Baron De Bastrop is not someone you often hear about when you are learning about Texas history. Most people have heard of Sam Houston or the famous David Crockett. But little known as he was, this "Baron" played an important role in the history of Texas.
There is little information about Bastrop's background. It is not certain, but it is believed that Bastrop was born in Dutch Guiana to ordinary Dutch parents about 1766. Bastrop also lied about his identity. To be a "Baron" is to be royal. Whether or not he truly was is uncertain. He may have actually had some royal background in his family, but even as the wealth and glory had long since faded, he continued to use the important name. Some people think that the only reason Bastrop used that name, was because he was a criminal. In Holland, he was a tax collector charged with embezzlement. He fled to Texas and changed his name from Philip Hendrik Nering to Felipe Enrique Neri De Bastrop, or so it's said.
In 1795, Bastrop......
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Approximate Pages: 2 (260 words per double-spaced page) |