Even today these permanent funds are growing as a result of oil and other mineral development on State-owned lands. As a result, the public school systems and higher education in Texas will continue developing in a manner befitting the Lone Star State.
Thus, the history of Texas land is still being written.
The disposal of land within the present boundaries of Texas constitutes an interesting segment of the State’s history.
The disposition of these lands actually began while they were still part of Spain’s colonial empire. In the areas around Nacogdoches, San Antonio, and the Rio Grande Valley, Spain gave away a few very large tracts of land. When Mexico obtained her independence, she granted title to other large areas in Texas. The means by which Mexico disposed of these lands were three: sale, special grants, and empresario contracts. The most famous of the last of these was the contract with Moses and Stephen F. Austin. The total number of acres granted by Spain and Mexico approximated 26,250,000.
When Texas earned her independence, she recognized the legitimacy of titles to land granted by Spain and Mexico. In addition, Texas set about disposing of more land.
In general, Texas parted with land in three ways. She gave some away, traded other for services, and sold some.
Land given away was designed to encourage immigration, reward good citizens and veterans of military service, encourage settlement and improvement of land, help the growth of railroads and other internal improvements, and foster development of educational systems.
Texas traded more than 3,000,000 acres of land for the construction of a state capitol building.
There was but one reason to sell land, and that was important: to pay debts of the State.
Grants of land were given numerous names, depending upon the purpose of the grant. HEADRIGHTS were to encourage immigration and reward native citizens. BOUNTIES and DONATIONS were given to men who had fought with the Army of the Republic during the Texas Revolution. PRE-EMPTIONS (or HOMESTEADS) were given in the late 1850’s to encourage families to settle permanently on and to improve a plot of land. CONFEDERATE SCRIP rewarded Texas veterans who had fought for the Confederacy. CONTRACTOR SCRIP was given for construction of railroads and other internal improvements. Two other classes of scrip were sold: TOBY SCRIP, named for the man who sold it; and SALES SCRIP; these were designed to help pay the public debt. Land granted without any particular designation was that given to public schools, counties, The University of Texas, and eleemosynary institutions to use in developing an educational system.