Founding of Houston, Texas by the Allen brothers (1836)

The Allen brothers founded Houston, Texas, in August 1836. Financed by an inheritance, they purchased land along Buffalo Bayou and named the townsite for General Sam Houston. The settlement was established at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou, later known as Allen's Landing.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Augustus and John Kirby Allen were land speculators who moved to Texas in the early 1830s. They operated in Nacogdoches and supported the Texas war effort by supplying funds and selling a ship to the Navy. Their activities drew objections from the provisional government, with rumors of privateering. These experiences positioned them to establish a new settlement in 1836.

Founding. On August 26, 1836, the brothers purchased 6,600 acres along Buffalo Bayou for $5,000, financed by an inheritance received by Augustus' wife, Charlotte. They established the townsite at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou. The site was named Houston in honor of General Sam Houston, the hero of the time.

Naming. The townsite was named for General Sam Houston at the suggestion of Charlotte Allen. The brothers ran their first advertisement for Houston in the Telegraph and Texas Register four days after the land purchase, naming the notional town in honor of Sam Houston, who would later become President of the Republic.

People involved

Sources

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