January 20, 2022
Today in Texas history
By Bandera Spirits of Texas
On this day in 1853, John McMullen, cofounder of the McMullen-McGloin Colony, was murdered by an unidentified assassin in San Antonio.
McMullen, born in Ireland in 1785, was a merchant in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, when he was attracted by the 1825 colonization law of Coahuila and Texas and became an empresario. He entered into a partnership with James McGloin, and they received a contract in 1828 which authorized them to settle 200 families on the left bank of the Nueces River.
McMullen and McGloin personally accompanied the first group of Irish colonists from New York to Texas in October 1829. The Irish remained about a year at Nuestra Señora del Refugio Mission and then moved to San Patricio.
During the Texas Revolution McMullen was a member of the General Council. He was fluent in Spanish and translated for the provisional government; upon the impeachment of Governor Henry Smith he served in January and February 1836 as temporary president of the council.
After the revolution he moved from San Patricio to San Antonio, where he served as alderman from 1840 to 1844.
In 1844 he sold the majority of his San Patricio holdings to McGloin and became a merchant at San Antonio.
McMullen, born in Ireland in 1785, was a merchant in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, when he was attracted by the 1825 colonization law of Coahuila and Texas and became an empresario. He entered into a partnership with James McGloin, and they received a contract in 1828 which authorized them to settle 200 families on the left bank of the Nueces River.
McMullen and McGloin personally accompanied the first group of Irish colonists from New York to Texas in October 1829. The Irish remained about a year at Nuestra Señora del Refugio Mission and then moved to San Patricio.
During the Texas Revolution McMullen was a member of the General Council. He was fluent in Spanish and translated for the provisional government; upon the impeachment of Governor Henry Smith he served in January and February 1836 as temporary president of the council.
After the revolution he moved from San Patricio to San Antonio, where he served as alderman from 1840 to 1844.
In 1844 he sold the majority of his San Patricio holdings to McGloin and became a merchant at San Antonio.