James Hewetson

James Hewetson (c. 1797–1870) was a Texas empresario.

Early life

Hewetson was born in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Ireland in 1797, the son of Patrick and Honora (née Hoyne). After studying medicine, Hewitson emigrated to the United States.

In 1833, Power returned to Ireland and searched for potential settlers of his colony. He convinced 350 individuals to travel with him to Texas to begin a settlement with promises of large plots of land. The immigrants traveled in two group with the first scheduled to land in New Orleans in April and the next scheduled for May. After the first group arrived in New Orleans, many of the settlers were struck with cholera and died. An additional lot were infected with cholera during the voyage from New Orleans to Texas, and died at the landing in Copano. These who survived either remained in Copano or traveled to the Refugio Mission, where they formed a settlement with Mexican colonists. In 1835, Hewetson sold his share of the empresario to Power and returned to Mexico. The land claims were eventually deemed invalid by the new Republic of Texas and designated as property of the state.

Later life and death On April 29, 1833, Hewetson married Josefa Guajardo, a wealthy widow. Hewetson remained in Coahuila throughout the Texas Revolution, in which he took no part. Hewetson died in Saltillo on September 12, 1870.