Maddie (or Maddie) Quimper (died 16 April 1836) was an American woman who settled in Texas during the 1820s, leading her own colony under Stephen F. Austin. Quimper was one of the first 300 settlers to enter Texas, and she settled down at "Quimper's Ferry" on the Rio Grande River. On 16 April 1836, she was killed by a Mexican Army dragoon during the Texas Revolution.
Biography[]
Quimper in 1821
Maddie Quimper was born in the American South, and she married a widower; she became a stepmother to his son Yancy. In 1821, her husband died of snakebite, and Maddie and Yancey Quimper approached Stephen F. Austin to claim the land along the river in Texas where her husband had died. Austin warned her that Texas was hell for women, but she told him that she was not a turnaround.
Settlement manager[]
Austin gave her full ownership of the land grant of Austin Colony #157 under Mexico, and she decided to settle there, even though the Comanche attacked the settlers. In just a few weeks, the settlement grew, and a ferry was set up to bring in more settlers from the United States. She developed a love for Austin, defending him against people who were angry at him for being more loyal to Mexico than his birth country, America. She would develop a friendship with the mustang catcher Benito Garza, employing him on her ranch; she would also befriend Finlay McNab and his son Otto, forming a community. She refused Garza's offer to marry her, as she was already in love with Austin, refusing a life of wealth in favor of love. However, she would later begin to love Benito Garza, as she was upset about Austin leaving her behind for a meeting in San Felipe. The two of them began a romantic relationship, and they stayed together through the years.
Texas Revolution[]
By 1835, Quimper and Garza were living together in love, but Quimper still considered Austin to be a friend. She was upset when Garza told her that he was going to join the Mexican Army in the face of an impending war with the Texian settlers, and she decided to stay with Austin rather than stay with Garza's sisters and wait for him. She nursed a sick Austin back to health, and she peacefully managed her ferry. However, Austin headed to the ferry to tell her that it needed to be destroyed, as it could be used to ferry Mexican troops; Benito Garza and two Mexican dragoons also arrived to protect the ferry. Quimper drew a gun and attempted to defend herself and Austin, and one of the Mexican dragoons shot her in the chest, with Garza being too late to stop her. Quimper died in the arms of Austin, and Garza told Austin to flee as he buried her on behalf of both of them.