The Fearless Fifty-Nine, James Power

James Power was the 48 year old Refugio representative. Power emigrated from Ireland in 1809. He was a merchant for twelve years in New Orleans before moving to Mexico in 1821. There he formed a partnership with James Hewetson. They created the Power and Hewetson colony, a colony along the Texas Coast with 200 Catholic families, half Mexican and half Irish (the first Irish to settle in Texas). During the Convention, he helped convince others to seat Sam Houston and was on the committee that drafted the Constitution. He was sent to New Orleans to raise supplies for the Texas Army after the Convention. In 1837, Power founded Aransas City (present day Aransas County) where he opened a mercantile and post office, built a wharf, and established a customs operation. He was also the mayor of the town for a year in 1839. By 1840 though, the town ceased to exist. He was a representative in the Texas Congress from 1837 to 1838 and towards the end of his life was a delegate to the Convention of 1845. He married Dolores de la Portilla and then her sister Tomasita after Dolores died. He had seven children between his two wives.