One of the first to take advantage of the new channels of trade opened to the citizens of the United States by the result of the battle of San Jacinto (1836) was Jacob de Cordova, born at Spanish Town, Jamaica, June, 1808, died in Bosque County, Texas, 1868. In 1833 he went to Jamaica, his physicians thinking that his health might be improved by a return to his birthplace. A great deal of the business of Kingston was done by auction, facilitating thereby the disposal of the crops of sugar and coffee. About the time of his arrival, the newspapers, for religion's sake, refused to issue a Monday morning edition. Mr. de Cordova, taking advantage of the stoppage, at once started a newspaper and called it "The Gleaner". He showed originality in its management. The advertisements were printed on a separate sheet and distributed gratis by 5 o'clock every morning, and the whole paper was ready for subscribers at 6 A M. The climate proved anything but beneficial, and he returned to the States in 1835. The paper continued along the same plan, and afforded a livelihood to three generations of the family.

The people of New Orleans were the earliest to enter into commercial relationship with Texas. Jacob de Cordova was in business in New Orleans, and often came to Galveston with cargoes of merchandise, which he generally disposed of by auction. Early in 1837 he settled in Galveston and became a citizen of the Republic. He continued in Galveston until Houston became a place of some note, to which city he removed his business. He remained there until 1842, when he was compelled by sickness to leave, his physicians telling him that the only chance for his life was either to go west of the Brazes River, or exchange Texas for a colder climate.

Mr. de Cordova was a man of great energy. Upon the advice of friends, he started a land business, assiduously studying the complicated land laws of Texas. His new vocation necessitated his visiting many of the organized counties of the new State in order to examine the records, for the most part, in the saddle, which resulted in the improvement of his health.

De Cordova as Land Locater

He was by far the most extensive land locater in the State until 1856. A very large portion of the patents issued by the State were based on certificates located by him.

"De Cordova's Land Agency" soon became well known, not only in Texas, but in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, where the owners of large tracts of Texas lands resided. Unfortunately for him, Texas lands were not much sought after in those days, and he became what is known as "land poor", owning in the year 1854 considerably over a million acres. Security debts, the war, together with a long spell of sickness, coupled with the bad times that followed in the first two years of peace, made sad inroads into his wealth, and he died a poor man in the latter part of 1868.

About the year 1830, when living in Philadelphia, Jacob de Cordova had an attack of sickness which confined him to his room for nearly a year. He was at that time boarding with his wife's cousin who was a printer. Unable to bear being idle, he fitted up a printer's case in his room and actually learned the business, working at it for some time after he recovered from his illness. This is only casually mentioned so that we can refer to one of the services he 'rendered Texas. In 1858 he published a work of about 400 quarto pages, entitled "Texas--Her Resources and her Public Men"--as a companion to "J. de Cordova's New and Correct Map of the State of Texas." (This map was published in 1848; three editions appeared). Almost the entire book was written by himself, and with the exception of a few stereotyped pages, the mechanical work of the composing-room was also his own. When this volume was published, the late Hamilton Stuart, then editor of the Galveston Civilian, said in his review: "This book contains more information about Texas than all the State papers issued by her Presidents, Governors, Comptrollers and Treasurers combined." This book has, for the most part, lost its great usefulness; but twenty pages of it, devoted to Texas rivers and their tributaries, which comprised every river and creek in Texas, is an extraordinary piece of work.

Before he came to Texas he had been a prominent Odd Fellow both in the Pennsylvania and Louisiana jurisdictions. In 1838, by his endeavor, a charter was granted for a lodge in Texas, the first charter granted out of the United States, and he was named the first Deputy Grand Sire of the Republic of Texas.

In 1817 the people of Harris County elected him to the House of Representatives to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Magnus T. Rogers. This was duly heralded by the press to show the liberal feelings of the people as regards religious belief, and it goes without saying that he was a faithful representative.

Founding Waco

In 1849 he laid out the city of Waco, being one of the three proprietors of the site. In establishing what he prophesied would be one of the principal cities of Texas, he stated that the lots would be put up for sale and sold to the highest actual bidder, no matter what that sum should be, and that another public sale should be held six months afterwards. In laying out the city he gave to each religious denomination a lot for church purposes, which lots now have churches built upon them. When the Presbyterians were ready to build they found that the city, for some reason, had disposed of the lot intended for their religious denomination, but the city furnished another lot.

At a meeting of the State Grand Lodge I. O. O. F., held at Waco, a full-length portrait of de Cordova in his robes of office as Deputy Grand Sire was received. It had been painted under order of the Grand Lodge, and the committee availed themselves of the service of Past Grand Master M. D. Herring of Waco to present it to the Grand Lodge. Grand Master Herring, in the course of his remarks, alluded to the presentation of lots to the Christian churches of all denominations by the Jew. The picture was afterward destroyed in one of the large fires that devastated the lower part of the city of Galveston.

In 1856 and 1857 he lectured in New York, Philadelphia and Brooklyn on Texas and her resources. In 1858 he read a paper before the New York Geographical Society giving a more detailed account of Texas. He also lectured in Manchester, England, before the Cotton Supply Association, showing that Texas could, if she had the population, raise all the cotton the world needed.

Confident for Texas

The Cotton Supply Association was composed of the cotton spinners of England, who were looking for places where more cotton could be raised, so that the mills of England could be kept going and operators could find employment. His assertion that Texas had 10,000,000 acres of land capable of growing a bale to the acre was not then believed, but it is now known to be remarkably near the truth. While somewhat overestimating the yield per acre, he actually understated the potential acreage which from 1925 to 1930 averaged over seventeen million.

His thirty years of Texas life was one of usefulness to the State. He was well versed in the Jewish religion, wrote the Hebrew language with great facility, and several Ketuboth (marriage contracts) written by him have been preserved in Cincinnati. His memory was wonderful. He could repeat the greater part of the Sabbath and Holiday services, and chant them after the manner of the different Readers he had heard.

His first Hebrew teacher was the Roy. Jacob Bensadon of Philadelphia, who in the year 1820 was Reader to the Congregation Mikveh Israel. (Morais, The Jews of Philadelphia, pp. 44). The salary in those days was very small and teaching was a necessary adjunct. This gentleman was a native of Morocco and read with a nasal twang. De Cordova could imitate Bensadon so well that this worthy Hazzan would be startled himself. The Rev. Mr. Keys, an Englishman by birth, was called by the same congregation in 1824. He was in all things relating to voice and delivery the opposite of Mr. Bensadon, but de Cordova could imitate him also. During his long buggy-rides over Texas he was the never-failing source of amusement by reason of his initiative faculty. He was extremely modest, and his character and name were highly cherished by all who knew him.

Brother Becomes Partner

In 1848 his brother, Phineas de Cordova (born at Philadelphia, March 28th, 1819), later of Austin where he resided until his death, came to Texas and joined him in business.

As before stated, Jacob had become an excellent operative printer. His brother Phineas had also considerable knowledge of the "art preservative of all arts," having served nearly three years in the office of the National Gazette, then published by Wm. Fry, and edited by the well-known Robert Walsh, afterwards U. S. Consul General to France. The brothers thought that the time had come when the resources of Texas should be published to the world for the purpose of bringing immigrants to the State. The knowledge that the eider brother had of Texas, coupled with the literary ability of the younger, induced them to start a semi-monthly paper, "The Texas Herald", which they filled with descriptions of various parts of the State. About one thousand copies of each number were distributed over the Southern and Western States. The articles concerning Texas were freely copied by the newspapers of the South and West, and without doubt attracted many immigrants.

In 1850, at the solicitation of Governor Bell, the printing office was removed to Austin, and a weekly newspaper, "The Southwestern American", was established, being edited by the younger brother, but published jointly. This paper was continued under his management for over three years and was then sold.

Under Bell's administration. the actual claiming by Texas of all the country now called New Mexico originated and caused the passing of the Compromise Measure of 1850, one feature of which was the payment to Texas of ten millions of dollars. Phineas de Cordova's paper ably urged the passage of this measure.

Helped Develop Railroads

"The Southwestern American" started the idea of loaning the school fund and donating a portion of the public lands to aid the building of railroads through Texas. When first mentioned it met with much ridicule. One of the most prominent men of Texas, representing Travis County in the Legislature, especially ridiculed the proposed measure, but at the next election for the Legislature he was defeated by a large majority upon this very issue. The newspaper aid thus given materially facilitated the building of railroads.

Phineas de Cordova always felt proud of these two episodes in his life, but in talking amongst his friends he was careful to say of the latter incident that the honor of originating the measure should be given to Judge George W. Paschal and I. A. Paschal, who suggested that "The American" should advocate the plan and that they would lend their aid, their names being kept secret, which was done.

A Democrat from principle, the paper ever supported its party. For six years Phineas de Cordova was a member of the State Democratic Executive Committee, and during the war was Secretary of the Military Board, then consisting of the F. R. Lubbock who later became Governor, C. R. Johns--later Comptroller, and Cyrus H. Randolph, later Treasurer of the State. He was also Secretary of the State Senate for the 8th, 9th and 10th Legislatures, and was for many years a Notary Public for Travis County, first appointed by P. H. Bell in 1851 and by every other Democratic Governor till 1893. (This information is derived from family records, congregational records, General Land Office and State records at Austin Texas, and from personal acquaintance of the writer with de Cordova's family.)