quinn, Dolores Carbajal, Miguel de los Santos, Jose Maria Castillo, Marcus Marchand, Jose Maria Galban, Francisco Gonzales Hidalgo; and of those stated in said list to be single men, the following - Joshua Davis, Samuel Blain, Mathew Collyer, Richard Collyer, Antonio Galban, Leonardo de la Garza, Leandro de la Garza, Quillernio Bartels, Francisco Dietrich, John A. Benmacher, William Langenheim, John Cassidy, James Henry Mullins, John O'Boyle, James Burke, Rafael de la Garza, William Murphy, James Murphy, Charles Smith, John Smiley, Henry Winchester, James W. Walrusley, George Surrats, Andrew Devereaus, Gregorio Cobian, Jose Maria Gobian, Gilbert R. Brush, Brafdorf Brush, Jose L. Sherry, Solon Bartlett, Lacarias Villareal, James Reynolds, Augustin Moya, Francisco Rodriguez, Jose Maria Rodriguez, John Ander, Joseph Bartlett James Coffin, Indalacio Valdez, Santiago Hearne, Joseph O'Connor, Edward Townsend, George Hall, William Halley, John Daley, Juan Jose Hernandez (two families). Witness knew the following named persons who received grants, but did not know when they came: Juan Moya, Maximo Gomez, both married. They were in the colony in the Fall of 1834, when witness went on his land and had their ranches. Witness also stated that he knew Jeremiah Tool, married, and John Shearn, unmarried, but did not know when they came into the colony. There were about twelve others mentioned in said list which were named to said witness and he stated he did not know them.