1846 Bradford Map of the Republic of Texas (after Austin)

This is Thomas Gamaliel Bradford's important 1846 map of Texas. Bradford's maps of Texas, published in various sizes and editions from about 1838 to 1847, were rigorously updated and, as a whole, offer an overview of Texas from the 1835-36 Texan Revolution to the 1846 U.S. Annexation. The present map is late in the series, being issued in the Republic's final days just before Texas was annexed into the United States and the outbreak of the Mexican-American War. It is the best and only reasonably obtainable contemporary derivative of the Austin map. It occupies a central place in the history of Texas. Being widely distributed throughout the United States, this map influenced the Anglo-American settlement of Texas and, ultimately, the Annexation.

A Closer Look

Based on Steven F. Austin's famous 1846 map, coverage embraces the then-settled eastern three-fourths of modern Texas, extending from the Red River to the Rio Grande and from Mexico to Lake Sabine and the United States. It names newly established counties and the Pre-Repubic Era empresario land grants, including Austin's own. These are apparent on the present map but have overlaid with the distinguishing characteristics of an increasingly developed country, including the beginnings of a sophisticated county structure, newly established roads, and other features.

Texas 'Empresario' Land Grants

In the early 19th century, Spain instituted a series of reforms intended to settle and develop Texas, the most significant of which occurred in 1820 when it began to allow colonists of any religion (previously, they had to be Catholic) to settle. The only Anglo-European to receive land under the new Spanish system was Moses Austin (1761 - 1821), who claimed his grant in 1820, only to die a year later in 1821. That same year, 1821, the Mexican War of Independence (1810 - 1821) ended with Mexican independence from Spain. The new Mexican government continued the reforms, instituting the Texas Empresario system. Stephen F. Austin (1793 - 1836) took over his father Moses's grant and began an aggressive campaign to draw English-speaking Protestant settlers. Austin's efforts were aided by the Mexican Provisional Government, who approved the 1824 General Colonization Law authorizing all heads of household who were citizens or immigrants to Mexico to claim land. After the law passed, the government was inundated with requests by foreign speculators to establish colonies - many of whom received grants of their own. In the wake of the Panic of 1819, the United States underwent an extended period of inflation marked by soaring land prices. Texas became a very attractive prospect with vast tracks of arable land, a warm climate, and a free grant system. Austin's drive to populate Texas with English-speaking settlers was enormously successful. Conflicts between the English protestant 'Empresarios' and the Catholic Mexican government ultimately led to the Texan Revolution and the Mexican-American War.

Publication History and Census

The 1838 copyright on this map corresponds to the first edition - as Bradford did not invest in new copyright registrations despite numerous annual content updates. A note under the bottom border identifies this map as being corrected to 1846. It was engraved by George Washington Boynton and published as plate number 42 in the 1846 large format edition of Bradford and Goodrich's A Universal Illustrated Atlas. Scarce to the market.