Rosalie Hart Priour Autobiography "Adventures of a Family of Emigrants" with notes and commentary by historian Frank Wagner (indicated in green).
Chapter 8 Father was very generous, and knew nothing of the value of money, as he was of that disposition. He was often applied to for assistance. He was a Free-Mason and belonged to the lodge in Dublin.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Five thousand pounds sterling would exchange to ca $25,000 U.S., i.e. the amount banked at Wexford. Freemasonry was uncommon, but known, among Irish Catholics during the 19th Century outside the Pale. It was considered even more strongly anticlerical then than now. Clearly, Tom Hart was a lukewarm Catholic at best, in spite of Elizabeth's piety.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - When one of them would be traveling in our neighborhood and be short in money, he would call on father and he always received assistance. As I said before, he had at one time the contract for opening the new quarry at New Ross, also the harbor of Howth, and of course was acquainted with a great many men, employed on the public works. When any of them were in trouble, he would assist them. If he saw a beggar woman with little children, he would give her money, and although mother was of a very noble and generous disposition, she found it necessary to remonstrate with him, but his answer was always, "Oh! Elisabeth -- a good heart will receive its own reward. You nor I, nor our children will ever suffer for bread." But the result of his generosity was that in three years the twenty-five thousand dollars we had in the bank in Wexford was all gone and nothing left except the farm.
About this time in 1833, the Mexican government sent Col. [James] Powers to Ireland to get a colony of emigrants to settle in Texas. He belonged to a very good family, and had been raised in Wexford. His only sister was married to a farmer named O'Brien, and was in very good circumstances, and doing well. They had a large family of boys and girls, the youngest John about fourteen years of age.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - John O'Brien, brother-in-law to Col. Power, seems to have died at New Orleans en route. Hugh O'Brien, possibly a brother, obtained a land grant November 22, 1834 through J.J. Vidaurri, for land on Cruz Lake.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Col. Powers held meetings at his sister's house and made speeches to large assemblies. He represented Texas as one of the richest countries in the world, and the most delightful climate. Gold was so plentiful according to his account, you could pick it up under the trees and a great many believed him. As a proof of what he told them, he was going to take his only sister and her family with him, and he told them that as she was happy and prosperous at home, he would never advise her to go to a new country if he was not certain she could do a great deal better in Texas.
The doctors had always told father he would have to send me to a warmer climate if he wished to raise me, that I would certainly die in Ireland, the climate was too damp and cold for one as delicate as I was. Here was a good chance to save me, my darling mother and father consulted with each other and the result of their deliberations was that everything would be sold and we would join the emigrants. Each family had to take farming utensils for a large farm and provisions for a whole year. After that, they expected to raise their own supplies.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The account in Chapter VII and VIII is fully attested by Rosalie Priour's depositions (Refugio County, Case #449). Col. Power's arguments are supported by a letter published in Niles Register, vol. 45, p. 118, April 19, 1834:
"A letter, published in the Journal of Commerce, from an emigrant from the United States, now residing in Texas, describes the country as a paradise, and urges his friends to come and enjoy the fat of the land. He writes, 'Be sure to bring out all the books you have, or can get hold of. Bring out all the vegetable, garden and fruit seeds you can -- also, one wife for me, handsome &. Mother knows that will suit me.'"
Mention of gold in Texas was attractive to Wexfordmen because flakes and nuggets were infrequently discovered in tree-roots. One nugget a century may have been sufficient to keep the tradition moving. Neither county was forested at the time, but when any tree was cut down, the roots were grubbed out, and examined for the slim chance there might be a fragment of gold in it. The idea gold nuggets "grew" in the ground was a popular geological fancy.
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