Belgians first set foot on Texas soil with La Salle in 1685. Three Franciscan priests from the province of Hainaut arrived with him - Maximus Le Clerq, Zenobius Membre and Anastasius Douay. Membre and Le Clerq were killed in the massacre at Fort Saint Louis by hostile Indians, but Douay survived to return to France and tell the story of La Salle's death. 
Another of the earliest Belgians in Texas was Juan Banul, a master blacksmith born in Brussels when Belgium was under Spanish rule then. While still a young man he traveled to New Spain seeking a new life with better opportunity. By 1719 he was at the presidio of San Antonio and two years later, the young blacksmith was recruited by the Marqués de Aguayo to accompany an cast Texas expedition. Given the rank of corporal, Banul helped build six missions and two presidios in eastern Texas and Louisiana. Banul married Maria Adriana Garcia, a Flemish widow, and in 1730 they were living in Mission San Antonio de Valero. In 1741 he was granted additional land in recognition of more than 20 years of loyal service to the Spanish crown.

Belgians Settlements in TEXAS
at the time of the Civil War

A project of Belgian colony in Texas :

Following its war for independence, the young Texas republic was deeply in debt. Solution to this problem seemed to lie in European recognition and the negotiation of substantial loans with the governments of Europe. Under the administration of President Mirabeau Lamar, General James Hamilton was appointed commissioner of loans and began his official rounds. When in Brussels Hamilton met with the foreign minister, but nothing was agreed upon. While keenly interested in Texas as a foreign market and possible site for colonization, the Belgians were afraid that official recognition might jeopardize trade with Mexico, which still claimed Texas.

Hamilton proposed that, in exchange for a Belgian loan of 37 million francs (over $7 million), Texas would allow certain Belgian products favored status over imports from other nations and allow Belgian vessels the privileges of coastal trade. Since the Belgian government wanted an American colony there is some indication that Hamilton agreed to do what he could to make a site available in Texas, though it was not written into the treaty. The Belgians were still reluctant to advance so large a sum against the revenue of a country about which they had so little information; therefore, Hamilton proposed that the king send a reliable representative to Texas to observe firsthand the nature of the land and its people and a young artillery captain, Victor Pirson, was chosen.

At 32 Victor Pirson was already well known in Belgium. He had played an active role in its war for independence and had served as attaché to the Belgian legation in Constantinople. Pirson was cautioned by the government that he was being sent only as an observer and that he was in no way empowered to make treaties.

Pirson was sent to Boston, where he would be met by Hamilton's oldest son. Docking in late December, Pirson hurried to Washington, D.C., where he visited President John Tyler on New Year's Day 1842. The next day Pirson continued his journey by packet to Charleston and then on to New Orleans. During this voyage he met Henri Castro also bound for Texas. Castro had recently completed negotiations for a colony in Texas, and he gave Pirson a copy of his contract to use as a model in his negotiations.

Hamilton joined Pirson in New Orleans, and the two took a steamer to Galveston, arriving January 25. From there they proceeded to Austin via Houston. While Hamilton had been in Europe President Lamar had been replaced by Sam Houston. When Pirson and Hamilton arrived in Austin on February 1, Hamilton immediately called on the new President Sam Houston, successor of Lamar, to discuss his negotiations for the Belgian loan. Pirson was given permission to examine all registers and archives of the Republic. From this research Pirson could determine population, revenue, public debts and other sources of income and expenditures by which he could better report the advantages of a Belgian loan.

Upon congressional adjournment in early February Pirson was convinced that little else could be accomplished in Austin; he decided, therefore, to see more of the republic. In San Antonio, assisted by André Antoine Mellaerts, a local businessman and fellow Belgian, Pirson gathered information on the volume of goods traded in town and even purchased samples to take back with him. Instead of exploring the region between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande as he had intended, Pirson decided to leave for Galveston. This was due in part to news of an impending invasion from Mexico.

In early March, Pirson had a last visit with president Houston and Anson Jones in Galveston. Secretary of State Jones brought up the subject of Belgian colonization. Houston was prepared to grant the Belgian government two extensive tracts of land along the Rio Grande, between the Castro and Kennedy grants, in exchange for the introduction of 600 to 1,000 families of high character. This land was to be held for the colonization project until December 1, 1842, after which time, if no action was taken, the President could dispose of it.

Pirson's report, submitted on August 9, 1842, dealt favorably with the Republic of Texas in general, but expressed concern over unstable political and military conditions. A contract was prepared on November 18 calling for the immigration of at least 350 families during the first year. The Count de Briey, the Belgian foreign minister, not only questioned whether the colonists would remain loyal to Belgium, but voiced concern for their safety, since they would exist in a buffer zone on the Mexican border of Texas. Also, the Belgian government did not wish to endanger its relations with either Mexico or the United States and the Texas colonization plan ended.

The continued hope for a Belgian loan and recognition prompted Texas to send yet another chargé d'affaires to Belgium. But, in May 1844, the Belgian government, certain that the United States planned to annex Texas anyway, ended the matter of Belgian recognition and the loan.

French Colonies in Texas

CASTRO Colony in Medina County

Henry Castro was born in the department of Landes in July 1786. In 1813, he married a wealthy widow who brought him a dowry of 50,000 francs. After the fall of Napoleon, he immigrated to the United States and in 1827 became a naturalized citizen. He returned to France in 1838 and became a partner in the banking house of Lafitte & Co.

After trying to negotiate a loan for the Republic of Texas, in kindness, President Sam Houston appointed him consul general for Texas in Paris. In 1842, he entered into a contract to settle a colony in Southern Texas and between 1843 and 1847, he succeeded in chartering 27 ships, bringing to Texas 485 families and 457 single men for a total of 2.134 settlers. He established the towns of Castroville on the Medina River in September 1844 and Quihi 10 miles to west at Quihi Lake in 1845.

Henri Castro was beset with troubles in the summer of 1845, went back to Europe and housed in Antwerp, Belgium. Having successfully defended himself on charges of fraud in France, he found his Texas colony was still faced with serious financial problems. While in Belgium, Castro tried to interest the Belgian government to his colony (see Castro-ville colony). The Government delayed his response, waiting for the issue of his trial for fraud. Furthermore, cautioning a society with objective "the exportation of human being" was a great moral responsibility and would be accompanied by a big money deposit as a guarantee to help the colons in case of necessity. 

The negotiations having failed, Henry Castro transferred the entire colonization project to a group of Antwerp bankers. Among these was Guillaume D'Hanis, who became the principal administrative agent for the "Société de Colonisation au Texas." 

After 1846 D'Hanis was the principal European representative who signed all colonists' contracts. While under his direction the colonists established the town of Vandenburg (named for the consul general of Texas at Antwerp) and, in 1847, the town of D'Hanis.

The colony suffered from Indian depredations, cholera, and the drought of 1848, but population increased sufficiently for the formation of Medina County that same year. A year later the settlements were given protection from roving Indians when Fort Lincoln was established nearby. In 1881 the town moved one mile west to join the railroad, leaving old D'Hanis to join the list of Texas ghost towns.

In 1865, while on his way to France, Henri Castro became severely ill at Monterey, Nuevo Léon, and died there on November 31, 1865. He was buried in Monterrey at the foot of the Sierra Madre.

Among his settlers, some Belgians are known : Joseph Vander Straten, Frank Van Der Stucken and his brother, Felix, immigrated to Texas from Antwerp with Henri Castro in 1846.

VICTOR CONSIDERANT colony

Victor Considerant was born in Salins, France, on October 12, 1808. He became a Fourierist and one of the leading democratic socialist figures in France during the second Republic. Because of his participation in the abortive insurrection of June 13, 1849, against Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, Considerant was forced to flee to Brussels. There he was contacted by Albert Brisbane, an American Fourierist, who interested him in colonization efforts in Texas.

Considerant visited the United States in 1852-53 and accompanied Brisbane on a trek that eventually took him through North and Central Texas. His enthusiasm for the land, climate, and people of Texas induced him to establish the European Society for the Colonization of Texas upon his return to Belgium. Early in 1855 agents sent by Considerant bought about 2,500 acres of land on the banks of the Trinity River near Dallas. He planned for La Réunion to be a loosely structured experimental commune administered by a system of direct democracy. The participants would share in the profits according to a formula based on the amount of capital investment and the quantity and quality of labor performed.

In 1854, before adequate provision had been made for them, nearly 200 colonists made their way to La Réunion.

Many Belgians were included. Occupational backgrounds were diverse: poets, engineers, architects and workers, but no farmers. Since La Reunion was intended to be an agricultural colony, this obviously could present difficulties. Among the first to arrive was John B. Louckx of Louvain, who was with the advance party. Because of his architectural training he was appointed supervisor of construction. He was joined by John Philip Goetsel, also of Louvain, who was in charge of building the rock houses for the settlers. They were assisted by Ferdinand Michel, another Belgian, who made lime for the mortar.

Belgian Colonists as listed  in the Dallas Morning News of June 3, 1906 and March 22, 1926

• Mr. Van Derbosh
• Mr. Ettein.
• Mr. Vradack (Vreidag). See Indiana settlements, Vigo Co.
• Mr. Louis and William Van Grinderbeck.
• Mr. Rose and wife and one son.
• Mr. Desmet.
• Mr. Goudaill (Goudsill) and wife, one son and three daughters.

When Considerant and his family arrived with more colonists in June 1855, the settlement was completely disorganized. After a year of labor and many natural disasters it became clear that this was not the utopian colony that had been hoped for.

In 1856 Goetsel  purchased 17 sections of land on Mountain Creek, just south of present Grand Prairie, with the intention of establishing a separate colony for the Belgians. He named the town Louvain after his home in Belgium. Many La Reunion colonists Joined Goetsel; houses and other improvements were built as the nucleus of his proposed city. Unfortunately their location was too near the creek and was subject to the overflow after heavy rains. Goetsel recognized that the land was unsuitable for farming, so he attempted to establish a ranching economy. But the colonists were no better cowboys than they were farmers.

Goetsel had invested 30,000 francs in La Reunion, which he hoped he could withdraw from that project to help his own. The directors refused to return his money, arguing that Louvain was established in opposition to La Reunion and that it might draw away their trade. By late 1857 most of the families at Louvain had decided that they were not suited for the rustic life and were beginning to move to Dallas and Fort Worth. Eventually Goetsel himself closed his store and post office and moved to Dallas.

La Réunion colony collapsed in 1859 due to financial insolvency, Considerant, discouraged but not disillusioned, moved to San Antonio, where he unsuccessfully attempted to raise funds for another commune. Unable to fulfill his dreams in Texas and still under a ban of deportation from France, he became an American citizen and farmed in Bexar County until 1869, when he and his wife returned to Paris. There he lived as a teacher and socialist sage of the Latin Quarter and died on December 27, 1893.

Houzeau (see bellow) and the Considerant colony : a critical analysis in 1859 :

Quand on vous demandera encore des nouvelles de Cousin, vous pouvez répondre que je suis à peu près cent lieues plus au sud; que Cousin est Agent de la Gérance (de la société de Colonisation européo-américaine) à Réunion, près Dallas. Sa position est, je pense, fort agréable et fort bonne. II n'y a à Réunion, avec Considérant et Cousin, qu'un petit noyau. Tous les plans de colonisation sont tombés; il n'y a pas et il n'y aura pas de colonie, dans le sens où l'entendaient les souscripteurs d'Europe. Les socialistes peuvent se chercher d'autres foyers, ou rester chez eux. II y a de vastes terres, sur lesquelles les nouveaux venus ont fait, aux frais des actionnaires, de coûteuses écoles. Question de capacité agricole à part, je conçois cela de tout européen qui se lance de but en blanc. Tout homme qui commence ici en grand et sans expérience, est sûr de dissiper ce qu'il a. Les terres de Réunion se vendront bien dans trente ou dans cinquante ans, et les actionnaires qui attendront jusque là pourront se liquider sans perte ou peut-être avec avantage. En attendant le plan reste inexécuté, et une vingtaine de personnes vivent sur le domaine - étendu mais presque tout inculte - où devaient s'élever les palais socialistes et les jardins enchantés. Sic transit gloria mundi.
Ce résultat me donne en quelque sorte gain de cause. Dans mes derniers rapports avec Consid., j'avais proposé une marche plus lente et plus prudente. Au lieu de débuter par l'achat d'une lieue carrée et l'envoi d'une population qu'il a fallu nourrir puis congédier au milieu des murmures, je voulais débuter par une commission d'étude et d'exploration sur les lieux. Mais, sans compter qu'il fallait aller plus vîte, il fallait aussi des yeux moins sévères et moins vigilants que les miens. Je ne me serais pas prêté à la marche à haute pression qu'on a suivie, mais l'autre côté ne voulait aussi s'entourer que de bons enfants, incapables d'apercevoir la pêche en eau trouble, ou d'y résister. Nous avons donc brisé, et je n'ai pas même mis mon nom à une action de 25 frs, qu'on regardait comme une aumône.
Considérant est parti après avoir consommé la fortune de sa belle-mère et par conséquent de sa femme, consommé noblement, dans la propagande de ses opinions, je veux l'admettre. Toujours est-il est parti en 1855 sans le sou et sans ressources de son propre. Je suis loin d'en faire un sujet de reproche; mais je dois mentionner le fait, parce que je trouve aujourd'hui Consid. Individu - non gérant de la société - comme un des grands propriétaires du Western Texas. La société a mangé 1 1/2 million pour un résultat nul, ou tout au moins latent. Trente mille souscripteurs, qui devaient être remboursés en terres et en entretien à Réunion, ont reçu avis de rester tranquillement en Europe, et de faire comme s'ils n'avaient rien donné. J'en connais, - entre autres Van Espen de Louvain - qui avaient cessé leurs affaires et versé tout leur avoir. Bref, sur ces entrefaîtes, le gérant élève une grande fortune personnelle, au moins une fortune d'avenir. N'est pas suspect au premier chef?
En Angleterre, où l'on veut l'action et où l'on ne se paie pas de paroles, le meeting des actionnaires n'a pas fermé les yeux à tout cela. Considérant a été en Europe l'année passée; mais il a été abîmé par la presse avancée d'Angleterre, et on dit qu'il a dû se sauver. Laissons les on-dit et les hypothèses de côté, on peut du moins définir sa carrière pratique en deux mots: quinze cent mille francs; et en regard ... rien.

Note : La société de Colonisation européano-américaine du Texas fut fondée le 26 septembre 1854 à Bruxelles par l'écrivain socialiste français Victor Considérant, disciple de Charles Fourier. Après avoir été au Texas en avant-garde, Considérant y séjourna de 1854 à 1869. Parmi les colonisateurs belges qui l'accompagnèrent se trouvait Vincent Cousin, un ingénieur-architecte de Mons. La tentative échoua et la plupart des colons rentrèrent vers la fin de 1856. L'insurrection des États du Sud acheva de ruiner l'entreprise. Considérant resta au Texas avec son épouse, la mère celle-ci et Cousin notamment. En 1862, il possédait une propriété à Sabinal, à l'ouest de San Antonio.

Others individuals in Texas :

Peter Shiner, from Luxembourg , settled in 1842 at Victoria, Texas. In 1846 young
Anton Diedrick debarked in Galveston after four years held prisoner on a ship and
Charles A. Otterbein, a dentist, left Belgium in 1856 for political reasons.
Jean Charles Houzeau, a scientist, resided in Texas from 1858 till 1862, but fled to Mexico because of is abolitionist sympathies.

Sources :
- Archives du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères
- The Handbook of Texas Online
- Old Fort Davis

Links :