1. Texas Immigrants
Chapter 8

2. German Immigration

3. German Immigration
German settlement in Texas began in with Friedrich Ernst, the “Father of German Immigration to Texas.”
From 1831 to 1845, thousands of Germans settle in Central Texas cities like New Braunfels & Fredericksburg.

4. German Hill Country
A central part of Texas's Hill Country is still called the “German Hill Country.” German food, family customs, architecture & language remain.

5. French Immigration

6. French Immigration
French immigrants came to Texas in small groups or singly until the 1840's.
Henri Castro brought 2,134 French colonists to Texas & established a colony in Castroville.

7. Swiss Immigration The Swiss began immigrating to Texas in 1821.
Many settled in north Texas communities. Their careers were farming, ranching, banking, and dairy.

8. Swedish Immigration

9. Swedish Immigration
The first Swedish settler was a 22-year old named S. M. Swenson.
He arrived in Houston in 1836 & made a fortune in cotton. He set off a stream of migration to Texas.

10. Swedish Immigration
At that time, Sweden was poor, overpopulated, and had little food.
Swenson offered free passage to anyone who would work for him for 1 year. This continued for 60 years.

11. Polish Immigration
The first organized group of Polish immigrants to America landed in Galveston in 1854.
Many of these immigrants were farmers and businessmen.

12. Polish Immigration
The Polish immigration continued after the Civil War mostly to East Central Texas.
The immigrants were escaping poverty, political, cultural, and religious hardships.
Houston held the largest concentration of Polish immigrants.

13. Irish Immigration

14. Irish Immigration
Irish immigrants mostly settled in San Patricio and Refugio to flee the Potato Famine of the mid-1800s.
The McMullen-McGloin group of colonists set up colonial areas north and west of modern Corpus Christi and brought in Irish families.

15. Czech Immigration

16. Czech Immigration
Most of the Czech immigrants had been farmers in Europe and settled in the coastal plains of Texas.
The Texas Czechs also played a major part in the Texas cotton industry.