A Little Bit of Texas History - The Texas-Brazil Connection On this day, September 29, in 1867, Francis McMullan, the leader of a group of Texans who moved to Brazil rather than remain under a Reconstruction government, died at Iguape, Brazil. McMullan was active in politics in Hill County before the Civil War and served as a delegate to the Texas Democratic convention in Galveston in 1860. After serving the Confederacy in Mexico during the Civil War, he joined William Bowen in a plan to take advantage of liberal Brazilian immigration terms and move a colony of 154 from north central Texas to South America. McMullan and Bowen left for Brazil in late 1865 to locate lands and decided on fifty square leagues on the headwaters of the São Lourenço River south of São Paulo. McMullan returned to Texas in June 1866. After a series of delays and misadventures, he guided the emigrants to colony lands before becoming terminally ill with tuberculosis. His colony is credited with introducing the moldboard plow and modern agriculture to Brazil. In addition, colony members established a Baptist church there and made major contributions to Brazils educational system. - TSHA Online São Paulo Brazil is the singular most important city in all of South America. Its greater metropolitan area, at 33,000,000+, has a greater population than all of Texas. São Paulo roughly compares to Dallas as a mercantile center. But, Rio de Janeiro is to São Paulo as Galveston is to Houston. Those southerners who immigrated to Brazil were called confederados - confederates. In addition to government subsidies from Emperor Dom Pedro II, Brazil also permitted slavery that remained in force until 1888. it was a natural fit for north central Texas slave-owning farmers. Yes, my friends, slavery was THE agricultural workforce in North Texas cotton farms. American ex-patriots settle a number of cities from south of São Paulo where Texans landed up to the Amazon river basin. You may be surprised to learn Freedmen also migrated along with white southerners. A few newly freed slaves in the United States emigrated alongside their confederate counterparts and in some cases with their previous owners. One such former slave, Steve Watson, became the administrator of the sawmill of his former owner, Judge Dyer of Texas. Upon returning to the USA (due to homesickness and financial failure) Dyer deeded his remaining property, the sawmill and 12 acres, to Watson. In the area of the Juquia valley there are many Brazilian families with the surname Vassão, the Portuguese pronunciation of Watson. - Wikipedia What characteristics do Brazil and Texas have in common? Bigness, cattle, farming, cowboys (vaqueiros), and warm, friendly people - all except possible headhunters along the Amazon. While Brazil as a whole is very much like Texas, its land mass will astonish you. Its approximately the size of our continental United States of America. On the matter of language, Brazilian Portuguese slightly edges out Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in all South America. It has been my experience to encounter numerous Brazilians who speak at least three languages: Portuguese, Spanish and American English. When you next wish to enjoy superb dining, try my favorite churrascaria Fogo de Chão (ground fire or fire pit) over at 14881 Quorum Dr #750, Dallas, TX 75254. The only two Portuguese words you need to know while dining are sim (yes) and não (no). The first you pronounce seem; the second now. Em muitos aspectos, o Brasil é muito parecido com o Texas. Independentemente disso, o Brasil é realmente todo um outro país. Venha yall! John White
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 18:17:39 +0000
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