Thaddus Constantine Bell
West Columbia, Brazoria County, Texas
Marker Inscription
First male child born in Austin's colonies in Texas; born October 4, 1822, died in March, 1871. His wife, Elizabeth Cayce Bell, born September 30, 1830, died Feb. 24, 1864.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Thaddeus Constantine Bell, born in October 1822, is remembered as the first male child born within Stephen F. Austin's colonies in Texas — a distinction from the very first years of Anglo-American settlement under Mexican rule. He lived until 1871; his wife, Elizabeth Cayce Bell, born in 1830, preceded him in death in 1864. The marker records a life that spanned Texas's passage from colony to Republic to statehood.
Why it matters
A 'first child' of Austin's colony is a human milestone in the settlement of Texas, marking the moment a frontier venture began putting down permanent roots.
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Related people
- · Thaddus Constantine Bell
- · Elizabeth Cayce Bell
Themes & tags
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