Lenape
Texas
#### Texas

##### Spanish Texas

The Lenape migrated into Texas in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Elements of the Lenape migrated from Missouri into Texas around 1820, settling around the [Red River](/wiki/Red_River_of_the_South "Red River of the South") and [Sabine River](/wiki/Sabine_River_%28Texas%E2%80%93Louisiana%29 "Sabine River (Texas–Louisiana)"). The Lenape were peaceful and shared their territory in Spanish Texas with the [Caddo](/wiki/Caddo "Caddo") and other immigrating bands, as well as with the Spanish and ever\-increasing American population. This peaceful trend continued after Mexico won their independence from Spain in 1821\.Carol A. Lipscomb, "DELAWARE INDIANS," *[Handbook of Texas Online](/wiki/Handbook_of_Texas_Online "Handbook of Texas Online")* <https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bmd08>, accessed July 8, 2012\. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

##### Mexican Texas

In 1828, Mexican General [Manuel de Mier y Terán](/wiki/Manuel_de_Mier_y_Ter%C3%A1n "Manuel de Mier y Terán") made an inspection of eastern Mexican Texas and estimated that the region housed between 150 and 200 Lenape families. The Lenape requested Mier y Terán to issue them land grants and send teachers, so they might learn to read and write the Spanish language. The general, impressed with how well they had [adapted to the Mexican culture](/wiki/Acculturation "Acculturation"), sent their request to [Mexico City](/wiki/Mexico_City "Mexico City"), but the authorities never granted the Lenape any legal titles.

The situation changed when the [Texas Revolution](/wiki/Texas_Revolution "Texas Revolution") began in 1835\. Texas officials were eager to gain the support of the Texas tribes to their side and offered to recognize their land claims by sending three commissioners to negotiate a treaty. A treaty was agreed upon in February 1836 that mapped the boundaries of Indian lands, but this agreement was never officially ratified by the Texas government.

##### Texas Republic

The Lenape remained friendly after Texas won its independence. [Republic of Texas](/wiki/Republic_of_Texas "Republic of Texas") President [Sam Houston](/wiki/Sam_Houston "Sam Houston") favored a policy of peaceful relations with all tribes. He sought the services of the friendly Lenape, and in 1837, enlisted several Lenape to protect the frontier from hostile western tribes. Lenape scouts joined with Texas Rangers as they patrolled the western frontier. Houston also tried to get the Lenape land claims recognized, but his efforts were met only by opposition.

The next Texan President, Mirabeau B. Lamar, completely opposed all Indians. He considered them illegal intruders who threatened the settlers' safety and lands and issued an order for their removal from Texas. The Lenape were sent north of the Red River into Indian Territory, although a few scattered Lenape remained in Texas.

In 1841, Houston was reelected to a second term as president and his peaceful Indian policy was then reinstated. A [treaty](/wiki/Treaty_of_Bird%27s_Fort "Treaty of Bird's Fort") with the remaining Lenape and a few other tribes was negotiated in 1843 at [Fort Bird](/wiki/Bird%27s_Fort%2C_Texas "Bird's Fort, Texas") and the Lenape were enlisted to help him make peace with the [Comanche](/wiki/Comanche "Comanche"). Lenape scouts and their families were allowed to settle along the Brazos and Bosque rivers in order to influence the Comanche to come to the Texas government for a peace conference. The plan was successful and the Lenape helped bring the Comanches to a treaty council in 1844\.

##### State of Texas

In 1845, the Republic of [Texas](/wiki/Texas "Texas") agreed to annexation by the US to become an American state. The Lenape continued their peaceful policy with the Americans and served as interpreters, scouts, and diplomats for the US Army and the [Indian Bureau](/wiki/Indian_Bureau "Indian Bureau"). In 1847, [John Meusebach](/wiki/John_Meusebach "John Meusebach") was assisted by Jim Shaw (a Lenape), in settling the German communities in the [Texas Hill Country](/wiki/Texas_Hill_Country "Texas Hill Country"). For the remainder of his life, Shaw worked as a military scout in West Texas. In 1848, John Conner (Lenape) guided the [Chihuahua\-El Paso Expedition](/wiki/Chihuahua-El_Paso_Expedition "Chihuahua-El Paso Expedition") and was granted a league of land by a special act of the Texas legislature in 1853\. The expeditions of the map maker Randolph B. Marcy through West Texas in 1849, 1852, and 1854 were guided by [Black Beaver](/wiki/Black_Beaver "Black Beaver") (Lenape).

In 1854, despite the history of peaceful relations, the last of the Texas Lenape were moved by the American government to the [Brazos Indian Reservation](/wiki/Brazos_Indian_Reservation "Brazos Indian Reservation") near [Graham, Texas](/wiki/Graham%2C_Texas "Graham, Texas"). In 1859 the US forced the remaining Lenape to remove from Texas to a location on the [Washita River](/wiki/Washita_River "Washita River") in the vicinity of present [Anadarko, Oklahoma](/wiki/Anadarko%2C_Oklahoma "Anadarko, Oklahoma").


Why was there a shift in policy towards the Lenape between Presidents Houston and Lamar?