Charles Stillman
| Charles Stillman | |
|---|---|
| Born |
November 4, 1810 Wethersfield, Connecticut |
| Died | December 18, 1875 (aged 65) New York, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Founder of Brownsville, Texas |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Pamela Goodrich |
| Children | James Stillman |
| Parent(s) | Francis Stillman Harriet Robbins |
Charles Stillman (November 4, 1810 – December 18, 1875) was the founder of Brownsville, Texas, and was part owner of a successful river boat company on the Rio Grande.
He was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, United States, to Capt. Francis Stillman and Harriet Stillman (née Robbins). In 1828, he arrived in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico and established himself as an entrepreneur. He was involved in cotton brokerage and real estate in addition to silver mines in Nuevo León and Tamaulipas.
Before the Mexican–American War the United States government was looking to build a permanent fort along the Rio Grande. Charles Stillman, having a deed to the land, offered to lease it to the government to build a fort on. This land was part of the Espiritu Santo land grant, but due to a complication involving the owners not listing the land with the Mexican or Texas government a land dispute ensued which reached the Supreme Court.
Charles Stillman founded Brownsville, Texas, on January 13, 1849, around the same time as the establishment of Fort Brown. The land, which was less than a mile from the fort, was also disputed. Stillman had bought large pieces of land north and northeast of Matamoros from the heirs of José Narciso Cavazos. Stillman offered the Cavazos family $33,000 for their land even though it was worth $214,000. The Cavazos family accepted the offer to avoid paying legal fees. However, Stillman never paid the Cavazos family the $33,000 for the land. Since the land belonged to the heirs of his second marriage. This was one of the reasons the Cortina Wars happened.
Charles Stillman started a transport company with Miflin Kenedy and Richard King after the Mexican–American War, under the name of King, Kenedy and Co. The transport company bought up the Government's surplus steam boats which were used to ferry U.S. forces across the Rio Grande. King, Kenedy and Co. gained a monopoly over river trade until former business partners of Stillman, King and Kenedy's José San Román and John Young started their own river boat venture. Profits were still very high for Kenedy, King and Co. despite competition.
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