d. That he built for himself and family a cottage instead of living in

the commodious buildings of the colony with the remainder of the colonists and charged the cost to personal expenses--$1,000.

e. The horses that were lost by theft or death unnecessarily and the carriages and other equipment which soon depreciated in value because of lack of sheds, etc., the poorly constructed houses and other buildings, which would soon have to be replaced--$10,000.

f. The failure of Considerant to pay his own passage and transportation as other colonists had done--$100.

g. Numerous trips from San Antonio to Uvalde for the purchase of land when one or two trips would have been sufficient.

While the above does not convict Considerant of serious mismanagement, it does indicate a lack of system. However, in another place he is charged with using funds without giving any account to the directors, and of entrusting the financial affairs of the colony to dishonest men.[6]

Even though the society owned all its tools, cattle, and other property, there was apparently no method used to check the use of this property until toward the close of 1856, nearly two years after the organization was started. Bussy, who had charge of the equipment, became disgusted and resigned; then Savardan took over the work. He listed all equipment and tools on cards and then numbered each object so he could keep up with all the property belonging to the company. The records of this checking were kept in a large book which he left at La Réunion on his departure therefrom. All the cattle, hogs, and other livestock were also numbered, and a proposal was made that even the colonists themselves should be assigned a number by which their accounts could be checked. All property loaned and assigned to members of the colony had to be checked out and a record of it kept by a young man appointed as caretaker. This scheme apparently worked well and the serious loss of materials which had occurred previously was checked. However, a minor reform such as Savardan made could not revitalize the faulty financial system.[7]

In addition to mismanagement there was downright dishonesty and misapplication of funds. This was especially true in the mismanagement of the restaurant and in the keeping of accounts with individuals of the colony. Savardan stated that Cousin took $98.00 from him which he deposited with the treasurer of the colony for safe-keeping. Others had the same experience. Apparently some one applied to the courts in Dallas for redress, for on July 16, 1857, the Dallas court made inquiry as to the administration. Considerant refused even to attempt a settlement of the accounts and the company sent a Mr. Simonin to La Réunion from New York to audit the accounts. He spent three months in the colony and investigated more than 200 accounts, arranged them satisfactorily, and then turned the business over to another man also sent from New York.

A third reason for the failure of La Réunion was the failure of the Americans to participate in its promotion and settlement. Both Brisbane and Considerant had planned to have as many Americans as Frenchmen in the colony, but there were never more than twenty and perhaps less than a dozen. One colonist tells about Pendleton and Newton, two American carpenters, who joined the colony. They knew nothing about Fourierism and had merely heard about socialism. Their wives wore bloomers, being followers of Mrs. Blummer who advocated freedom of women's dress. Savardan said that he had no objections to bloomers as they were an improvement over the old "hoop skirt" which flew up every time a woman sat down in a carriage. In addition to these four Americans there were only a few others, all of whom had left the colony by September, 1857.

Lack of interest on the part of the Americans might be explained on the grounds of the intense American nationalism of the time, the sad experiences of Peter's Colony, and the "law of reserve" which had caused a very sudden rise in the price of land in the vicinity of La Réunion. After Brisbane's visit and the first flush of excitement and investment, very little attention was paid by Americans to the experiment. The attitude of the Texas newspapers and the total lack of interest, even hostility, of the state legislature, certainly contributed to the failure.

The climate might be cited as a fourth reason for the breakup of the colony. The years 1855-1857 seem to have been unusual years judging from reports of the colonists themselves and of other Texas settlers living in various parts of the state. Considerant reports that the winter 1856-1857 was a very cold one, and was considered by old settlers to have been the coldest in their memory. Another colonist says that there were twenty-three days of ice in January and from February 7 to March 2 the temperature measured an average of fifteen degrees above zero inside the cabins. This statement is supported by Bureau who arrived in La Réunion January 17, 1857, and found the temperature fifteen degrees below zero. The cold brought great suffering to the settlers, especially to women and children living in the poorly built cabins.

When spring came there was no relief. Drought took the place of cold. Springs dried up and the obtaining of water became a serious problem. Crops came up only to wither and die under the blast of dry winds. Cattle had to be driven to the river for water, but there was no water available for the gardens. The farmers found it difficult to raise anything, especially since they refused to follow instructions of the scientific farmers in the colony. Thus, cold weather, drought, and discouragement undermined the morale of the group and one by one the settlers began to disperse.

Nevertheless, after these things are taken into consideration, and all due allowances are made for these factors, there remains the pertinent fact that the colonists could never agree. There were racial divisions, Belgians vs. French, and conflicts arising between individual members. The most severe disagreements were between the leaders rather than in the rank and file. Savardan, the most garrulous and troublesome of the whole group, tells numerous stories about these misunderstandings. He states that Considerant, Rogers, and Raizant made every effort in their power to prevent colonists from coming to La Réunion. Barclay, a Swiss, came to the colony in 1855 with twenty others, all healthy and strong, intending to become permanent settlers. However, because of the attitude of the colonists, especially of Considerant, all except one soon left and established themselves elsewhere. He also wrote about the coming of Santerre and his family. Santerre sold his farm in France and with seven children started to America. They were dumped on the shore near a Houston farm without anyone to guide them, finally reaching the farm after much trouble. There Raizant did everything he could to prevent them from continuing their journey to La Réunion, but without success. When the family did arrive at La Réunion, Cousin tried to make them leave by the use of sarcasm.[8]

Once when Savardan accused Cousin of forgery of a document which placed him in control of the colony, Cousin threatened to place Savardan in prison, whereupon Savardan immediately withdrew into the house and challenged Cousin to enter, at the same time reminding him of the American law which gave a man the right to protect his own home. After considerable trouble the two men were quieted and the incident passed without any serious results.

Several times, near riots occurred when the men of the colony met to discuss various complaints, those concerning wages especially. Sometimes these disturbances would be ended by the appointment of a committee to consider the matter, after which very little was done--in fact, nothing could be done, as the company had no resources with which to pay nor to make good losses which had occurred. These continual bickerings would have destroyed the colony had nothing else entered the situation to hasten the end. Finally, no socialistic experiment could have been a success under frontier conditions in Texas. The doctrine of Utopian Socialism is a system which deals with industrial conditions and could hardly be applicable to the agrarian frontier. In addition, the capitalistic system had greater rewards to offer individual efforts than did the Utopian social dream.

Thus, a fantastic plan of a French socialist colony came to an end, wrecked upon the individualistic tendencies and weaknesses of its membership. Texas has been made richer culturally by the attempts of these dreamers to better conditions and transform the society in which they lived, even though no economic gain came to these individuals.

APPENDIX

A. Partial List of Settlers

This list has been compiled from all the bibliographical data used in this research, including the census report of 1850 and 1860. There are doubtless duplications since no effort has been made to check transfer of a son or daughter from a family list to a new family by marriage, etc. American reporters of that time and writers of a later date were not accurate in spelling French names. A careful check of names has been made on tombstones in the Old French Cemetery. Many times names were found such as "Dumirel" with no first name and no further appearance. In this case the name was listed just as it appeared. This list is not complete but it contains more names than any other list known at this time. The symbol (S) has been used where the spelling or listing is different but evidently of the same family. The most helpful list and the most complete is by Eloise Santerre contained in her thesis, _Réunion ... with a Biographical Dictionary of the Settlers_. She also identifies each settler wherever possible.

Achard, E. Allen, John Amyard Baer, two sisters Baer, Gaspard, wife and four children Bar, wife and son Barbeau Barbier, Alexander, wife, children: Alexis and François Barbot Barret, Francois Begnier Belinger Bernard, wife and mother-in-law Bessand, wife, son and daughter Besseraux Besseron, Adel Billard, wife and son Blot Boger Boll, Henry, wife Elizabeth, children: Henrietta, Lizatte, Mrs. Ernest Arnold, Charles, and Jacob Boll (S) Henry, wife Elizabeth, children: Ann and Minnie, (relative) Lena Boll, Henry, Sr. Bollanger Bonneville Bossereau, Abel Bossereau, Catherine Bouge and wife Boulay, Dominique, wife Isabelle, son Adolphine, sister, niece Boulay, Francois (uncle of Dominique), children: Domine K. and Adolphe Boulay, J. F., wife, daughter Louise Bourgeois, Lucien and wife Louise Boyer Brison Brisson Brisot, Pere Brochier, A., wife Brochier, O. (brother of A. Brochier) Brochier, P. Brunet, Eugene (brother of Joseph Brunet) Brunet, Joseph, Father Bucher Bureau, Allyre, wife, three sons and daughter Alice Burki, Emil Bussey Candie, daughter Cantagrel, Francois Jean, wife, children: Simon and Josephine Capy, Charles, wife Notiva, (seven children): Mrs. Segarri, Alfred Carpenter, Noel, wife and daughter Chamboard, wife and daughter Charpentier, Joseph, wife Elizabeth and children: Joseph Alfred, and Nativa Charron Chavennes Christian, M. Christophe, Henry Cillard, Jules Coiret, Francois, wife, (two daughters): Mathilde Coleman, Louis Colin, Denis Colm, Francois Come, Sebastien Considerant, Francois, wife, daughter and three sons Considerant, Victor Prosper Corne Cousin, Vincent Cretien, Athanase, wife Augastine, children: George and Emil Crisset, Josephine Dailly, Abel, wife Catherine Daly, Ceaser Danderet Debray De Guelles Deiterall Dellard, wife, son and two daughters Delasseau, Michel, wife Amelee, children: Angele and Anatole DeLord, Alphonse, wife, son and two daughters Derigni, wife and son Destnet, Henri, wife and daughter Marie Despart, Henry Dessau, Mlle. De Vry Dillard, wife, son and two daughters Divion Doderet Doelly, Abel Dominique Drevet Droxal Dumirel Desseau Duterall Duythoya, Tristan, daughter Enginard, (Enginaid) Ettienne, wife Eymar Farine, Nicholas, wife Jeannette, (second wife) Miss Mills, son Albert Ferguson Forette, Antoine Franchot Frishot, Achille Frishot, Desire Christophe, wife Susan, children: Laura, Henrietta, and Bertha Frishot, (S) Christopher Desire, wife, two daughters and two sons Frishot, D., (S) wife Susana, daughter Laura, (relatives) Pere, D., and Hershel Frishot, Leontine (perhaps daughter of Phillip) Frishot, Pierre Philip, wife Marie Adeld Simmonett, children: Achille and Leontine Frick, Heinrich, wife Barbara, children: Adolph, Otto, and Henry Frique Gaudel, Mlle. Gaudel, daughter Giard, Pierre, three sons: Pierre, Joseph and Francois Girard, Francois (S) Girard, Pierre (S) Godelle, Mlle. Goetsels, (Goodseels) John, wife Lucine, children: Philip, Colette, Clemence, and Jennie Goetsel, Philip (son of John Goetsel) Goetseed, (Goodseels) (S) Lucine, children: Philip, Colette, Clemenie, Jennie, Ana, Lena, and Jean Gordia Goudsill, wife, son and three daughters Gouffre, A. J., wife and son Gouhenans (perhaps not a member of colony) Grimot, Pierre Grisset, Pierre, wife Josephine, daughter Marie Grisset, (S) Josephine and daughter Guerin Guillemet, August, wife Marie E., children: Angelle, Alexandrine and Augustine Guillemet, (S) Auguste, wife Marie, children: Angel, Augustine, Alfred, and Amen Guillemet, Augustine (daughter of Auguste) Guiller Guillot, August and wife (son of Maxime) Guillot, Maxime, wife Mary, son August Guillot, Remy Guyot, Remy, wife and son Gusman Haeck Haize, Jules Henry, (Henri) Paul R., wife, children: Paul, Rene, Marie and Asea Henry (S) Hetten, F. T. Heymens, F. T., A and V. (relatives) Hitten, Gustavus Joffre, Christophre Jones, Samuel S., wife Louisa, daughter Guillilmine Knopfli, Jacob, wife Barbara, daughter Elizabeth Lagogae, Jean Baptiste, son and daughter Lang, Benjamin, wife Eugenia, children: Mrs. Louis F. Rick, Mrs. F. Rick, and Mrs. Anna Lotzinhiser Lanotte, Jules, wife Josephine, children: Jules and Alice Lanotte, (Lonet), (S) Alexander, wife Lassagne Lavinge Leinhardt, George Le Pere, Lagogue Leray Lescrenier, (Le Lecrenier) Lesonier Long, Ben Lord, M. D. Louckx, John B., wife Mary, second wife Louisa, (seven children): Mrs. Thomas B. Matney, Mrs. Willard Boyer, Minnie, and Marie Louckx, Mrs. Louisa Lenison (S), (perhaps wife) Louis, Louis, wife Margaret Loupot, Francois Loupot, Jean, wife Rosina, children: Rosina, John, Ema, Maxime, and Emile Loupot, John McDelore, Aut., wife Augustine, Jennie Maguet Manduce, John Manduel, John (S) Mansion, Emanuel, wife Jeannie Marins Marius, Antoine, accompanied by brother Marold Mayrus Michel, Ferdinand, wife Salomee Migoureaux Mique Monduel, Jean, wife, daughter Julia Monpate, two sons and daughter Morize Moulard, Mrs. Jean, daughter Julia Moulard, John, wife, daughter and son Naton, (Newton) Nicholas Nusbaimer, Robert Jacques Nussbaimer, (S) Jacob, wife Dorothes, children: Mary and Theodore Pascal Peier, Jacob Peier, Jean Peloux, wife and daughter Pendleton Perison Petit, wife, son and daughter Pierquet Pierson Pimpare, (Pinpare), Rene, wife Isabelle Potevin, (Poitevin), Guillome, wife Anna Dusseau Priot, (Prict), Jean, wife Leontine, children: Ernest, Ernestine, and two other sons Protat, (Prota), Antoine, wife and two daughters Prunet, Joseph Quinet, Nicholas, wife children: Ledre and Matilde Raijan Raizant, (Raizen), (S) Regnoir Reinhardt, George Remond, Emile, wife Cesarine Renier Reverchon, Jacque Maximilien Reverchon, Julian Maximilien, children: Julien and Louise Roger, (Rogers) Rose, Jules, wife and son Rouby Royer, Julius, wife and son Royer, (S) Joseph Santerre, (Saunterre), Francois, wife Marie, children: Apploinaire, Cesarne, German, Luce, Emmanuel, Raphael, and Gustave Santerre, (Saunterre), Germane (son of Francois) Santerre, (Saunterre), Gustave (son of Francois) Savardan, Dr. Augustin Scherer Sellier Steere Stiffel Taupin Thevenet, Michel, wife, children: Marie, Charles, Henry, and Philip Thivnet, Bessare, wife and daughter Toidevin, wife Tourneville Tuillot, (Teulot), R., wife and son Vacher, Alexandrine, wife and daughter Vaizian Valentine Vanderbosch, (Van Den Bosch), Guillam (William J.), wife Collet Vardack Vigoureaux, Madame Clarisse, daughter Vilmain Vogel Voirin, Charles, wife and two sons Voision, Pierre Van Grinderbeck, Guilliame (William), wife Clemence Van Grinderbeck, Louis Vreidag, Rudolph Wealms, John, wife Barbara, daughter and two sons Wealms, (S) John, wife Barbara, children: Clemantine and John H., (relative) Dominic Willemain Willemet, F. L., wife and two daughters Willis, wife, daughter and two sons Willdme, Richard Witiker Yeuch

B. PLAN OF THE PHALANSTERY

C. ACTS INCORPORATING THE COLONY