From the discovery of this Island, in 1686, by the French under La Salle, until 1816, it remained unsettled. A few roving Indians occasionally resorted to the western end of the Island for the purpose of fishing, but there were no human habitations on it. As late as 1816, it was covered with a long green grass, on which fed herds of deer. It also abounded in serpents, and was hence called by the pirates of the Gulf Snake Island. In 1816, Don Louis Aury, commodore of the fleet of the Republics of Mexico, Venezuela, La Plata, and New Grenada, consisting of fifteen small vessels, was chosen governor of the province of Texas and Galveston Island. He immediately set out upon a cruise against Spanish commerce, and soon swept from the Gulf the vessels of the mother country. The rich prizes brought into Galveston soon enabled Aury and his little garrison to live handsomely. African slaves were also smuggled into the place, and sold at about one hundred and fifty dollars apiece, and sent across the country into Louisiana. In 1817, it fell into the possession of the celebrated Lafitte, who had for many years been the terror of the Gulf--a man of great accomplishments and of many crimes--who, when the war between England and the United States broke out in 1812, had his headquarters at Barataria in Louisiana, and after refusing to join the British, offered his services to the American Government, was pardoned by the Legislature of Louisiana, and fought bravely at the battle of New Orleans under General Jackson.

After the battle of New Orleans, Lafitte returned to his former occupation, and he and his followers on Galveston Island numbered nearly a thousand men. They were of all nations and languages, and though pretending to be engaged under their distinguished leader as privateers, were actually nothing but pirates. Lafitte was a man of handsome person, winning manners, generous disposition, and had a wonderful influence over his men. He built his town on the ruins of Aury's village--erected a dwelling called the red house, and constructed a fort, a small arsenal and dock-yard. From New Orleans he was supplied with building materials, provisions, and many of the luxuries of life. A "Yankee" boarding-house sprung up, and Galveston soon became a place of many attractions to the wild free-booters of the Gulf. But in 1820, Lafitte and his men committed some acts which brought on him the displeasure of the United States Government, who sent an armed vessel and broke up his establishment. This prince of pirates entertained the captain of the American vessel with great hospitality at the red house. He then assembled his followers, made them an address, supplied them with money, advised them to disperse, and bidding the American officer farewell, sailed out of the Bay and left Galveston forever.

Galveston, in 1822, was again desolate, and for some years it was only visited occasionally by sailors in search of Lafitte's hidden treasures. In 1836, the eastern end of the Island was occupied by some Texas troops under Col. Morgan, who had charge of some Mexican prisoners. Two years after this, when Texas had established its independence, and crowds of strangers commenced coming into the country, the town began to rise in importance. Commerce had sought out the harbor as the best in the young Republic, and responsible merchants began to make it their permanent abode. In 1838, vessels were arriving and departing daily, and the harbor presented the appearance of an Atlantic port. In the first quarter of the year 1840, ninety-two vessels arrived at the port of Galveston.