The French in Texas: History, Migration, Culture (Focus on American History Series,Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin)

2005 — San Antonio Conservation Society Citation Original articles that explore the French presence and influence on Texas history, arts, education, religion, and business. The flag of France is one of the six flags that have flown over Texas, but all that many people know about the French presence in Texas is the ill-fated explorer Cavelier de La Salle, fabled pirate Jean Laffite, or Cajun music and food. Yet the French have made lasting contributions to Texas history and culture that deserve to be widely known and appreciated. In this book, François Lagarde and thirteen other experts present original articles that explore the French presence and influence on Texas history, arts, education, religion, and business from the arrival of La Salle in 1685 to 2002. Each article covers an important figure or event in the France-Texas story. The historical articles thoroughly investigate early French colonists and explorers, the French pirates and privateers, the Bonapartists of Champ-d'Asile, the French at the Alamo, Dubois de Saligny and French recognition of the Republic of Texas, the nineteenth-century utopists of Icaria and Reunion, and the French Catholic missions. Other articles deal with French immigration in Texas, including the founding of Castroville, Cajuns in Texas, and the French economic presence in Texas today (the first such study ever published). The remaining articles look at painters Théodore and Marie Gentilz, sculptor Raoul Josset, French architecture in Texas, French travelers from Théodore Pavie to Simone de Beauvoir who have written on Texas, and the French heritage in Texas education. More than seventy color and black-and-white illustrations complement the text. In This Book, The Editor And Thirteen Other Experts Present Original Articles That Explore The French Presence And Influence On Texas History, Arts, Education, Religion, And Business From The Arrival Of La Salle In 1685 To 2002. Each Article Covers An Important Figure Or Event In The France-texas Story. The Historical Articles Thoroughly Investigate Early French Colonists And Explorers, The French Pirates And Privateers, The Bonapartists Of Champ-d'asile, The French At The Alamo, Dubois De Saligny And French Recognition Of The Republic Of Texas, The Nineteenth-century Utopists Of Icaria And Reunion, And The French Catholic Missions. Other Articles Deal With French Immigration In Texas, Including The Founding Of Castroville, Cajuns In Texas, And The French Economic Presence In Texas Today (the First Such Study Ever Published). Introduction / Francois Lagarde -- The Wreck Of Ships And Dreams: A New Look At The Explorer La Salle / Robert S. Weddle -- Exploring The Texas Coast: Bellisle, Beranger, And La Harpe, 1719-1721 / Robert S. Weddle And Patricia R. Lemee -- Ambivalent Successes And Successful Failures: St. Denis, Aguayo, And Juan Rodriguez / Patricia R. Lemee -- 4. Athanase De Mézieres And The French In Texas, 1750-1803 / F. Todd Smith -- French Pirates And Privateers In Texas / R. Dale Olson -- Champ D'asile, Texas / Betje Black Klier -- Heroes, Villains, Merchants, And Priests: The Alamo's Frenchmen / Betje Black Klier -- Diplomacy, Commerce, And Colonization: Saligny And The Republic / Francois Lagarde -- Grounds For Emigration: Alsace At The Time Of Henri Castro / Janine Erny -- Henri Castro And Castroville: Alsatian History And Heritage / Wayne M. Ahr -- French Catholic Missions In Texas, 1840-1880: Propagation And Enterprise / Francois Lagarde -- Birth, Stock, And Work: French Immigration In Texas / Francois Lagarde -- French Artists In Texas / Martha Utterback -- Eugénie Lavender, Née Aubanel: A Romantic On The Frontier / Martha Utterback -- Building Utopia In The Promised Land: Icarians And Fourierists In Texas / Jonathan Beecher -- Is There French Architecture In Texas? / Richard Cleary -- The Enduring Legacy Of The French In Texas Education / Ann Marie Caldwell -- French Travelers In Texas: Identity, Myth, And Meaning From Joutel To Butor / Alexandra K. Wettlaufer -- Grand Texas: The Cajun Migration To Texas / Carl A. Brasseaux -- Raoul Josset And The 1936 Texas Centennial / Francois Lagarde -- Global Culture: French Economic Presence In Texas, Summer 2001 / Francois Lagarde -- Epilogue. Franc̦ois Lagarde, Editor. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 313-320) And Index. Contents 6 INTRODUCTION, by François Lagarde 10 1. THE WRECK OF SHIPS AND DREAMS: A New Look at the Explorer La Salle, by Robert S. Weddle 16 2. EXPLORING THE TEXAS COAST: Bellisle, Béranger, and La Harpe, 1719–1721, by Robert S. Weddle and Patricia R. Lemée 35 3. AMBIVALENT SUCCESSES AND SUCCESSFUL FAILURES: St. Denis, Aguayo, and Juan Rodríguez, by Patricia R. Lemée 50 4. ATHANASE DE MÉZIÈRES AND THE FRENCH IN TEXAS, 1750 –1803, by F. Todd Smith 61 5. FRENCH PIRATES AND PRIVATEERS IN TEXAS, by R. Dale Olson 75 6. CHAMP D’ASILE, TEXAS, by Betje Black Klier 94 7. HEROES, VILLAINS, MERCHANTS, AND PRIESTS: The Alamo’s Frenchmen, by Betje Black Klier 113 8. DIPLOMACY, COMMERCE, AND COLONIZATION: Saligny and the Republic of Texas, by François Lagarde 122 9. GROUNDS FOR EMIGRATION: Alsace at the Time of Henri Castro, by Janine Erny 139 10. HENRI CASTRO AND CASTROVILLE: Alsatian History and Heritage, by Wayne M. Ahr 143 11. FRENCH CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN TEXAS, 1840–1880: Propagation and Enterprise, by François Lagarde 157 12. BIRTH, STOCK, AND WORK French Immigration in Texas, by François Lagarde 172 13. FRENCH ARTISTS IN TEXAS, by Martha Utterback 193 14. EUGÉNIE LAVENDER, NÉE AUBANEL A Romantic on the Frontier, by Martha Utterback 207 15. BUILDING UTOPIA IN THE PROMISED LAND Icarians and Fourierists in Texas, by Jonathan Beecher 212 16. IS THERE FRENCH ARCHITECTURE IN TEXAS? by Richard Cleary 241 17. THE ENDURING LEGACY OF THE FRENCH IN TEXAS EDUCATION, by Ann Marie Caldwell 255 18. FRENCH TRAVELERS IN TEXAS Identity, Myth, and Meaning from Joutel to Butor, by Alexandra K. Wettlaufer 270 19. “GRAND TEXAS” The Cajun Migration to Texas, by Carl A. Brasseaux 288 20. RAOUL JOSSET AND THE 1936 TEXAS CENTENNIAL, by François Lagarde 302 21. GLOBAL CULTURE French Economic Presence in Texas, Summer 2001, by François Lagarde 308 EPILOGUE, by François Lagarde 324 Selected Bibliography 328 Contributors 336 Acknowledgments 338 Index 339 Machine generated contents note: Introduction FRANCOIS LAGARDE ix 1. The Wreck of Ships and Dreams: A New Look at the Explorer La Salle ROBERT S. WEDDLE I 2. Exploring the Texas Coast: Bellisle, Beranger, and La Harpe, 1719-1721 ROBERT S. WEDDLE AND PATRICIA R. LEMEE 20 3. Ambivalent Successes and Successful Failures: St. Denis, Aguayo, and Juan Rodriguez PATRICIA R. LEMEE 35 4. Athanase de M6zieres and the French in Texas, 1750-1803 F. TODD SMITH 46 5. French Pirates and Privateers in Texas R. DALE OLSON 60 6. Champ d'Asile, Texas BETJE BLACK KLIER 79 7. Heroes, Villains, Merchants, and Priests: The Alamo's Frenchmen BETJE BLACK KLIER 98 8. Diplomacy, Commerce, and Colonization: Saligny and the Republic FRANCOIS LAGARDE 107 9. Grounds for Emigration: Alsace at the Time of Henri Castro JANINE ERNY 124 10. Henri Castro and Castroville: Alsatian History and Heritage WAYNE M. AHR I28 11. French Catholic Missions in Texas, 1840-1880: Propagation and Enterprise FRANCOIS LAGARDE 142 12. Birth, Stock, and Work: French Immigration in Texas FRANCOIS LAGARDE I57 13. French Artists in Texas MARTHA UTTERBACK 178 14. Eugenie Lavender, nee Aubanel: A Romantic on the Frontier MARTHA UTTERBACK 192 15. Building Utopia in the Promised Land: Icarians and Fourierists in Texas JONATHAN BEECHER 197 16. Is There French Architecture in Texas? RICHARD CLEARY 226 17. The Enduring Legacy of the French in Texas Education ANN MARIE CALDWELL 240 18. French Travelers in Texas: Identity, Myth, and Meaning from Joutel to Butor ALEXANDRA K. WETTLAUFER 255 19. "Grand Texas": The Cajun Migration to Texas CARL A. BRASSEAUX 273 20. Raoul Josset and the I936 Texas Centennial FRANCOIS LAGARDE 287 21. Global Culture: French Economic Presence in Texas, Summer 2001 FRANCOIS LAGARDE 293 Epilogue FRANCOIS LAGARDE 309 Selected Bibliography 313 Contributors 321 Acknowledgments 323 Index 324.

The flag of France is one of the six flags that have flown over Texas, but all that many people know about the French presence in Texas is the ill-fated explorer Cavelier de La Salle, fabled pirate Jean Laffite, or Cajun music and food. Yet the French have made lasting contributions to Texas history and culture that deserve to be widely known and appreciated. In this book, François Lagarde and thirteen other experts present original articles that explore the French presence and influence on Texas history, arts, education, religion, and business from the arrival of La Salle in 1685 to 2002.
Each article covers an important figure or event in the France-Texas story. The historical articles thoroughly investigate early French colonists and explorers, the French pirates and privateers, the Bonapartists of Champ-d'Asile, the French at the Alamo, Dubois de Saligny and French recognition of the Republic of Texas, the nineteenth-century utopists of Icaria and Reunion, and the French Catholic missions. Other articles deal with French immigration in Texas, including the founding of Castroville, Cajuns in Texas, and the French economic presence in Texas today (the first such study ever published). The remaining articles look at painters Théodore and Marie Gentilz, sculptor Raoul Josset, French architecture in Texas, French travelers from Théodore Pavie to Simone de Beauvoir who have written on Texas, and the French heritage in Texas education. More than seventy color and black-and-white illustrations complement the text.

Presents articles that explore the French presence and influence on Texas history, arts, education, religion, and business from the arrival of La Salle in 1685 to 2002. Each article in this work covers an important figure or event in the France-Texas story.