2007 December Signature Texana Auction

Merriwether Lewis, William Clark and Thomas Jefferson: Message from the President of the United States, Communicating Discoveries Made in Exploring the Missouri, Red River and Washita, by Captains Lewis and Clark, Doctor Sibley, and Mr. Dunbar; with a Statistical account of the Countries Adjacent. February 19, 1806. Read, and ordered to lie on the table. (City of Washington: A. & G. Way, Printers, 1806). First edition, there is no indication if this is the house or Senate issue. Howes suggest this is earlier than the Senate issue. Octavo (8" x 5"). 171 pages plus 7 pages Meteorological Observations. With the large folding map titled: Map of the Washita River in Louisiana (33" x 8"), and with two folding charts. Quarter calf back over marbled boards, with a red morocco spine lettering label. Lightly rubbed around edges, sheets a bit foxed and browned, bookplate. A handsome, near fine copy. Housed in a custom full green morocco clamshell case, lettered in gilt on the spine.
"Jefferson's Message, read in Congress on February 19, 1806, became the first separate publication of information from the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It prints a long letter from Lewis and a detailed table providing data about each Indian nation that Lewis and Clark had met or learned about. Other reports were also included from John Sibley (1757-1837), a physician who had settled in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and began sending geographical information to officials in Washington about 1803, and William Dunbar (1749-1810), a Scottish-born scientist who emigrated to America in 1771 and settled in Mississippi; he was commissioned by Jefferson to explore the Ouachita (Washita) and Red River valleys. The original edition of Jefferson's Message and companion reports was published in Washington, D.C. in a quantity of only one-thousand copies. These were rapidly consumed..." -American Journeys.
Streeter notes that "Two letters by Dr. Sibley, one on the Indian tribes of Texas and the other an account of the Red River and the adjacent country, seem to be the first accounts of Texas in book form." The extremely rare large map by Nicholas King is of the lower trans-Mississippi, taken from Dunbar's survey. The Sibley-Dunbar descriptions of the Texas-Louisiana frontier gave the first formal and satisfactory picture of the southern portion of the Louisiana Purchase. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1038: "with exceedingly rare map. Only seven copies with map known."

1812 Letter from the Spanish Regency to Americanos in Texas. Rare printed Document Signed in type "Joaquin de Mosquera y Figueroa" in Spanish, three pages, 8" x 11.75", conjoined, front and verso Cádiz, January 23, 1812. In 1808, Napoleon had proclaimed his brother Joseph Napoleon as King of Spain. In 1810, the Cortés, the Spanish parliament, met at Cádiz to govern in the name of King Ferdinand VII. In his works, Spanish writer Manuel Josef Quintana defended Spain's colonial system and her empire. The first volume of his "Vidas de Españoles célebres," containing lives of Spanish patriots, stirred the Spanish people and secured Quintana the post of secretary to the Cortés. Quintana wrote a series of manifestos to the Americans in Spanish America, the last dated January 23, 1812. This document, on laid paper, addressed to "Americanos," was written by Quintana for Joaquin de Mosquera y Figueroa, President of the Regency, on Mosquera's second day in office. It was distributed throughout Spanish America in areas in which Americans resided. He thanks them for their aid [in the Peninsular War against the French], and encourages them to continue supporting Spain, the Mother Country, stating that their loyalty will not go without appropriate recompense. This beautifully written declaration promotes unity and brotherhood, stressing faithfulness to the Spanish Constitution. At the time, there was growing unrest in Mexico against Spanish rule. In December 1811 an envoy of Mexican rebels had traveled to Washington, D.C., hoping to secure United States support for the antiroyalist cause. There were Americans living in Texas and across the borders in the United States who favored U.S. rule of Texas. Mosquera tells Americans not to listen to their enemies who incite discord, but rather to work toward the freedom that they were destined for. In the last paragraph he closes by reinforcing his call to unity and brotherhood and encouraging them to "unite [their] forces in order to throw off the disgraceful yoke that [their] invaders attempt to impose on [them]" and to follow the way that leads to immortality. Joaquin de Mosquera y Figueroa was replaced as Regency president on June 15th, just five months later. When Ferdinand VII returned to the throne, he had Quintana imprisoned at Pamplona from 1814 to 1820. A few light stains at upper edge of first page. A remarkable document in very fine condition.

[Louis François L'Héritier]: Le Champ-D'Asile, Tableau Topographique et Historique du Texas, Contenant des Détails sur le Sol, le Climat et les Productions de cette contrée; des Documens authentiques sur l'organisation de la Colonie des Réfugiés français; des Notices sur ses principaux fondateurs; des Extraits de leurs proclamations et autres actes publics: suivi de Lettres écrites par des Colons a quelque-uns de leurs compatriots. (Publié au profit des Réfugiés.). Par L.F. LH.....(de l'Ain), l'un des Auteurs des Fastes de la Gloire. (Paris, l'Advocat, Libraire...., 1819). First edition. Octavo. viii, 247 pages. Contemporary to mid-nineteenth-century quarter calf over pastepaper boards, calf lettering label. Binding rubbed and worn, with joints starting at the top and bottom, leather spine label chipped with the loss of a couple of letters. Sheets are browned and with a few small stains, but still supple and bright. Last two leaves a bit tattered at the edges. Housed in a custom clamshell case of quarter brown morocco over marbled boards, spine in compartments with five raised A rare record of the abortive colony of Napoleonic loyalists established in Texas in 1818. Along with accounts by Hartmann & Millard and the anonymous "C.D.," this work comprises one of the three chief publications on the colony. The French group, under Gen. C.F.A. Lallemand, landed at Galveston in January 1818 and attempted to establish a colony on the Trinity River. The effort failed that summer, and the remainder of the starving colonists retreated to New Orleans. Despite its short life, the colony was the center of an important episode in the maneuvering for control of Texas between Spain, the United States, and the not yet independent state of Mexico. The French settlers dreamed of establishing a new Napoleonic empire in the New World, and with more support they might have succeeded. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1072. "The book is a fanciful and idealized account of the Champ d'Asile...Chapter XII gives an extensive account of the laws said to have been adopted by the colonists, and at pages 44-47 is the text of the Manifesto of May 11, 1818. Chapters II-IX are mostly an account of Texas...." - Streeter. Raines page 109. Graff 2487. Sabin 95072.

L. Hartmann & Millard: Le Texas, ou notice historique sur le Champ d'Asile, Comprenant tout ce qui s'est passé depuis la formation jusqu' àla dissolution de cette Colonie, les causes qui l'ont amenée, et la liste de tous les Colons Français, avec des renseiguemens utiles à leurs familles, et le plan du camp, DÉDIÉ A MESSIEURS LES SOUSCRIPTEURS en favour des Réfugiés; Par MM. Hartmann et Millard. (A Paris: Chez Béguin, et al, Juin 1819). First Edition. Twelvemo (8.5" x 5.25"). Illustrated with folding engraved frontispiece plan of fort: Champ D'Asile (6.5" x 9.5"). ix [x] [11] 12-135 pages. Attractively bound in marbled paper wrappers, printed paper spine label. Housed in a handsome custom quarter red morocco over red cloth clamshell case, the spine in compartments with five raised bands and lettered in gilt. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Basic Texas Books 85: "Best contemporary account of the ill-fated colony of Napoleonic refugees in Texas. Of the four accounts by contemporaries, Thomas W. Streeter calls this one 'an indispensable source and by far the best of the group.' Besides giving an eyewitness account of one of the most fascinating events in Texas history, it includes much valuable information on Texas during a period that still remains historically clouded. Lallemand, in founding Champ d'Asile near present-day Liberty, intended to start a massive French colony which might ultimately begin a movement to win the throne of Mexico for Joseph Bonaparte. The group of about 150 colonists landed at Galveston on January 14, 1818, and sailed up the Trinity River on March 20 to build their colony. Attempts were made to make peace with Jean Laffite, whose pirate band was then operating out of Galveston. When the Spanish governor of Texas sent a force against the colonists, they abandoned the settlement in late July and retreated to Galveston. They were saved from starvation by Laffite, who helped them get to New Orleans. Although attempts were made to renew the colony, the project languished." Eberstadt 162:386: "Streeter calls the book... the most sought after of those 'relating to that colorful episode in Texas history.'" Fifty Texas Rarities 6. Howes H270. Monaghan 792. Rader 1807. Raines, page 109. Sabin 30706. Streeter 1069: "This is the second of three books relating to Champ d'Asile published in Paris in 1819.... Le Texas, which is in the form of two diaries, the first at pages [11]-111 by Hartmann and the second, at pages 112-132, by Millard, is the only one of the three to give a brief but more or less consecutive account of the founding of the colony, the life there, the retreat to Galveston, and the dispersal of the colonists to the four winds." Ron Tyler, in his preliminary research on nineteenth-century lithographs of Texas notes the four earliest lithographs of Texas (all of which relate to Champ d'Asile) were created in 1818.

L. Hartmann & Millard: Le Texas, ou notice historique sur le Champ d'Asile, Comprenant tout ce qui s'est passé depuis la formation jusqu' àla dissolution de cette Colonie, les causes qui l'ont amenée, et la liste de tous les Colons Français, avec des renseiguemens utiles à leurs familles, et le plan du camp, DÉDIÉ A MESSIEURS LES SOUSCRIPTEURS en favour des Réfugiés; Par MM. Hartmann et Millard. (A Paris: Chez Béguin, et al, Juin 1819). First Edition, signed by author Hartmann and publisher Béguin on the certification statement (verso of half-title). Twelvemo (8.25" x 5"). Illustrated with folding engraved frontispiece plan of fort: Champ D'Asile (6.5" x 9.5"). ix [x] [11-12] 13-135 pages. Handsomely bound in modern quarter navy-blue straight-grain morocco over marbled boards, spine lettered and ruled in gilt. Expert restoration (some leaves and plate neatly reinforced and cleaned).

Reference: Basic Texas Books 85.

General Colonization Law of Mexico - January 4, 1823. Decree of the Junta Nacional Instituyente. [Mexico] [1823] With heading on p.1: PRIMERA SECRETARIA DE ESTADO. SECCION DE GOBIERNO. Four-page folder, printed on all sides. 8" x 11.5". Approved by Iturbide on January 4, 1823, and promulgated by José Manuel de Herrera the same day. Signed "Herrera" in print at end.

As referenced by Streeter (688), in the summer of 1822 Emperor Iturbide and the Mexican Congress were at odds, so much so that with little warning, Iturbide dissolved the body on October 31. A few days later he assembled the Junta Nacional Instituyente, consisting of 45 members of the old congress that were loyal to Iturbide. It was this reformed congress that passed the colonization bill that was ultimately signed into law of January 4, 1823.

This is a public notice announcing the official adoption of the general colonization law of January 4, 1823, considered by Streeter (694) to be "one of the fundamental laws relating to Texas." Acting under its directive, Iturbide granted Austin's petition to establish a colony in Texas (February 18, 1823). Although Iturbide was later overthrown, the subsequent Congress confirmed Austin's colonization claim on April 11, 1823. Document is protected in a red half-calf folder with marbled boards and gilt lettering. Creamy age toning gives this pristine document extra appeal. In very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 694

[Broadside] A Los Filantropicos Sin Ambicion, 1823 , one page, 14.5" x 21". (San Antonio, Texas: George Asbridge, Printer, April 18, 1823.) Ornamental lettering and decorations, three columns. Headed "A Los/Filantropicos/Sin Ambicion./Noticia de lo Acaécido en Bexar/el dia 15 de Abril, de 1823" [To Public Minded Citizens of Good Will. An Account of a Meeting in San Antonio de Bexar, the 15th of April, 1823]. This broadside, presenting a plan for the first Republican form of Government in Texas, is listed as imprint number six in Thomas W. Streeter's Bibliography of Texas, 1795-1845. It is so rare that Streeter never saw one to include in the first edition of his bibliography (which he listed as a "ghost" imprint, deducing its existence from a reference in a letter in the Bexar Archives at the University of Texas). When Archibald Hanna revised and updated Streeter's Bibliography of Texas in 1983, he found an example of this broadside at the Bancroft Library at the University of California in Berkeley. This is the only other one known to exist! Translated from the Spanish, the broadside begins: "The Señor Don José Felix Tréspalacios, Governor of Texas, after having convened an illustrious town council, [including] the military, the clergy, and a great number of distinguished citizens and people, in the Town Hall of this City, proposes, in consideration of the critical circumstances in which the Mexican Empire finds itself, two plans: one for the organization of the Federal Republic, and the other for the Abolition of Cruel Warfare in America...Every government which does not have for its foundation equality and liberty for each and every one of its citizens in the nation, is illusory..." The first two of ten organizational provisions: "1. A provincial governmental junta will be formed, to handle the economic and political issues of this Province, and will be composed of the individuals from the Town Council of this City, since they have been legitimately chosen by the people, and two representatives from Bahia del Espiritu Santo, one from Colorado, one from Brazos, and another from Nacogdoches. 2. The three guarantees of religion, independence and union will be sustained as the fundamental bases of a Republican form of government." Shortly after printing this broadside, Asbridge sold his press to the Mexican government and the press was moved to Monterrey, Mexico. Streeter cites Texas bibliographer Winkler as saying "the type of man who brings type to Texas in 1823 like that used in the Bexar imprints was no ordinary printer." The bill that Asbridge submitted for printing for the government has survived in the Bexar Archives; each printing was limited to 20 copies, which would include this broadside. Tréspalacios was Governor of Texas from August 17, 1822 to April 17, 1823, leaving office two days after the meeting was held in Bexar. Under his administration Austin's Colony was divided into the Brazos and the Colorado districts. Soiled in areas with several small wormholes, partially split at folds expertly repaired on verso. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 6

[Broadside] Rare Decree Reinstalling in Monterey the Legislature of Nuevo Reyno de Leon, Coahuila, and Tejas. Mexico: April 22, 1823. With heading: Primera Secretaria de Estado. Sesion de Gobierno. One page. Imperial Octavo. Print signature by Alaman. Decree of the Soberano Congreso [Sovereign Mexican Constituent Congress] passed April 19, 1823, approved by the Supremo Poder Ejecutivo [Supreme Executive Power] April 21, and promulgated on April 22 by Lucas Alaman, reinstalling in Monterey the diputacion provincial (legislative body/province delegation) of Nuevo Reyno de Leon, Coahuila, and Texas.

Less than two weeks prior to this decree, on April 8, the congress issued an order exiling Emperor Iturbide to Italy. It declared "that all acts of the government from the 19th May to the 29th March last are illegal, and subject to the revision of the present government, which may confirm or revoke them." Iturbide had approved an identical decree providing for the provincial deputation at Monterrey on February 25 (see Streeter 695). In this decree the Soberano Congreso confirms this action and states that the individuals chosen to represent each of the three provinces would remain. This was the first decree to be issued by the provisional government regarding Coahuila and Texas, following the termination of Iturbide's empirical reign. Green half-calf case with gilt lettering. Minor age toning, else fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 696.

[Broadside] Melchor Muzquiz: Decree to Establish Constitutional Legislatures of the Three Newly Formed States. 12" x 17", with an irregular left margin. Dated "México 7 de Febero [sic] de 1824" and signed Melchor Muzquiz, Fernando Navarro, Secretario. With heading: "El ciudadano Melchor Muzquiz. Coronel de ejército, Teniente Coronel Mayor de Nacionales de infanteria de esta capital, y Gefe superior politico de su provincia."

In part: "Law to establish the constitutional Legilatures of the States, Internal State of the West composed of the Provinces of Sinaloa and Sonora, Internal State of the North, composed of the Provinces of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, Durango y Nuevo Mexico, and Internal State of the East composed of the Provinces of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Texas..." The decree then goes on to delineate the process of elections and governing rule of the newly formed states.

This law, promulgated Feb. 4, 1824 by Juan Guzman, combines eight of the nine former Internal Provinces into three new states. Texas, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila are to form the Internal State of the East, with its capital at Monterrey. Nuevo Leon and Coahuila are each to elect five and Texas one member of the constituent legislature to meet at Monterrey. Possibly as a result of the violent opposition of Nuevo Leon, the new state never came into being. Three months later, by the law Decree No. 45 of May 16, 1824 Nuevo Leon became a separate state and Coahuila and Texas were combined as another.


Reference: Streeter 701.1

[Broadside]: Original Issue of a Decree to Establish Constitutional Legislatures of the Three Newly Formed States. Folio broadsheet printed on front and back, 7.75" x 11" inches. Mexico. Feb. 4, 1824, signed in print at the end by Juan Guzman. This is the original issue of the decree listed as lot 56009, and is not in Streeter. [With heading:] Primera Secretaria de Estado. Seccion de Gobierno. In part: "Law to establish the constituent legislatures of the states, internal Western Provinces composed of Sinaloa and Sonora, internal Northern Provinces composed of Chihuahua, Durango and New Mexico, and internal Eastern Provinces composed of Ccoahuila, Nuevo Leon and Texas. . . " Dated "Mexico 4 de Febeero [sic] de 1824" at the end. Dark toning band across center, chipping long both margins, affecting a few lines of text. from the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Circular] Decree No. 45 of the Sovereign Constituent General Congress, forming the states of Nuevo Leon and Coahuila and Texas. [Mexico]. [1824]. With heading: Primera Secretaria de Estado, Seccion de Gobierno. Four-page folder printed on first [2] pages. Octavo. Passed May 7, 1824 and ordered circulated by Miguel Dominguez, President of the Supremo Poder Ejecutivo, on May 16, 1824; promulgated the same day by Lucas Alamán, with his rubric.

Although the Federal Constitution of the Republic of Mexico was not adopted until October 4, 1824, the Constitutive Act of the Mexican Confederation containing the general provisions concerning the states of the confederation became effective January 31 of that year. This decree joined the previously separate states of Coahuila and Texas, and provided that when Texas attained sufficient population it should be granted separate statehood. This is one of the fundamental laws relating to Texas and served as a foundation document for Texas independence.

One of its provisions was that the new state should have a legislature of eleven members, one of whom should be elected in Texas. Erasmo Sequin, who had been the deputy from Texas in the National Congress, now represented the new state of Coahuila and Texas in that congress, together with Ramos Arizpe. The first congress of the new conjoined state, known as the Constituent Congress, met in Saltillo in August 1824. The constitution of Coahuila and Texas was not adopted until March 11, 1827, and the first law passed by the Constitutional Congress of the state became effective July 4, 1827. Half-morocco case with gilt lettering. In fine condition and very desirable! From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 702. Eberstadt 162:10. Coleccion de Ordenes, Vol. III, p. 46.; Dublan, Vol. I, No. 403, p. 706.

The Federal Constitution of the Mexican United States sanctioned by the Congreso General Constituyentye, the 4 of October of 1824, 62 pages, 3.5" x 6". Imprenta del Supremo Gobierno de los Estados-unidos Mexicanos, en Palacio. [1824] Not in Streeter. Woodcut vignette on title page. Signed "José Paulino/Alvarado" on first flyleaf. The 12 page Acta constitutiva de la Federacion Mexicana, is added at the end, with its own title page. The "Acta constitutive," establishing the provisional government and outlining the federal system on which it was based, operated from January 31 to October 4, 1824, when superseded by the Constitution. Contemporary tree sheep (extremities worn), flat spine gilt (defective at head), covers with gilt fillet borders. "Jose Paulino/Alvarado" stamped in gilt on lettering piece on front cover. Very good condition. Housed in a custom clamshell case with the spine in six compartments with five raised bands, lettered in gilt, "Constitucion Federal de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos/Mexico 1824." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Broadside] Mexico: Primera Secretaria de Estado, Seccion de Gobierno; Oct. 17, 1825.
Manuel Gomez Pedraza; Primera Secretaria De Estado Seccion De Gobierno...Se Habilitan Provisionalmente El Puerto De Galvezton. It is believed that Stephen Austin himself prompted the Mexican government to create a provisional port at Galveston, and to build a customhouse with a garrison for protection. As noted by Streeter: "This action of the Federal Congress was perhaps brought about by a communication of Stephen F. Austin to the Congress of Coahuila and Texas dated February 4, 1825 (Austin Papers, Vol. I, Part 2, p.1036-1037), strongly advocating the opening of Galveston as a port free of duties. As early as May 2, 1825, the opening of the port was discussed in the Federal Senate (Austin Papers, Vol. I, Part 2, p.1086) and finally this decree of the Federal Congress became law on October 17. It states very briefly in sections one and two that Galveston is provisionally established as a port and that a custom house will be located there. Section Three states that the government will as soon as possible assemble the necessary data for fixing the permanent location of the port." Half-calf case with marbled boards and gilt lettering on the spine. Very good to fine condition. Excellent Texana piece; extremely rare.

Reference: Streeter 705. Eberstadt 162:333. Not in Dublan nor on OCLC. Coleccion de Ordenes IV, p.6.

[Broadside] Bando Printing of an Act Opening Galveston as a Free Port. Manuel Gomez Pedraza. One page folio, 8" x 12.5", Mexico, Oct. 20, 1825. Titled: "El Ciudadano Francisco Molinos Del Campo, Gobernador del Distrito Federal. . ." In part: "By the first Secretary of State and by the Dispatch, the following decree has been communicated. Our Excellency, President of the United States of Mexico has directed the following: 1. The Port of Galveston has been opened provisionally. 2. A maritime customs house shall be located there. 3. The government, will gather all of the information necessary as quickly as possible to determine the permanent location in which to place said port." Signed, in type, at the conclusion by Luis Lozano as Secretary. Printed on verso are official seals and headings that read (in Spanish): "Third Seal two reales years one thousand eight hundred fourteen and fifteen"; indicating that printer has used 'official' stamped paper.
Streeter: "This action of the Federal Congress was perhaps brought about by a communication of Stephen F. Austin to the Congress of Coahuila and Texas dated February 4, 1825 (Austin Papers, Vol. I, Part 2, p.1036-1037), strongly advocating the opening of Galveston as a port free of duties. As early as May 2, 1825, the opening of the port was discussed in the Federal Senate (Austin Papers, Vol. I, Part 2, p.1086) and finally this decree of the Federal Congress became law on October 17. It states very briefly in sections one and two that Galveston is provisionally established as a port and that a custom house will be located there. Section Three states that the government will as soon as possible assemble the necessary data for fixing the permanent location of the port." Very light creases, very bright and clean example, extremely fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 705 (another edition); Eberstadt [162:334] could find no record of this issue in 1963.

[Circular] Lista Que Manifiesta el prestamo y Donativo voluntario que en reales y efectos han hecho los Pueblos del Estado para el establecimiento de la Fabrica de Tabacos de esta Capital en virtud de la circular expedida por este Gobierno con fecha 20. De Marzo de este año, y se publíca por disposicion del Honorable Congreso de 30 de Junio del mismo. [Saltillo]. [Samuel Bangs]. [May 8, 1825]. Four-page folder printed on all [4] pages. Imperial Octavo. [At end:] Sala Capitular de Bejar 8. de mayo de 1825 - Juan Martin de Beramendi.- - Imprenta del Gobierno á cargo del C. José Maria Praxedis Sandobal.

Page [4] of the Lista gives an account of contributions made at Bexar "en papel del Banco National de Texas" for establishing a tobacco factory at Saltillo. The note states that the government could not accept these contributions since they were made in paper money. This refusal was based on a decree issued October 21, 1822, in which Political Chief Trespalacios of Texas set up a bank, the Banco Nacional de Texas, the notes of which could be used to pay the salaries of the troops pending the receipt of specie from the national government.

Shortly afterward, Iturbide issued a decree authorizing the Mexican government to issue paper money. This meant that the Texas notes created by Trespalacios were no longer backed 100% in specie. On February 5, 1823, a circular was issued in Mexico by the Secretary of the Treasury ordering that all Texas paper money be replaced with the new notes issued by the central government. Finally a decree dated May 8, 1829 (Streeter 747) ordered the national treasury to liquidate the amount due the citizens of San Antonio for the paper money issued by the Banco Nacional de Texas. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 704, locating only his copy. Yale Exhibition 49. Eberstadt 162:874.

Stephen Austin: Translations of the Laws, Orders, and Contracts, on Colonization, from January, 1821, up to this time, in virtue of which Col. Stephen F. Austin, has introduced and settled foreign emigrants in Texas, with an explanatory introduction. (San Filipe [sic] de Austin, Texas: Printed by Godwin P. Cotton, November, 1829). First edition of the first book printed in Texas. Octavo (7.5" x 5"). 70, [1, errata] pages. Early gray wrappers. Complete with errata leaf. Some browning, staining and chipping, minor repair to title page. Very good. Housed in cloth chemise and quarter morocco book-back slipcase with five raised bands and lettered in gilt, which in turn is housed in a second custom quarter morocco clamshell case with four raised bands and gilt lettering on the spine.

The long introduction by Austin is Addressed "To the Settlers in what is called 'Austin's Colony,' in Texas." This is "Austin's contemporary account of the establishment of the first Anglo-American settlement of Texas. The account is buttressed by English translations of the documents and laws relating to the founding of the colony and included the Civil Regulations and Criminal Regulations by which the settlements were governed until February, 1828. It is one of the fundamental Texas books." -Streeter Texas 12.

In 1821, Stephen Austin's father Moses secured from the Spanish Crown a grant to bring 300 families to settle Texas. Moses died soon after returning to Missouri, and Stephen went to San Antonio that summer and was granted permission to continue the venture. Over the next few years Austin administered this and several additional land grants, thereby establishing Anglo-Texas.

Austin was by far the most important individual in the early history of Enlish-speaking settlement of Texas. In addition to founding the settlement, he governed it, wrote its civil and criminal code, mediated between settlers and the Mexican government, secured new lands, and brought in more than 1500 families. In his October 19, 1829 letter to José Antonio Navarro, Austin discussed this book: "The work is very essential and there is nothing more necessary and important for the welfare of Texas, for the reason that more of the inhabitants do not understand a word of Spanish and it is entirely impossible to govern a people with laws, whose existence the masses ignore absolutely."

In the coming years Austin ably represented the people of Texas, who became increasingly dissatisfied with relations with Mexico, until he was imprisoned for a year for inciting revolution. Released in July 1835, Austin was selected to be one of three commissioners to go to the United States to obtain money, arms, and men for the revolution. When he returned in June 1836, Sam Houston and others were being hailed as the heroes of the revolution. Austin lost the new republic's presidential election to Houston, who named him secretary of state. Austin, who died in December 1836 of exposure and overwork, is today known as the Father of Texas.

VERY RARE. Only 300 copies were printed. Long a famous Texas rarity, Austin's Translations of the Laws has for decades been considered nearly unobtainable. Even in the earliest days of the Republic of Texas, this was a scarce and sought-after book. An advertisement in the Telegraph and Texas Register in November and December 1836 stated: "Wanted. One or two copies of the pamphlet published by Colonel S.F. Austin in 1829, containing translations of the colonization laws, and of Austin's contracts with the government as empresario. Five dollars for each will be given for them on delivery at this office."

Fewer than a dozen survive in institutions, the number in private hands is even smaller.

Leftwich's Grant: Document Signed "Felix Robertson" as President and "J.P. Erwin" as Secretary, one page, 8vo. Nashville, [Tennessee], October 15, 1825. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. In full, "It is hereby certified that David Campbell is entitled to fraction No. 3 being the One Eighth of Share No. 40 of the Original Stock in the Texas Association. Given at Nashville by order of the Board of Directors." Manuscript Document Signed "David Campbell" on verso. In full, "I assign all my right title and interest to the within certificate to James White of Abingdon Virginia for Value received this 4th day of Feby, 1828 witness my hand." In Nashville, Tennessee, on March 2, 1822, 70 individuals calling themselves the Texas Association addressed a petition to the newly independent government of Mexico, asking for permission to settle in Texas. Robert Leftwich, their most active member, personally brought the memorial to Mexico City, but it took him three years to get a colonization contract to bring 800 families to Coahuila and Texas. By that date, April 15, 1825, the money advanced to him by the Texas Association had run out, so he got the contract in his own name. Returning to Tennessee, on August 6, 1825, he sold his contract to the Texas Association, on condition that the area covered would thereafter be called "Leftwich's Grant." The contract gave permission to introduce colonists into an area covered by all or part of 17 present-day Texas counties: Bastrop, Bell, Brazos, Burleson, Burnet, Comanche, Coryell, Falls, Hamilton, Lampasas, Lee, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Robertson, and Williamson. On October 15, 1827, Stephen F. Austin, acting as agent for the Texas Association, reviewed the original 1822 petition and translated it as "the Company from Nashville," so the government granted a confirmation in the name of "The Nashville Company," extending the area into present-day Bosque, Brown, Callahan, Eastland, Erath, Hill, Hood, Jack, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, and Stephens counties. In 1831, the area became known as the "Upper Colony" (1831-1834) and then the "Robertson Colony" (1834-1835). All the colonial land offices were closed by the Provisional Government of Texas on November 13, 1835. Following the Texas Revolution, the Robertson Colony was broken up to form the 30 counties mentioned above. Born in 1781, Felix Robertson was the first white male child to be born in what is now the city of Nashville. Mayor of Nashville (1818-1819), Robertson, as president of the Texas Association, led a party of 30 men to Texas to explore Leftwich's Grant in 1825. They explored the country along the Brazos, Little, Leon, Lampasas, Salado, and San Gabriel rivers, and on February 1, 1826, began surveying along Cow Bayou and the Brazos River. On his return to Tennessee, he again served as Mayor of Nashville (1826-1828). John P. Erwin was also a Mayor of Nashville (1821-1822, 1834-1835). Printed on thin paper, with slightly irregular but generally straight edges. There are folds and show-through from the assignment on verso. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1087

Leftwich's Grant: Document Signed "Felix Robertson" as President and "J.P. Erwin" as Secretary, one page, 8" x 8.5". Nashville, [Tennessee], October 15, 1825. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. In full, "It is hereby certified that William H. Bedford is entitled to fraction No._ being the One Eighth of Share No._ of the Original Stock in the Texas Association. Given at Nashville by order of the Board of Directors." Blind embossed seal at lower center. Very fragile, with irregular marks; minor ink burn affects a few words. With expert restoration to verso. Overall, in good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1087

[Edwards Grant] Partly Printed Document Signed by Haden Edwards. Printed document completed in manuscript and signed by Haden Edwards. N.p., [dated in manuscript 1826]. One page, 16mo. Certificate number 233.

Edwards was a pioneer settler and land speculator. In 1823 he traveled to Mexico City, joining Stephen F. Austin, Robert Leftwich, and others in a three-year attempt to persuade the Mexican government to authorize American settlement in Texas. Their efforts resulted in the colonization law of 1824 in Mexico City and of 1825 in Saltillo, which allowed empresarios to introduce settlers to Texas.

Edwards received a grant near Nacogdoches where he could locate 800 families. Like other empresarios he agreed to honor preexisting grants and claims made by Spanish or Mexican officials, and of all the empresarios, Edwards probably had the most such claims, some over a century old. In 1825 he posted notices to inform all potential claimants that they must come forward with proof of their claims or he would consider the land his, subject to sale to new settlers. This angered the older settlers, who opposed Edwards. He was driven out two years later, fleeing to Louisiana for safety

This is apparently an unknown imprint relating to Texas, and is not noted by Streeter and without further research it is difficult to ascertain where this grant form was printed. In his introduction, Streeter makes the comment "We know of no printing in Texas between July, 1823, and September, 1829." It seems unlikely that Edwards would have had the form printed in Mexico. Following the biographical chronology in Bancroft's Northern Mexico and Texas, it appears that Edwards was back in the United States during the summer of 1826, and probably had these forms printed during that trip (Leftwich was back in the States in same time and had his colonization form printed in Nashville). Housed in a brown half-calf folder with marbled boards and gilt imprints on the spine. Uneven left edge slightly affects decorative border, but is otherwise in very fine condition. Fresh and clean, and quite rare. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Ex. Edwards family papers. From the collection of J. P. Bryan.

Stephen F. Austin Colony 1824 Land Grant Signed "Estevan F. Austin," "El Baron de Bastrop," "John Austin," "Samuel M. Williams," "Sylvenus Castleman," and "Benjamin Lindsey," four pages, 8vo, front and verso. San Felipe de Austin, July 5, 1824. Spanish manuscript document conveying one league of land in Austin's Colony to Benjamin Linsey [sic, Lindsey]. The top line of his page: "Sello 2° 12 rrs. Habilitado pr la Nacion Mexicana pa el año de 1824" ("Second Seal 12 reales through the Nation of Mexico in the year of our Lord 1824") is signed "Austin." This document is Lindsey's copy of the grant. The "second seal" or Sello Segundo was given to the recipient and the "third seal" or Sello Tercero was the original first transcription held by the government. Sylvanus Castleman, alcalde of the jurisdiction, has acknowledged receipt of 12 reales as payment of transaction fees in the upper left of the first page. Manuscript note in English on page four: "I hereby Transfer all my right title Claim & interest to the within deed To A.E.C. Johnson witness my hand this 27th July 1836." Signed "Benjamin Lindsey," witnessed by "Tho Lindsey," "A.A. Lewis," and "A.D. Bateman." Recorded on May 1, 1838 by "Edward Purcell." Lindsey allegedly never settled on the grant and it was cancelled on December 15, 1830, at the official meeting of the ayuntamiento of San Felipe de Austin. The land was then granted to James F. Perry and Emily Austin, Stephen F. Austin's sister, on October 12, 1831. The facts surrounding the Lindsey grant are somewhat puzzling and the validity of his transferring it to A. E. C. Johnson, which was subsequent to its cancellation and release to James Perry, was disputed up to the 1850s without success. Benjamin Lindsey was one of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred. This grant was one league (4,428 acres) of land in what is now Matagorda and Brazoria counties. By 1826. he was in the Ayish Bayou District, in a community referred to as the Tennessee Colony, about six miles northwest of what is now the town of San Augustine. Lindsey became the sixth and ninth alcalde of the Ayish Bayou District, elected in 1829 and again in 1832. When the old Ayish Bayou District became the Municipality of San Augustine, on March 6, 1834, Benjamin Lindsey was elected as the "Sole and Constitutional Alcalde" of San Augustine. On February 21, 1835, he was granted a league in what is now Sabine County. He died in San Augustine County three years later. Sylvenus Castleman, one of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred, moved to Texas from Missouri, in 1821 or 1822, for in March 1822 Austin took a lot in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, as payment for surveying Castleman's land in Texas. Seth Ingram surveyed the Castleman land on the west side of the Colorado River above La Grange in 1823. Indians raided the Castleman farm and stole cattle from him just before Austin and the Baron de Bastrop lodged with him in August of the same year. In December, Castleman was appointed judge for the alcalde election and, being himself elected alcalde, took his oath of office on January 10, 1824, six months before signing this document. Philip Hendrik Nering Bögel, collector general of taxes for the province of Friesland, fled Holland when he was accused of embezzling tax funds and adopted the title Baron de Bastrop. By April 1795, he had arrived in Spanish Louisiana, where he represented himself as a Dutch nobleman. In 1803, Bastrop moved to Spanish Texas and was permitted to establish a colony between Bexar and the Trinity River. In 1823, he was appointed commissioner of colonization for the Austin colony with authority to issue land titles. Bastrop was chosen as representative to the legislature of the new state of Coahuila and Texas in May 1824. This land grant is accompanied by 1857 and 1858 letters concerning Lindsay's land sale to A.E.C. Johnson. English translation of Austin's land grant is present. This excessively rare document is housed in a half morocco case with gilt lettering on the spine: "Austin Colony Grant of Benjamin Lindsey 1824." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Texas-Louisiana Boundary: 1828. Imprint, titled: "Informe Que se Dio al Excmo. Sr. Presidente de la Republica Mejicana, Sobre Limites de la Provincia de Tejas. Con la de la Luisiana" ("Report Given to His Excellency, the President of the Mexican Republic, with Regard to the Boundaries of the Province of Texas. With that of Louisiana"), 38pp., 5.25" x 7". Zacatecas: 1828. Imprenta del supreme gobierno, à cargo del c. Pedro Piña. Dated and signed "Fr. Jose Maria de Jesus Puelles" in type, Colegio de N.S. de Guadalupe, November 30, 1827. In 1827, at the request of the President of Mexico, Puelles, guardian of the College of Guadalupe de Zacatecas, reviewed the subject of the boundary between Texas and Louisiana, tracing the history of the region and its contested ownership claims. Preceding the text of the "Informe" is a statement laudatory of Puelles and his report by R. Arizpe of the Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs. Modern calf and marbled boards, gilt lettering on spine: "Puelles/Limites/de/Texas." In a half morocco and marbled box, gilt lettering on spine. Accompanying Puelles' pamphlet is a copy of The Louisiana Historical Quarterly, volume 1, number 1, dated January 8, 1917. Issue contains a full English translation of Puelles' report. Modern boards, lettered in gilt on spine: "Puelles - Report on Boundaries of Texas & Louisiana (Translation)". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 734.

Robert Owen's Opening Speech, and his Reply to the Rev. Alex. Campbell, in the Recent Public Discussion in Cincinnati, to Prove that the Principles of all Religions are Erroneous Robert Owen's Opening Speech, and his Reply to the Rev. Alex. Campbell, in the Recent Public Discussion in Cincinnati, to Prove that the Principles of all Religions are Erroneous ...also, Mr. Owen's Memorial to the Republic of Mexico, and a Narrative of the Proceedings Thereon, which led to the promise of the Mexican Government, to place a District, one hundred and fifty miles broad, along the whole line of frontier bordering on the U. States, under Mr. Owen's jurisdiction, for the purpose of establishing a New Political and Moral System of Government, founded on the laws of nature, as explained in the above Debate with Mr. Campbell. Cincinnati: Published for Robert Owen, and Sold by all Booksellers in America and Europe. 1829, 226 pp., addenda, 1 leaf, verso blank. Contents [7] pp. Quarto. Being a rare account of the famous utopian organizer's idea of an independent society in Texas, to be guaranteed by the government of Mexico. Owen considered Texas to the "the most desirable point on the globe" on which to establish a utopian government based on "systematic, scientific" principles.

Just prior to this publication, Owen had purchased the New Harmony settlement in Indiana to serve as a basis for his American utopian experiments, and that venture soon replaced the Texas scheme in the eyes of himself and fellow visionaries such as William MacClure. Despite the title page announcement of Mexico's promise of land, there is no record that Owen was ever granted such a tract (Rusk, Vol. II, p. 256).

As noted in Streeter's Texas: "Owen gives an interesting account of his journey and of his proceedings in Mexico in January and February 1829. There are many references to Richard Exter, owner of a large Texas grant, in whose house he stayed. Owen was received with great consideration by President Victoria, but as one of his principles was that 'all religions are erroneous and ... their practice is injurious to the human race,' he could not get very far on a grant of land in Roman Catholic Mexico."

Plain boards with leather label on cloth backstrip: Owen's View of Public Discussion. In some copies the [7] p. of Contents are bound in between p. [iv] and [v]. Protected in a red full-leather case with raised bands and gilt lettering. Moderate to significant age toning and foxing throughout; some water staining to final pages. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1110.

Indice de las Ordenes y Decretos espedidos por el Honorable Congreso de este Estado, desde el año de 1824, hasta fin de el de 1828. Translation: Index Of The Orders And Decrees By The Honorable Congress Of This State, Since The Years 1824 To End Of 1828. [Leona Vicario] March 30, 1829. [8] p. Quarto. Dated and signed in print at end: Secretaria del supremo gobierno del Estado de Coahuila y Tejas 30 de Marzo de 1829. Santiago de Valle. Secretario. This useful compilation indexes the proceedings of the Constituent Congress on pages [1-3] and those of the Constitutional Congress on pages [4-8], providing official documentation regarding the joining together of the Mexican provinces of Nuevo León, Coahuila, and Texas.

The first step in the process was to detach Nuevo León (May 7, 1824), then elect a constituent congress. This was accomplished at Saltillo in August 1824, when a provisional governor was named for the state. The same month, a provisional chief was appointed for Texas. Four months later, in December 1824, the Department of Texas was legally established as a subdivision of the state of Coahuila and Texas. On March 11, 1827, The Constitution of Coahuila and Texas was adopted with the state being divided into three departments. That number was eventually increased to seven departments: Saltillo, Parras, Monclova, Rosas, Bexar, Brazos, and Nacogdoches. Contemporary gray cloth case with leather spine, gilt lettering. A few areas of minor foxing, else very fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 746 locating only 4 copies; Streeter Sale 303.

The Constitution of the Mexican United States and The Constitution of Cuahuila [sic] and Texas, 26 pages and 34 pages, respectively, 4.75" x 7.25". Chillicothe [Ohio]: Printed by R. Kercheval, 1829. This Chillicothe edition of English translations of the Coahuila and Texas Constitution (Streeter 1106) and the Mexican Constitution of 1824 (Streeter 1108) were apparently printed at the same time by Kercheval and stitched together, though each has an individual title page and pagination. The Mexican Constitution precedes that of Coahuila and Texas in this example. This is apparently the third printing in English of the Mexican Constitution, the first at Tuscumbia, Alabama, in 1825 and the second at Natchez, Mississippi, in 1826, and the second printing in English of the Coahuila and Texas Constitution, the first being at Natchitoches, Louisiana, in 1827. The two constitutions were bound together in contemporary plain stiff blue-gray paper wrappers; the front wrapper is missing. Bound in string, the title page of the Mexican Constitution, now the "cover page," is soiled with a few holes, and chipped at edges, indicating the original blue-gray wrapper was removed a long time ago. Its owner, J.H. Prim, has signed his name atop the first page. Overall, in very good condition. Housed in a custom clamshell case with the spine in six compartments with five raised bands, lettered in gilt, "Constitutions/Coahuila and Texas 1827/The Mexican United States 1824/Chillicothe, Ohio 1829." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1106 and 1108

[William Walton Morris]: Considerations of the Propriety and Necessity of Annexing the Province of Texas to the United States, By a Revolutionary Officer. (New-York: Printed and Sold by G.F. Hopkins & Son, 1829). First and only edition. Octavo (8" x 5"). 40 pages. Printed self-wrappers. Spine partially perished, light foxing and small chips, "No. 5" written in ink at the top of the front wrapper. Very good. Housed in a custom paper chemise and a morocco backed clamshell tray case, stamped in gilt and black on the spine. This is the first pamphlet advocating the annexation of Texas published since it was assigned to Spain under the 1819 treaty. Morris paints Texas in glowing colors and is most critical of the treaty. It appears that [Morris] had written Austin on July 21, 1830 (Austin Papers, Vol. II, Page 458), that he knew of Texas only from various visitors, and especially visitors to the Austin Colony, and that he was a lieutenant in the American Revolutionary Army. Austin did not know of this letter when on September 25, 1830, he wrote Thomas F. Leaming of Philadelphia complaining that his friendly relations with leading Mexicans had been jeopardized by "a silly set of scribblers in the United States," and added, "The pamphlet by a revolutionary officer did us great harm." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1109. Raines, Page 202. Sabin 95075.

1829 Broadside. Law of the Congreso General Granting to Juán Davis Bradvurn [John Davis Bradburn] the Exclusive Right to Navigate the Rio Grande by steam or horse powered vessels; approved by President Vicente Guerrero on May 9, 1829, and promulgated the same day by José Maria de Bocanegra. [Mexico] With heading: Primera Secretaria de Estado. Departmento Del Interior. Seccion 1a., May 9, 1829. 11.74" x 8.25".

Law of the Congreso General granting to "Juán Davis Bradvurn" (John Davis Bradburn) "... exclusive privilege for the term of fifteen years to navigate the northern part of the Rio Grande by steam or horse-powered vessel, as long as there is verification within a period of two years, and the work is begun within six months of the date of this decree." Approved by President Vicente Guerrero on May 9, 1829, and promulgated the same day by José Maria de Bocanegra. Bocanegra's printed signature at end with his rubric.

At the time of this order, Bradburn was serving in the Mexican army as a lieutenant colonel and an aide to Iturbide. He survived the numerous political changes of the 1820s, and in 1830 was appointed commander of a new garrison on Galveston Bay to be named Anahuac - this order having been given in preparation for that garrison's construction. Less than two years later, Bradburn's actions at Anahuac would help to precipitate the Texas Revolution which led to the secession of Texas from Mexico and the formation of the Republic of Texas. Contemporary half-calf case with marbled boards, gilt lettering. A few faint stains at upper edges, else very fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 748, (locating only his copy). Dublan, Vol. II, No. 635, p. 107; Eberstadt 162:75

The Constitution of the Republic of Mexico, and of the State of Coahuila & Texas. New York: Ludwig & Tolefree, Printers. 1832. Containing also an Abridgement of the Laws of the General and State Governments, relating to Colonization. With Sundry Other Laws and Documents, Not Before Published, Particularly relating to Coahuila and Texas, as well as The Documents relating to the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company; the Grants to Messrs. Wilson and Exter, and to Col. John Dominguez. With a description of the soil, climate, productions, local and commercial advantages of that interesting country. 113 p. Octavo.

The author of this early work, Asahel Langworthy, was a graduate of the University of Vermont, Burlington (1805). He was a captain in the War of 1812 and fought in the battle at Plattsburg. He later became a lawyer in New York City, and then turned to land speculation. He died in 1835. In his preface dated New-York, December 30, 1831, Langworthy remarks, "The undersigned has, during the last year, traveled considerably over Texas, and has taken great pains to collect information to enable him to form a correct opinion in regard to that country." He is known to have purchased 100,000 acres of land from the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company, but little else is known of him. In addition to the material directly relating to land companies referred to in the title, this work also includes a description of the grants made in 1831 to the Arkansas and Texas Land Company. Full gilt-lettered leather. Minor to moderate age toning and foxing, else fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1130. Sabin 94946. Howes C504, "aa". Eberstadt 162:478.

[Stephen F. Austin] Partly Printed Document. Being a printed form for a promissory note. [San Felipe de Austin: G. B. Cotton, 1829]. May 13, 1830, 1 p., oblong 16mo. Signed by Jesse Leftwich. Light soiling and browning, with occasional minor chips at edges. Matted and framed, under glass. Fine and desirable.

This promissory note, completed in manuscript, begins: $50.00 San Felipe de Austin, [13 May 1830] Having been Received by S. F. Austin, as One of the Settlers under His Contracts with Government, in Conformity with the Terms Published by Him, 20th November, 1829: I Promise to Pay to Said S. F. Austin....

On March 22, 1822, a group of Nashville citizens, calling themselves the Texas Association, made a formal request to the Mexican government for permission to settle in Texas. Robert Leftwich, their most active member, eventually did obtain a contract to settle 800 families along the Navasota River, but by the time it was awarded (April 15, 1825) the Association had run out of money. Using his own funds, Leftwich got the contract in his name, as well as the authority to form a militia within the colony.

Upon his return to Tennessee, he sold the contract to the Texas Association on the condition that the tract be known ever after as Leftwich's Grant. Failing health prevented Leftwich from returning to take claim of his namesake colony and little is known of his subsequent activities. Late in the summer of 1826, claims against him in the court of San Augustine ultimately resulted in the colony being renamed Robertson's Colony.

Little is known of Jesse Leftwich, other than his Pittsylvania County, Virginia mercantile business partnership with his brother (1802-1806), but as evidenced by this document, it is clear that Jesse eventually arrived at the Texas colony originally granted to his brother.

The value of this piece lies not only in its association to Stephen Austin and Robert Leftwich, but also in the fact that it is the first printing of an early Texas imprint, the tenth item recorded by Streeter as having been printed in Texas.

Reference: Streeter 10 (locating three copies: two in Texas and one at Yale).

Stephen F. Austin Coastal Colony Grant Signed "Estevan F. Austin" in Spanish, two pages, 8.25" x 12", front and verso. San Felipe de Austin, November 22, 1831. Partly printed, completed in manuscript by Austin's secretary, Samuel May Williams, who has added "30 and 31" next to the printed years "1828 and 29" at the top of the first page, signing "Williams," and on the second page "Samuel M. Williams" with "C.C. Givens" as attending witnesses. Imprinted at head: "Estevan F. Austin, Empresario to establish Three Hundred Families within the ten coastal leagues on the coast of the Mexican interior, between the La Baca River and the San Jacinto River; and special commissioner of the Supreme Government of the State of Coahuila and Texas for the partition and possession of lands, and issuing of titles inside the empresario's limits to the new Colonists..." First printing. Variant of Streeter 14 (locating only one copy). The execution of this deed was one of the four steps required for an immigrant to obtain land in Austin's Colony. The present document was the second of the two required copies, the original being filed in the Land Office and the second copy retained by the grantee. This document is the "certified copy" of an original land grant in Austin's Coastal Colony. This deed grants George House "one sitio" of land, approximately 4,400 acres, on Mustang Creek. On the lower half of the second page is a Manuscript Document Signed "Jesse Grimes Chief/Justice County Court/Montgomery County," Montgomery, February 26, 1838, stating that before him "came personally Frederick Rankin and Charles B. Stewart and said that the above Signature of Estevan F. Austin to this deed is his true and proper Signature and they have frequently seen him write it." Each has signed: "F.H. Rankin" and "Chas B. Stewart." Frederick H. Rankin was one of Austin's Old Three Hundred colonists. Jesse Grimes and Charles B. Stewart were signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Streeter discusses the rarity of the certified copies, like the present one, in his entry 13: "Deeds [were] printed for the use of Austin as commissioner for his coastal colony...The deeds for Austin were probably printed early in 1830 as one of the originals is filled out for March 3, 1830...There are copies of the originals of Austin's deeds for his coastal colony in [the] General Land Office...Only one of the certified copies of these deeds has been located. That is at the University of Texas and was dated October 29, 1830, and certified November 12, 1830..." An amazing combination of signatures: The "Father of Texas" and two Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence" on the same page! Uneven lower edge. Light soiling,. Minor wear at folds. Tiny holes where the horizontal and vertical folds cross. Light show-through. Overall, in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 14 variant

Stephen F. Austin Signed Official Report Communicating Results of the First Municipal Election for Alcalde in San Felipe de Austin. Signed "Estevan F. Austin", the document is written entirely in Spanish by Austin's secretary Samuel M. Williams, who also co-signs beneath Austin's signature. One page, folio, 8.5" x 12.75", Villa de Austin [San Felipe], February 10, 1828; [on official stamped paper with manuscript notation furthering the time period to "y ocho", 1828, rubricated by Williams].

The document reads:
"List of the individuals who received votes for Alcalde of this town in the municipal assembly held therein the 10th of this month in accordance with the special order of his Excellency the Governor of the State the 17th of November of the past year, and communicated by the political chief of this department December 11 of the same year by means of a commission to the Citizen Empresario Stephen F. Austin to preside over the said assembly.
Names Votes
Thomas M. Duke 121
Ira Ingram 111

Villa de Austin, February 10, 1828. = Estevan F Austin, President = Green B. Jameson, Teller = Rawson Alley, Teller = Samuel M. Williams, Secretary
This is a copy taken of the original that remains in hands of the Ayuntamento"
Austin and Williams sign beneath.

The above election results, are included in the identical wording and format in Spanish, in the minutes of the ayuntamiento of San Felipe de Austin in the Spanish department of the General Land Office at Austin, Texas, Vol. 1, page 4. These volumes include all minutes from the ayuntamientos installation on February 12, 1828, to January 3, 1832. After this entry, the minutes read: "These elections having been announced by the presiding officer, the list was immediately posted in the most public place, and it was agreed that attested copies should be taken from this to be sent to the Government, forwarded by direction of Citizen Stephen F. Austin..." This document is one of these "attested copies" sent to the Government, making it an exceedingly rare documentation of early Texas history to remain in private hands.

Stephen F. Austin was appointed to hold the first municipal electoral assembly of the Jurisdiction of Austin, Department of Bexar on November 17, 1827 by the Governor of the State of Coahuila y Texas, Victor Blanco. San Felipe de Austin was the capital of this Jurisdiction. This action would create the Ayuntamiento, the principal governing body of Spanish municipalities. It functioned as town council and had a wide range of administrative duties. The council members consisted of the Alcalde, who served as president, a varying number of Regidors or councilmen, and a Síndico Procurador, the equivalent of a city attorney. Austin had served as president up to this time; however, his interests lay mainly in his role as an empresario focusing on developing the colonies and he another person would be better suited as Alcalde. The document has a quarter inch band of staining along left margin (likely from previous matting), well away from all text; also light folds, with a tiny separation thereat; otherwise in near fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Stephen F. Austin Land Petition Signed: "Estevan F. Austin," "J. Antonio Padilla," "Viesca," "Santiago del Valle," and "John McCroskey" in Spanish, four pages, 8.5" x 12.25", two conjoined sheets, front and verso. Four Manuscript Documents Signed, one after the other. Austin, 1829-1830 and Vicario, March 12, 1830. In Austin, John McCroskey submitted a land petition to General Land Commissioner Antonio Padilla (December 23, 1829) who forwarded it to Stephen F. Austin (December 24th) who sent it back to Padilla (December 26th) with his approval. Padilla then sent his approval to Jos Maria Viesca, Governor of Coahuila and Texas (January 2, 1830), who grants the land requested (March 30, 1830).
John McCroskey , one of Austin's Old Three Hundred, was elected third lieutenant of a company of militia at San Felipe de Austin in 1824. Juan Antonio Padilla was Secretary of State of Coahuila and Texas from 1825 to 1828. He was appointed General Land Commissioner in August 1829. Padilla's mission in Texas was short-lived, however, for after issuing only three titles, on April 26, 1830, Padilla was arrested for murder and fraud and his citizenship was suspended. He was later exonerated. José Maria Viesca was Governor of Coahuila and Texas from 1827-1831. Santiago del Valle was an hacendado in the Monclova area of Coahuila. He served as president of the Congreso Constituyente of the state of Coahuila and Texas in 1825
John McCroskey tells Padilla that he is "one of the colonists established in the first colony of Empresario Austin...having established a Tannery to tan hides on the eastern side of the Colorado River, for which I need to have a plenty of oak bark, and since the land in which I am established there is not enough to supply for several years: I hope that Your Excellency...may grant me the land located behind the land belonging to citizen Rawson Alley...from which I want to extract the bark for my tannery." Padilla sends it to Austin "so that he is informed regarding request" signing "Padilla." Austin writes that McCroskey "is one of the Colonists of the First Colony, with very good customs and very industrious, and as I can attest he has his tannery [well kept up]; I consider that it would be fair to do the favor he requests." Padilla then tells the Governor that "After reviewing the report from Empresario Austin," he "considers that the petitioner deserves the favor of the concession which he requests." Governor Viesca writes, "In accordance with the Law of Colonization of March 24, 1825, and based on the report of the General Commissioner, I grant the petitioner, as a settler, the land that he requests in the place that he states..." The governor's seal is stamped in the left margin on the document. Viesca's secretary, Santiago del Valle, has also signed. Viesca will give McCroskey a copy of his decree so that he could submit it to the General Land Commissioner. José Miguel de Arciniega, appointed General Land Commissioner in November 1830, issued the land title in October 1831.
Land documents signed "Estevan F. Austin" are especially desirable. Those also signed by Juan Antonio Padilla are exceedingly rare because of the short time he held the office of General Land Commissioner - and he signed this one twice! The document is on laid, watermarked paper, imprinted "Sello Tercero Dos Reales" ("Third Seal Two Reales") at the top of the first and fourth pages. It is in very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Stephen F. Austin Empresario Certificate Signed "Estevan F. Austin" as Empresario, one page, 7" x 9". Villa de Austin, October 16, 1830. Numbered "490." Partly printed in Spanish, completed in manuscript. "I CERTIFY that Anne White is one of the colonist that I have introduced in accordance to my above mentioned contracts; that she arrived to this Colony on the 1st of April of 1830; that she is a widow and the family has 6 people, as stated in the statement that he/she presented to me, signed by him/her; and I attest that he/she has taken the oath before the Mayor as required by the third article of the Law of Colonization of the State. I issue this certification to Anne White, to submit before the Commissioner appointed by the Government for the distribution of lands and issuing titles; as well as a record that she is in my referred contracts. This document will be void if the interested party does not present him/herself before the Commissioner, with this, within one month of publishing in this, a public notice to such effect; similarly, it will be void if it seems that the interested party's statement is false, in any part; or if the interested party goes out of this Colony before receiving his/her property title; or settling in another place; or if he/she does not comply with the payment conditions as described in the public notice published on November 20, 1829 regarding this matter and informed to the interested party upon handing this." Streeter 9. Upon an immigrant's arrival in Texas, there were four legal steps in the process of acquiring land. These steps were: (1) filing of a petition to be admitted as a colonist, (2) the issuing of an empresario certificate to the colonist to be delivered to the land commissioner, (3) delivery to the colonist by the land commissioner of an original and certified copy of a deed, and (4) executing a promissory note to the empresario signed by the colonist on receiving his deed. This document was step two. On verso is an Autograph Document Signed "James N. Smith Clk/CC DWC" as Clerk of the County Court of DeWitt County, dated February 18, 1850, stating that "personally appeared before me...Lewis Demoss and Jonathan Scott with whom I am well acquainted, and after being duly sworn deposeth and says that they know Estevan F. Austin to be dead, and they further swear that they are acquainted with his hand writing, and that the[y] believe the written signature to be his signed writing." The certificate was filled in by Samuel May Williams, Austin's secretary. The significance of the joint statement of Demoss and Scott, both Old Three Hundred colonists, is that Williams frequently signed Austin's name to these certificates. Anne White was one of only seven women to receive a direct grant in the colony. Diana (Anne) Wilkerson White and her husband Thomas began a journey to Texas from North Carolina in 1829 with their four sons and a daughter, ages one to nine. Thomas suddenly died in Alabama, but his widow and children continued the journey to Austin's Colony, arriving in 1830 near Columbia on the Brazos River. Having completed the four requirements of a colonist, including obtaining this certificate, she was deeded a league of land, 4,428 acres, on May 12, 1831 in what is now Montgomery County. Anne later married James Tumlinson, one of Austin's Old Three Hundred. They both died in Gonzales in 1839. Beneath Smith's certification is a six-line notation by H. B. Boston, county clerk of Montgomery County, who has filed the certificate, February 23, 1850. Boston's writing shows through in the lower portion of the front of the certificate. The document is in apparent fine condition. It is matted and framed to 15" x 24.25". A color photocopy of the verso of the document is inserted in a pocket affixed to the verso of the framed display. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 9

[Broadside] El Gobernador Del Estado Libe de Coahuila y Tejas Grants a Citizenship Card to Father Michael Muldoon. [Texas]. [Leona Vicario]. February 11, 1831. One page, Octavo. Docketed on verso in manuscript. This broadside decree was issued by José Maria Viesca and promulgated by Ramon Musquiz authorizing a citizenship card to Michael "Miguel" Muldoon, friend of Stephen Austin.

Michael Muldoon was born in Ireland around 1780. Muldoon is believed to have arrived in Veracruz in 1821 in the company of Juan O'Donoju, the last Spanish viceroy of Mexico, and from there he pursued his religious calling at the Diocese of Monterrey. By February of 1831, Muldoon was ready to assume his duties as a priest but prior to doing so, was granted a citizenship card by the Governor of Coahuila and Texas, made official by this decree. Muldoon was the only priest appointed to serve non-Hispanic Texas settlers, and he served in this capacity for several years. In 1836, Father Muldoon sold his Texas land to his friend Stephen Austin and never returned in any official capacity. He is remembered briefly in Texas history books; in Hostyn, Texas where there is a marker noting his contributions to early Texans; and by the small Texas town near La Grange that was named for him. Half-leather case, gilt lettering. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter Texas, although he makes reference to its existence in the Bexar Archives under a different entry (808).

José Miguel de Arciniega: Austin Colonial Grant "Step Three" Signed "Miguel de Arciniega," two pages, 8.5" x 11.75", front and verso. San Felipe de Austin, April, 29, 1831. Partly printed, completed in manuscript by Samuel May Williams, Stephen F. Austin's secretary, who has signed "30y31/Williams" in the upper right of the first page. [Printed by G. B. Cotton, 1829.] Upon colonists' arrival to the part of Mexico known as Coahuila and Texas, there were four legal steps in the process of issuing grants of land to these early immigrants. This document is the third step in the process. It is the "Sello Segundo" (second seal), the certified copy of the original land deed. The original was required to be filed at the Land Office and the certified copy was kept by the grantee. This deed grants Leonard W. Groce "one sitio" of land, approximately 4,400 acres, on the Brazos River. In Spanish, in part, "Citizen Miguel Arciniega, Commissioner named by the Supreme Government of this State, for the distribution and possession of lands, and the issuance of titles to the new Colonists of the colonization company of Empresario Citizen Estevan F. Austin, outside of the ten leagues Coastal region: = Inasmuch as Leonard W Groce has been received as a colonist with the colonization company contracted by the Government of the State of Coahuila and Texas on the Fourth of June of 1825, as recorded in page 927 of this book, and Leonard W Groce, having proved that he/she is single and that he/she complies with the requirements set forth in the Law of Colonization of the State of March 24, 1825...I grant, confer and give real and personal possession of un sitio of land..." Leonard Waller Groce was an early settler from Georgia who was active in supplying corn and beef to the war effort. Groce's sister married William H. Wharton, first Texas Minister to the United States. Printed on the second page is the warning that within one year, permanent boundary markers must be built on each angle of the plot of land and that it must be populated and cultivated in accordance with the provisions of the law. At the bottom is the certification that the copy agrees with the original and the signature of Land Commissioner Arciniega and the two attending witnesses, "Robert Taylor, Jr." and "C.C. Givens." The left half of the document is lightly soiled and there are small portions missing in two areas at the blank left edge. The document is in apparent fine condition. The first page has been matted and framed with a color photocopy of its verso, the second page, to 26.25" x 27.5". A color photocopy of the docket on verso of the integral sheet is in a pocket affixed to the back of the frame. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 14, ref. 13

[Stephen Austin] Partly Printed Document Signed. 2 pages, 8.5 x 12.25", San Felipe de Austin, April 3, 1831, a rare Texas imprint. For Elisha Flack. Signed "Williams" at the upper right of first page, and document filled out in his hand. Reads, in part: "...Estevan F. Austin, Empresario para establecer Tres Cientas Familias sobre las diez leguas litorales en la Costa del Seno Mexicano, entre los Rios la Baca y San Jacinto; y comisionado especial del Supremo Gobierno del Estado de Coahuila y Tejas para el repartimiento y posesion de tierras, y expedicion de titulos a los nuevos Colonos dentro de los limites de la propria empresa..." Signed by land commissioner Miguel Arciniega with attending signatures of Robert Taylor Jr. and C.C. Givens. Blank leaf separated at spine, light toning along folds with pinhyoldes, else very good to fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 14. First printing. This document is an original land grant in Austin's coastal colony, signed by Austin as both empresario and commissioner. See Streeter 13 for an earlier version of this form used when Padilla was commissioner. Streeter discusses the rarity of the certified copies, like the present one, in his entry 13: "Deeds [were] printed for the use of Austin as commissioner for his coastal colony.... The deeds for Austin were probably printed early in 1830 as one of the originals is filled out for March 3, 1830.... There are copies of the originals of Austin's deeds for his coastal colony in [the] General Land Office.... Only one of the certified copies of these deeds has been located. That is at the University of Texas and was dated October 29, 1830, and certified November 12, 1830.... In all of the deeds one of the stipulations reads (in translation): He [the grantee] is hereby admonished that within one year he must construct permanent markers on each corner of the land, and he must settle it and cultivate it in conformity with the provisions of the law." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Historic Stephen F. Austin Petition re Settlement of 1821 Joseph H. Hawkins Partnership Agreement Signed: "Stephen F. Austin," "Edmund H. Martin," "Edmund St. J. Hawkins," "W.H. Wharton," "John Austin" (twice), "A.W. Breedlove," and "A. Brigham," three pages, 7.75" x 9.75", front and verso. Brazoria, November 8, 1832 (signed by Wharton and assisting witnesses Breedlove and Brigham on December 16, 1832).

In 1814, Joseph H. Hawkins was elected to represent Kentucky in Congress, completing the term of Henry Clay who had resigned to become one of the commissioners negotiating the end of the War of 1812. Hawkins did not seek reelection and after serving the remaining 11 months of Clay's term, returned to his law practice. In 1819, Hawkins moved to New Orleans. Stephen F. Austin arrived in New Orleans in November 1820, seeking a fresh start after a series of financial misfortunes in Missouri and Arkansas. It was no better in New Orleans; employment was nowhere to be found. In January 1821, he happened to meet Hawkins, by then a prominent attorney, who had heard of Austin from his younger brother, Littleberry Hawkins, one of Austin's classmates at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. Hawkins not only gave Stephen a job, but took him into his household and lent him money. In letters to his mother, Austin called Hawkins "my adopted brother," declaring, "a better or truer friend never existed." Austin wrote home that Hawkins would let him use his law books and provide him instruction until he was ready to practice law. Stephen began an 18-month course of legal study, including the French language. He had no intention of being part of his father Moses Austin's Texas plans, but he knew that if his father asked him to go to Texas, he would. Hearing of his son's friend, Moses Austin wrote to Hawkins, offering him to an interest in his Texas settlement venture. Joseph Hawkins was immediately enthusiastic and convinced Stephen to come with him to Texas. In July 1821, Stephen was at Natchitoches, Louisiana, expecting to accompany his father to San Antonio when he learned of his death. On November 14, 1821, Joseph H. Hawkins and Stephen F. Austin formalized an agreement by which Stephen acknowledged receipt of $4,000 and agreed to give Joseph half the premium lands he would receive in the colony. Hawkins then recruited settlers, chartered ships, and purchased supplies, eventually depleting his assets and leaving himself deeply in debt. Before realizing any profit from the Texas venture, Joseph Hawkins died in New Orleans in 1823, leaving a widow and five young children. In 1828, Austin received title to the land but before Stephen could share the lands with Joseph's widow, George-Anne Hawkins, she died, leaving five minor children as heirs. By 1832, Joseph's eldest son, Edmund St. John Hawkins, who had immigrated to the colony, reached majority age, a precondition for receiving title to land under Mexican law. Stephen F. Austin fulfilled his obligations and deeded to the Hawkins heirs over 42,000 acres of land, all in present-day Brazoria and Wharton Counties. About 32,000 acres of the land was in the very heart of the most productive (and valuable) part of Austin's colony and the rest lay in nearby areas almost as choice. Austin didn't have to give away prime land, but he did, revealing much of his character and his deep feeling for the children of his "brother." Offered here is the document by which Stephen F. Austin took the first step to repay his obligation to the children of the man whose encouragement and financial backing made his colonization of Texas possible.
In full, "The petition of Stephen F. Austin for himself and Edmond H. Martin as the agent of Mary Jane, Hasborne B. [sic, Norbourne] and Thomas Hawkins the said Mary Jane, Hasborne B. [sic, Norbourne] and Thomas being Children and heirs of Joseph H. Hawkins late of the jurisdiction of Austin respectfully state that the partnership concerns heretofore existing between Joseph H. Hawkins late of the city of New Orleans deceased & Stephen F. Austin in relation to lands & other matters in Texas being about to be settled & finally closed it becomes necessary that each of the heirs should be represented in said settlement. That George Hawkins one of the Heirs of the said Josseph (George) is absent in the United States of the north and not represented in Texas and therefore your petitioners pray that William H. Wharton may be appointed curator to the said George Hawkins vesting him with the necessary legal powers to represent the said George & your petitioners as in duty & c." Signed by Stephen F. Austin, Edmund H. Martin, and Edmund St. J. Hawkins. Continuing, "Wm. H. Wharton appears & accepts the trust & is willing to act." Signed by W.H. Wharton as Curator for George Hawkins, beneath which John Austin, alcalde of Brazoria Municipality, attests that "The facts in the forgoing petition being known to my satisfaction it is by reason thereof and of the law ordered adjudged and decreed that William H. Wharton be appointed curator to the said George Hawkins to represent him in the matters & things set forth in the forgoing petition." He adds that "before the assisting witnesses appeared Wm H. Wharton on the 16th day of December 1832 and signed the above." From the Department of Bexar, Jurisdiction of Austin, John Austin appoints Wharton: "That William H. Wharton having the qualifications required by law I do by virtue of the powers in me, vested by law appoint the said William H Wharton curator to George Hawkins in absentee hereby vesting in the said William H Wharton all the powers and privileges legally appertaining to that trust" which "the assisting witnesses [Breedlove and Brigham] signed the 16th day of December 1832." In 1836, William H. Wharton became the first Texas Minister to the United States. A.W. Breedlove was a 2nd Sergeant of Capt. Patton's Company at the Battle of San Jacinto. Asa Brigham, elected Brazoria alcalde in 1835, was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. The children of Joseph H. Hawkins received their land in 1833. Norbourne Hawkins joined the Texas Army and was killed in the Goliad Massacre in 1836; he was only 16. Edmund also died in 1836 and George died in 1837. The estates of Norbourne, Edmund, and George were all probated in close succession in Brazoria County in 1837. Thomas and Mary Jane each inherited half of their brothers' land. Mary Jane came to Texas in 1839 but, after her husband died, returned to Kentucky. She gradually sold off her massive tracts of Texas property. Thomas moved to Texas and was a planter in Brazoria County until his death in 1850. The second and third conjoined pages of the document are matted with a color photocopy of the first page and framed to 33" x 30". The document is lightly soiled. It is in apparent fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Mary Austin Holley: Texas. Observations, Historical, Geographical and Descriptive, In a Series of Letters, Written During a Visit to Austin's Colony, with a view to a permanent settlement in that country, in the Autumn of 1831. By Mrs. Mary Austin Holley. With an Appendix, Containing specific answers to certain questions, relative to Colonization in Texas, issued some time since by the London Geographical Society. Also, some notice of the recent political events in that quarter. (Baltimore: Armstrong & Plaskitt, 1833). First edition of the first book in English entirely about Texas. Twelvemo ( 7" x 4.5"). 167 pages with appendix. Folding map: Map of the State of Coahuila and Texas. W. Hooker (13" x 10"). Brown cloth lettered in gilt. Ink stamp to the bottom edge, light rubbing and fading, rear hinge cracked but sound. Light to moderate occasional foxing. Altogether, a very good copy. Housed in a cloth chemise and quarter morocco slipcase. The work is an epistolary account of the author's journey in the fall of 1831. The first book written in English devoted entirely to Texas. Mrs. Holley was a cousin to Stephen F. Austin, to whom the book is dedicated. She visited Texas in 1831, and was enthusiastic about the country and its prospects. In this series of letters she described the natural features, and the political, economic, and social life, concluding that "ones feelings in Texas are unique and original, and very like a dream or youthful vision realized." Streeter 1135: "This is the first book in English entirely on Texas. For a long time I have regarded it as one of the Texas classics." In his Introduction, Streeter states that this has long been one of his favorite books on life and travel in Texas. Holley and Austin had hoped to use Austin's original map, published by the Philadelphia map publisher H.S. Tanner, for the book, but Tanner refused, and they were obligated to make use of another map based on Austin's sources, by the engraver William Hooker. It is one of the earliest maps of Texas to show the entire territory, including the Panhandle, and one of the first to identify the vast land grants awarded to the earliest settlers. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Howes H593. Sabin 32528. Texana, Colonisation 10; Library of Congress Exhibition 74: "An early Texas literary classic." Jenkins, Basic Texas Books, 93. Graff 1924.

Certificate of Admission Into Austin and Williams Colony Texas colonization certificate, one page, oblong 8vo, 7.75" x 6", dated San Felipe, 26 de Mayo, 183? (San Felipe is written in ink over the crossed out place of Tenoxtitlan). Signed "Spencer H. Jack Agente". The partially printed form filled out in ink reads in part: "The Citizens Estevan F. Austin and Samuel M. Williams, Empresarios [Businessmen] introducing 800 families into Texas according to the contract memorialized with the Government of the State. We certify that Elbert G. Head is one of the Colonists introduced by virtue of aforementioned contract that he is married and his family consists of two will receive the portion of land that the law concedes..." Several tape repairs on verso which are bleeding through, a small hole caused by ink burn where the year was entered, else very good, quite rare. There is a similar copy in the Texas General Land Office signed in manuscript, "Spencer H. Jack Agente" with the date June 3, 1834, filled in.

Spencer Houston Jack (1809-1837/38) accompanied his brother William Houston Jack and family to Texas in 1830. They located in San Felipe de Austin. He was the first colonist to draw Mexican blood in resistance to Mexican authority. In 1831 while serving on The Nelson, under Capt. Samuel Fuller, the vessel violated orders to obtain clearance when sailing from the Brazos. The Nelson, sailing in the wake of another ship also in violation, drew fire from the Mexican barracks at the mouth of the Brazos. Capt. Fuller called for his rifle, which Jack, a passenger, seized and fired, wounding one of the soldiers in the thigh. Early in 1834 Samuel M. Williams appointed Jack as his agent for settling families in the "upper colony," which had been granted to Williams and Stephen F. Austin by the legislature of Coahuila and Texas on February 25, 1831. Jack opened a land office at Tenoxtitlán in March 1834.
When the grant was revoked on May 22, 1834 Williams, then in New Orleans, instructed Jack to go to Monclova to reopen the case. Jack and Peter W. Grayson, both lawyers, were also commissioned to go to Mexico City to present memorials from the ayuntamientos of Texas requesting the release of Stephen F. Austin, who was then imprisoned there. They left San Felipe on August 10, 1834, along with Col. Juan N. Almonte, aide to President Antonio López de Santa Anna, who was returning from an inspection tour of Texas. Jack's efforts at Monclova proved fruitless. The mission to free Austin also failed, though they did bring about his release on bail on Christmas Day, 1834. By the end of December, Jack had returned to San Felipe. During the final days of the 1835 legislative session, Governor Agustín Viesca restored the upper colony to Williams, who again designated Jack as his agent for receiving applications for land. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Eberstadt 162:39: "This document represents one of the four essential steps used in the colonization process, being the empresario's certificate, stating that the immigrant had been admitted as a member of Austin's Colony." Streeter 9: "Among the 1829 and early 1830 products of the San Felipe press are printed forms for some of the steps in the process of making grants of land to immigrants. I do not ordinarily list forms, but as these grants were the foundation of the colonization of Texas, it seems suitable that the four essential printed forms used in the colonization process should be entered or noted."

William T. Selkirk "Colonist" $50 Promissory Note Signed "William Selkirk" as Witness and "X" by Johnson Hensley, one page, 7.75" x 3". San Felipe de Austin, December 15, 1829. Printed document, in part, "Having been received by S.F. Austin, as one of the Settlers under his contracts with Government, in conformity with the terms published by him, 20th November, 1829; - I promise to pay to said S.F. Austin, or order, the sum of Fifty Dollars, in two payments...Ten Dollars on receipt of my title for land as a Settler, under said contracts, and Forty Dollars, one year after the date of said title; to bear interest at the customary rates of this Colony...I execute this note in this language, because I do not understand Spanish." [San Felipe de Austin: Printed by G.B. Cotton, 1829.] Stephen F. Austin had explicit condition of settlement in his colony including "the most unequivocal and satisfactory evidence of unblemished character, good morals, sobriety, and industrious habits...no drunkard, no gambler, no profane swearer, no idler...will be received." After an immigrant was accepted into the colony, he would select any unappropriated land and formally petition the commissioner for a title, paying the fees incurred. The final step was this promissory note. Hundreds of $50 promissory notes in Austin's papers at the University of Texas reveal that many of the colonists did not even make the initial payment on delivery of title. "No one was turned away, or ever waited for his title, because he was poor," said Austin who, at times, would lend them money to pay the surveyor and the commissioner. William Selkirk, one of Austin's "Old Three Hundred," was a surveyor in Austin's colony. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 10

John Dziekanski and James F. Perry "Colonist" $50 Promissory Note Signed "John Dziekanski" and, on verso, Autograph Note Signed "James F. Perry" acknowledging receipt of amount due, two pages, 8" x 3.5", front and verso. San Felipe de Austin, January 24, 1830 and, on verso, December 29, 1834. The $50 promissory note is erroneously printed on each side of this sheet. In part, "Having been received by S.F. Austin, as one of the Settlers under his contracts with Government, in conformity with the terms published by him, 20th November, 1829; - I promise to pay to said S.F. Austin, or order, the sum of Fifty Dollars, in two payments..." Streeter 10 [San Felipe de Austin: Printed by G.B. Cotton, 1829.] One side is dated 1830 and signed by Dziekanski. The text has been crossed out on the other side with five large X's. Appearing in the upper margin is an ANS by Perry, Austin's brother-in-law: "note due 3d May 1832 Interest @ 5 prct. Received of Thomas Barnett the amt of the within note and Interest. Decr 29th 1834. James F. Perry Ex of S F Austin." In 1828, Thomas Barnett was elected comisario of the district of Victoria in the ayuntamiento (principal governing body) of San Felipe de Austin. In 1829, he was elected alcalde. Barnett was one of the three delegates from Austin Municipality to the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos, where he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. James F. Perry married Stephen F. Austin's sister Emily in Missouri in 1824. She was instrumental in their move to Texas in 1831. Resized margins, with paper loss not affecting text. Clean tears through Dziekanski's signature. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 10

Stephen F. Austin and John T. Mason Autograph Letters Signed
An ALS from Mason to Austin, with a handwritten reply, signed by Austin. A total of 2 pages, front and back, 8.5" x 10.5". Leona Vicario. April 30, 1832. Mason's letter, in Spanish, comprises about two-thirds of the recto, and Austin's reply (also in Spanish) fills the remaining one and one- third of the sheet. John T. Mason left his post as superintendent of Indian Affairs under the Andrew Jackson administration in April, 1831, to become the principal agent in Texas for the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company. The company had been organized in 1830 to take over the holdings of empresarios Lorenzo de Zavala, David G. Burnet, and Joseph Vehlein, totaling approximately twenty million acres of land. In 1830 the Mexican government had made it illegal for Americans to colonize in Texas. The Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company ignored the decree and continued to offer land in the holdings of the three empresarios to American, as well as European, colonists.

Mason writes to Austin seeking advice on two candidates being considered for the position of Commissioner over the land holdings of Zavala, Burnet, and Vehlein. He names Jose Antonio Navarro and Jose Maria Carbajal as the two men being considered.

In his reply to Mason, written directly beneath Mason's letter to him, Austin reviews the qualities of both candidates. In part: "...I must say that the aforementioned Carbajal is a native of Bexar, he is twenty-four or twenty-five years of age, understands English very well, and has an excellent education. He has undertaken the job of... under the commission of Don Frnacisco Madero and the Secretary of State of the Department of Bexar. He is also well regarded by his friends and associates in Texas. I do not doubt he is adequate for the job. If permitted, I would recommend Sr. Navarro because he is a citizen of the highest quality, of great honesty, industry, and patriotism..." Navarro, born in San Antonio de Bexar, was self-taught, practiced law, and was a friend of Stephen Austin. He was a supporter of the Texas Revolution, becoming one of only three Mexican signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. With staining and professional restoration along the left margin, and a few clean tears; this document remains in near fine condition with bold ink and is highly legible. Housed in a cloth custom slipcase with a leather spine. An important association letter linking two founders of the Republic in an interesting communication regarding land grants and colonization. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

David G. Burnet and Lorenzo de Zavala Document Signed Partially printed and completed in manuscript, 3pp.,[New York]: December 10, 1830. One of the original contract copies between the officers of the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company and the original empresarios given land grants by the Mexican government to develop their lands in Texas. This document is of the greatest importance in Texas history and heretofore unknown, unrecorded by Streeter or any other bibliographers. It comes from the papers of Anthony Dey, one of the officers of the Company.

In 1826 and 1828, the Mexican government granted large land grants north of Galveston Bay to three separate individuals: Lorenzo de Zavala, Joseph Vehlein and David G. Burnet. The grants required each grantee, or empresario, to settle a certain number of families on the land in return for the grant. The grants covered a vast tract of land in East Texas east of the San Jacinto River and south of a line running twenty leagues north of Nacogdoches, comprising approximately 3,743,163 acres.

In 1830 the three empresarios banded together and contracted with the newly formed Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company to exploit their land holdings. The Company was run by three eastern attorneys with histories as land speculators: Anthony Dey and George Curtis of New York, and William H. Sumner of Boston. The company was essentially a real-estate promotion firm with agents, land counselors, surveyors, and salesmen. It did not own land itself but sold scrip that allowed settlers simply to move into the area. Once there, the settlers had to comply with all requirements of the Mexican colonization law before they could obtain title to land. The company sold its scrip to individuals and to such companies as Prentiss's Union Land Company and the Trinity Land Company; it also sold shares to subscribers.

There is an inserted clause about the three officers of the Company being granted permission to act on the basis of powers of attorney printed on a separate sheet. Signed by David G. Burnet, Lorenza de Zavala, and again by Zavala as the attorney for Joseph Vehlein. The second separate sheet is signed by William H. Sumner. Evidently multiple copies were made of these contracts, but they were held at Dey's offices in New York.

A document of extraordinary importance, and a printed piece of colonization-period Texana hitherto unknown. Separated at fold with numerous sections of paper loss at edges; all have been professionally silked. Moderate age toning. Contemporary red half-leather case, gilt lettering. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Provenance: Papers of Anthony Dey, president of the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company. Not found in Streeter.

Address to the Reader of the Documents relating to the Galveston Bay & Texas Land Company, which are contained in the Appendix. New York: Printed by G.F. Hopkins & Son, 44 Nassau-Street. January 1, 1831. 37 pp. Appendix 69 pp. Quarto.

The Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company was founded in New York on October 16, 1830, for the purpose of colonizing lands assigned to empresarios Joseph Vehlein, David G. Burnet, and Lorenzo de Zavala. Two months later, on December 27, 1830, the Galveston Bay Company dispatched the schooner Angelia from New York with fifty-seven emigrants sent to prepare temporary quarters and plant crops for the prospective settlers.

In January 1831, the company issued this booklet which contained announcements of company policy, contract terms, and the provisions of the Law of April 6, 1830 concerning colonization. Because of this law, which prohibited further immigration to Texas from the United States, Mexican officials refused to let the passengers on the Angelia locate land or settle, even though most of them were supposed to be from Germany or Switzerland. The immigrants were allowed to stay and given permission to build huts and plant gardens on the Trinity River. In short order, a second boatload of colonists arrived, also finding themselves without prospect of title or land. Following this, the company apparently decided that further literature was useless until after the repeal of the Law of April 6, 1830 became effective in May, 1834.

The Articles of Association printed in the appendix provide for one thousand shares of capital stock and for scrip, and give the text of their respective certificates. There are also English translations of various other documents, including: the Law of April 6, 1830; the texts of the Empresario Grants and their accompanying papers; the Colonization Laws of January 4, 1823, August 18, 1824, and March 24, 1825; and the Regulations For Surveys dated September 4, 1827. Winkler suggests that the Law of April 6, 1830 appeared in English translation here for the first time. This is almost certainly the case as far as its appearance in a book or pamphlet form is concerned.

A most important document relating to the early colonization of Texas. Contemporary cloth-half leather case, gilt lettering. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1123. Rader 1521. Sabin 93710.

Partially Printed Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company Certificate, signed by three trustees, one page, 8" x 12.5", New York City, October 16, 1830. An empresario land grant of "one Labor", or 177+ acres, to Stephen Whitney from Lorenzo de Zavala, Joseph Vehlein and David G. Burnet. Beautifully engraved with a map of East Texas showing Galveston and "Austin's Colony" to the west. Light marginal aging, very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Steeter 1117, 1654, 1656, 1657

Blank Partially Printed Galveston Bay & Texas Land Company Empresario Grant Form, one page, 8" x 12.5", New York City, October 16, 1830. An attractive document signed by three trustees for Lorsenzo de Zavela, Joseph Vehlein and David G. Burnet. Embellished with a wonderful map of East Texas having the empresario shaded. Uneven right edge as made, fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1117

Joel Roberts Poinsett's Certificate for Texas Land, partially printed Galveston Bay & Texas Land Company document signed by three trustees representing Lorenzo de Zavela, Joseph Vehlein and David G. Burnet, one page, 8" x 12.5", New York City, October 16, 1830. Made out for "one labor" or land to "J. R. Poinsett" and bearing a map showing the East Texas empresario in which the property was located. Uneven right edge as made, very fine condition. Collectible in its own right, this document is enhanced by being drawn up for South Carolinian Joel R. Poinsett (1779-1851). One of the nation's more remarkable men during an era of remarkable men, Poinsett was a medical doctor, botanist, politician and diplomat. He was heavily engaged in trying to secure Texas for the United States and was, indeed, our country's first ambassador to an independent Mexico City. His name, of course, lives on in the tropical holiday plant he discovered. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1117

Early American Traveler Newspaper With Advertisement Touting Texas, four pages, large folio, Boston, Massachusetts, February 27, 1835. Of general interest for the world-curious, this paper carries a fantastic advertisement by the Galveston Bay and Texas Land company stating "1000 Emigrant Families of industrious habits will be provided by the subscriber with Farms...". The Texas climate, Anglo culture and enlightened Mexican legal system are fully extolled. Lot includes two other editions of the paper, one of which mentions Crockett's Almanac for 1835 wherein woodsy wisdom is dispensed by Davy himself. Light foxing throughout, some loss to the front page of one issue. Overall good condition on stable paper. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

José Maria de Letona, Newly Elected Governor of Coahuila and Texas, Announces His Election and Assumption of Office. [Leona Vicario]. [1831]. Four-page folder printed on page [1]. Octavo. Notice announcing the election of José Maria de Letona as governor and providing details of his assumption of office. Dated and signed in print at end; rubric of Jose Maria de Letona and Santiago del Valle, Secretario.

Sources disagree on the date of Letona's assumption of the office of governor. Although Decree 161 in Kimball, passed January 4, 1831, and promulgated January 5 (an error in Kimball gives this date of promulgation of office as January 5, 1830), announced the election of José Maria de Letona as governor and Veramendi as vice-governor, this announcement shows that Letona did not assume the office until March 1, 1831. However, the University of Texas at Austin puts the date at April 5, 1831. Sixteen months later, on August 19, 1832, Letona announced he could no longer serve as governor for health reasons. At that time, he also proclaimed that Chief Justice Rafael Eca y Muzquiz had been given the right to exercise the powers of the governor's office provisionally. According to the Actas de la Diputacion (1832-1834), Letona died October 14, 1832; The University of Texas at Austin offers September 18, 1832 as the date of his death.

This issue contains the following at the end of the paragraph: y la de los honrados habitantes de esta municipalidad and is referred to in Streeter's note (located only in the Bexar Archives). Only three of these notices are known to exist. Encased in a half-calf case with gilt lettering at spine. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 765. Eberstadt 162:493, this being the Eberstadt copy.

John Dominguez Partly-printed Document Signed "John Dominguez". 1 page, 7.5 x 11.5", [New York?] November 11, 1831. (Numbered 4038) A fascinating document -- this copy is signed by John Dominguez, A.O. Dayton, and C.V.S. Kane, the latter two being Dominguez' attorneys. "Dominguez was granted a colonization contract by the Texas government on July 6, 1829. By its terms he was to bring 200 American and European settlers to Texas within a period of six years, to be located in an area bounded as follows: beginning on the Arkansas River where the river is intersected by the twenty-third degree of longitude west of Washington, the boundary line between Mexico and the United States; thence south along this boundary line the distance of forty leagues; thence west twenty leagues; thence north on a line parallel with the twenty-third meridian to the Arkansas River, thence with the right bank of the Arkansas River to its intersection with the twenty-third meridian, the place of beginning. Dominguez, who resided in Mexico, appointed Victor Blanco, lieutenant governor of Texas, to execute his contract. Dominguez brought no colonists to Texas, and the contract expired in 1835" - Handbook of Texas.

The language of the above description is lifted almost directly from the grant itself. The present copy is made out to H.A. Greene of New York in the standard amount of roughly 177 acres. Greene purchased at least two lots from Dominguez; another copy of the broadside made out to him resides at Yale University. Despite this evidence, as mentioned above, no settlers actually made the move to the Dominguez colony. Creases, irregularly trimmed at laft margin, else fine condition. A crisp imprint. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas, 1122A. Streeter Sale, 309.

[Samuel Bangs] Decreto Numero 195 El Congreso Constitucional Del Estado Linre. [Mexico] With heading: Gobierno Supremo del Estado de Coahuila y Tejas, May 1, 1832, 2 pp., approximately 6" x 8". Given in the city of Leona Vicario on the 28th of April, 1832. This being Decree 195 of the Congreso Constitucional, signed in print by Jose Maria de Letona with his rubric, and by Santiago del Valle, secretary. In this decree, Joseph M. [Samuel] Bangs and Philip Dimitt, in consideration of their having families born in the state, are hereby excepted from Article 1, of decree No. 183. Half leather case, gilt lettering. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter. Kimball's Laws and Decrees of Coahuila and Texas, page 196.

[Broadside] Decree Of The Congreso General Extending The Provision Permitting Certain Imports At Galveston And Matagorda Free Of Duty For The Benefit Of The Colonists. Governor's Palace, Mexico [City]: May 19, 1832. [With heading:] Secretaria de Hacienda. Seccion 1a. Four-page folder printed on p. [1]. Quarto. Signed in print by Vice-president Anastasio Bustamante, and promulgated the same day by Rafael Mangino (Minister of Treasury). This decree extended for an additional two years the provisions of Article 13 (of the law of April 6, 1830), which permitted introduction of various items through the ports of Galveston and Matagorda free of duty to established colonists of Texas. Half-calf case with gilt lettering at spine. Moderate age toning with several large pale-red stains. Very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 782, no copy located. Formerly in Lindley Eberstadt's Collection, Eberstadt 162:106. Streeter had not seen the original of this for the Central Government (as this one is) or a republication by any of the Mexican states. Entry is from Dublan (Volume II, No. 1047, p. 433).who says it was published in a bando of May 25, 1832. The bando is given in Arrillaga (January 1832-March 1833) at page 105.

Tax Increase on Coahuila and Texas Imports Document Signed with rubric by Rafael Eca y Muzquiz and Santiago del Valle, Secretary, one page, 6" x 8". Leona Vicario, September 30, 1832. One of two known copies; not in Streeter. In full, "The Governor of the State of Coahuila and Texas, to all the inhabitants thereof: Be it known, that the congress of said state has decreed as follows: Decree num. 202. The Congress of the State of Coahuila and Texas has thought proper to decree: Art. 1. The five per cent consumption duty on foreign effects shall be increased one per cent, for the municipal funds of the state. Art. 2. The revenue agents shall take care to make this collection, and deliver to the respective Ayuntamientos [principal governing body of Spanish municipalities] monthly, the amount collected. Art. 3. This decree shall go into effect in eight days from the publication thereof. For its fulfillment, the Governor of the State shall cause it to be printed, published, and circulated. Given in the city of Leona Vicario on the 29th September, 1832. Manuel Muzquiz, Deputy President. Jose Cayetano Ramos, Deputy Secretary. Francisco S. de Arreola, Deputy Secretary. Wherefore I command it to be printed, published, circulated and duly fulfilled." Ironically, exactly nine years earlier, on September 30, 1823, Mexican Pres. Vicente Guerrero decreed "In consideration of the deplorable conditions in Texas caused by Indian depredations, the Mexican government exempts Texas from the payment of import duties for seven years." The document has been trimmed at all edges. Stains do not affect legibility. A mounting strip has been affixed along the left edge. Overall, in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Broadside] Gaceta Del Gobierno Supremo Del Estado De Coahuila Y Tejas. [Leona Vicario or Monclova, 1833]. At end: Imprenta del gobierno del Estado á cargo del C. Sisto Gonzalez. Four-page folder, approximately 8" x 12.25". At the top of the sheet, a vignette of an eagle with a shield bearing19 stripes, and grasping eight arrows in one talon and an olive branch in other. Beneath this in large type: "GACETA del Gobierno Supremo del Estado de Coahuila y Tejas." Watermark: "Almasso."

A very rare leaflet for this early Texas newspaper, it bears an impressive engraved eagle at the head and information about the new twice-weekly periodical for potential subscribers below. At a cost of just "un peso cada mes, para la capital, y diez reales para afuera franco de porte [one peso each month, for the capital, and ten reals for outside carriage-free]," the reader would receive a new issue of Gaceta every Monday and Friday. The first issue was printed Friday, January 11, 1833, published at Leona Vicario or Monclova, and the newspaper continued publishing through 1835, although the printing schedule changed often. First issued twice a week, that soon changed to once a week with publication on Mondays. By March 1834, publication day was Wednesday. Numbering of the issues is also disjointed, with several small gaps.

The body of this tract cites the need for a new newspaper in the region, one that didn't just print interesting local news and entertaining articles about literature, culture, science, but one that would also keep its readers well informed of the latest official acts of the three branches of government. Though the Gaceta was well read, another government publication - the Diario del Gobierno - began publication at about the same time and challenged the Gaceta's popularity. Only two institutional copies of the Gaceta are known to exist, one in the Saltillo Archives and one the Texas State Library. Housed in a dark brown half-calf folder with marbled boards and gilt lettering. This copy bears faint dampstains along the extreme left-hand margin, but these do not affect the text or the overall fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Broadside] Rare Decree Regarding Election Procedures for the State of Coahuila y Tejas by Governor Juan Martin Veramendi. Leona Vicario, with heading Gobierno Supremo del Estado de Coahuila y Tejas, February 4, 1833. One page. Imperial Octavo. Dated and signed in print at end: Es dado en la ciudad de Leona-Vicario á los 4 dias del mes de febrero de 1833. Juan Martin de Veramendi. Santiago del Valle secretario.

On December 18, 1832, Juan Martin de Veramendi took up the duties of Governor of the state of Coahuila and Texas. This decree provides Santa Anna's argument for the necessity of new elections and gives his approval of the Zavaleta plan to accomplish this goal. The tract then lists ten articles spelling out the details, including procedures concerning the elections of individuals to serve in the State Congress, president and vice-president, and two senators to the National Congress. As a result of the elections, Santa Anna was elected President.

In one instance here Veramendi is incorrectly identified as vice governor; he was actually governor at the time, having taken up his duties as governor on December 18, 1832. Voting was held in the various states and carried out without opposition, resulting in Santa Anna's election as president of Mexico. Red half-calf case with gilt lettering on spine. Clean and sharp, in very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 789. Locating only his copy. Eberstadt 162:876. Jenkins 68.

[Broadside] Juan Martin de Veramendi: Convention at Zavaleta Giving Instructions for New Elections. Gobierno Supremo del Estado de Coahuila y Tejas. Instrucciones que el Gobierno de Estado há tenido á bien dictar, para el major cumplimiento de lo prevenido en el decreto de convocatoriá espedio... (Leon Vicario: February 4, 1833). ( 12" x 8.5"). Housed in a quarter morocco four-fold case, lettered in gilt on the spine. This was one of the moves to make Mexico a truly federal government and Santa Anna was chosen as its President. This broadside lays down the details in five articles of the method of elections agreed upon in the convention at Zavaleta. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 789, locating only three copies. Eberstadt 162:877.

Partially Printed New Arkansas and Texas Land Company Grant, signed by trustees T. L. Ogden, D. Jackson and E. Curtis, one page, 7.5" x 12.5", New York City, April 29, 1833, awarding 4,017 6/7 acres to Sylvester Davis, who signs on the verso. Two smoothed marginal folds, else excellent condition. This tract in West Texas was carved from the massive empresario grant awarded to John Charles Beales and Jose Manuel Royuela. Beales secured Royuela's shares, transferring the whole to the New Arkansas and Texas Land Company. A medical doctor by profession, Beales was a talented and energetic land speculator. The millions of acres he claimed were lost to him as they were granted by Mexico prior to the Texian Revolution. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1138.1

Juan Martin de Veramendi Decree Signed with his rubric, one page, 7.5" x 11.5". Monclava, April 16, 1833. Also signed with rubric by Santiago del Valle as secretary. First printing. Not in Streeter. Upon the death of Gov. José María Letona on September 18, 1832, Vice Governor Juan Martín de Veramendi assumed the office of governor of Coahuila and Texas. Del Valle served as president of the Congreso Constituyente of the state of Coahuila and Texas in 1825 and as counselor to the governor. By this document, Veramendi informs the people that the Congress has decreed that "Citizen José Francisco Madero, is granted the exclusive right to introduce in the Trinity River, Steam, Power, Sail or Row Boats, for a period of eighteen years, if this can be performed at his expense." The decree also stated that the privilege would begin on the day the law was published, that there would be no special tax levied against Madero, and that he may transfer the right, all or in part, to anyone as long as that individual was not the subject of a nation at war with Mexico. Madero would lose his exclusive right if he did not navigate the Trinity River within three years from the date of this decree. The Trinity River flows 423 miles from the confluence of the Elm and West forks in present-day Dallas to the Gulf of Mexico. It is not clear why Madero received this privilege but it upset many Texians. The War Party cited it as one the reasons to separate Texas from Mexico. The enterprise never came to fruition as Madero died during a cholera epidemic five months later which also claimed the lives of Governor Veramendi and his daughter (Mrs. Jim Bowie) and the Bowie's two infant children. This document incorrectly identifies Veramendi as "el vice gobernador" even though he had succeeded Letona seven months earlier and decrees published since then called him "el gobernador." The upper left edge is mouse-eaten and there is light soiling on the right. There are tape stains in the wide blank left margin and light water stains and minor nicks at the right edge. The document, in apparent fine condition, is matted and framed to 15.5" x 27". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Manuel Ximenes Partly-printed Document Signed "Manuel Ximenes" as Governor of Coahuila and Texas. 2 pages, 6 x 8.25", Monclova, April 21, 1833. A decree declaring John Brown a citizen of Coahuila y Tejas.

Kimball 222. Probably printed on Samuel Bangs' press after the press was sent to Monclova when the capital was moved to Saltillo. The printing is typical of the somewhat irregular quality of Bangs' types and print. A separate identical print of this decree is in the Hardin Papers, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Calendar of the Atascosito District Archives, 1826-1836. Document 65. It has the following description: 4/21/1833. From: Monclova. To: Citizen Alcalde de la Villa de la Libertad. Subject: citizenship of John Brown. Forwarded on 5/16/1833 by Manuel Ximines, Bejar.

Irregular left margin, light creases, moderate toning at bottom right corner, another small spot clear of text, else very bright and clean and in very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter, reference 808

[Circular] Federal Districts and Commissaries Established. [Mexico] Oct. 22, 1833. With heading: SECRETARIA DE HACIENDA. SECCION 1.A. 4pp. Single folded folio sheet. This decree clarifies the establishment of federal districts in México, Coahuila y Tejas, Veracruz, Zacatecas, Yucatán, Sonora, Oajaca, Sinaloa, Jalisco, Chihuahua, and Tamaulipas. Signed in print at end by José M. Bocanegra - Minister of Interior then Treasury. Text begins: "El Exmo Sr. Vice- Presidente De Los Estados-Unidos Mexicanos, En Ejercicio Del Supremo Poder Ejecutivo, Se Ha Dirigirme El Decreto Qu Sigue. En Consideracion Á Que Las Circunstancias Del Erario Demandan Imperiosa Mente La Reduccion De Los Gastos Públicos; Áhaber Manifestado La Esperiencia Que Algunas Comisaríasge..." The duties of each "commissary" are explained, as well as the responsibility of federal agents serving at these bases. Published during Santa Anna's disappearance into the countryside, this document shows the effectiveness of the Valentin Gomez Farias administration; Farias acted as president of Mexico during this stretch of Santa Anna's unavailability. Protected in a half-calf folder with red cloth boards and gilt lettering on the spine. Creamy age toning overall; in very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Eberstadt 162:39: "This document represents one of the four essential steps used in the colonization process, being the empresario's certificate, stating that the immigrant had been admitted as a member of Austin's Colony." Streeter 9: "Among the 1829 and early 1830 products of the San Felipe press are printed forms for some of the steps in the process of making grants of land to immigrants. I do not ordinarily list forms, but as these grants were the foundation of the colonization of Texas, it seems suitable that the four essential printed forms used in the colonization process should be entered or noted."

[Broadside] Provision to Set Up New Colonies in Texas. One page, two-sided, approximately 8" x 12". [Mexico] With heading: Primera Secretaria de Estado. Departmento Del Interior. February 4, 1834. Decree issued by acting President Valentín Gomez Farias and promulgated the same day by Francisco Maria Lombardo (signed in print), announcing the Mexican government's wish to aid its citizens in acquiring state lands in Coahuila and Texas.

This act reiterates the intentions of a similar April 6, 1830 decree which stated the government's wish to relieve suffering caused by the country's disorganized administration by helping citizens take up government lands in Coahuila and Texas. This February 1834 act was in turn reinforced by an April 11, 1834 act which clarified the administration of such new colonies as might appear.

"Streeter locates only one copy besides his own. A highly interesting decree... Here we learn that preference will be shown to soldiers and politicians thrown out of work by the termination of the revolution" - Eberstadt.

There are various republications of this decree. On April 11 a decree was issued correcting Article 10 by making it clear that any colonies that might be set up under the February 4 decree were subject to the will of the governor of the state and to state laws (see Arrillaga, 1834, p. 50 and 110).

Contemporary black cloth case with leather label at spine, gilt lettering. Fresh, sharp, immaculate, and extremely rare. As such, it is sure to garner much attention among Texana collectors. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 812, locating only two copies. Eberstadt 162:330. Arrillaga, 1834, p. 47. Not in Dublan.

M. Fiske (attributed): A Visit to Texas: Being the Journal of a Traveller Through those Parts most Interesting to American Settlers with Descriptions of Scenery, Habits, &c. &c. (New York: Goodrich & Wiley, 1834). First edition. Twelvemo (7.5" x 4.5"). iv, [9]-264 [4, Meteorological Journal] pages. Illustrated with four copper-engraved plates by J.T. Hammond. Folding map: Map of the State of Coahuila and Texas, W. Hooker, sculp. With original extensive shading and outlining in color. Original brown textured cloth, lettered and decorated in gilt on the spine. Spine slightly faded, light rubbing, mild occasional foxing, else a very good copy. Housed in a quarter morocco clamshell case, lettered in gilt on the spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1155.

[Broadside] Report of Santa Anna's Decision to Retain Monclova as Capital of Coahuila y Tejas. [Monclova: 1834]. Folded folio sheet with heading: Dated and signed in print at end: Dado en la ciudad de Monclova, capital del Estado á los diez y seis dias del mes de diciembre de mil ochocientos trienta y cuatro [December 16, 1834]. Juan José Elguezabal, José Maria Falcon, Oficial primero. Being the proclamation issued by Governor Elguezabal giving Santa Anna's decision on the question as to which city should be the location for the capital of the state; Monclova or Leona Vicario.

Governor Elguezabal reports here that Santa Anna, after hearing from the various parties to the controversy (including Senator Victor Blanco and Juan Nepomuceno Almonte, who had just returned from an inspection of Coahuila and Texas), has ruled that the capital of the state should remain at Monclova and that Elguezabal should continue as governor until new elections can be held for governor, vice governor, and representatives to the federal and state congress. (The full text of Santa Anna's decision is given in Arrillaga's Recopilacion for 1835, pp. 192-195). Those such as Villaseñor who had opposed the federal government in the recent revolts were barred as candidates from this coming election.

The message closes with Elguezabal's call for these elections to be held in January, 1835. See Streeter No. 801 for proclamation made two days later regarding this election. Half-calf case with marbled boards and gilt lettering. A few glue stains and binding marks at left edge, else fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 800.

Juan Nepomuceno Almonte, News and Statistics on Texas Signed "J. Almonte," inscribed by him to Sñ Castillo, 96 pages, 4" x 6". First Edition. Streeter 816. Gray paper wrappers stamped "J.M. de Castillo y Lancas" in upper margin of front cover imprinted: "Noticia/Estadistica/Sobre/Tejas,/por/Juan N. Almonte./Impreso/por Ignacio Cumplido,/Mexico,/Calle de los Rebeldes N. 2,/1835." Fine condition. With mileage table and charts. Front corners rounded. This book is based on a visit made to Texas by Juan Nepomuceno Almonte (1803-1869) in the spring of 1834, at the orders of the Mexican government, to hear the complaints of the Texans and to gain time for the government to devote its attention to Texas matters. He arrived at Nacogdoches by way of New Orleans in May 1834, and had reached Monclova on his way back to Mexico City in September 1834. Almonte made his report to Valentin Gomez Farias, Vice President and temporary acting president of Mexico, and then compiled the non-political elements into his book, which was published in February 1835 and has a dedication to General Miguel Barragan dated Mexico, January 1, 1835. On January 28, 1835, Santa Anna surrendered the presidency to General Miguel Barragan, who died in office on March 1, 1836. It includes descriptions of towns, roads, ports, and people, as well as a detailed description of the physical terrain. There are sections on the Indian tribes and on wildlife, flora, and fauna. Almonte also urges colonization of Texas by Mexicans and states that he expects to return soon to Texas as Commissioner of Colonization. When he did return, it was as military aide on the staff of Santa Anna's invading army; he was taken prisoner at San Jacinto. This is the only known presentation copy in private hands. In cloth chemise (book and biographical information tipped in) and quarter morocco slipcase case with the spine in five compartments with four raised bands, lettered in gilt, "Noticia Sobre Tejas/Almonte/1835." Presentation copies of this book are exceedingly rare. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 816; Eberstadt 162:15

[Stephen F. Austin] El C. Estevan F. Austin: Esposicion al Publico Sobre Los Asuntos de Tejas. Por El C. Estevan F. Austin. (Megico [sic]: Eu casa de Cornelio C. Sebring, 1835). First and original edition. Author's presentation copy, inscribed at the top of the title page: "To D. José Ramon Malo / E.F. Austin." Small quarto (7.25" x 5.5"). 32 pages. Full nineteenth-century antique-style calf, edges stained blue. Minor soiling and rubbing, pencil notes to one margin, ink numerals to rear blank leaf, else a fine copy. Housed in a quarter brown morocco clamshell case. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 817: "This Esposicion was written shortly after Austin's release on bail from his long confinement at Mexico City and is dated at the end of its main text, Megico, Enero 18, de 1835. It is followed on page 26, by five numbered exhibits. These include an extract from the instructions to Austin of the Texas convention which had met in April, 1833, and a copy of Austin's letter of October 2, 1833, to the ayuntamiento of Bexar, the letter which led to his arrest at Saltillo on January 3, 1834, as he was returning to Texas. The Esposicion, written in the third person, is primarily an able defense of the memorial adopted by the Convention of April 1833, and an explanation of the letter of October 2, 1833, which had caused Austin's arrest. It is one of the important Texas documents ... Dr. Barker says that 450 copies were printed." Fifty Texas Rarities 11: "Austin had gone to Mexico City somewhat reluctantly to argue for a measure of autonomy for Texas. He argued himself into jail (charged with disloyalty to the Mexican Government), where he spent his time composing this explanation of the attitude of Texas toward Mexico." The only work actually written and published by the "Father of Texas." Eberstadt, Texas 162:40. Graff 116. Howes A403. Rader 213. Raines, page 15. Not in Sabin.

David Woodman, Jr.: Guide to Texas Emigrants. (Boston: Printed by M. Hawes, for the Publishers, 1835). First edition. Ink signature of William H. Sumner, his copy. Sumner was an officer of Galveston Bay and Texas Land Co. Twelvemo (7" x 4.25"). vi, [13] 14-192 pages. Illustrated with one engraved plate and a folding copper-engraved map on onionskin paper and with original hand-coloring, titled: Map of the Colonization Grants to Zavala, Vehlein & Burnet in Texas, Belonging to The Galveston Bay & Texas Land Co.. (9" x 12") and including an inset of Plan of the Port of Galveston, Made by Order of the Mexican Government. By Alexander Thompson of the Mexican Navy in 1828; Grants on the map colored in green, pink and yellow. Original or contemporary textured cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine. Binding slightly dulled and with very light soiling, light to moderate foxing to the sheets, endpapers and edges. Map a bit browned but in excellent condition. A very good handsome copy. Housed in a custom full morocco clamshell case, the spine ruled and lettered in gilt, and with raised bands. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: "The pamphlet published by the trustees of the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company, in January 1831, is the text of this book up to page 76. Its object, ...was to circulate the knowledge of the colonization laws of Coahuila and Texts, with special reference to the land grants of Burnet, Vehlin, and Zavala. The accompanying map shows only these three grants, which constitute the lands of the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company, all lying in Eastern Texas." -Raines, Bibliography of Texas. This small book was almost assuredly sponsored by the Galveston Bay & Texas Land Company, which at the time was actively promoting its Texas holdings in both America and Europe. Sabin 105111. Howes W647. Clements Fifty Texas Rarities 12. Streeter 2:1177. Raines page 222. Rader 3731. Graff 4737.

[Broadside] Inaugural Address. [Monclova. April 15, 1835]. Imperial Octavo. Dated and signed in print at end by Agustin Viesca, and J. Mariano Irala, Secretario.

Viesca's inaugural gives the impression of being a collection of platitudes, but as stated in the note to the proclamation of Governor Borrego (Streeter 818), the state was in turmoil at this time in the struggle between the Viesca's Federalists at Monclova, and the Centralists of Saltillo. Given the political turmoil at the time, Viesca probably decided that an inaugural which said nothing was safest.

Though his inaugural was peaceful in tone, the controversy with the Centralists increased in bitterness, with Martin Perfecto de Cós (Comandante General of the Eastern Internal Provinces and brother-in-law of Santa Anna) acting as leader in denunouncing Viesca. This finally led to Viesca's retiring from Monclova on May 25. On June 5, 1835 he was captured by the Centralist forces and escaped four months later, making his way to Texas.

A rare broadside printing of an inaugural address by the Governor of Coahuila and Texas during a turbulent period. Enclosed in a half-calf case with marbled boards and gilt lettering at spine. Small tear at right edge does not detract from this sharp, clean document. Fine to very fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 819, locating only four copies (Streeter's duplicate).

Mexican Decree Declaring Texas Land Law Invalid Signed, "Gutierrez Estrada" in type, one page, 8" x 11.5". Mexico, April 25, 1835. In part, "Art. 1. The decree of the Legislature of Coahuila and Texas of March 14th of this year is contrary to its articles 1 and 2 of Law of August 18th, 1824; consequently, the sales exerted by virtue of such decree are null and are worthless." Under the March 14th decree authorizing the sale of over 11,000 square miles of Texas land, John T. Mason, the confidential agent of the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company, and others were granted vast tracts of land. This decree fueled the aspirations of Mason and his Texas land speculators while angering the Texians fighting for their independence. In fact, Mason is the only named individual who is mentioned in the Constitution of the Republic of Texas written a year later: "...whereas the legislature of Coahuila and Texas having passed an act in the year 1834, in behalf of general John T. Mason of New York, and another on the 14th day of March, 1835, under which the enormous amount of eleven hundred leagues of land has been claimed by sundry individuals, some of whom reside in foreign countries, and are not citizens of the republic,--which said acts are contrary to articles fourth, twelfth, and fifteenth of the laws of 1824 of the general congress of Mexico, and one of said acts, for that cause has, by said general congress of Mexico, been declared null and void: It is hereby declared that the said act of 1834, in favor of John T. Mason, and of the 14th of March. 1835, of the said legislature of Coahuila and Texas, and each and every grant founded thereon, is, and was from the beginning, null and void (General Provisions, Section 10)." José Maria Gutierrez Estrada, former Senator from Yucatan, served as Foreign Minister for a short time in 1835. In apparent fine condition. Matted and framed to 16" x 28". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 833; Eberstadt 162:471; Jenkins 97

Gaceta Del Gobierno Supremo del Estado e Coahuila y Texas, four pages, 8.5" x 11.5". "Impenta del gobierno á cargo del C. Sisto Gonzalez." Volume 3 Number 97. [Monclova], July 29, 1835. In the period 1829 - 1835, the government of Coahuila and Texas issued four official periodicals. The Gaceta was the second and most prominent periodical, being published weekly from January 1833 through August 1835 and being numbered 1-99. It was first published from the city of Leona Vicario until March 1833, when the capital of the state of Coahuila and Texas was moved to Monclova. Issues after that date were then published from Monclova. In early 1835, gaps between publications began until the last issue dated August 12, 1835. By that time there were no relations between the state government at Monclova and Texas.

This issue prints the communication of July 8th to Don Miguel Falcon, Governor of the State, from Rafael Eca y Musquiz, Minister of the Supreme Court - President Santa Anna has asked Musquiz to assume the Executive Power of the state. He directed Musquiz to "calm the spirit of discord in Texas and to apply the severity of the law to those who attempt to pervert the tranquility and excite commotion." In May, Gov. Agustine Viesca, with the aid of Texian Ben Milam, had left Monclova with the government archives to make Bexar (San Antonio) the capital of the department of Texas. A hard faction had developed between Saltillo and Monclova. Viesca and the remaining members of his legislature were arrested by Commandant Martin Perfecto de Cos in Coahuila. The last part of this issue contains an editorial commenting on the actions of Viesca and the two opposing parties within the government of Mexico: "We believe, without fear of error, that in the Texas Colonies there does not exist aims of overthrowing the government; and, if this were to happen it would be for the good and happiness of [Mexico], since confronting a foreign enemy as we may call the Colonists, the two opposing parties in the nation will unite and teach the ungrateful a lesson. During this fight the government of Mexico will become robust. We will give documentation to the public which affirms it, and ridicule the claims of our enemies. Do not believe the unjust followers of the previous administration nor the Colonists." In September 1835, Cos was sent by Santa Anna to investigate the refusal of Texans at Anahuac to pay duties imposed by the government. General Cos dispersed the legislature of Coahuila and Texas, then in session at Monclova, landed 300 men at Matagorda Bay, established headquarters in San Antonio, and declared his purpose of ending resistance in Texas. His demands were resisted; a force of Texans under Stephen F. Austin and Edward Burleson held the Mexican troops in the siege of Bexar until Cos surrendered after an attack led by Ben Milam in December 1835.

The first fire of the Texas battle for independence had been lit. This is one of only two known copies of this issue. The other is in the Saltillo Archives. There is mid-horizontal browning from what appears to be plastic tape with resulting creases. In apparent fine condition. Matted and framed to 17" x 27.5". Color photocopies of pages two, three, and four are in a pocket affixed on verso of the frame. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

1835 Mercurio Del Puerto de Matamoros Newspaper Bill signed "Juan Southwell" in facsimile, 6.25" x 4.25". Partly printed, completed in manuscript. In full, "Recibé de D. R. M. Potter seis reales por la contribucion pr 15 dias al dicho periodico, que concluye con el dia ultimo de este mes." ["Received of Don R.M. Potter six reales for the payment for 15 days of the said periodical that concludes with the last day of this month."] Dockets on verso in unidentified hand. On June 6, 1834, George Fisher issued the first number of his periodical called Mercurio Del Puerto de Matamoros. It was printed by Juan Southwell on his Mercurio Press. While Southwell did not personally sign this bill, it seems that he added the paraph in ink. The paper was too liberal for Mexican officials and caused Fisher's dismissal from Mexico. In October 1835, Fisher was in New Orleans raising men and money for an expedition during which José Antonio Mexía would attack Tampico in an effort to stir up an insurrection in the eastern states of Mexico. It failed. From 1827 to 1833, Reuben M. Potter was an agent of a commercial house in Matamoros. In October 1836 ,he wrote the "Hymn of the Alamo" which received attention in several Texas publications. Many of his articles dealing with the history of Texas were published in Eastern papers and periodicals. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Republic of Texas Land Transfer Certificate: Scarce Partly Printed Document Signed. 2 pages, 8.25 x 13.25", San Augustine, Nacogdoches District, [Texas], December 20, 1835 being a transfer in which Seth Ward is selling his "League and Labor" of land (4,600 acres), located in Lorenzo de Zavala's emprasario grant of 1829, to David Brown for $100. Little is known about David Brown save for corresponding records in private and public hands indicate that Brown was a significant land speculator (he purchased over 13,000 on this day alone) in a seeming attempt to form a community known as Santa Anna in the area of San Augustine. Brown was likely using the current revolutionary atmosphere to his advantage to acquire as much land as he could before the unknown happened.

This document was executed during the broil of revolution. It had only been two weeks since The Siege of Bexar. The previous week the citizens of San Augustine, at a public meeting, adopted resolutions to elect delegates to the Convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos to declare independence and form a constitution. On December 22, two days after this document, Augustus Hotchkiss, the first judge and chief justice of San Augustine and who was also the Chairman of the Committee of Vigilance and Safety for San Augustine, called a meeting whereby the Committee adopted the resolution that "the Convention should make a Declaration of Independence, and form a Republican Government for Texas."... Hotchkiss conducted these meetings which are the first recorded to come out for a new convention to declare total independence and enact a constitution.

The imprint was produced by David E. Lawhon, a recent arrival from Tennessee in Nacogdoches, began the publication there of the Texean [sic] and Emigrant's Guide, the first issue of which was dated November 28, 1835. This was printed on the press on which Slocum had begun printing the Mexican Advocate in 1829. Only a few Lawhon imprints have survived, as he ceased operating in March, 1836. It is one of the rarest pre-Revolution Texas presses. Partial separation at folds as well as minor marginal tears and chips, very light and minor dampstain at bottom margin, else very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Bibliography of Texas, Streeter, No. 74 and No. 78, and Vol 1 'A Brief Sketch of Printing in Texas'; The Handbook of Texas; Empressario Contracts in Colonization of Texas, Texas A & M University.

[San Augustine, Texas Land Transfer] Partly-printed Document Signed by August Hotchkiss, J. J Jones and John Freeman. 2 pages, 8 x 12.75", San Augustine, December 20, 1835. In part: "...Before me, A. Hotchkiss Judge of the first instance for the jurisdiction of San Augustine Ex-officio Notary Public, and the instrumental witnesses with whom I act according to law, appeared Seth Ward citizen of the Department of Nacogdoches..."

In this document, Seth Ward is selling his "League and Labor" of land (4,600 acres), located in Lorenzo de Zavala's emprasario grant of 1829, to David Brown for $100 (all payments during this time would have been made in gold or silver coin). Interestingly, as reflected by the existence of three similar documents (one at the University of Texas), at the very least Mr. Brown had purchased over 13,000 acres in one day!

In 1827, pioneer residents of Ayish Bayou, east Texas, elected municipal authorities, even though the Mexican government had not officially recognized the district. In 1832, under the leadership of alcalde William McFarland, residents decided to construct a permanent settlement in a central location. A committee of fifteen men chose the banks of the Ayish Bayou, which had been the heart of local activities since Indian occupation, and purchased the land in January 1833 from Edmund Quirk for ninety dollars. Thomas S. McFarland was appointed to survey their purchase and plat 356 lots on forty-eight city blocks in a grid pattern, perhaps the first time that such a method was used in Texas. The following year, under alcalde Charles S. Taylor, the municipality of San Augustine was established in the Department of Nacogdoches on March 6, 1834 by Decree No 265 issued by the Mexican state government of Coahuila and Texas. Separated folds reinforced with archival tape on verso, light toning, some minor marginal chips and slight losses at folds, else very good. A significant piece of history. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter, 74 & 78, and Vol 1 'A Brief Sketch of Printing in Texas'; The Handbook of Texas; Empressario Contracts in Colonization of Texas, Texas A & M University. The Baker & Bordens press at San Felipe, the Lawhon press at Nacogdoches, some 200 miles northeast of San Felipe, and the Gray press at Brazoria, seventy miles or so down the Brazos River from San Felipe, were the only presses operating in Texas at the end of 1835. David E. Lawhon, a recent arrival from Tennessee in Nacogdoches, began the publication there of the Texean [sic] and Emigrant's Guide, the first issue of which was dated November 28, 1835. This was printed on the press on which Slocum had begun printing the Mexican Advocate in 1829. Only a few Lawhon imprints have survived, as he ceased operating in March, 1836. It is one of the rarest pre-Revolution Texas presses. This form is attributable to that press.

Amos Andrew Parker. Trip to the West and Texas. Comprising a Journey of Eight Thousand Miles, Through New-York, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana and Texas, in the Autumn and Winter of 1834-5. Interspersed With Anecdotes, Incidents and Observation. With a Brief Sketch of the Texian War. Concord, N.H.: Published by William White. Boston: Benjamin B. Mussey. 1836. Second edition. 380 pp., including full-page woodcuts, frontispieces (folding colored map and woodcut of "Prairie on Fire"). Original bluish green cloth, blind embossed sides, with title "Texas" in gilt on spine preceded by design of Texian flag stamped with motto "Independence" inverted. Map: Texas Nathl Dearborn & Son, Engraver & Printer Boston.

Parker, the son of New Hampshire senator, visited Texas just prior to the Revolution, recording vivid and discerning descriptions, this being the second edition of his work. Graff (3184) calls this issue "The second and better edition," containing significant additions to the first edition. Of particular note is the addition of a 56-page "Sketch of the Texian Revolution," being one of the earliest accounts of events surrounding the Revolution in book form. The map (the Dearborn map described in Streeter's 1172A) is another variant from the first edition, and is quite rare and desirable. Only five copies of this book have appeared at auction in the last 30 years, and two of those lacked the map.

As noted by Streeter (1172), the book, "...includes a rather pedestrian account of a sightseeing journey of a little over a month in December, 1834, from the Sabine to the Colorado, then back to San Felipe and Brazoria. In the account are around forty pages with the caption heading, "General View of Texas." The "Brief Sketch of the Texian War... tells the story in popular form to the capture of Santa Anna at San Jacinto. Parker's entire journey, as outlined on the title page, was to gather information on the regions visited. Even though quite prosaic in style, it has for a little known new country like Texas the interest that is present in any early contemporary account of travels. Parker, a graduate of the University of Vermont in 1813, was a New Hampshire lawyer and judge, and an occasional author. There is a brief account of him in the General Catalogue of the University of Vermont, Burlington, 1901." In fine condition and extremely desirable! From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1172A. Graff 3184. Basic Texas Books 159A. Rader 2589. Raines, pp. 161-62

M. Fiske (attributed): A Visit to Texas: Being the Journal of a Traveller Through those Parts most Interesting to American Settlers with Descriptions of Scenery, Habits, &c. &c. Second Edition, With an Appendix, Containing a Sketch of the Late War. (New York and Mobile: Van Nostrand and Dwight; Woodruff, Fiske, and M'Guire, 1836). Second edition. Twelvemo (5.5" x 3.5"). xii, 262 pages. Folding map: New Map of Texas with the Contiguous American & Mexican States, brightly hand-colored. Original brown floral-patterned cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine. A very fine copy of the exceedingly rare map. Second edition with added appendix containing an account of the Texas Revolution that did not appear in the first edition. This edition did not have a map issued with the work but E. Benjamin, an Englishman, updated his copy by adding an English map published by H. Dirks: "Published by H. Dirks in the Second Year of the Independence of Texas 1837." Signed E. Benjamin 60 Alderman London on the front endsheet "with map." This extremely fine hand-colored map locates grants, cities, rivers, most of the Indian Territory, New Mexico, Louisiana, and parts of Mississippi, Arkansas and Mexico. Day and Haghe were the lithographers. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1155A (book), Streeter Texas 1271 (map) noting the map is similar to the Young map of 1835. Streeter located only his copy now at Yale. Clark, Travel in the Old South III, 114. Howes T145. Graff 1336. Jenkins Basic Texas Books 209. Raines Pages 83 and 210.

Mary Austin Holley: Texas, by Mrs. Mary Austin Holley. Lexington: J. Clarke & Co., 1836. 12mo., viii, 410pp., folding engraved map of Texas on onionskin paper, with original hand-colored outline and shading: Map of the State of Coahuila and Texas, by W. Hooker, Sculpt., 13.5" x 10.5". Original tan muslin, spine label chipped, although completely legible. Binding has wear and discoloration, with cloth at front joint showing evidence of separation, but joints remain tight. Mild to moderate foxing; map has clean separations at folds, and old tape repairs where map is joined to book block. The Hooker map remains clean, crisp, with vivid colors. A gift bookplate on front pastedown dated 1838 identifies the book as a gift from G.M. Bryan to Nu Pi Kappa Society at Kenyon College in Ohio. Guy M. Bryan (1821 - 1901) was a nephew of Stephen F. Austin (see The Handbook of Texas Online). Huntington Library deaccession stamp on rear pastedown. The book is housed in a green half calf and cloth slipcase.

Unlike the Hooker map included in the 1833 edition, this map is quite striking with the different grants colored to delineate boundaries. The revisions included stress the changing face of Texas as described in Mrs. Holley's book. The 1836 edition is not simply a re-issue of the 1833 edition. Although Streeter preferred the 1833 edition, Jenkins considered the 1836 issue more important and influential: "In addition to the San Jacinto reports, it includes the first book printing of the Texas Declaration of Independence, of the Republic of Texas Constitution, of Travis' famous letter from the Alamo, of Austin's Louisville Address of 1836, and other key documents of the revolution."

David B. Edward: The History of Texas; or, The Emigrant's, Farmer's, and Politician's Guide to the Character, Climate, Soil and Productions of That Country: Geographically Arranged from Personal Observation and Experience. (Cincinnati: Stereotyped and Published by J.A. James & Co., 1836). First edition. Twelvemo (7" x 4.25"). 336 pages. Contains final page of ads which is often missing. Illustrated with the large colored folding map of Texas by E.F. Lee (12.5" x 8.5") containing the latest grants and discoveries. This is one of the earliest separate maps of Texas, published shortly after its Independence.

C.W. Raines accurately termed it 'one of the few choice early histories of Texas, though the author was rather Mexican in his politics.' "In addition to giving what was to that date the most accurate description of the land, settlements, and economy of Texas, Edward devotes considerable space to colonization regulations and activities." "David B. Edward was born in Scotland, lived in the West Indies and Columbia, and settled in Louisiana in 1819. He moved to Texas in 1830 and became principal of one of the earliest schools in Texas in Gonzales. It was in this town, center of Mexican, Irish, and Anglo-American activities, that he prepared his book, although he obviously did some of the research in New Orleans. Conditions just prior to the Revolution described by an actual observer. One of the cornerstones of any Texas collection. Streeter calls this work 'one of the essential Texas books.' Edward describes Texas on the eve of its War of Independence; unlike many emigrant's guides however Edward writes from first-hand experience.

Contemporary and possibly publisher's binding of dark brown diced paper boards with printed paper spine label. Binding worn with some loss at the joints and corners, general chipping and scuffing including to the label, which is also darkened. Penmanship practice on the rear free endleaf, a bit of minor foxing and soiling, a few short tears to the map edges, but altogether an excellent very good copy. Housed in a brown cloth clamshell case with a morocco label lettered in gilt. Description mounted to the inside of the case. One of the best accounts of Texas on the eve of the revolution, this also includes the early actions in the revolt through 1835. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1199. Basic Texas Books 53. Howes E48. Sabin 21886.

An Act to Establish a General Land Office, for the Republic of Texas. Passed December the 22nd, 1836. (Columbia: G. & T.H. Borden, Public Printers, 1836). First edition. Octavo (8" x 5.5"). 11 pages. Sewn self-wrappers. Foxed, soft creases, else a very good example. Housed in a cloth chemise and quarter green morocco slipcase. "The General Land Office was established on December 22, 1836, by the First Congress of the Republic of Texas.qv John P. Borden,qv the first commissioner, opened the office in Houston on October 1, 1837. He was enjoined by law to "superintend, execute, and perform all acts touching or respecting the public lands of Texas." The Constitution of the Republic of Texas honored all grants made by Spain and Mexico that were deemed valid by the republic; later, the state followed suit. The commissioner assembled from the archives of the former governments a record of valid land grants and translated them. The Spanish archives section of the Land Office is the depository of records of 4,200 Spanish and Mexican land grants. Valid Spanish and Mexican grants cover 26,280,000 acres within the present boundaries of Texas. Some of these grants have received special confirmation by the state legislature, but most of them stand on the original titles from the governments of Spain and Mexico. Borden moved the land archives from Houston to Austin in 1839. Borden also began to survey and register the new grants that the republic was issuing. Those from the public domain were made to colonists who had failed to receive their titles from Mexico, to new settlers, and to all soldiers who had rendered service in the Texas army. Headrights, military bounties, homestead preemptions, and veteran donations, issued by Borden and successive commissioners, brought the total number of acres granted to 75,647,668. Sales for the purpose of paying the public debt added 2,990,136 acres." -The Handbook of Texas online. Sabin 94986. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 168

Ordinances and Decrees of the Consultation, Provisional Government of Texas and the Convention, Which Assembled at Washington March 1, 1836. By Order of the Secretay [sic] of State. [Houston: National Banner Office - Niles & Co. Printers. 1838.] 156 pp. 8vo. A first edition of the laws that established the ad interim government for Texas in 1836. It contains the Declaration of the People of Texas in General Convention Assembled [November 7, 1835], the Plan and Powers of the Provisional Government of Texas [November 13, 1835], treaties with the Cherokee and Comanche Indians, and the Texas Constitution enacted March 16, 1836, at which time the enemy was literally thundering at the gates of the town of Washington, Texas. Contains the three-page index that did not issue with all copies.

This publication contains highly important acts on the negotiations of treaties with local Indian tribes, most notably the Cherokee and the Comanche. While relations with the Comanche were tense and occasionally antagonistic, the Cherokee declared themselves neutral in the conflict between Texas and Mexico, and were thereby more generally favored by the government of the Republic.

Anxious to ensure Cherokee neutrality, Sam Houston was sent to meet with the tribe in the fall of 1835, and hammer out a treaty. Houston was an adopted member of the Cherokee tribe and became an influential advocate of the Cherokee people. Acting on Houston's recommendation, the Texas government pledged to recognize Cherokee claims to lands north of the Old San Antonio Road and the Neches River and west of the Angelina and Sabine Rivers. Although the proposed treaty greatly reduced their landholdings, the Cherokee agreed to the accord because they believed it gave them a permanent home. Eight Cherokee leaders, including Duwali and Big Mush, signed the agreement in 1836, but the treaty was never ratified by the Texas government. Half-calf case with marbled boards, raised bands and gilt lettering at spine. Slight water damage to title and a few other pages, occasional foxing. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 456. Howes T133. Rader 3056. Raines, p. 229. Sabin 94959. Eberstadt, Texas 162:195. Donated to the Texas State Historical Association by Shirley and Clifton Caldwell.

[William H. Wharton] [Stephen F. Austin] Address of the Honorable Wm. H. Wharton, delivered in New York ... Also, Address of the Honorable Stephen F. Austin, delivered in Louisville, Kentucky, on the 7th March, 1836 ... Together with other documents... [New York: Printed by William H. Colyer, 104 Beckman, corner of Pearl Street. 1836.] 56 pp. Crown Octavo. This important pamphlet was instrumental in bringing detailed information about the Texas Revolution to the United States. It publishes the speech that Wharton, one of the commissioners of the Republic of Texas to the United States, gave in New York on April 26, 1836, urging the justice of the cause. In addition, it republishes Austin's similar address, given in Louisville on March 7 of that year, in which Austin stated that Texas declined taking up arms against Mexico until "further submission on our part would have been both ruinous and degrading," and that the object of Texas was "freedom" to be obtained by becoming "a new republic or by becoming a State of the United States."

Appended is the first printing in book or pamphlet form of the Texas Declaration of Independence, passed at Washington, Texas, on March 2, 1836. This pamphlet was probably issued immediately after the April 26 meeting where Wharton spoke. Contemporary brown full leather with gilt lettering on spine. Moderate foxing on initial and terminal pages, occasional foxing otherwise. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1260.

Manifesto del Congreso General en El Presente Año, 20 pp., 5.5" x 8". Pictorial covers. Impreso por J.M.F. de Lara: Mexico, 1836. Palacio nacional. Mexico, julio 29 de 1836. To "Mexicanos," signed in type by Angel G. Quintanar, President, José R. Male and Rafael de Montalvo, Secretaries. Contains Mexico's reaction to the Battle of San Jacinto. Light rippling throughout. Very fresh appearance. Fine condition. Contemporary three-quarter crimson cloth folder with gilt lettering "Manifesto Del Congreso Rallying Mexico After Santa Anna's Defeat at San Jacinto July, 1836" on leather spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 859: "Many pages are devoted to extolling the lofty traditions of Mexico and it calls on all Mexicans to unite in quelling the revolt of the Texans. The treaties signed by Santa Anna in Texas are said to have no effect and final victory over the Texans is said to be certain."; Eberstadt 162:619

Cabeça De Vaca, D'Alvar Nunez: Relation et Naufrages d'Alvar Nunez Cabeça de Vaca, Adelantade et Gouveneur du Rio de la Plata. [in]: Voyages, Relations et Memoires Originaux pour servir a I'histoire de la decouverte de L'Amerique, par H. Ternaux-Compans. Relation et Naufrages d'Alvar Nunez Cabeça de Vaca, Adelantade et Gouveneur du Rio de la Plata. (Paris: Arthus Bertrand, 1837). First French Edition and also the first edition of this work following the original Spanish editions of 1542-1555. Octavo (9" x 5.5"). 301 pages. The first complete edition of Cabeça de Vaca following the 1555 edition, and the first French translation of his description of the earliest recorded journey by Europeans across North America, recounting adventures with the Narvaez expedition to Florida in 1527, his capture by and escape from Indians on the Mississippi coast, and his later overland journey across Texas before finally making his way back to Spanish controlled lands in Mexico.

The original work was the first on Texas, and the first American travel account. A foundation work on Texas and the Southwest, in its first scholarly edition. Issued as the seventh volume of Henri Ternaux-Compans' Voyages, Relations et Memoires Originaux (1837-41). Original printed wrappers. Soiled and worn, with spine perishing and separating in places. Foxed and stained internally, but still a good copy. Housed in a cloth chemise and slipcase, with a leather lettering label on the spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Servies 2037. Graff 3053. Field 227. Basic Texas Books 24e. Not in Streeter.

William E. Channing: Letter to the Hon. Henry Clay on the Annexation of Texas to the United States. [Boston: James Munroe & Company, 1837] 72 pp. 12mo. First edition. Famous anti-Texas pamphlet denouncing the immorality of slavery. Eberstadt (Texas 162:136) notes that Justin H. Smith says this important pamphlet "exerted a wonderful influence in the U.S., Europe, and Mexico, and still echoes in current books and in public sentiment."

From page 54: "A community, acknowledging the evils of slavery, and continuing it only because the first law of nature, self preservation, seems to require gradual processes of change, may retain the respect of those who deem their fears unfounded. But a community, wedding itself to slavery inseparably, with choice and affection, and with the purpose of spreading the plague far and wide, must become a byword among the nations; and the friend of humanity will shake off the dust of his feet against it, in testimony of his reprobation."

Immediately following its publication, this letter was translated into Spanish and circulated throughout Mexico with fierce interest among its readers. Preliminary and final leaves show slight staining and foxing, with a few small tears and repairs. Rebound in half-leather with marbled boards.

Reference: Streeter 1266. Eberstadt 162:136.

Galveston Island Lot Sales. Comprises: 1) Edwin Waller Document Signed "Edwin Waller," one page, 7.75" x 5". Houston, Texas, November 15, 1837. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. In part, "Nine months after date I promise to pay to the Secretary of the Treasury of the Republic of Texas One hundred & seven dollars,-in promissory notes of the government, in gold or in silver, for value received..." Witness: "G. Wm. Adams." Very fine condition. 2) Doswell & Adams Document Signed "Doswell & Adams"/Auctioneers, one page, 7.75" x 4.75". Houston, Texas, November 15, 1837. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. In part, "This is to certify, That S. Rhoades Fisher purchased Lot. No. 266 in Section No. One on Galveston Island, for Ten Dollars...per act of Congress, approved June, 1837..." Slight separation at folds at edges. Fine condition. Edwin Waller, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, was Texas Postmaster General in 1839 and first Mayor of Austin in 1840. Samuel Rhoads Fisher, also a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, was Secretary of the Navy from 1836-1837. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Circular] An Extremely Rare Proclamation Reinforcing Mexico's Abolition of Slavery. [Mexico] With heading: Gobierno del Departmento De San Luis Potosi, Circular. Num. 103. 8.5" x 12.5". May 5, 1837. Juán Josá Dominguez printed signature at end. Decree of the Congreso general, approved April 5, 1837 by José Justo Corro, President ad interim, and promulgated the same day by Joaquin de Iturbide, abolishing slavery in the republic and providing for compensation to all slave owners except Texans who have taken part in the revolution. This was the fourth such proclamation against slavery in Mexico: On December 6, 1810 Father Hidalgo proclaimed the abolition of slavery in Mexico; when José María Morelos assumed command of the revolution he repeated Father Hidalgo's decree on January 29, 1813; in 1829 President Guerrero signed another decree abolishing slavery. Reprint of an April 5, 1837 proclamation that reinforced Mexico's abolition of slavery. Originally accomplished in 1829. Contemporary case with leather spine, gilt lettering. Minor water staining at lower right corner, else very fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 926.1 (ref.).

Texas Republic Manuscript Document Regards Real Estate Transaction Between John W. Oden and David Wade, two pages, 7.75" x 12", Colorado County, Texas, June 1, 1838. Signed on verso by Oden and County Clerk Robert Brotherton Oden here sells a lot in the town of Columbus on a secured bond. Uneven edges, old tape repairs along folds. Good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

McMullen-McGloin Colony: 1838. Comprises: 1) Nathaniel Townsend. Document Signed "Nathl. Townsend" as Consul for the Republic of Texas in New Orleans, one page, 7.75" x 9.75". New Orleans, January 31, 1838. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. Townsend certifies that "Wm Boswell whose name is subscribed to the annexed Power of Attorney is acting in the capacity of Notary Public in this city and that full faith and credit are given to all his acts as such." Horizontal folds. Remnant at upper right from prior attachment to accompanying Power of Attorney. Embossed "Consul of the Republic of Texas New Orleans" Lone Star seal affixed at lower left. Fine condition.

2) William Boswell. Manuscript Document Signed "William Boswell/Nr. Pub.," two pages, 8.5" x 13.75", front and verso. New Orleans, January 31, 1838. In part, "Personally came and appeared Mr. John Houlihan of McMullen and McGlone's [sic] Colony, Republic of Texas who declared that he does by these presents appoint and in his place and stead put Mr. John McMullen, Empresario of the Colony of San Patricio to be his true and lawful attorney...to obtain possession of the one undivided half of a certain tract of land lying on the waters of the atoscoso [sic, Atascosa] in the Colony of John McMullen, being the same which he obtained from the Government of Coahuila and Texas as a colonist to cultivate the said land, consent to a division of the said land..." Chipped at all edges, not affecting text. Portion missing at upper left where Townsend document had been attached. Very good condition. John Houlihan was one of the original land grantees in the McMullen-McGloin colony of San Patricio de Hibernia in Texas. He received his grant in 1835. His land was around the present-day town of Whitsett, Live Oak County, Texas. The McMullen-McGloin colony was founded in 1828 by John McMullen and James McGloin after an empresario contract originally granted to John G. Purnell and Benjamin D. Lovell was relinquished. The contract called for settling 200 families on the left bank of the Nueces River above the coastal reserve. In the summer of 1829, McMullen and McGloin went to New York to recruit colonists, targeting recently arrived Irish immigrants who were not yet established; they found several hundred willing colonists. In October 1831, the colonists laid out a town on the east bank of the Nueces, which they called San Patricio de Hibernia, or St. Patrick of Ireland, for the patron saint of their homeland. Descendents of some of the original colonists still live in the area. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

"Gorostiza Pamphlet" Outlining Mexican Displeasure With The United States, 120 pp., 8vo (8.75" x 5.5"), Document No. 190, 25th Congress, 2nd Session, Washington, D.C., February, 1838. The success of the Texian Revolution and further American military incursions into Texas were abrasive to Mexico City and lead to a temporary break of relations between the United States and Mexico. Ambassador Manuel Eduardo de Gorositza, while in Washington, published an extensive Spanish language pamphlet regarding the tense political situation between the two countries. This bi-lingual reprint was prepared for the edification of Congress after Gorositza returned to Mexico. Light foxing throughout, bound with modern paper wraps. Very good condition. From the Darrel Brown collection.

Reference: Streeter 1220C

Thomas William (Peg Leg) Ward Land Document Signed "Thos. Wm. Ward" as Clerk, "J G Hutchinson" as President, and "John Woodruff" as Associate Commissioner, one page, 10" x 7.75". Houston, August 3?, 1838. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. Headed: "Republic of Texas,/County of Harrisburg." In full, "This is to Certify that E.D. Corbit has appeared before us, the Board of Land Commissioners for the County aforesaid, and proved according to law, that he arrived in this Republic subsequent to the Declaration of Independence, & previous to August 1836 and that he is a Single man & was Honorably discharged is entitled to One third of a League of Land, to be surveyed the first day of August 1838." One third of a League is approximately 1,476.1 acres. These land grant certificates were not issued for a specific tract of land. It was the responsibility of the certificate holder to find vacant public land, obtain a survey and apply for the patent.

Thomas William (Peg Leg) Ward had fought at the siege of Bexar in December 1835. During the battle, at the head of an artillery company, Capt. Ward lost his leg to a cannonball. He returned to New Orleans to be fitted with a peg leg. Ward served as Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas from 1841-1848. The last resolution passed at the Convention of 1845 at which the delegates signed the Constitution of the State of Texas, was one thanking Ward for his service to the Republic. Numerous dockets on verso including a transfer of title signed "Edmund Corbit." Soiled with damage at a right, portion missing from top right blank margin, and a vertical fold at the right has holes and separation, but the entire document has been expertly strengthened with mesh and is in good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

(Republic of Texas Land Grant) Engraved Document. One page 16.5 x 10.5", [no place, no date], a blank Texas General Land Office document bearing ornate border decorations including vignettes of long horn cattle and a man plowing a field. Imprint credit reads (above the neat line) "Greene Lithr. 53 Magazine Street, N. Orleans Bancroft Stationer New Orleans Fishbourne Scrip." Moderate creases, a hint of toning, else very fine condition with crisp, distant engraving. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Circular] Passport Regulations Printed by Samuel Bangs. Leona Vicario [Saltillo]: Samuel Bangs , 1828. One page, two sided, in Spanish, English, and French, 11.75 x 7.5". With heading: Puede Desembacar El Estrangero. Foreigners arriving in the state of Coahuila y Texas had numerous hurdles to clear, whether visiting or intending to settle in the area. First, the applicant had to "prove, by certificate from the authorities of the place from whence they came, that they are Christians, and also the morality and propriety of their conduct."

Secondly, the applicant was required to carry passport papers at all times, and notify authorities of the location of their residence. This circular produced by noted printer Samuel Bangs, provides prospective visitors/settlers with important information about their movements in and around the state. It reads in part: "...Aliens...must present [passport] to the civil authority of the place wherever they intend remaining more than 8 days; and when they change their residence to any other place, in neglect of the performance of this duty, they are subject to the penalty of 20 dollars, or imprisonment for ten days."

To become a citizen, foreign settlers were required to appear before municipal authorities and swear to "abide by and obey the general Constitution, and that of the State; to observe the religion as stipulated by the former; and in a book (the register of foreigners) which shall be kept for that purpose, his name and those of the members of his family, if he has any, shall be set down; noting the country from whence he comes, whether married or single, his employment; and he having taken the requisite oath, shall be considered thenceforward, and not before that time, a fellow-citizen."

An important Bangs document - very rare and desirable. Brown half-calf case with gilt lettering. Silked at two edges, else fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 733, only 2 copies. Eberstadt 162:51, this being the Eberstadt copy.

Samuel Augustus Mitchell: New Map of Texas, 1839 (Philadelphia: S. A. Mitchell, 1839), 15" x 12.5". The full title of the map is New Map of Texas, with the Contiguous American and Mexican States. Entered by Samuel A. Mitchell. Hand-colored engraving by J. H. Young. Three text insets include "Remarks on Texas," "Land Grants," and "Rivers of Texas." The map was originally folded into a small (3" x 5"), leather-bound pocket folder with a gilt stamp, which is also included. The map is in fair to good condition with original folds, brittleness and paper loss in the text insets at right; the pocket folder is very good. Ex. Dallas Historical Society.

Hunt, Richard S., and Jesse F. Randel, Guide to the Republic of Texas: Consisting of a Brief Outline of the History of its Settlement, A General View of the Surface of the Country; It's Climate, Soils, Productions ..., (New York: J. H. Colton, 1839), 63,[1]pp. plus advertisement leaf, 16mo; 6" x 4". Original cloth, stamped in blind and gilt. Lacks the map, as is often the case. Housed in a handsome custom quarter green morocco over green cloth clamshell case, the spine in compartments with five raised bands and lettered in gilt.

According to Streeter, this is "the first general guide to Texas...It must have been a useful book for intending settlers, and its contemporary account of existing conditions makes it a valuable book now." A basic work of the Republic period, here in the first edition, although without the map. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1348. Graff 2017. Streeter Sale 368. Clark I:183. Howes H809. Raines, p.122.

Republic of Texas Manuscript Voting Document Signed, "John F. Pettus", "Fr. Ernst", "William Kuykendall" and others, two pages with docketing on a second integral panel, 7.5" x 12.5", Austin County, February 4, 1839. The cover summarizes voting results for elections naming Austin County's justice of the peace, constable, sheriff and coroner. The second page names 27 participating electors. Light aging, else fine condition. The primary signatory, Pettus, was a recent veteran of the Texian Revolution, having participated in the battles at San Antonio de Bexar and San Jacinto. This document, bearing the names of so many early settlers, is worthy of further research. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Texas First Class Head Right Grant of Land Jasper County Signed "John Bevil" as President, "W.H. Stark" as Commissioner, and attested to by "A.G. Parker," one page, 7.75" x 9.75". Jasper County, September 6, 1839. [San Augustine: Printed at the Red-Lander Office, 1839.] Imprinted with a five-pointed star at top center, partly printed, completed in manuscript, "This is to certify that Simpson Bray has appeared before the Board of Land Commissioners for the County of Jasper and proved according to law that he arrived in this Republic in the year A.D. 1830 and that he is a married man and entitled to One League & one Labor of Land upon the condition of paying at the rate of Three Dollars & fifty cents for each labor of irrigable land Two Dollars & fifty cents for each labor of temporal or arable land and One Dollar & twenty cents for each labor of pasture land which may be contained in the survey secured to him by this Certificate." Head Right grants were issued to individuals by Boards of Land Commissioners in each county. A First Class Head Right Grant was issued to every "free white person" who arrived in Texas before independence, March 2, 1836. Heads of families received one league (4,428 acres) and one labor (177.1 acres), while single men received 1/3 league (1,476.1 acres). Bevil's Settlement was a community of pre-Republic of Texas settlers who settled between the Neches and Sabine rivers on land that was eventually organized as Jasper and Newton counties. The settlement was named for John Bevil, who moved there before 1829. Bevil served as Chief Justice of Jasper County and as a member of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Texas from 1839-1840. William H. Stark of Orange, Texas, had a successful career in lumber, oil, rice, insurance and banking. He was recognized as one of the outstanding financial and industrial leaders of Texas. Argalus G. Parker was Clerk of the Jasper County Court, working in the office of County Surveyor Martin B. Lewis. Uniformly toned. Light offset from folding before the ink dried. Overall, in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Circular] Pierpont & White Advertisement. [New York] March 28, 1839. Four-page folder printed on first [3] pages, 8" x 12.75". An interesting and enjoyable read in which William Pierpont extols the virtues of Texas, encouraging his readers to join him in settling the new Republic and taking care to mention his mercantile operation, Pierpont & White, in the process.

Pierpont moved to Texas in 1835 or 1836. He served in the Shelby County House of the Second Congress (1837-38), moving to Houston shortly thereafter, where, in partnership with John White of New York City, he operated a mercantile business with a New York City branch. (There is no mention of White in the Handbook of Texas, but on January 19, 1839 the Third Congress granted him two certificates, each for one league and one labor of land, in return for unspecified services.) Pierpont offered an extensive assortment of dry goods in his Houston store and also sold supplies to the Texas Navy in 1838 and 1839. The partnership with White was dissolved in December of 1839, and Pierpont returned to community service by serving as one of three members of the Houston City School Committee.

This circular was printed ten months prior to the closing of the Houston Pierpont & White store. It reads, in part: "A more beautiful country than Texas, is not to be found on the globe... The county abounds in coal... Nature's store house perpetually full... everything seems to combine to afford to the farmer, the mechanic and the capitalist assurance of quick and large returns such as no age or country has ever before offered. The commerce of Texas is daily increasing. There are now twelve or fourteen Steam-Boats plying in her water... The population of Texas is now more than one hundred thousand, and increasing beyond the most sanguine expectations of its friends." A wonderful panegyric on Texas, its resources and future, and an advertisement for the firm of Pierpont and White, land agents and commission merchants. Housed in a navy half-calf case with navy cloth boards, raised rails and gilt lettering on spine. Spotless and perfect; very fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1358.1

William Bryan Partially Printed Document Signed as Consul to New Orleans, total of 3 pp.,Feb. 27, 1839. In part: "I William Bryan, Consul for the Republic of Texas, for the Port of New Orleans...do hereby certify that I have compared the annexed Bill of Lading contained in Twenty nine entries, and that the same is a true copy from the original now produced to me..." With embossed green seal and attached to the aforementioned bill of lading for the schooner Sparticus dated May 15, 1835, and an additional manuscript document signed by Bryan and Charles Dawn, in which Dawn certifies that the Bill of Lading is also a true copy. Furthermore that: "we, the above mentioned firm, procured the Insurance on said goods and by said vessel, to the amount of $9650..."

William Bryan was an important financial backer of the Texas Revolution and Republic. He worked tirelessly to raise money and helped negotiate financial and legal difficulties for Texas. Bryan was also instrumental in the establishment of the Texas Navy. He was appointed consul to New Orleans by Lamar. Despite the pivotal role he played in the Revolution and Republic eras, Bryan was never repaid adequately for the financial and other services he rendered to the Republic. With chipping along margins and light toning, otherwise very good condition.

Liquidation of Texas Paper Money: 1829. Printed Decree Signed "Zavala" in type, with his rubric in ink, one page, 8" x 11.5". Mexico, May 8, 1829. (1822). Because no money was available to pay the Mexican troops stationed in Texas, in 1822, Governor Felix Trespalacios founded Banco Nacional de Texas, the first bank chartered in Texas, in order to issue paper currency backed by specie due from the central government in Mexico City. When Emperor Agustin de Iturbide came to power in 1823, he demanded that his national currency supplant the Texas currency. Protesting citizens in Texas demanded that their paper money be redeemed with specie (as originally promised), not with someone else's paper money. Finally, in 1829, the Mexican congress passed this law, ordering that the Texas notes be redeemed with coin: "The government is verifying and liquidating the amount that may be owed regarding paper money of Texas, and shall pay what is determined in agreement with the interested ones = Isidro Rafael Gondra, president of the house of representatives = Antonio Pacheco Leal, president of the senate = Juan Pablo Bermudez, secretary of the representatives = Antonio Maria de Esnaurrizar, secretary of the senate."

In 1830, the Texas paper money was finally exchanged in Saltillo for coin provided by the custom houses of Matamoros and Tampico. First printing. The law of the Congreso general ordering the liquidation of the Texas paper money was approved by President Vincente Guerrero on May 8, 1829, and promulgated on the same day by Lorenzo de Zavala as Secretary of the Treasury. Zavala signed both the Mexican and the Texas Declarations of Independence and was the first Vice President of Texas. On laid paper, file hole tears at left edge, plastic tape remnants at top and bottom edges. Overall, in apparent fine condition. Matted and framed to 15" x 27". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 747 - the only other known copy is at Yale; Eberstadt 162:823

William T. Austin Velasco Custom House Account Document Signed "Wm T. Austin" as Collector of the Port of Velasco, one page, 15.75" x 12.5". Custom House, Velasco, June 30, 1839. Expenses listed include salaries of officers, payment to temporary inspectors, $3.00 for "Horse hire for Insp. to visit a reported wreck on the coast," and $13.00 for "bills of pencils bucket ink matches & powder." In 1835, the Mexican government sent collectors and support troops to Texas. The national government depended entirely upon customs duties for revenue. At Harrisburg, on June 4, 1835, William T. Austin and William Barret Travis signed a document protesting the Mexican enforcement of customs duties and other restrictions at Anahuac, pledged themselves to overthrow Mexican authority there. On August 15th, he was appointed secretary of a meeting at Columbia, at the mouth of the Brazos, which established a Committee of Safety for the district and, on August 20th, called for a General Consultation. Austin later served as aide-de-camp to Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston. On January 21, 1838, he was appointed collector of revenue for the port of Velasco. Minor soiling, slight separation at mid-vertical and center mid-horizontal folds. Minor tape repair on verso. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

1st Class Galveston County Headright Entitlement Certificate. Manuscript Document Signed "R[obert] D[abney] Johnson". 1 page, 7.25 x 11.5", Galveston, July 22, 1839. Reads in part: "This is to certify that Stewart Newell has appeared before us the Board Of Land Commissioners for the County of Galveston and proved according that he was a Citizen of the Republic of Texas prior to the Declaration of Independence..." The Republic of Texas issued many headright grants. These grants were given on condition that specified requirements be met by the grantees. Under the Republic's Constitution of 1836, each head of a family living in Texas as of March 4, 1836 (except Africans and Indians) were granted "first class" headrights of one league (4,428.4 acres) and one labor (177.1 acres) of land. This totals 4,605.5 acres. It is not clear why this particular certificate states 4,604 acres. As stated in this certificate, the recipient was to pay "seven dollars and fifty cents for each Labor of irrigable land, five dollars for each Labor of arable land and two dollars and fifty cents for each Labor of pasture land." At the highest rate this would be 4 cents per acre. Many times the recipient would sell his headright at approximately 50 cents per acre resulting in a substantial windfall for the time. A total of 36,876,492 acres over a ten year period was granted by the republic in headright certificates. Galveston County was formed in 1838 under the republic from Harrisburg, Liberty, and Brazoria counties and organized in 1839.

This manuscript document was one of the first headrights issued in the newly created Galveston County, being number 8 -- issued prior to officials having a printed form that would be the standard as of a few months later. Robert Dabney Johnson (1812-83) emigrated to Texas in 1837 and settled at Galveston. He was appointed notary public for Galveston on November 13, 1838. When the county was organized in 1839, he became county judge and in 1842 was appointed postmaster of Galveston. He held both posts for many years and had an extensive practice as an attorney. Stewart Newell was a Texas agent of the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company in the early 1830's and then U. S. consul to the Republic of Texas.

Moderate toning, horizontal creases with bottom separated fold reattached, else very good. A great piece to display from the very beginning of Galveston! From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Texas Second Class Head Right Grant of Land Galveston County Signed "R.D. Johnson" as President, "C.B. Adams" and "James M. Knight" as Assistant Commissioners, and "O.D. Johnson" as Clerk of the County Court, one page, 7.5" x 9.5". Galveston, November 20, 1839. [Galveston. Commercial Intelligencer. Samuel Bangs, printer. 1839.] Partly printed, completed in manuscript, "This is to Certify, That Saml W. Clarke is entitled to a conditional Head Right of Six hundred forty Acres of Land, agreeably to the provisions of the Act, passed January 4th, 1839, extending donations of land to late emigrants."

Second Class Head Rights were issued to every "free white person" who arrived in Texas between independence, March 2, 1836, and October 1, 1837, and were referred to as "late emigrants." Heads of families received 1,280 acres, while single men received 640 acres. Galveston County was formed in 1838 from Harrisburg, Liberty, and Brazoria counties and organized in 1839. Robert Dabney Johnson moved to Texas in 1837 and settled at Galveston. He was appointed notary public for Galveston on November 13, 1838. When the county was organized in 1839, he became county judge. Johnson also served as Chief Justice of Galveston City. In 1842, he was appointed Postmaster of Galveston. C.B. Adams was Justice of the Peace for Galveston County. Light show-through from docket on verso. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter, Spell or Jenkins. Identifiable as a Bangs imprint by the use of seven different typefaces within the body of the document (Michael D. Heaston, Cat. 40-49).

William Fairfax Gray Endorsement Signed "W. F. Gray Noty. Pub." [Houston: Telegrpah Office, 1839] Accomplished on the verso of a partly-printed Document Signed "Robert Dunn", 2 pages, 8 x 11.5", Harrisburg County, Republic of Texas, October 9, 1839. A deed in which Dunn sells "in consideration of the sum of One thousand & fifty Dollars to me...granted...unto John R. Higgenbotham...my right, title...to the Annexed Certification Calling for one league & one labor & No 333 & Granted by Board of Land commissioners for the County of Jasper William Thomaston..."

Chipped at bottom margin resulting in minor losses, weak and separated horizontal folds repaired with tape on verso, other weak folds, else very good. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Texas Third Class Head Right Grant of Land San Augustine County Signed "E.O. LeGrand" as Ex-Officio President Board Land Commissioners, "A.M. Davis" and "Henry Morgan" as Assistant Commissioners, and "Jesse Monteith" as late Emigrant, one page, 7.75" x 7.75", irregular lower edge. Two witnesses' signatures on verso with slight show-through. San Augustine County, April 25, 1839. [San Augustine: Printed at the Red-Lander Office, 1839.] In July or early August 1838, W.W. Parker bought the press of the Texas Chronicle of Nacogdoches and moved it to San Augustine, where he began the publication of the Red-Lander in September. The Austin City Gazette of May 6, 1840, stated that the Red-Lander "died...about the month of December [1839]." "Class 3" and five-pointed star at top, with a glaring misspelling: "THE REPUBLIC OF TEAXS." Partly printed, completed in manuscript, "I do Solemnly Swear that I was a resident citizen of Texas on the 15 day of April 1838 and that I am a Single man and conceive myself justly entitled, under the provisions of an Act, passed January 4th 1839, extending donations of Land to late Emigrants, to three hundred and Twenty acres of Land." Third Class Head Rights were issued to every "free white person" who arrived in Texas between October 1, 1837 and January 1, 1840. Heads of families received 640 acres, while single men received 320 acres. If they lived in Texas for three years, they would receive an unconditional deed from the government.

In February 1836, Edwin O. LeGrand was elected as a San Augustine delegate to the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos. He signed the Declaration of Independence on March 2nd and the Constitution of the Republic of Texas on March 17th. After the convention adjourned, he enlisted as a private in Capt. William Kimbrough's company of Col. Sidney Sherman's Second Regiment, Texas Volunteers, and took part in the battle of San Jacinto. From 1836 to 1838, he served as Chief Justice of San Augustine County. Alexander M. Davis later served as Chief Justice of San Augustine County and was one of the original trustees of Wesleyan College of San Augustine (1844). Lightly soiled, usual folds. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

License to Carry on the Coasting Trade for One Year Partly-printed document, one page folio, 10.5" x 17", No. 4, District of Matagorda, [Houston], March 24, 1841. [Houston: Telegraph Office circa early 1840s] Signed by J.G. Lansdale as deputy port collector for the District of Matagorda. By this license Geo. M. Collinsworth, as collector of revenue, grants to John Cash, master of the sloop Oscar, a license to coastal trading for one year. Document bears a large lone star at top and a blind embossed seal in near fine condition. A few light stains and creases, with minor chipping thereat, otherwise an attractive Republic imprint.

George Morse Collinsworth (Collingsworth), originally from Mississippi, participated in the battle of Velasco in 1832. In early October 1835 he raised a company of infantry for service in the Texas army. This infantry, numbering about fifty, captured the Mexican garrison at Goliad on October 9, 1835. Their victory successfully cut off communication between San Antonio, then in possession of Mexican forces, and the Gulf of Mexico and secured valuable arms and supplies. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Francis Moore, Jr.: Map and Description of Texas, containing Sketches of its History, Geology, Geography and Statistics: With concise statements, relative to the soil, climate, productions, facilities of transportation, population of the country; and some brief remarks Upon the Character and Customs of its Inhabitants. By Francis Moore, Jr., Editor of the Telegraph and Texas Register. (Philadelphia: H. Tanner, Junr.; New York: Tanner & Distunell, 1840). First edition. Inscribed on the front free endpaper: "Josiah Gregg, Galveston Novr. 18, 1841." This was Gregg's copy, and then belonging to Samuel Breese of Morse-Breese cartographers. Twelvemo (5.75" x 3.5"). 143 pages plus errata page. Index. Illustrated with all eight excellent engraved plates: "Ruins of the Alamo", "Mission of San Jose", "Mission del Espiritu Santo", "Mission de la Concepcion", "Town of Sanantonio de Bexar", "Church in the Square of San Antonio", "Town of Goliad Formerly La Bahia", and "Scene near Austin." The large color folding map is titled: Genl. Austin's Map of Texas with Parts of the Adjoining States, compiled by Stephen F. Austin. Published by H.S. Tanner, Philadelphia. Engraved by John & Wm. W. Warr, Philad. (29.5" x 23.5"). Original brown cloth, stamped in gilt on the front cover. Original cloth a bit chipped at head and foot of spine, one plate with a clean slice repaired on the rear. An excellent copy. Accompanied by Josiah Gregg's manuscript notebook containing entries concerning his business dealings in Texas and travels in 1841 and several sheets entitled: "Notes for a map." Front endpaper has inscription signed by S. Breese. Both items housed in matching quarter brown morocco clamshell cases with book-back spines in five compartments with four raised bands, lettered and ruled in gilt. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1363: "Exceedingly rare, only 3 copies known with map and plates." "Josiah Gregg was a merchant, explorer, naturalist, and author of the American Southwest and Northern Mexico. He is most famous for his The Commerce of the Prairies, an account of his time spent as a trader on the Santa Fe Trail before the Mexican-American War. Gregg had training in both law and medicine, and practiced both with distinction before he retired from urban life due to deteriorating tuberculosis. He traded on the Santa Fe Trail from 1831 to 1840, and published his account in Commerce in 1844. This included extensive descriptions of the geography, botany, geology, and culture of New Mexico. The book established Gregg's literary reputation, and he was hired as a news correspondent during the Mexican War. In this capacity, he traveled through Chihuahua. He corresponded with George Engelmann in St. Louis, Missouri, sending him collections of plants, many of which were previously undescribed. Several Southwestern plants bear the patronym "greggii" to honor Gregg's contributions. After the war, Gregg participated in the California Gold Rush. He died in 1850 from starvation and exposure while leading an emergency winter expedition out of a snow bound mining camp. The expedition has been credited with the rediscovery of Humboldt Bay that resulted in its settlement.
"In 1840, Francis Moore, Jr., an enterprising citizen of the Republic of Texas, published a map and description of the new country. Similar to promotional literature published throughout the West, the book was directed to all potential immigrants. It praised Texas as possessing a healthful climate, abundant resources, and opportunities unlimited. Texas did have a few frontier disadvantages such as a minor Indian problem, but they were not serious. Those thinking of making Texas their new home should not be deterred by exaggerated tales of Indian depredations. 'The Indian tribes of Texas,' he wrote, 'with the single exception of the Commanches, are all small and but the mere remnants of tribes who have been driven from their original hunting grounds.' Moore's observations were especially accurate in relation to the tribes of the Texas gulf coast. Americans, who had been entering Texas in ever increasing numbers since empresario Stephen Austin's 1821 settlement, had by 1840 in fact reduced the coastal tribes to mere remnants of their former numbers." -Padre Island National Seashore Historic Resource Study.
"Francis Moore, Jr., newspaper editor, Houston mayor, and amateur geologist, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, on April 20, 1808, the son of Dr. Francis Moore. In his youth he lost an arm in an accident. In 1828 his family moved to Livingston County, New York; he studied medicine like his father, who was a graduate of Harvard. When Moore moved to Bath, New York, around 1834, he also studied law and taught school. With his friends Jacob W. and James F. Cruger he left New York in 1836 to help Texas win independence from Mexico. He arrived in June and served as a volunteer and assistant surgeon with the Buckeye Rangers. On March 9, 1837, Moore bought an interest in the Telegraph and Texas Register from Thomas H. Borden, and in May the paper was moved from Columbia to Houston. Gail Borden, who also owned interest in the newspaper, sold his share on June 2 to Jacob Cruger. Cruger remained Moore's partner until April 1, 1851, when Moore bought him out. Moore edited the Telegraph and Texas Register for seventeen years. In it he published government documents, excerpted popular fiction, and addressed such issues as dueling, which he argued against. He also wrote a series of articles on the natural resources of Texas, later collected and published in two editions, Map and Description of Texas (1840) and Description of Texas (1844). Moore was thrice mayor of Houston. He was elected the city's second mayor in 1838 and served until the summer of 1839, when he resigned and temporarily returned to New York. During his term the city approved construction of a market house, hired its first police officers, passed a city charter, and purchased a town lot and fire engine for the first fire department. In 1843 Moore won another term as mayor, and the city built the first bridge over Buffalo Bayou. Finally, during his successive terms as mayor from 1840 to 1852, Moore worked to improve the city roads, which were often flooded. He was also involved in the early business development of Houston. He was director of the Harrisburg Town Company in 1839-40. In June 1839 he was elected to the board of directors of the Harrisburg Rail Road and Trading Company, the fourth oldest railroad company in Texas, and on October 26, 1842 he was elected treasurer of the newly chartered city of Harrisburg. In 1850 he helped organize the Houston Plank Road Company, and in 1851-52 he promoted the Houston and Texas Central Railway. From November 1839 to February 1842 Moore served in the Texas Senate's fourth, fifth, and sixth congresses as the representative from Harris, Liberty, and Galveston counties. As chairman of the committee on education, he urged the chartering of Rutersville College and proposed that geology, a particular interest of his, be included in the school's curriculum. Moore was in favor of the annexation of Texas by the United States, and he represented Harris County at the Convention of 1845." -Priscilla Myers Benham, From the Handbook of Texas Online. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1363

Josiah Gregg: Commerce of the Prairies: or the Journal of a Santa Fe Trader During Eight Expeditions Across the Great Western Prairies, and a Residence of Nearly Nine Years in Northern Mexico. Illustrated with Maps and Engravings. In Two Volumes. (New York: Henry G. Langley, 1844). First edition, first issue, with the London imprint not present in volume II. Two twelvemo volumes (7.5" x 4.5"). 320; 318 pages. Illustrated with six plates and two maps, one of which is folding: A Map of the Indian Territory North Texas and New Mexico Showing the Great Western Prairies (12" x 14.5"). Publisher's original finely-ribbed brown cloth, decoratively stamped in gilt and blind, and lettered in gilt on the spine. Pale yellow endpapers. Both volumes expertly and almost invisibly rebacked preserving the original spines. A bit of intermittent soiling and foxing, with heavy foxing and browning to the engraved plates. A few minor and faint dampstains or tidemarks, including to the terminal leaves in volume I and the title page in volume II. Altogether, a very good attractive copy. One of the landmark books of Western Americana, Gregg's book is acclaimed by all sources as the principal contemporary authority on the Santa Fe Trail and trade, the Indians of the south plains, and New Mexico in the Mexican period. Gregg originally moved to Santa Fe for health considerations, but he quickly became one of the foremost traders of the region. J. Frank Dobie calls his book "one of the classics of bedrock Americana." It gives a lively, intimate and personal account of experiences on the prairies and in northern Mexico. The Map of the Indian Territory Northern Texas and New Mexico showing Great Western Prairies is by far the best of the region up to that time. Wheat states, "Gregg's map was a cartographic landmark... one of the most useful maps of this region at that day." Of it Lieutenant Warren remarked (Memoir p.43-44), "It is based on the map of Humboldt's New Spain that of Major Long's first expedition, and that of the road survey of J. C. Brown along the Santa Fe Trail, with such corrections and additions as Mr. Gregg's own observations suggested. It was one of the most useful maps of this region at that day." "The Santa Fe Trail ranks with the Chisholm Trail in its historical importance as a place in the West, and Gregg's account is the classic of that trail and the commerce on it. It was written by a man who spent nine years as a Santa Fe trader and who knew the trail, the varmints and plants along it, the Indians, and his Mexican customers. He kept a diary, and his carefully recorded notes were before him as he wrote the book. It has been source material for all the other books on the Santa Fe Trail and trade." -Jeff Dykes. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Graff 1559. Bay pages 367, 371-2. Howes G401. Jones 1087. Clark, Travels III 172. Dobie 75-76. Raines page 99. Wagner-Camp-Becker 108:1. Streeter Texas 1502. Streeter Sale 378. Rittenhouse 255.

A.B. Lawrence [introduction]: Texas in 1840, or the Emigrant's Guide to the New Republic; being the Result of Observation, Enquiry and Travel in that Beautiful Country. By an Emigrant, late of the United States. With an Introduction by the Rev. A.B. Lawrence, of New Orleans. (New York: Published by William W. Allen..., 1840). First edition. Twelvemo (7.5" x 4.5"). 275 pages. Illustrated with a hand-colored frontispiece plate: City of Austin, the New Capital of Texas in January 1, 1840. Publisher's finely-ribbed brown cloth, stamped in blind on the covers and lettered and decorated in gilt on the spine. Binding is expertly rebacked, preserving the original spine. Typical browning and foxing to the sheets, and with a bit of staining or offsetting to the preliminary leaves. Altogether, a very good, handsome copy. Housed in a quarter morocco clamshell case. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1361.

Frederic LeClerc: Le Texas et sa Revolution. (Paris: Imprimerie de H. Fournier et Ce., 1840). First edition. Octavo (8" x 5"). 104 pages. Folding map: Carte du Texas, (10.75" x 12.75"). LeClerc consulted Brue's excellent map of Texas as a starting point, and then augmented it with information garnered from his trip through Texas in 1838. The map also shows the new capital, Austin, and the village that became Waco. Quite a number of wagon roads are also identified throughout Texas. The book begins with a description of the rivers, including the Sabine, Brazos, and the Colorado, and leading communities of the Republic, including Houston, San Felipe de Austin, LaGrange, Bastrop, San Antonio, and Galveston. LeClerc covers Indian tribes of Texas, including a description of the Comanches.

Outlined in red and green, small tear on left side of map closed and repaired with no loss, book is fine. Housed in a quarter morocco clamshell case. Extremely rare, no copy is present in Streeter, in the Graff Collection at the Newberry, or in the Eberstadt catalog 162 on Texas; and no copy offered at auction in the past 30 years. Lacking in many major private and library collections. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Howes L171. Raines, p. 137. Sabin 39652. (Streeter TEXAS 1362 notes that LeClerc had a distinguished career in France after his return from Texas, where he served as the Director of the Tours Hospital.)

William L. McCalla: Adventures in Texas, Chiefly in the Spring and Summer of 1840;
with a Discussion of Comparative Character, Political, Religious and Moral; Accompanied by an Appendix, Containing an Humble Attempt to Aid in Establishing and Conducting Literary and Ecclesiastical Institutions with Consistency and Prosperity, upon the Good Old Foundation of the Favour of God our Saviour. Philadelphia: Printed for the Author, 1841. 8 [13]-199 pp. 16mo, original blind-stamped dark brown cloth, title in gilt on front cover. Fine. Housed in a custom clamshell case with five raised bands and gilt title.
McCalla was a controversial Presbyterian clergyman who traveled by sea to Galveston and thence to Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Goliad. The first sixty pages are devoted to an account of this journey and give valuable insight into his character and religious beliefs. The remainder of the book is turned over to his largely favorable views of Texas, particularly its morals and character. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1387: "Account by a Presbyterian minister of a journey by sea to Galveston and then to Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Goliad.... One of the items in the index is the Proposed Charter of Galveston University."

George William Bonnell: Topographical Description of Texas, To Which is Added, An Account of the Indian Tribes. (Austin: Published by Clark, Wing, and Brown 1840). First edition. First and only copyright secured in the Republic of Texas, stating on page iv: "Copy-Right secured in the Republic of Texas and in the United States, according to law, in the year 1840. Cruger & Bonnell, public printers, Austin." Twelvemo in fours (5.5" x 3.5"). 150 pages.

George W. Bonnell, a native of New York, traveled to Texas in the summer of 1836 with a company of volunteers that he had recruited for the Texas war of independence. During Sam Houston's first term as president of the republic, Bonnell was commissioner of Indian affairs. He advocated a harsh policy against them. In 1839 he moved to Austin, where he and Jacob W. Cruger were selected as government printers. The next year he wrote and printed this book, his only one. In 1841 Bonnell took part in the doomed Texan Santa Fe expedition and was released from prison in Mexico in the summer of 1842, in time to return to Texas to join the Mier expedition. During that campaign Bonnell was shot and killed by a Mexican soldier. Mount Bonnell, on the Colorado River near Austin, was named for him.

In 1837, Secretary of State Robert A. Irion recommended that the Republic grant copyrights. In 1839, President Mirabeau B. Lamar approved an act which provided for this. Only one was issued and published, George William Bonnell's Topographical Description of Texas. Publishers printed paper covered boards, spine worn with some loss, rubbing, soiling and browning to some pages, else a very good copy. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 380A: "First guidebook for Texas printed in Texas and distinguished as being the first one printed in the Republic of Texas."

William Kennedy: Texas: The Rise, Progress, and Prospects of the Republic of Texas. In Two Volumes. (London: R. Hastings, 1841) [On versos of titles and at ends of volumes: London: Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street]. First edition. Two octavo volumes (8.75" x 5.5"). lii, 378; vi, 548 pages. Illustrated, complete with four maps, two folding and one partially colored, including: the complete map of the Republic titled Map of Texas. Compiled from Surveys Recorded in the Land Office of Texas and Other Official Surveys. By John Arrowsmith. Soho Square, London. (23.5" x 20"), outlined in color; Chart of Matagorda Bay; Plan of Aranzas Bay; Map of the Republic of Texas and the Adjacent Territories. Indicating the Grants of Land Conceded under the Empressario System of Mexico. (12.5" x 15") [all by C.F. Cheffins Lithographer, London].

Perhaps the single best work published on Texas during the Republic period, Kennedy's book covers both the geography and natural features of Texas and its history during the revolution and early Republic. Kennedy later went to Galveston as the British consul there, and encouraged European emigration. Many of the basic documents of the revolution saw their first European publication here. "This book was pronounced to be the best history of Texas extant. The Texan Congress passed a resolution of thanks to the author. The physical description of Texas [is] the best published up to that time. No historian of Texas has more eloquent paragraphs" - Raines. The map is one of the most important of the Republic period, engraved by John Arrowsmith in London. "The large map by John Arrowsmith ranks with those of Tanner and Emory as the best maps of Texas during the period of the republic" - Jenkins. "Arrowsmith's map was probably the first to show the full extent of Texas's claim of the upper Rio Grande. The popularity and general acceptance of the map has been documented by the fact that many map makers copied liberally from Arrowsmith's map, including some of its errors. The map certainly was the best information on Texas geography available in Europe during a decade in which the political fate of the new Republic was of international concern" - Martin & Martin.

Publisher's original blindstamped cloth, lettered in gilt on the spines. Original pale yellow coated endpapers. Minor wear and fading to the cloth, mostly at the edges, spine and joints. Rear hinge of Volume I cracking but still very sound, minor foxing, a few short corner tears and one 3" tear to the first map, light creasing to the first map. Altogether, an excellent near fine copy of a very scarce book, especially in this condition. Housed in a custom red cloth slipcase. A seminal work on Texas in the Republic period. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1385. Graff 2308. Wheat Transmississippi 451. Sabin 37440. Howes K92. Rader 2159. Basic Texas Books 117.

Arthur Ikin: Texas: Its History, Topography, Agriculture, Commerce, and General Statistics. To Which is Added, A Copy of the Treaty of Commerce Entered into by the Republic of Texas and Great Britain. Designed for the Use of the British Merchant, and as a Guide to Emigrants. By Arthur Ikin, Texian Consul. (London: Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper, 1841). First edition. Twelvemo (5.5" x 3.25"). 100 pages. Illustrated with the very rare Map of Texas [London, 1841]. Lithographed map, boundary colored. Lower left: Drawn by A. Ikin. Lower center: Sherwood & Co., Paternoster Row. Lower right: J. & C. Walker Litho.

This is an excellent assembly of the information a prospective emigrant from Great Britain would like to have about Texas. Ikin came to Texas in January, 1841, as a bearer of two of the three treaties between England and Texas, signed in November, 1840. While in Texas Arthur Ikin and his Father, Jonathan, had been named as two of the incorporators of the Texas Trading, Mining, and Emigrating Company in an act passed by the Fifth Congress of Texas on January 30, 1841. Also about this time the elder Ikin had been given by the Texas Congress an extension of time to introduce emigrants to Texas under an earlier act of Congress. During his short stay in Texas, Arthur Ikin was appointed consul of Texas at London but did not formally serve as consul. The map shows the southwestern boundary at the Rio Grande extending south to the edge of the map, but with the note: The boundary here runs to a point in the Lat 42°. Texas includes Santa Fe and Taos. The northern border is the Arkansas River, right above which the British cartographer has placed Oregon Terr. The Cross Timbers is indicated by a swath of trees, and roads are labeled U.S. Traders Road and Old Spanish Road. Phillips, America, Page 843.

Original brown cloth, lettered in gilt on the front. Stain to front board, binding otherwise a bit rubbed. Map and first blank leaf loose. Map with four inch split along one fold, and a three inch split along another fold, else a very good, handsome copy. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1384. Fifty Texas Rarities 23. Howes 16.

Steamship Savannah Passenger Bill. Two pages (front and verso), 7.5" x 7.75", Galveston, January 20, 1841. This itemized bill, for the passage of two families, two individuals, and two servants to Galveston, totals $200. The bottom of the front page and the verso include a deduction accounting for the initial payment of $57.14, made the following day, January 21, 1841. Very good condition with folds and some minor paper loss along the folds and edges. From the collection of Darrell Brown.

City of Portland, Texas Capital Stock Certificate, 7" x 3.5". Engraved by "J. Lowe, Galveston, Texas." Capital Stock, "Two Thousand Acres of Land & City Lots." City of Portland, Matagorda Co., Republic of Texas. "This Certificate for ___ Dollars will be received at par in payment for Lots in the above named City. City of Portland _______ 1841. ______ Sec. ______ Agnt." Vignette at top center depicts the railroad; vignettes of scales of justice at left and an eagle being fed at right. This certificate, blank and not filled out or signed, is engraved. It is the earliest example known of engraving done in Texas. The certificate represents an interesting scheme promoted by Nicholas Clopper of Cincinnati, his son Joseph C. Clopper, and the latter's brother-in-law, Edward Este, for establishing a new town on the Colorado River at the head of the raft. The plan was to connect the new town by a railroad with tidewater on Wilson's Creek, about three miles to the south and then by steamboat or other craft to Port Austin and Palacios on Matagorda Bay, south of the mouth of the Colorado. As "City of Portland" is not shown on the map in the 1845 edition of the Hunt & Randell Guide to Texas, the Cloppers' project was evidently not successful. The present city of Portland, Texas, is located on the Gulf of Mexico and was founded in the early 1890s. Thin, parchment-like paper; slight tears at upper and lower margins. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Capital Stock Certificate for $100 Portland, Texas. 1 page, 7.75 x 3.5", Portland, Texas, April 29, 1841. This certificate, which is engraved is the earliest example known of engraving done in Texas. The blank for the date on the Streeter certificate is completed as "29 April." E.E. Este signs the certificate as Secretary, and Nicholas Clopper (1766-1841) as Agent. This certificate represents an interesting scheme promoted by Nicholas Clopper of Cincinnati, his son Joseph C. Clopper, and the brother of Joseph's wife, Edward Este, for establishing a new town on the Colorado River at the head of the raft. The plan was to connect the new town by a railroad with tidewater on Wilson's Creek, about three miles to the south, "and thence by steam-boats or other craft to Port Austin and Palacios." These two towns were on Matagorda Bay, south of the mouth of the Colorado. Nicholas Clopper acquired lands in Texas in the 1820's, and in 1827 took his three sons to Texas on a visit. Quite crisp with only hints of vertical creasing and some light soiling, overall very fine. A museum-quality piece of Texas history. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 450 [City of Portland, Texas Capital Stock Certificate for $100]

(Texas Association) A Blank Stock Certificate for the Mercer Colony. 1 page 11" x 6.75", [no place, no date]. Lithographed stock certificate commencing: "Texas Association 8,000 Square Miles on the Trinity River..." At top is a Texas star, at the bottom a Native American and a buffalo, ornate scrollwork on either side, the whole surrounded by decorative border. Lithographed by Hart, Mapother & Co. of Louisville, Kentucky. An unrecorded, and uncompleted, stock certificate for the Texas Association, otherwise known as the Mercer Colony, located roughly between the Brazos and Sabine rivers. The Texas Association was formed in early 1844 by Charles Fenton Mercer, a former agent for the Peters' Colony, which had obtained a large impresario grant to settle North Texas. Following a controversy between British and American stockholders in which the latter seized control of the project and reorganized it as the Texas Emigration and Land Company, Mercer sold his interest in the enterprise to Louisville-based investors. He then obtained a new and separate contract from the Republic of Texas. This agreement, made by President Sam Houston on January 29, 1844, granted Mercer and the stockholders of the Texas Association eight thousand square miles on the Trinity River. In a colonization prospectus which he issued in September 1844 under the title of Texas Colonization (see Streeter 1520), Mercer offered, on payment of a surveying fee of eight dollars, up to half a section of land for every family settling on the grant before March 20, 1845. In order to finance his contract with Texas, Mercer "divided his whole interest the said tract of land...into one-hundred shares" (Texas Colonization).

Despite Mercer spending more than $15,000 on his project, by September 1847 plans had not progressed smoothly: "The work of colonization was impeded by the fact that various Texas politicians, land speculators, and squatters, all eager to supplant the impresario system, questioned the legality of the renewal of the impresario system. Squatters moved into the Mercer survey and denied the claims of settlers who held Mercer colony certificates" (Handbook of Texas). Faced with mounting losses in 1852, Mercer assigned his interests in the colony to a group of Louisville investors in exchange for an annuity of $2,000. Under the leadership of George Hancock, who had become chief agent, the Association was reorganized. In September 1858 the new secretary, Claudius Duval, called in Mercer's original one hundred certificates and issued new shares to sell for one hundred dollars each. The present certificate is from this issue of 1858. Left margin slightly irregular, a hint of toning at margins, else quite clean and crisp, very fine condition. Another excellent piece worthy of the most sophisticated Texas collection. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: A rare Texas imprint, not in Streeter, not in OCLC.

Capital stock certificate for $100 Portland, Texas City of Portland, Matagorda County, Republic of Texas, $100 No. [11], April 29, 1841. J. Lowe (engraver). Signed by Nicholas Clopper.

The certificate reads (italics denotes handwritten entries) "$100.00 No. 11 Capital Stock Two Thousand Acres of Land & City Lots. City of Portland Matagorda Co.. Republic of Texas. This Certificate for one hundred Dollars will be received at par in payment for Lots in the above named City. City of Portland 29 April 1841 E. E. Este Sec [and] Nicholas Clopper Agnt. [Symbolical illustrations]"

This certificate, which is engraved and not printed, is the earliest example known of engraving done in Texas. The blank for the date on the Streeter certificate is filled out, "29 April." E.E. Este signs the certificate as Secretary, and Nicholas Clopper as Agent. This certificate represents an interesting scheme promoted by Nicholas Clopper of Cincinnati, his son Joseph C. Clopper, and the latter's wife's brother, Edward Este, for establishing a new town on the Colorado River at the head of the raft. The plan was to connect the new town by a railroad with tidewater on Wilson's Creek, about three miles to the south, "and thence by steam-boats or other craft to Port Austin and Palacios." These two towns were on Matagorda Bay, south of the mouth of the Colorado. Nicholas Clopper acquired lands in Texas in the 1820s, and in 1827 took his three sons to Texas on a visit. The journal of one of the sons, Joseph Chambers Clopper, kept on that visit is given in Vol. XIII, Quarterly, Texas State Historical Association, p. 44-80, July, 1909, and "The Clopper Correspondence, 1834-1838," in Vol. XIII, p. 128-144, October, 1909. Another sister of Edward Este was Mrs. David G. Burnet. There is a short sketch of Este in the Writings of Sam Houston, Vol. I, p. 394. In 1950 Edward Nicholas Clopper, one of the descendants of the Cloppers referred to above, published at Cincinnati a most interesting account of the Cloppers who visited Texas and of other members of his family in An American Family, Its Ups and Downs through Eight Generations in New Amsterdam...and Texas from 1650 to 1880.

Clopper was an early Texas settler who moved to Stephen F. Austin's colony from Ohio. He later organized the Texas Trading Association in 1827 to conduct trade over Buffalo Bayou, an untapped trade route between the Brazos area and the Gulf of Mexico. In 1826 he purchased the peninsula between Galveston and San Jacinto bays, now known as Morgan's Point. As a matter of fact, the sand bar blocking the entrance to San Jacinto Bay still bears his name. In 1835, Clopper presided over a meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, which opened a subscription to purchase two cannons, the famous Twin Sisters, for the Texas revolutionaries. The stock certificate here shows two vertical wrinkles in the middle third and the bottom right corner is folded. Otherwise, the piece is in extra fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Capital Stock Certificate for $100 Portland, Texas 1 page, 7.75 x 3.5", Portland, Texas, April 29, 1841. This certificate, which is engraved and not printed, is the earliest example known of engraving done in Texas. The blank for the date on the Streeter certificate is filled out, "29 April." E.E. Este signs the certificate as Secretary, and Nicholas Clopper (1766-1841) as Agent. This certificate represents an interesting scheme promoted by Nicholas Clopper of Cincinnati, his son Joseph C. Clopper, and the latter's wife's brother, Edward Este, for establishing a new town on the Colorado River at the head of the raft. The plan was to connect the new town by a railroad with tidewater on Wilson's Creek, about three miles to the south, "and thence by steam-boats or other craft to Port Austin and Palacios." These two towns were on Matagorda Bay, south of the mouth of the Colorado. Nicholas Clopper acquired lands in Texas in the 1820's, and in 1827 took his three sons to Texas on a visit. Partial separation at folds as well as minor marginal tears and chips, very light and minor dampstain at bottom margin, else very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 450

Stephen H. Everitt Menard Stock Certificates Signed "S.H. Everitt" as Agent for the Proprietors, one page, 7.25" x 8.25", bearing two separate, numbered ("236" "237"), and signed stock certificates, no date. Streeter 669. No. 236, in full, "Certificate of Stock/in the/Town of Menard./One Hundred Dollars./This is to Certify that ____/is the holder of One Share of Stock in the Town of Menard,/being the Five Hundredth part of Fifty Thousand Dollars, the par value of/said Stock==consisting of Fourteen Hundred and Eight Lots, composing/said Town, situated on the West bank of the Neches River, in the County/of Liberty; which will entitle the holder, his or her assigns, to all the/benefits that may accrue thereon, free from all and every encumbrance whatever." On No. 237 was issued to "J.P. Henderson," possibly James Pinckney Henderson, Attorney General (1836), Secretary of State (1836-1837), and Minister to England and France (1837-1840) of the Republic of Texas and the first Governor of the State of Texas (1846-1847); he later served as U.S. Senator from 1857 to his death in 1858. It doesn't seem as if Everitt was successful in this enterprise because no town of Menard is shown on either the 1839 or 1845 edition of Hunt and Randel's Map of Texas. In 1834, Everitt had moved from New York to Texas, acquiring land in Jasper County. The Neches River was the boundary between Jasper and Liberty counties. Everitt was a delegate from Jasper to the Convention of 1836 and signed the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the Republic. He also served as one of three commissioners appointed to close the land offices in the Department of Nacogdoches and gained several mail contracts in Southeast Texas. Everitt represented Jasper County as senator in the first five congresses of the Republic of Texas before resigning in December 1840. Michael B. Menard represented Liberty County at the Convention of 1836 and signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. The Town of Menard in Liberty County was most probably named in his honor. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

George F. Folsom: Mexico in 1842 A Description of the Country, Its Natural and Political Features; with a Sketch of its History, Brought to the Present Year. To Which is Added an Account of Texas and Yucatan, and of the Santa Fé Expedition. (New York: C. J. Folsom, 40 Fulton St. cor. Pearl street. Wiley and Putnam; Robinson, Pratt, and Co. 1842.) 256 pp. 16mo. Original dark brown blind-stamped cloth, gilt-lettering on spine. Lithographed map, outline coloring in rose; Republic of Texas in full yellow: Mexico and Texas in 1842. Published by C. J. Folsom, No. Fulton St. cor. Pearl, New-York. 10.5" x 9.25"; scale: 1 inch = approximately 220 miles; lower left-Lith. of G. W. Lewis, cor. Beekman & Nassau St. N.Y. The map is in excellent condition, with good color retention. Light chipping at spinal extremities, corners gently bumped, occasional mild foxing and browning. Overall very good to near fine. Housed in a custom clamshell case with five raised bands and gilt lettering. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1413. Eberstadt 162:301: "The last hundred pages relate to Texas from 1832 to 1842, and include the correspondence of Bee and Hamilton with Santa Anna in 1841 and 1842." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Calhoun, Texas Vessel Registration Certificate. Partly-printed Document Signed and engrossed by "Galen Hodges" as Collector. One page, 14.5 x 16.25", Calhoun, Texas, February 1, 1842. A registration John M. Marden, owner of the "Vessel called the John Y. Sewell whereof Edward Ryan is at present Master, and is a Citizen of TEXAS...Vessel was built at Matagorda in the Republic of Texas in the year One thousand eight hundred & forty..."

Calhoun, on Matagorda Island, was planned by the Republic of Texas in January 1839 when Congress directed the secretary of the treasury to have 640 acres on the north end of the island surveyed as the site for a seaport. Lots in the town went on sale in June 1841. A customhouse was established, and Alexander Somervell was appointed collector of customs. The town failed to prosper, however, and the customhouse was moved to Port Caballo. Calhoun ceased to exist by 1845.

Galen Hodges (1813-84), community leader and Democratic party official, was born in Rhode Island and moved to Texas before 1838, when he settled in Matagorda County and became a community leader. At various times he held the positions of postmaster, surveyor and inspector general, alderman, chairman of the county Democratic executive committee, and treasurer of the Southern Rights Association. He was on his way to a Confederate veterans' meeting when he died in Victoria on May 10, 1884. Light dampstains, expected folds, margins somewhat rough with minor losses not affecting text or printing, else very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

N. Doran Maillard: The History Of The Republic Of Texas, From The Discovery Of The Country to the Present Time; And The Cause Of Her Separation From the Republic of Mexico. (London: Published by Smith, Elder & Co., 1842.) 512 pp. First Edition. Colored folding map: Boundaries Of Texas. Political, Conventional, and Natural. A New Map of Texas, 1841. 8vo. Original dark green cloth, covers blocked in blind, spine lettered gilt, yellow coated endpapers. Folding map outlined in color as frontispiece.

A London barrister, Nicholas Doran Maillard arrived in Texas in 1840 and quickly settled in Richmond, becoming co-editor of the Richmond Telescope. In 1842 he published this account of the history of Texas, which was perceived to be a vitriolic denunciation of the Republic of Texas. Maillard insisted he had offered a true description of the Texas Revolution and of the aggressive and treasonable policy pursued by Texans toward Mexico. A vehement abolitionist, Maillard regarded Texas as a seat of corruption and dissolution. His controversial opinions are reflected in the cartography of his map, in which he has shrunk the Republic of Texas down to the tiniest size yet seen in maps of this period. The map is rather exceptional, with colored outlines of political, conventional, and natural boundaries of Texas.

This book is one of those strange anomalies in today's Texana market, in that the map is probably worth more than the book. Occasional minor age toning and foxing throughout. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1422: " Maillard claimed to be making notes on the law, but he returned suddenly to England eight months later and began a campaign of fierce denigration of Texas.... Though this account of Texas has little value as a history because of Maillard's extreme bias, it should be included in Texas collections as an example of what can be said about Texas by one who hates it. What wounded Maillard's ego during the six months in 1839 he spent in Texas is not known, but it has caused him to characterize Texas (p. 206) as 'a country filled with habitual liars, drunkards, blasphemers, and slanderers, sanguinary gamesters and cold-blooded assassins' and more to the same effect. Stephen F. Austin is referred to, at page 30, as 'the prince of hypocrites,' and James Bowie, at page 104, as 'monster.' ... Incidentally, at page vi, Maillard speaks of himself as 'an impartial historian.' The map [shows] the political boundaries of Texas under Spain and the territory now 'absolutely in the possession of the Texians.' ...." Basic Texas Books (134) called Maillard's book: "The most vitriolic denunciation of the Republic of Texas [comprising] a compendium of everything bad that could be claimed about Texas and Texans of those times." Vandale 113. Graff 2663. Howes M255. Raines, p. 144.

License to Carry on the Coasting Trade for One Year
No. 11 District of Galveston Port of Galveston. Tall folio, 10.75" x 17.5", Galveston, September 9, 1843, large lone star at top, embossed yellow seal. Printed at the Telegraph Office, circa 1843. Signed by J. G. Burnham, Deputy Port Collector for the District of Galveston. John Makeig, master of the 5-ton sloop Picayune, is granted the right "to be employed in carrying on the coasting trade for one year." A few spots of foxing and creases at folds, otherwise in near fine condition.

Partially Printed Republic of Texas Document Signed, "H. J. Budington", one page, 7.5" x 9", New Orleans, Louisiana, July 17, 1843, affixed to partially printed official North Carolina Document Signed, "J.M Morehead" by the Governor, one page, 8" x 13", Raleigh, North Carolina, November 14, 1842. The primary certificate is imprinted for the Consulate of the Republic of Texas and carries the Lone Star device both as a vignette and as an embossed paper seal. The signatory, acting as the Republic's Vice-Consul, here attests that the attached North Carolina gubernatorial document is genuine. Governor Morehead's document from the previous year verifies that a certain John D. Hawkins of Franklin County, NC is a lawful magistrate. It bears a bold signature and a beautiful embossed paper state seal. Obviously, Hawkins landed in Texas and needed to support his claims of being an attorney. The Texas imprint remains crisp with only a small smoothed fold and a few minor stains; the North Carolina document, however, has marginal chipping and splits along its folds. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Thomas Falconer and William Bllaert: Notes of a Journey through Texas and New Mexico, in the Years 1841 and 1842. [bound with] Notes on the Coast Region of the Texan Territory: Taken During a Visit in 1842. Thomas Falconer, Esq., of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn; William Bollaert.; First edition. Octavo (8.75" x 5.25"). Separate printing from the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume XIII, Part 2, pages 199-244, London, 1843; [46] pages. Modern quarter brown cloth over marbled boards, lettered in gilt along the front joint. Sheets are largely unopened. Fine. Streeter 415. See Streeter 1496 for Falconer piece. Howes F15. Two important articles on Texas. Thomas Falconer's journey through Texas and New Mexico (pp. 199-226) is the first printing of the narrative of his journey from Galveston to Austin via San Antonio in 1841, followed by his account of the Texas Santa Fe Expedition and concluding with his argument that Texas was not part of Louisiana when it was ceded by Spain to France (see Streeter 1496). Falconer, a British adventurer and explorer who accompanied Kendall, was probably a secret agent of the British Foreign Office. Notes on the Coast Region of the Texas Territory Taken during a Visit in 1841 (pp. 226-44) by English scientist William Bollaert contains his observations on the coastline of the Republic, correcting previous misunderstandings about the configuration of the Texas coastline and clarifying and augmenting the recent findings of Commodore E. W. Moore of the Texas Navy. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1496.

Frederick Marryat: Narrative of the Travels and Adventures of Monsieur Violet, in California, Sonora, & Western Texas. Written by Capt. Marryat. In Three Volumes. (London: Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans, 1843). First edition. Three octavo volumes (7.5" x 5"). Viii, 312, 32 [publisher's ads, dated July 1843]; [iv], 318; [iv], 299 pages. Illustrated with a folding map. Cloth back over paper boards, with printed paper spine labels. Cloth and labels on volumes I and II renewed. Volume III heavily shaken and out of the casing at the rear hinge, front hinge just holding on. Different bookplates in the first two volumes. Altogether, a good copy of a scarce book. "Texas is 'The resort of vagabonds and scoundrels, wholly destitute of principle and probity.'" From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Wagner-Camp 97:10. Howes M302. Streeter Texas 1458.

[Thomas H. Benton] [Pamphlet] Selections of Editorial Articles from the St. Louis Enquirer, on the subject of Oregon and Texas, as originally published in that paper, in the years 1818-19; and written by the Hon. Thomas H. Benton, to which is annexed, his Speech in the Senate of the United States, in March, 1825, on the bill for the Occupation of the Columbia River. St. Louis: Missourian Office, 1844. 45 pp. Octavo. First edition.

Except for two editorials on the 1819 Treaty with Spain, the text of these editorials deals almost entirely with the topic of taking official possession of Oregon and the Columbia River, but is included here due to its mention of Texas in the title. The articles published here originally appeared in the St. Louis Enquirer between 1818 and 1819, and also include his 1825 speech on the occupation of the Columbia River. In 1844, Benton was accused of inconsistencies in his statements in relation to Texas and Oregon; this tract was published to clarify his positions.

Important tract tied to the westward expansion of the United States. Housed in a blue half-calf case with raised bands and gilt lettering at spine. Minor to moderate foxing throughout, otherwise very fine. This item is extremely rare; there are only seven known copies, at least three of which are owned by historical societies. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1477. Graff 271. Howes B369, "b." American Imprints Inventory 394. Braislin Sale 150.

Mercer Colony Contract: Charles Fenton Mercer's Copy Signed "Sam Houston" as President, "Anson Jones" as Secretary of State, and "Charles F. Mercer/for himself and such/associates as he may choose," 20 pages, 9" x 11.25", front and verso. Washington, January 29, 1844. With 2.5" seal and green ribbon. It is believed that only three signed manuscript Mercer Colony contracts exist. One each was retained by the Executive and State Departments of the Republic of Texas; these two copies are now at the Texas State Library. The third was given to Mercer. Heritage is proud to offer Charles Fenton Mercer's copy of the historic Mercer Colony Contract. Before coming to Texas, Mercer had represented his native Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1817-1839, first as a Federalist, later as an Anti-Jacksonian, finally as a Whig. He moved to Tallahassee where he became cashier of the Union Bank of Florida. He became interested in Texas and made seven visits to the republic in the next four years. Former Texas Army Captain Palmer Job Pillans was one of the original surveyors and agents for the Mercer Colony and was present at the negotiations between Houston and Mercer. The contract is in his hand. It begins, "This Contract made the twenty ninth day of January eighteen hundred and forty four, between Sam Houston President of the Republic of Texas, acting in behalf of the Republic, of the first part, and Charles Fenton Mercer, late of the State of Virginia, but now of the City of Tallahassee in the Territory of Florida in the United States of America and such associates as he shall choose of the second part, Witnesseth, that whereas by an act passed by the Congress of Texas entitled an 'Act granting land to Emigrants' approved February 4, 1841, the President of the Republic of Texas was authorized to make a contract with sundry persons named in the said act, for the introduction and settlement of Emigrants, upon the vacant lands of the Republic of Texas..." The Mercer Colony in Texas was the last of the colonies founded issuing empresario contracts to persons who promised to settle individuals and families on the unclaimed public lands of the republic. Pres. Sam Houston granted Charles Fenton Mercer a contract to settle at least 100 families a year for five years, beginning on January 29, 1844. Mercer's contract was a source of controversy, however. Houston had granted it after vetoing a bill by the Texas Congress that would have taken away the president's authority to make such contracts without consulting the Congress. Congress overrode Houston's veto the day after the Mercer contract was granted. Mercer's well-known abolitionist sentiments made the colony an issue in the abolition and annexation controversy. He was one of the originators of the plan for establishing the Free State of Liberia and, in 1836, had served as vice president of the Virginia Colonization Society. The Mercer Colony was located in north central Texas, east and south of the Peters Colony. It lay roughly between the Brazos and Sabine rivers, north from Waco to McKinney in Collin County, skirting to the south and east of what is now the Dallas metropolitan area. Its boundaries encompassed portions of 18 future Texas counties. Mercer soon organized a company, the Texas Association, to advertise and promote colonization, and sold shares at $500 each to people he knew (and their friends) in Virginia and Florida as well as in Texas. The colony had problems from the start, as politicians, land speculators, and squatters, all eager to supplant the empresario system with the Anglo-American land system, questioned both the wisdom and the legality of granting away the republic's vast public lands without financial gain. There were questions over the exact boundaries of the grant and Mercer's association offered only 160 acres to families and 80 acres to single men, whereas the adjacent Peters Colony promoters were offering 320 acres (later 640) to families. Eventually Mercer matched that offer and by the end of first year of the contract, more than 100 families had complied with the requirements and received land certificates. The following year, however, legal proceedings against all colony contracts were taken, and the land titles were placed in jeopardy, leading to decades of litigation. After the Convention of 1845 instructed the new state of Texas to begin legal proceedings against all colony contracts, Gov. Albert C. Horton instituted suit on October 11, 1846, against Mercer and the Texas Association in the district court of Navarro County. Judge Robert E. B. Baylor of the Third Judicial District declared the contract between Mercer and Houston null and void, but the Texas Supreme Court subsequently upheld the legality of the contract. On February 2, 1850, the Texas legislature, seeking to quiet the confusion within the colony, guaranteed all land claims made by settlers in the Mercer colony before October 25, 1848. Mercer severed all connection with the grant on February 27, 1852, by assigning his interest in the Texas Association to George Hancock of Louisville, Kentucky. A superb document, bearing a huge, 5.5" long signature of Sam Houston with a 4" x 2" paraph.

This historically significant manuscript is offered together with the only known copy of an 1845 Mercer Colony Map, a variant from the map accompanying the printed Mercer contract offered in lot 56127. The map, a detailed 11.25" x 9.25" lithographed map with original hand-colored shading: "Map/of the/Mercer Colony,/in/Texas./May 1st 1845/Scale 20 Miles to an Inch." bears no discernible printer's imprint. Although there is no way of knowing which map came first, we believe it is likely that this variant was produced from a separate plate and included in Mercer's semi-annual report to the Secretary of State dated, New York, September 25, 1845. Although at first glance, the maps appear to be identical; and are the same in respect to the printed dimensions, latitude/longitude markings, there are numerous differences evident upon side-by-side comparison. For example, the typeset used in the titles are noticeably distinct. Topographical differences include the addition of a timber trail running north-south down, and the extension of the various rivers to the right margin. Other differences noted: this map lists the date of the 2nd Peters Grant as "1841" ("1843" on first map), adds the day of the month ("29") to "Jany 1844" at the "5th Grant to C.F. Mercer" notation, the size of "4th Grant 1843 to the Texas Emigration & Land Co." has been added ("of 16,400 square miles including the 1st 2d & 3d Grants") as has the size of other grants, and "Raft" is identified on the Trinity River. Interestingly, the only damage to this map is what looks like a cigarette burn on the Trinity just to the right of the word "Raft" where the lumber on the river was located. Streeter locates only three copies of the Fishbourne imprint. Streeter notes in those entries "There seem to be two issues of the map, the first being the one here with the Fishbourne imprint and the second, a separate, with no imprint." However, he does not mention why he makes this statement or any other information regarding this second separate map. Streeter does not enter it as a separate entry item in his Bibliography which implies that he never saw a copy of one and assumed they were they same, except for the imprint; they are not.

Also included is a very scarce copy of A. J. Peeler and S. B. Maxey, History And Statement Of The Mercer Colony Case, (Preston V. Walsh), In U.S. Circuit Court At Austin, Texas. (Austin: State Printing Office, D&D Institution, 1882). xvii, 135pp. 12mo. First and only edition. Deacidified and rebound with the original wrappers, which have been reinforced on verso. Pages are evenly toned, many pages have chipping at margins, but overall condition is very good with pages remaining pliant. Housed in a quarter calf custom slipcase.

A historic grouping, and certain to be the cornerstone of any important Texana collection. The map and contract are each housed in full leather custom-made cases with gilt lettering on the cover and spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Exceedingly Rare Contract of Colonization of Mercer Colony with Map, two conjoined sheets, 10.5" x 16.5", printed on three sides. [New Orleans, 1845]. First page: "The/Contract of Colonization,/of/Charles F. Mercer, et al./with/The President of Texas,/January 29, 1844." Signed in type by Sam Houston as President, Anson Jones as Secretary of State, and Charles P. Mercer. Second page (verso of first page): "The Agreement,/Between/Charles F. Mercer, Original Grantee,/of the/Republic of Texas,/and the/Stockholders of the/Republic of Texas./and the/Stockholders of the Texas Association." Blanks are not filled in. On the third page, opposite page two, is a detailed 9.25" x 8.75" lithographed map with original hand-colored shading (yellow) and outline (blue): "Map/of the/Mercer Colony,/in/Texas./May 1st 1845/Scale 20 Miles to an Inch." At bottom right: "Fishbourne's Lithog. 46, Canal St." [New Orleans] The map bears three small ink inscriptions: notation of "raft" on the Trinity River (with drawing of five horizontal lines indicating a blockage of logs at that point), addition of the exact date of the 5th Grant to C.F. Mercer ("29th" added to "Jany 1844"), and correction of the date of the 2nd (Peters) grant ("1843" changed to "1841"). First printing of an important colonization imprint relating to early settlement of Northeast Texas, with the first large-scale map of East Texas and perhaps the earliest printed map to name and locate Dallas, about 10 miles west of the Mercer Colony in the Peters tract.

Mercer Colony, one of the largest empresario contracts in Texas, was located roughly between the Brazos and Sabine Rivers, east and south of the Peters Colony. The contract was possible under a statute enacted by the Texas Congress in February 1841, which restored the policy of empresario grants that had existed under Mexico. President Sam Houston granted Charles Mercer his contract on January 29, 1844. Mercer's contract was always controversial, particularly because Houston granted it after vetoing a bill that took away presidential authority to grant such contracts, and the Congress then overrode Houston's veto one day after the Mercer contract was granted. This contract dated January 29, 1844, and the agreement between Charles F. Mercer and the Stockholders of the Texas Association, the Articles of Association, are the fundamental documents for the Mercer Colony. Creased where formerly folded, mild toning in blank area above map. When the map was folded to approximately 3" x 4.75" to fit in one's pocket, two blank areas were then exposed. It is these two areas that are mildly toned. Very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1594: "The map which is on the large scale of 20 miles to an inch is of great interest, as it shows the boundaries of the first three grants to the Peters group, and of the fifth grant of January 29, 1844, to Mercer." Streeter locates only three copies of this first issue; there are four issues of the contract, but only two of them have the map; Streeter locates only one copy of the other issue with the map. According to Streeter, Theodore Garnett testifies that the map and contract were distributed by Mercer (his uncle) in May 1845.

Gail Borden Land Grant Annual Dues Receipts. Comprises two partly printed documents, each completed in manuscript: 1) William Pettus signed "Wm Pettus," one page, 8.5" x 3.25". In part "Received of G. Borden Jr Genl Collector of public dues for the department of Brazos [$23.56] in payment to the State, on the 1st & 2nd installments on one league of land, granted to W. Williamson on the 21 day of March 1831..." "23rd Febr" penned at lower left; February 23, 1836 was the first day of the siege of the Alamo. Lightly foxed. 2) Squire Burns signed "Squire Burns," one page, 7.75" x 4". In part "Receved of G. Borfen Collector of Public Dues for the Department of the Brazos, seven dollars sixty cents, in payment to the Government for two instalments [sic] on one fourth league of land granted me on the tenth day of July 1831..." Dated December 19 1836. Light soiling. Both documents are in fine condition. The Law of Colonization of the State of Coahuila and Texas required that each colonist must pay a sum to the state in three equal installments after the fourth year following the land grant.

Gail Borden, Jr. was a surveyor for Austin's colony and collector for the Department of Brazos from 1835-1837. In 1856, he received a patent on a process for condensing milk. William Pettus, an Old Three Hundred colonist, received his grant because he had "fought Indians and helped keep quiet in the country." He served on the ayuntamiento of San Felipe (1828-1830) and was involved in security of the area against Indian attack. As a single man, Squire Burns was granted as his head right one-fourth sitio. He taught school for a time and was active in defending the settlers from both the Indians and Mexicans. Squire was a scout and was accidentally killed near San Antonio shortly before the fall of the Alamo by the discharge of his pistol. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

(Texas Settlement) Partly-printed Document. 1 page, 7.75" x 12.5", New Orleans, May 27, 1841, a deed issued by the Consul for the Republic of Texas at New Orleans acknowledging the sale of 160 acres of land by William H. Steele of Kentucky "...in consideration of Forty Dollars...sold...to John C. Healy of One Hundred and Sixty acres of Land to which I am entitled by virtue of Military Services rendered by Michael Daugherty as per accompanying Document [not present] from G. T. Archer, Secretary of War & Navy and which said land was transferred by said Michael Daugherty to me..." Endorsed on the verso by Texas Consul, William Bryan. Light toning, a few marginal chips not affecting text, else fine condition. These foundation documents relating the early history of settling Texas are becoming increasingly difficult to source; this is a fine specimen. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Matagorda Lot/Block Certificate Signed "S.F. Austin," one page, 7.5" x 2". [Head Quarters Mill Station above Bexar], November 17, 1835. In full, "$90/on the first day of Feby next I promise to pay J.G. Smith or bearer ninety dollars for an express horse purchased for the use of the army." Endorsed on verso "J G Smith/Novr 18th 1835." The siege of Bexar (San Antonio) was the first major campaign of the Texas Revolution. From October until early December 1835, an army of Texan volunteers laid siege to the Mexican army under General Martín Perfecto de Cos (Santa Ana's brother-in-law and second in command) in San Antonio de Bexar. After a Texas force drove off Mexican troops at Gonzales on October 2nd, the Texan army grew to 300 men and, on October 11th, elected Stephen F. Austin Commander-in-Chief. In November, the Consultation appointed Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton as commissioners to the United States to lobby for financial assistance, collect supplies, and recruit men for the Texas cause, so on November 24th, Austin resigned as Commander-in-Chief and left the Texas Army. In Austin's Order Book for the Campaign of 1835 [reprinted in the Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 011, Issue 1, 1908], his letters of November 16th, 17th, and 18th are written from "Head Quarters Mill Station above Bexar". Irregular lower edge. Vertical folds, one passing through the "F" in signature. Light soiling. Remnant of red wax seal on verso. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 18.2

Matagorda Proprietors "In and Out" Lots Certificate Signed "Ira Ingram president/of the Board of proprietors" and "E. Wightman/Secy," one page, 8" x 5". Town of Matagorda, April 4, 1831. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. [San Felipe de Austin: Printed by G.B. Cotton.] In part, "This Certifies, That, at the sale of In and Out Lots in said town, held on the date hereof, Lewis L. Vuder became the highest bidder for Lots No 4 in Block No. 1...No. 4, and for No. 2 in Block No. 2...No. 4 in the Colorado front of said town, at $50.00 Fifty Dollars. The payment of which purchase money, in conformity with the terms of said sale...shall entitle him the said Lewis L. Vuder his heirs, assignees, executors, or administrators, to receive a transfer of the said Lot he or they paying the fees therefore..." The "out" lots of the "In and Out" lots referred to in this certificate were the lots not included in the laid-out blocks making up the center of the town. Stephen F. Austin held an interest in this venture, having secured permission in 1827 from the Mexican government to build a town to protect immigrants to Texas. Matagorda was incorporated in 1830. This certificate is, in effect, a form for a deed. It was undoubtedly printed on the press Godwin B. Cotton had set up at San Felipe in the fall of 1829. The date of printing was probably 1830 or early 1831.

Ira Ingram moved to Texas in 1826 and settled in the Austin colony. In 1828, he and his brother Seth were partners in a merchandising establishment in San Felipe de Austin. Ira represented Matagorda in the First Congress of the Republic of Texas and was elected Speaker of the House. Elias Wightman became a surveyor for Stephen F. Austin in 1826. In 1828, Austin sent Wightman and David G. Burnet to the United States to help recruit settlers for his colony. Wightman went to New York, returning with approximately fifty to sixty colonists. On verso: "Title Tferred to S B Brigham & Co./this day April 20th 1839." S.B. Brigham and Company were mercantile agents in Matagorda. Minor chip at edges of horizontal mid-fold. Lightly soiled. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 18.1

TEXAS (Republic). Abstract of Land Certificates, Reported As Genuine and Legal by the Traveling Commissioners Appointed Under the Act to Detect Fraudulent Land Certificates, Passed January 1840. (Austin: Cruger & Wing Printers, 1841.) Quarto. 356 pp. Additional names have been added on the last blank leaf in manuscript. This exhaustive official document is the most accurate and detailed record of the disposition of lands in the Republic of Texas. It is a systematic attempt to describe every land grant certified by the Texas land office. Established December 22, 1836 by the First Congress of the Republic of Texas, the General Land Office opened in Houston on October 1, 1837 with John P. Borden serving as its first commissioner. He was tasked by law to "superintend, execute, and perform all acts touching or respecting the public lands of Texas."

Because the Constitution of the Republic of Texas honored grants made by Spain and Mexico, the commissioner assembled a record of all valid land grants and translated them from the archives of the two governments. These valid Spanish and Mexican grants constituted 26,280,000 acres. Borden also surveyed and registered all new grants issued by the Republic. Published on Borden's order, this document lists each grant certified by the land office from its inception by county, noting the size of the grant, the date issued, and including remarks as warranted. Full gold-stamped leather contemporary case. Some minor water staining to later pages, otherwise in exceptional condition. Rare and highly sought. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 453: "It is an invaluable source of data on individuals and it shows quite conclusively the extent to which land in the thirty counties listed had been taken up. Harris County leads with thirty-six pages of names under the various subdivisions followed by Red River County with twenty-seven pages. Two pages required for Refugio County." Streeter notes that only 200 compilations were printed. Sabin 95045. Not in Raines or Eberstadt 162.

George Wilkins Kendall: Narrative of the Texan Santa Fé Expedition, Comprising a Description of A Tour Through Texas, and Across the Great Southwestern Prairies, the Camanche and Caygüa Hunting-Grounds, with an Account of the Sufferings from Want of Food, Losses from Hostile Indians, and Final Capture of the Texans, and Their March, as Prisoners, to the City of Mexico. With Illustrations and a Map. By Geo. Wilkins Kendall. In Two Volumes. (New-York: Harper and Brothers, 1844). First edition. Two octavo volumes, signed in sixes (7.75" x 5"). Illustrated with engraved plates and a folding map: Texas and Part of Mexico & The United States, showing the Route of The First Santa Fé Expedition (16" x 11"). "The best account of the Santa Fé Expedition [and] one of the best campaign narratives ever written," with folding map of Texas and five tissue-guarded plates (Basic Texas Books, 116). "Kendall's experiences represent practically every element of adventure and peril that could have befallen men on the southwestern frontier. Through his skillful organization and superb narrative and descriptive ability, he produced one of the classics of western Americana. Kendall founded the New Orleans Picayune in 1837 and became one of the leading trupeters for Texas. In 1841, learning of Texas plans to Conquer Santa Fé, he set out for Texas and joined the expedition. Travelling through a new and hostile environment, and improperly equipped, the expedition nearly starved, surviving on hippophagy. The members straggled almost to Santa Fé and were gulled into surrendering without a fight. The captives were taken to Mexico and imprisoned for nearly two years, some longer." (Basic Texas Books).

Publisher's brown ribbed cloth, stamped in gilt and blind. Both volumes expertly rebacked, preserving the original spine. Spine of volume II slightly dulled and rubbed, previous owner's signatures to endpapers and title pages. Sheets and plates moderately foxed and browned and with occasional faint dampstains in volume II. Two leaves in volume II with clean tears from the fore-edge to the gutter margin. All in all, still a very good handsome set of a scarce book. Housed in a board slipcase. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Sabin 37360. Wagner-Camp 110:1. Graff 2304. Streeter Texas 1515. Field 818. Howes K75. Basic Texas Books 116.

[Matilda Charlotte Houstoun]: Texas and the Gulf of Mexico; or Yachting in the New World. By Mrs. Houstoun. With Portraits and Illustrations. In Two Volumes. Vol. I. (London: John Murray, 1844). First edition. Two octavo volumes in twelves (7.75" x 4.75"). Beautifully illustrated with ten stunning wood- or steel-engraved plates. Account of a wealthy British woman who visited Texas with her husband in 1842 on their private yacht. Publishers original blue cloth, blocked in blind and lettered in gilt on the spines. Bindings a bit worn, corners bumped, spines faded to brown, front hinge of volume I cracked, one signature in volume II sprung, previous owner's bookplates. Some light foxing, else a very good copy. Housed in a quarter morocco book-backed slipcase, lettered in gilt on the spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1506.

[Frederic Benjamin Page]: Prairiedom: Rambles and Scrambles in Texas or New Estrémadura. By a Suthron. With a Map. (New York: Paine & Burgess, 1845). First edition. Twelvemo (7.25" x 4"). Vi, 166, 18 [Publisher's catalog] pages. Folding map of Mexico, with inset of Texas. Bound in publisher's original finely-ribbed cloth, decoratively stamped in blind on the boards, and lettered and decorated in gilt on the spine. Pale yellow coated endpapers. Slightly worn, with minimal loss at the top and bottom of the spine. Ex-library copy, with markings. First signature sprung at the bottom. Altogether, a very good, handsome copy that shows very well. Housed in a cloth slipcase. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1604.

Trespalacios Certificate of Title, one page, 10.5" x 8". London, December 31, 1845, and registered March the 16th, 1846, at the General Texan Consulate. Engraved within ornate border: "Title of Property/of the/Building Lot/No.__ in the Block CC./in the/City and Port of Trespalacios,/Texas" for £50. Begins: "Be it known that ____ is entitled to the Building Town Lot, No.__ in the Square Block CC, in the City and Port of Trespalacios, Texas; this Title being transferable by endorsement on the back hereof. The holder of this Title must, within five years from this date, build or enclose this (his or her) Lot, according to the prescription of the regulations of the Town" or it may be done by the town at the owner's expense. A plan showing 32 numbered lots is at the upper right. It is possible that, following Texas statehood on December 29, 1845, the plan was discarded because, to date, while examples of this certificate have been found for various blocks, none are filled out. Streeter 1514 "Map of the City of Trespalacios on Trespalacios Bay, Texas," lithographed by E. Jones, New York, shows the "Plat of the city. Inset of untitled map of the coast of Texas from Matagorda Bay to Aransas Bay." Lightly browned at three edges. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1514

Trespalacios Certificate of Title with receipt stub, one page, 13" x 8". London, December 31, 1845, and registered March the 16th, 1846, at the General Texan Consulate. Engraved within ornate border: "Title of Property/of the/Building Lot/No.__ in the Block EE./in the/City and Port of Trespalacios,/Texas" for £50. With receipt stub attached at left. Begins: "Be it known that ____ is entitled to the Building Town Lot, No.__ in the Square Block EE, in the City and Port of Trespalacios, Texas; this Title being transferable by endorsement on the back hereof. The holder of this Title must, within five years from this date, build or enclose this (his or her) Lot, according to the prescription of the regulations of the Town" or it may be done by the town at the owner's expense. A plan showing 32 numbered lots is at the upper right. Streeter 1514 "Map of the City of Trespalacios on Trespalacios Bay, Texas," lithographed by E. Jones, New York, shows the "Plat of the city. Inset of untitled map of the coast of Texas from Matagorda Bay to Aransas Bay." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1514

Rare Sam Bangs Broadside, Dictamen de la Comision de Puntos Constitucionales, one page, 12" x 17", Leona Vicario, January 8,1830. This "Opinion of the Commission of Constitutional Points" offers support to the Mexican Army in its efforts to improve conditions in the republic. Sam Bangs (1798-1854) is regarded as being the first printer in Texas, having issued an imprint as early as 1817.Light toning, two smoothed folds, fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Jenkins 324; Spell 310. Three institutional copies of this imprint are known: Newberry, Bancroft and DeGolyer.

Commandancy General; Army of Reserve for the Protection of the Liberties of Texas, [n.p.]. [1836]. Circular/letter printed to accompany subscription lists for loans to the government of Texas. 4 pages, folded, printed on all four pages. Octavo. First edition. Signed by Thomas Jefferson Chambers (first Anglo-American attorney in Texas). "Sir, being informed that you feel a lively interest for the welfare of Texas..."

On January 7, 1836, the General Council of Texas passed an Ordinance and Decree authorizing Thomas Jefferson Chambers "to raise an army to be called The Army of Reserve," which Governor Smith refused to sign. The following month, on February 23, Chambers left for the United States not to return until April or May, 1837. In this circular letter he enclosed printed copies of the decree just mentioned (purported to be signed by Governor Smith), as well as a copy of his commission as General of the Army of Reserve. In his usual pompous and long-winded style, he related how Texas had been oppressed by Mexico and asked for loans and support. The letter was probably printed in Kentucky by Prentice of Prentice & Weissinger and, as it mentions the taking of the Alamo but not the massacre at Goliad, was probably distributed in April. Housed in a contemporary brown half-morocco folding box with marbled boards and gilt lettering. In very fine condition. Very rare, desirable, and important! From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1240. For authentication of this broadside see Investigating A Questioned Broadside, Andrea Knowlton, Kilgarlin Center, The University Of Texas. See also Streeter 1236.

[Broadside] Antonio Vallejo: El Exmo. Sr. Presidente interino de la Republica Mexicana with heading "Secretaria de Hacienda. Seccion 1a", one page, 8.5" x 11.75", without the integral blank leaf. Mexico City. January 9, 1836. Congressional decree by Interim President Miguel Barragán and promulgated by Antonio Vallejo authorizing the government to dispose of half of the income of the departments while the war provoked by the Texas colonists continues. In near fine condition and housed in a quarter Morocco case with gilt letters at spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 871: "No copy has been located of the first separate publication of this decree [as above] and the text does not seem to be in Arrillaga or Dublan." Streeter obtained his entry from a reissue of 17 January 1836 at the Bancroft Library. Only two institutional copies known (Yale and Texas); Eberstadt 162:868.

[Stephen F. Austin] First Texian Loan Contract Signed by William Christy. (New Orleans: Printed by Benjamin Levy, January 11, 1836), bifolia with printing on first two pages, elephant folio (10.5" x 16.75"). Presented here is the First Texian Loan, in which Thomas D. Carneal, Robert Triplett, William Fairfax Gray, and seven other individuals agreed to loan Stephen F. Austin and the Texas government $200,000 to fund munitions for the Texas Revolution. In return, the investors held first acquisition rights to land in Texas at fifty cents an acre. William Christy was a Louisiana Notary Public who was instrumental in arranging the loan for the Texas rebels. He has signed this very document "Wm Christy Not. Pub." at the conclusion of the second page. The docketing on the fourth page, in an unknown hand, identifies this document as a copy of the "Contract of Loan with Triplett & others 11th Jany 1836." This fascinating historical document is in good condition. Usual mailing folds present, though the horizontal fold along the second page shows noticeable separation, which a previous owner has attempted to repair with archival tape. Minor chipping present around all edges, one small tear along the right side of page one, and light toning to the pages, none of which affect the text or the appeal of this wonderful piece of Texas history. The First Texian Loan was a huge boost to the Texas Revolution, and this copy of the original document is signed by the man who made the loan possible.

First Texian Loan Signed by Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton "S. F. Austin," "B. T. Archer," and "Wm. H. Wharton." New-Orleans, January 11, 1836. Certificate No. 22, one page, 8.5" 10.5", ornate borders, completed in manuscript. Headed "Texian Loan." In part, "Received, of Robert Triplett Thirty-Two Dollars the First Instalment [sic] on a Loan of Three Hundred and Twenty Dollars, made by him this day to the Government of Texas for Five Years, bearing Interest at the rate of Eight Per Centum per Annum, payable annually..." The Provisional Government issued these certificates to raise funds for the Revolution. They were redeemable for land at fifty cents per acre. This first loan for the Texian cause was for $200,000 and was subscribed by ten men: four from Cincinnati, two from Virginia, one from New Orleans, and three from Kentucky including Robert Triplett who subscribed for $100,000, half of the first loan! Ten per cent of the amount was paid down with the balance to be paid upon ratification of the contract by the convention, which had been called for March 1st. Signing as "Commissioners on the Part of Texas" are Austin, Archer, and Wharton who had been appointed to lobby the United States for financial assistance, collect supplies, and recruit men for the Texas cause. They arrived in New Orleans in January 1836 and negotiated a series of loans. On thin paper, this loan bears the imprint at the bottom: "Printed by Benjamin Levy - New-Orleans." The three commissioners then proceeded up the Mississippi River, making numerous speeches before traveling to Washington, D.C. They were unable to persuade Congress to support their cause and returned home. During their trip, on March 2, 1836, Texas declared its independence. In November 1836, Texas President Sam Houston appointed Stephen F. Austin Secretary of State and William T. Wharton as first Minister to the United States. Branch T. Archer served in the First Congress of Texas and as Speaker of the House during its second session. Light horizontal folds, nicks at right edge, with a small marginal tear at a fold. Usual "X" cut cancellation with triangular portion missing at top center, not touching any text or signatures; most of the "X" cuts are lower and touch the text and/or the signatures. In apparent fine condition. Matted and framed to 17.75" x 26.75". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

First Texian Loan Signed by Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton "S. F. Austin," "B. T. Archer," and "Wm. H. Wharton." New-Orleans, January 11, 1836. Certificate No. 526, one page, 8.5" 10.5", ornate borders, completed in manuscript. Headed "Texian Loan." In part, "Received, of Alfred Penn Thirty-Two Dollars the First Instalment [sic] on a Loan of Three Hundred and Twenty Dollars, made by him this day to the Government of Texas for Five Years, bearing Interest at the rate of Eight Per Centum per Annum, payable annually..." The Provisional Government issued these certificates to raise funds for the Revolution. They were redeemable for land at fifty cents per acre. This first loan for the Texian cause was for $200,000 and was subscribed by ten men: four from Cincinnati, three from Kentucky, two from Virginia, and one gentleman from New Orleans, Alfred Penn, who subscribed for a total of $10,000. Ten per cent of the amount was paid down with the balance to be paid upon ratification of the contract by the convention, which had been called for March 1st. Signing as "Commissioners on the Part of Texas" are Austin, Archer, and Wharton who had been appointed to lobby the United States for financial assistance, collect supplies, and recruit men for the Texas cause. They arrived in New Orleans in January 1836 and negotiated a series of loans. On thin paper, this loan bears the imprint at the bottom: "Printed by Benjamin Levy - New-Orleans." The three commissioners then proceeded up the Mississippi River, making numerous speeches before traveling to Washington, D.C. They were unable to persuade Congress to support their cause and returned home. During their trip, on March 2, 1836, Texas declared its independence. In November 1836, Texas President Sam Houston appointed Stephen F. Austin Secretary of State and William T. Wharton as first Minister to the United States. Branch T. Archer served in the First Congress of Texas and as Speaker of the House during its second session. Light horizontal folds. Usual "X" cut cancellation with triangular portion missing, touching seven words, do not materially affect comprehensibility. Light waterstains at upper portion of "S F A" of Austin's signature. Lightly soiled. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

First Texian Loan Signed by Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton "S. F. Austin," "B. T. Archer," and "Wm. H. Wharton." New-Orleans, January 11, 1836. Certificate No. 526, one page, 8.25" x 10.5", ornate borders, completed in manuscript. Headed "Texian Loan." In part, "Received, of Thos D Carneal Thirty-Two Dollars the First Instalment [sic] on a Loan of Three Hundred and Twenty Dollars, made by him this day to the Government of Texas for Five Years, bearing Interest at the rate of Eight Per Centum per Annum, payable annually..." The Provisional Government issued these certificates to raise funds for the Revolution. They were redeemable for land at fifty cents per acre. This first loan for the Texian cause was for $200,000 and was subscribed by ten men: one from New Orleans, two from Virginia, three from Kentucky, and four from Cincinnati including Thomas D. Carneal who subscribed for a total of $40,000. Ten per cent of the amount was paid down with the balance to be paid upon ratification of the contract by the convention, which had been called for March 1st. Signing as "Commissioners on the Part of Texas" are Austin, Archer, and Wharton who had been appointed to lobby the United States for financial assistance, collect supplies, and recruit men for the Texas cause. They arrived in New Orleans in January 1836 and negotiated a series of loans. On thin paper, this loan bears the imprint at the bottom: "Printed by Benjamin Levy - New-Orleans." The three commissioners then proceeded up the Mississippi River, making numerous speeches before traveling to Washington, D.C. They were unable to persuade Congress to support their cause and returned home. During their trip, on March 2, 1836, Texas declared its independence. In November 1836, Texas President Sam Houston appointed Stephen F. Austin Secretary of State and William T. Wharton as first Minister to the United States. Branch T. Archer served in the First Congress of Texas and as Speaker of the House during its second session. Light horizontal folds. Usual "X" cut cancellation with triangular portion missing, touching four words, do not materially affect comprehensibility. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Early Provisional Texas Imprint Inscribed by Stephen F. Austin. Printed Document, "Texian Loan." (New Orleans: Benjamin Levy, 1836), one page, 8.25" x 10.25". Issued in the name of the "Government of Texas", this unused certificate carries a notation by Stephen Austin in its top margin that reads, "copy first loan". A patchwork of lines, also in Austin's hand, cancels this document in the space provided for signatures. Toned paper, loss to upper left corner, smoothed folds. In an effort to finance their revolution against Mexico, the Texians solicited cash loans against which they used Texas land as collateral. It states here that. "...for the amount paid, Land in Texas may be taken at FIFTY CENTS per Acre, with the guarantees and conditions of the contract aforesaid." This document, being blank and canceled by Austin, is possible a printer's proof and is very rare thus. Most extant specimens are used. From the collection of Darrel Brown

First Texian Loan Contract Signed
"Wm Christy/Not Pub," two pages, tall folio, front and verso. New-Orleans, January 12, 1836. Agreement for a $200,000 eight percent loan, New-Orleans, Jan. 11, 1836, signed in type "S.F. Austin," "B.T. Archer," and "Wm. H. Wharton," "Citizens of Texas, and herein acting in their capacity as Agents of the People thereof, by virtue of a commission issued to them by Henry Smith, Governor of Texas" and also in type by "Th. D. Carneal," "J.F. Irwin," "Paul Anderson," "Jas. N. Morrison," "W.F. Gray," "L. Whiteman," "Alfred Penn," "Robert Triplett," "Geo. Hancock," and "James M. McCulloch & Co. by James S. Brander" who "have contracted and agreed, and by these presents do severally, but not jointly, contract and agree to make a Loan to the People or Government of Texas, to the amount of two hundred thousand dollars, in the following portions..." The amount each has agreed to lend Texas is specified. In New Orleans, merchant William Christy was instrumental in helping Texas Commissioners Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton secure the first Texian loans totaling $250,000 in January 1836 and financially aided the revolution. He also recruited men for the Tampico Expedition. Sam Houston wrote that Christy's name would "never be uttered by the people of Texas unaccompanied by a prayer for his happiness and prosperity." By this document, Christy certifies that it is "a true copy of the original act, extant in my register, according to the laws and usage of the said State of Louisiana." It is housed in a box with gilt lettering "First Texas Revolution Loan Charter." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1233. Streeter has located only five examples of this document; Jenkins 122

Second Texian Loan Printing Signed "Wm. Christy" as Notary Public, two pages, 10.5" x 16.75", front and verso. New-Orleans, January 20, 1836. "Printed by Benjamin Levy, New-Orleans." Streeter 1234. Christy certifies "That this day...Personally came and appeared Messrs. Stephen F. Austin and Branch T. Archer, Citizens of Texas, Agents of the People or Government thereof, and herein acting in their capacity as such, as well as for and on behalf of William H. Wharton, the other Agent, who having left this City, authorized them...deriving their authority to act in these premises from a commission issued to them by Henry Smith, Governor of Texas...authorizing the contracting of a Loan in the United States of America, of one Million of Dollars..." Twelve lenders are listed and the amount each has lent "to the People or Government of Texas," with a total loan of $50,000. Fourteen articles detail the provisions of the loan approved by Austin, Archer, and the 12 lenders on January 18, 1836. This printing is certified by Christy "to be a true copy of the original act, extant in my current register..." Contemporary ink notations at head of first page and on verso of integral leaf. Slightly worn mid-horizontal fold with marginal separation at edges. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1234; Jenkins 122

Robert Triplett Texian Loan Autograph Document Signed "Robert Triplett" and "W.F. Gray," witnessed by "Thos. H. Hill," "Edward Hall," and "H.H. League/Judge," one page, 7.75" x 9.75". Harrisburg, [Texas], March 31, 1836. Completely in the hand of Triplett. In full, "Wm F. Gray & Robert Triplett agree that if any difficulty arises between the taking of the two loan contracts compromised with the Executive Government of Texas by Robert Triplett & Wm F Gray - the contractors in both cases representing each loan shall leave the same to arbitrators to be chosen by the two parties, and if they disagree by an umpire to be chosen by said arbitrators - the understanding being, that the whole bonus, is given as a whole consideration, and the government to have nothing to do with any dispute between the parties." Edward Hall was the Texas agent at New Orleans. Hosea H. League, one of the Old Three Hundred colonists, was the first judge for the Harrisburg jurisdiction, and he presided as election judge for the choice of delegates to the Convention of 1836. The historic month of March 1836 began with the convening of the Convention at Washington-on-the Brazos on the first and the declaration of Texas independence on the 2nd. Then came the fall of the Alamo on March 6th. Gen. Sam Houston arrived in Gonzales on March 11th and, informed of the fall of the Alamo, decided upon retreat to the Colorado River. He ordered all inhabitants of Texas to accompany him, including his army and the new republic's cabinet. As news of the Alamo spread, people all over Texas began to leave everything and make their way to safety in what has become known as the Runaway Scrape. By March 17th, Washington-on-the-Brazos was deserted. Triplett, one of the earliest contributors to the Revolution, was the major lender on the Texian Loan, lending $100,000 (half) of the first loan and $2,000 of the $50,000 second loan. William F. Gray had lent Texas $10,000 of the second loan and represented the other 17 lenders in this agreement. Only 10% in cash was paid down on the first loan and $46,000 was paid down on the second; the balance was to be paid upon ratification of the contract by the convention to be held in March 1836. The lenders had the right to take, as repayment, 500,000 acres of land (50 cents per acre) and there could be no private or public sales of land until their selections had been made. Additionally, the government was to survey and plot the land in tracts of 640 acres each. Before the convention met, there was considerable opposition by the Texas delegates to these terms. President David G. Burnet's cabinet refused to ratify the loans and proposed to refund the money. Then the Alamo fell. Texas was nearly bankrupt. The balance of the loan was desperately needed to pay mounting bills. The government realized that a compromise must be reached with the lenders. To protect the lenders in the event of any problems arising from the compromise, Triplett and Gray signed this document on March 31st requiring arbitrators to settle any disputes. On that day, Gray recorded in his diary that there is "some difficulty still existing about the loan contract. The Cabinet still has it under consideration, and some modification is suggested." The most eventful month in Texas history was now over. The next day, April 1, 1836, a compromise was reached. The right of prior location was surrendered by the lenders in return for a "bonus" of 32 leagues of land (142,000 acres). However, dissatisfaction arose over the form of the scrip which the government issued and before this could be adjusted, the government authorized Thomas Toby & Brother to sell 500,000 acres at the same price it was offered to the lenders. This destroyed the monopoly which Triplett expected to enjoy. A good deal of bickering followed on both sides, charging each other with bad faith. By acts passed in 1837 and 1838, the Republic of Texas finally made appropriations of about 295,000 acres to the lenders for principal and interest, closing the most important chapter in the finances of the revolution. The document is in apparent fine condition. There is light offset in the lower blank area from folding the agreement before the ink was dry. It is matted and framed to 17" x 26.75". A photocopy of a contemporary printing of the April 1, 1836 "Compromise Contract" is in a pocket affixed to the verso of the framed display. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Thomas Jefferson Green Manuscript Document Signed One page, 8" x 9.75", New Orleans, May 11, 1836. An unlisted manuscript, No. 875, Texian loan: "Twelve Months after date I promise that the Government of Texas will pay to Mr. E.W. Gregory the sum of One Thousand Dollars with Interest from date which said sum I have borrowed this day from said E.W. Gregory for the use of said Government." signed with rank and authority: "Th: Jeff: Green Brigadier Genl. of the Army of Texas and authorized agent to borrow money". Additionally signed at bottom by John G. Welschmeyer as Acting Secretary of Treasury attesting that "The above amount & interest at 10% up to 11 May 1837 was paid to T.J. Green by the Department on 24 Dec 1836". Green founded the Texas Land Company in Florida shortly before the Texas Revolution. He moved to Texas in 1836, but abandoned the colonization project to serve in the army. He was commissioned a brigadier general and returned to the U.S. to raise volunteers, money, and ammunition. With uneven toning, tiny separations at folds along margin, and a few instances of paper loss, none affecting the text. Very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Thomas Jefferson Chambers Document Signed: "T. Jefferson Chambers/Genl C.A.R.," one page, 8" x 9.75". [Kentucky], July 13, 1836. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. Headed: "In the Name of the People of Texas, Free, Sovereign, and Independent." In part, "I, Thomas Jefferson Chambers, Commandant General of the Army of Reserve, for the protection of the Liberties of Texas, do certify that Wm. B. Clifton of Louisville has furnished One Hundred dollars in Money for the use of the Division under my command; therefore by virtue of the authority with which I am invested, by the decree of the Republic of Texas, of the 7th day of January, 1836...do hereby pledge the faith of the Republic of Texas, for the payment of the said sum...with an interest of Six per cent per annum..." Calculations in the lower left indicate that $15.45 interest was added to the $100 when the money was repaid. He had worked with the Mexican Government as a state attorney, but in January 1836, he asked the General Council of Texas for the rank of major general in return for raising and equipping 1,145 volunteers, the "Army of Reserve," in the United States to be marched to Texas by May 15, 1836. He intended to use his own credit in the amount of $10,000, which would be repaid by Texas. He left for Kentucky on February 23rd. Though he did not return until June 1837, he sent troops to Texas after the battle of San Jacinto in April. William B. Clifton was one of those soldiers. On verso of the document is "Pay to A T Burnley order-/W.B. Clifton" which shows through on front. Chambers' claim of sending 1,915 men to Texas is disputed. His accounts totaling $23,621 were approved, but they were not paid because there was no money in the treasury. For service as major general, he applied for a bounty of 1,280 acres which he received in 1846. Tape affixed on verso to strengthen the folds shows through on front. The letter is lightly soiled in areas and mildly wrinkled. Overall, in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Ex: Library of Ford Mitchell

Banco Nacional Six Million Peso Loan Subscription for Texas War Expenses Signed in type "Pedro José Echeverria" as President and "Basilio José Arrillaga" as Secretary, with their rubrics in ink, one page, 8" x 10.5". Mexico, February 1, 1838. On January 27, 1838, President Anastasio Bustamante authorized the Banco Nacional de Amortización to make a loan of six million pesos, of which three-fourths of the proceeds would be used for the expenses of the Texan war. This document begins, "By the law of 27 January, this council has been authorized to contract a loan of six million pesos that will be put at the disposal of the Supreme Government to maintain the war with Texas, territorial integrity and the defense of the coasts and borders of the republic..." Apparently the effort was unsuccessful, since on April 19, 1838 a new law was passed authorizing the government itself to float the loan. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 939 applies

Republic of Texas: Special Report/of/The Secretary of the Treasury./November, 1839 Printed by Order of Congress, 12 pages, 5:" x 7.5". Whiting's Print.: [Austin], 1839. Three-quarter crimson morocco over marbled boards in slipcase embossed in gold: "Thomas W. Streeter." Thomas Streeter's copy, with his pencil notes on endsheet and his "Ex/T.W.S./Libris" oval bookplate label affixed on front inside marble board. First edition. The text of the Special Report by Secretary of the Treasury James H. Starr, giving estimates of expenditures for the year 1840, is addressed to David G. Burnet, President of the Senate (and Vice President of Texas). In November 1839, Whiting charged the House for 500 copies and the Senate for 250 copies. Various departmental estimates of expense are given. The total expenditures for the year ending September 30, 1839 were $1,965,169.58 of which $1,902,690.36 was said to be in promissory notes of the government. The receipts, partly estimated, for the fiscal year are stated to be $637,708.78, and the public debt to be $2,860,041.65. Receipts of the government in the current fiscal year are estimated at $1,300,000. Very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 369: locating six copies, including the present one. Thomas Streeter's copy

Anastasio Bustamante: Luis Gonzaga Vieyra Original Broadside. Signed "Luis Gonzaga Vieyra" and "José Mariua Barrera" as Secretary, in type, one page, 16.25" x 24.5". Mexico, March 29, 1841. Law, passed by the Congreso nacional, imposing a property tax to underwrite the cost of the campaign against Texas as long as it continues. Mexican Pres. Anastasio Bustamante issued his decree on March 11, 1841. Luis Gonzaga Vieyra, retired Colonel and Governor of the Department of Mexico, orders the decree published, countersigned by his secretary. This rare broadside is in very good condition with folds, small nicks and tears along the edges, some tiny holes and smudges, and chipping along the left margin. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 968. Streeter was unable to locate either the original printing or any Mexican state prints of this law, taking his entry from the later collected laws.

[President Anastasio Bustamante]. Decree of Gobierno Del Departamento De Nuevo Leon. (Monterey: a 16 de Abril de 1841). Bifolio (11.75" x 8.25"). [4] pages. Housed in a four-fold cloth chemise and matching cloth slipcase with a morocco spine lettering label. Imposing a Property Tax to Defray the Cost of the Campaign against Texas. This is the unrecorded Nuevo Leon issue: April 16, 1841. Lightly stained and cockled, folds, else very good. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 968.

[Broadside] General Adrian Woll: Alcance al Semanario num. 88 del jueves 8 de Setiembre de 1842. (Monterey: Setiembre 10 de 1842). First edition. Folio broadside (12.5" x 8.5"). Housed in a four-fold quarter morocco case, lettered in gilt on the spine. Fold lines, light creases, ink manuscript at top: "No. 152." A rare broadside relating to the forthcoming battle on 11 September 1842-San Antonio was again captured, this time by 1,400 Mexican troops under General Adrian Woll. Excessively Rare. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 978.1: locating only Yale copy.

Valentin Canalizo Publishes Santa Anna Decree giving General Francisco Garay the right to establish a commercial bank in the Rio Grande Region. Signed "Valentin Canalizo" in type, one page, 8.75" x 12.5". Countersigned "Luis G. de Chávarri" in type as Secretary. Mexico, May 18, 1843. This decree was issued to be made part of the earlier October 14, 1842 decree whereby Santa Anna gave General Francisco Garay an exclusive 25 year concession to use steamboats on the Rio Grande and to colonize lands tributary to the river. In that decree, Santa Anna cites his urgent desire to recover the lands "usurpada por les aventuros de Tejas" ("usurped by the adventurers of Texas") and it is expressly provided that colonists introduced by Garay or his successors shall be from European nations, preferably from the Canary Islands. The opening paragraph of this decree in Spanish references the earlier one and states that it "includes the concession of empty lands, with the purpose of providing the population with territorial integrity; and, with the purpose of facilitating and promoting a population increase, he [Garay] shall provide new guarantees to protect the national territory...and the following articles are to be added to the decree..." Garay has been granted the exclusive right for 15 years to establish a commercial bank in the region of the Rio Bravo (Rio Grande) and its tributaries to Matamoros. Canalizo concludes, "And to inform everyone, I order the publication by edict in this capital and in the other cities, villages and places comprised in this Department..." Canalizo succeeded Santa Anna twice as President of Mexico, serving from October 5, 1843 to June 4, 1844 and from September 21, 1844 to Dec. 6, 1844. While Santa Anna was out of the country, he appointed Canalizo as President ad interim. In apparent fine condition. Matted and framed to 16.5' x 29". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Thomas Toby. Comprises: 1) "Thomas Toby," one page, 10.5" x 15". New-Orleans, September 26, 1836. In part, "John B. Budd, of Philadelphia State of Pennsylvania, & his legal representatives are entitled to Six Hundred and Forty Acres of the Public Lands, to be located in the Republic of Texas, agreeably to the conditions contained in a Power of Attorney...to Thomas Toby, dated the 24th day of May last past, and to instructions from his Excellency David G. Burnet President of said Republic, to the said Thomas Toby, dated on the 25th day of May last past, true copies of which Documents are hereto annexed for reference..." In 1836, the Texas Navy named a privateer Thomas Toby in honor of the Texas agent; it captured several vessels off the Mexican coast before it was lost at sea in a storm off Galveston in October 1837. Two documents on one 10.5" x 15" sheet, each signed in type "David G. Burnet," are present. They appoint Toby "Lawful Agent for the purpose of raising money for the Government of Texas" and authorize him "to sell the Public Lands of Texas...provided, however, no sales shall be made at a less price than fifty cents per acre." William Christy. The "Toby appointment" sheet is signed "Wm. Christy/ Not. Pub." In New Orleans, merchant William Christy was instrumental in helping Texas Commissioners Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton secure the first Texian loans totaling $250,000 in January 1836 and financially aided the revolution. He also recruited men for the Tampico Expedition. Sam Houston wrote that Christy's name would "never be uttered by the people of Texas unaccompanied by a prayer for his happiness and prosperity." Both pages are matted and framed to 28.75" x 30". A manuscript transfer, New Orleans, February 15, 1837, penned on verso of the Texas Scrip, is signed "John B. Budd." There is show-through in the upper portion of the Texas Scrip. A color photocopy of the transfer side is in a pocket affixed to the back of the frame. Folds, slight creasing. Overall, in apparent fine condition. 2) Pamphlet, 53 pages, 5.5" x 8". Memorial/of/Mrs. Clemence Toby,/Widow of Thomas Toby, Deceased/In Behalf Of Herself And Children./To the Legislature of the State of Texas, a formal claim by Mrs. Clemence Toby to the State of Texas to pay the debts owed her husband by the late Republic of Texas incurred during its fight for independence. Galveston: News Book and Job Office, 1874. In January 1874 Mrs. Clemence Toby was making a final request to the State of Texas for restitution of the $76,000 [$66,700 plus eight percent interest] owed her late husband and his firm Toby and Brother for the tremendous amount of aid rendered during the years 1836 through 1838. She states in her opening address that "Mr. Toby not only assisted Texas directly in her times of peril and distress, but also indirectly, through others, for all of which he has received neither reward or gratitude". Torn and stained at edges. In apparent good condition. Matted and framed to 12.25" x 23.25". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter, but see 1233 and 1234 for related items.

Thomas Toby "Texas Scrip" Land Grant. Four pages, 17" x 10.5", New Orleans, October 10, 1836. This partially printed document grants to "Dobson Williams of the City of Mobile" through his agent, Thomas Toby, 640 acres of land in the Republic of Texas according to the instructions of President David G. Burnet. Page two includes a handwritten acknowledgment of the legal transfer of "the rights, title and interest" of the land. Page three includes the commission of Thomas Toby as the lawful agent, approved by the Executive Department of the Republic of Texas, Velasco, May 25, 1836, and signed by David G. Burnet and William Christy. Very good condition with folds, tiny holes along the folds and nicks on the edges. From the collection of Darrell Brown.

Thomas Toby Texas Scrip Document Signed "Thomas Toby," one page, 10.5" x 17". New-Orleans, October 10, 1836. In part, "Dobson & Williams of the City of Mobile & their legal representatives are entitled to Six Hundred and Forty Acres of the Public Lands, to be located in the Republic of Texas, agreeably to the conditions contained in a Power of Attorney...to Thomas Toby, dated the 24th day of May last past, and to instructions from his Excellency David G. Burnet President of said Republic, to the said Thomas Toby, dated on the 25th day of May last past, true copies of which Documents are hereto annexed for reference..." Two documents, each signed in type "David G. Burnet," are on the integral leaf. They appoint Toby "Lawful Agent for the purpose of raising money for the Government of Texas" and authorize him "to sell the Public Lands of Texas...provided, however, no sales shall be made at a less price than fifty cents per acre." The Mobile, Alabama, merchant partnership of George Dobson and Nathaniel Williams, formed c. 1827, went bankrupt in 1837 due to the financial "Panic of 1837" and their loans to the Republic of Texas. William Christy. The integral leaf is signed "Wm. Christy/ Not. Pub" with a cut cancellation not near signature. A similar cut on the Texas Scrip document touches the signatures of the two witnesses, removing a tiny rectangular portion. In New Orleans, merchant William Christy was instrumental in helping Texas Commissioners Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton secure the first Texian loans totaling $250,000 in January 1836 and financially aided the revolution. He also recruited men for the Tampico Expedition. Sam Houston wrote that Christy's name would "never be uttered by the people of Texas unaccompanied by a prayer for his happiness and prosperity." A manuscript transfer, Mobile, Alabama, July 5, 1837, is penned on verso but it was not filled out or signed. There are other small cuts not materially affecting the documents' appearance. In 1836, the Texas Navy named a privateer Thomas Toby in honor of the Texas agent; it captured several vessels off the Mexican coast before it was lost at sea in a storm off Galveston in October 1837. In fine condition.

Circular To Collectors And Other Officers Of The Customs. [Washington D.C.: United States Treasury Department] July 29, 1845. One folded folio page with integral blank serving as transmittal leaf. Signed in print by R.J. Walker, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Addressed to "Collector of the Customs, Bath, Main [sic]."

On February 28, 1845, the U.S. Congress passed a bill authorizing the annexation of the Republic of Texas. The date set for annexation was December 29 of the same year. This circular orders that duties on imports from Texas into the United States must continue being collected until such time as Congress establishes collection districts for the soon-to-be-annexed state.

The circular announces that "although there is now a solemn compact obligatory upon both parties for the admission of Texas as a State of the Union," duties on imports from Texas are to be collected as heretofore. This is said to be in accordance with the precedent established following the signing of the treaty with Spain in 1819, when exports from Florida to New Orleans were subject to duties. A precedent of similar action after the Louisiana Purchase, when Baton Rouge and "other settlements now in possession of Spain" were treated as foreign ports, is also cited. Protected in a dark blue half-calf case with blue cloth boards and gilt lettering along the spine. Minor paper loss on the integral blank where the seal was affixed, with red postal mark from "Washington City Aug 3." Document is pristine, with sharp edges and corners. Extremely rare. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1624, locating only his copy now at Yale University.

Junta Gubernativa de la Provincia de Texas [Circular] Announcing the arrival of Lt. Colonel Don Luciano García and his assumption of the office of governor. With heading: "Junta Gubernativa de la Provincia de Texas." At end: "Dios y Libertad. Bexar 8 de Julio de 1823." 4-page 12mo folder, printed on p. [1]. Signed in full by "Baron de Bastrop vice presidente" and "Jose Antonio Saucedo secret.o".

The first printing in Mexican Texas was briefly at Galveston in 1817 by Samuel Bangs and then the first issue of the Texas Republican at Nacogdoches in 1819. After this there is no record of printing in Texas until 1823, when a press was in operation at San Antonio de Bexar for a few months. In August, 1822, Jose Felix Trespalacios took over as Governor of Texas. He ordered his aide, then the young Juan Nepomuceno Almonte, the author of Nota Estadistica sobre Tejas in 1835, to go to the United States and buy various articles, including a printing press. This press arrived in February, 1823 along with a printer from New York named George Asbridge. Only six items, each in small quantities, are known to have been printed on this press - two in April, two in June and two in July, 1823 (Streeter Texas, 3 through 8). Trespalacios resigned as Governor in April, 1823 and as shown by the circular presented here, Luciano Garcia was installed as Governor on July 8. On July 9 Garcia wrote to Felipe de la Garza, the new Commandant General at Monterrey, that the press would be forwarded to him at Monterrey as soon as transportation became available. The press was finally shipped on July 17 by pack mule "in seven loads, well packed and wrapped by Adbrig [Asbridge], the printer." The circular printed here represents the last item printed on this press at San Antonio de Bexar. Printing in Texas did not take place again until 1829. In very fine condition and housed in a quarter Morocco slipcase with gilt lettering along the spine: "Circular announcing the arrival of Col. Garcia."

Reference: Streeter 7, "The circular refers to a communication of Garza, the new commandant general at Monterrey, dated June 16, enclosing a decree of Congress of May 30 dissolving the various junta gubernativas of the Internal Provinces and announcing the interim appointment of García as governor."

RARE DECREE SETTING UP A SYSTEM FOR DEFENSE OF THE FRONTIERS [Mexico City. March 21, 1826]. Manuel Gomez Pedraza: Secretaria De Guerra Y Marina. Seccion 2a. Two pages with seven full-page tables (two folding). Imperial Octavo. In this scarce document, the commission offers rather inadequate suggestions for improving the condition of the state and of the nation, although it offers support to the army in its political activities. As noted by Eberstadt: "A rare and important decree, setting up a new system for the defense of the frontiers. The tables show the make-up of the forces of the presidial companies at Tucson, Tubac, Altar, Bahia del Espiritu Santo, San Antonio de bejar [sic], etc. In all, Sonora and Sinaloa was to have nine presidial companies, New Mexico three, and Coahuila and Texas seven. The text gives many interesting details of the system in eleven numbered articles."

An uncommon Sam Bangs imprint. Only three institutional copies are known to exist (Newberry, Bancroft, DeGolyer). Half-calf case with marbled boards and gilt lettering. Document is in exceptional condition, with contemporary plain wrappers. Quite rare and desirable. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 714. Streeter locates only two copies - one at the University of Texas, the other being his own. OCLC locates one copy. OCLC 14375772. Eberstadt 162:335. Jenkins 324. Spell 310.

Manuel Gomez Pedraza: Governor Francisco Molinos Original Broadside. Four sections attached, 49" x 22", March 21, 1826. "The Citizen Francisco Molinos, Governor of the Federal District" makes an announcement for the Secretary of State, War, and Navy, listing the Military Manifest of the States of Chihuahua, Sonora, Sinaloa, Coahuila and Texas, Tamaulipas, and New Mexico. The names of Francisco Molinos and Luis Lozano follow the text. The verso includes the official stamps of the Spanish government. Very good condition with folds, some minor paper loss along the folds and edges, and some acidification. From the collection of Darrell Brown.

Reference: Bando of Streeter 714

Mexican Presidential Election of 1828. Headed "La Diputacion Permanente Del Congreso de Nuevo Leon a Todos los Mejicanos" ("The Permanent Council of the Congress of Nuevo Leon to all Mexicans"). Monterey: 1828. Government press in care of the citizen Manuel Maria de Mier. Four pages, tall folio, 8.5" x 12.25". Two conjoined sheets, front and verso. Signed in type by "Joaquin Garcia" as President, "José Francisco Arroyo" and "Julian Garcia Gomez" as Deputy Secretary. Monterey, November 25, 1828. Monterey is the capital of the state of Nuevo Leon which borders the state of Tamaulipas and the state of Coahuila and Texas. Concerning a pamphlet from Jacobo Amat, printed in the city of Victoria, capital of Tamaulipas, that was received on November 12th. This printing intimates that Amat's pamphlet was a complete construct by Santa Anna, meant to coerce and intimidate. This imprint protests the actions of Santa Anna and gives news of the September 1828 presidential elections. In the election, in which the state legislatures voted for president, Manuel Gomez Pedraza seemed to have defeated Vicente Guerrero, but with the support of Santa Anna who supported Guerrero, Pedraza gave in and Guerrero became president with Carlos Maria Bustamante as his Vice President. Very lightly toned and untrimmed. Fine condition.

Decree Abolishing an Excise House in Coahuila and Texas Signed "Juan Martin de Veramendi" in type and, on verso, "Manuel Jimenez" in ink, one page, 5.75" x 8". Monclova, April 19, 1833. In this printed decree, Governor Juan Martin de Veramendi authorizes a Decree of the Congreso Constitucional, approved by Dionicio Elizondo, president of Congress, directing that the receiver's office of excise duties established at San Isidro de Palomas be abolished (Article 1), that Decrees 132 and 141 of April 1830 establishing that office be repealed (Article 2), and that the executive should dictate the necessary measures to carry out this law (Article 3). On verso is a manuscript notation signed by Manuel Jimenez, first regidor and acting alcalde of Bexar. At the bottom of the page is "Dios" (God) with "y Libertad" (and Freedom) penned atop verso followed by Bexar, May 15, 1833, directing that this be sent to Goliad. Not a Samuel Bangs imprint, but probably printed on his press by another printer after the press was sent to Monclova when the capital was moved to Saltillo. The printing is typical of the somewhat irregular quality of Bangs' types and print. Blank margins trimmed, soiled at bottom. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter. Cited as Decree 221 in Kimball's Laws and Decrees, 1839, p. 210.

Ramon Musquiz Letter Signed as Political Chief of the Department of Texas. Bejar. March 11, 1833. Three pages, Folio sheet, folded. Penned in Spanish in an unknown hand. Concerns the important manuscript collection that is known today as the Bexar Archives.

In this letter Ramon Musquiz informs the vice-governor of the state of Coahuila y Texas of his need for additional funds to organize and administer the archives at Bejar. Musquiz complains that he has only a secretary and a lone scribe to assist with the massive undertaking, and humbly requests permission to hire an additional scribe. Boldly signed by Musquiz on the final leaf, in the name of "Dios y libertad," with his decorative rubric alongside.

Musquiz's appeal for more funds was no doubt prompted by the huge amount of material being produced by the emigration of American colonists to Texas. At the time of this writing Musquiz had been involved in the Mexican administration of Texas for some ten years. A supporter of colonization and a friend of Stephen F. Austin, Musquiz would become vice-governor of Texas in 1835.

The Bejar Archives (now the Bexar Archives, housed at the University of Texas at Austin) were first organized in 1717 and administered by the ruling Spanish and Mexican authorities in Texas, whose goal it was to record every official document, letter, broadside, etc., that concerned the civilian, political, and most importantly, the military activities of the area. Today, it is known as the most complete and well documented reference of early Texas history. An interesting letter detailing the administration and growth of this important Texas archive. Enclosed in a brown half-calf case with tan cloth boards and gilt letting on spine. Two staples and a strip of opaque tape along vertical fold do not detract from this beautifully penned letter. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: The Handbook of Texas Online.

[Broadside] Large broadside. Monclova: June 26, 1834. Folio. Dated and signed at end: "Monclova juuio [sic] 26 de 1834. Marcial Borrego, Presidente. José Jesus Grande, Secretario." Following the March 30, 1833 election naming Santa Anna as president and Gomez Farias as vice-president, Santa Anna retired to his estate at Manga de Clavo, leaving the powers of the president in the hands of Gomez Farias. He returned to Mexico City to assume the presidency on May 16 of that year, but while he was gone there was an ineffective revolution that which Santa Anna was believed to have inspired.

On May 27, 1834, Santa Anna was in effect made a dictator by the Centralist Plan of Cuernavaca, which also restored the clergy and army to power. On June 24, 1834, Governor Villaseñor issued two unnumbered decrees of the Permanent Deputation (Kimball's Laws p. 277-279), one critical of the pronunciamientos of those hostile to the federal system of government, and the other calling for an extraordinary session of the state Congress to be held on August 9, 1834. On the same day, a decree (not given in Kimball's Laws but noted in Streeter 810) was issued declaring that Coahuila and Texas would not recognize as official any actions made by Santa Anna made since May 31st.

This Manifiesto, very anti-Santa Anna in tone, gives an account of the coup d'etat by which Santa Anna dissolved the general Congress on May 31. It ends with a previously made announcement that the state would not deem official any actions made by Santa Anna until Congress was restored. In less than a month the Permanent Deputation bowed to the will of the majority and the unnumbered decree of July 23, 1834 (given in Kimball's Laws at page 280) recognized Santa Anna as president and yielded obedience to his executive acts which were proclaimed "in conformity to the constitution and general laws."

An important broadside describing the dictatorial rule of Santa Anna and the subsequent rejection of his authority by Coahuila and Texas. Half-calf case with marbled boards and gilt lettering on the spine. Folded with minor paper loss at fold edges, else fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 796 (locates only four copies and OCLC locates three). Eberstadt 162:714

Announcement of Elections in Coahuila and Texas Document Signed in type "Lombardo" and "Juan Antonio Padilla/Secretario," one page, 8.25" x 12". Mexico, July 9, 1834. From the Executive Department of the Free State of Coahuila and Texas calling for the election of state legislatures beginning, in Spanish, "One of the main objects that...has occupied incessantly the attention of His Excellency the president, has been the urgent need to try and gather together, by all possible means, during the constitutional period, the houses of Congress of the Union, and to this end, dedicates today all its attempts so that the system can continue its course without obstacles, and the sovereign voice of the Nation will alone be the one to regulate the destinies of the Mexicans." He calls for the restoration of public tranquility and "the avoidance of any internal overthrow" in Coahuila and Texas. Small portions missing at blank edges of mid-horizontal fold, Creases in blank areas. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

(Texas Revolution) Printed Circular Signed "J. Antonia Padilla" in print. 1 page, 8 x 12", Mexico, July 19, 1834 , received from the governor of Querétaro and reissued by Juan Antonio Padilla, Secretary of the state of Coahuila y Tejas, condemning attempts to undermine the authority of the government and addressing in particular attempts that were published in Mosquito Mexicano to manipulate elections. Reads in part: "El general presidente ha reisto impresa en el numero 37 del periodico titulado Mosquito Mexicano, una representacion que parece dirigida a V. E. por los habitants de esa capital, con el objeto de embarezar las elecciones y suspender los efectos de la circular que para la renovacion del congreso general tuve el honor de dirigir, emitiendo las opiniones..."

In April 1834 Padilla had returned to Monclova, then the state capital, where he soon managed to have his citizenship restored. At the end of May he resumed the post of Secretary of State. [Bancroft, Northern Mexican States & Texas II, p. 145:] "The period designated by the constitution for the elections arrived, and they were held under the disputed authority of the two rival and illegitimate governments, aggravating party animosity, and involving the state in anarchy." Very light creases, else very bright and in extremely fine condition. A superb example; without question a desirable rarity. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[BROADSIDE] Decree of the Standing Deputation of Congress Removing Governor Vidaurri y Villaseñor from Office Because of his Infirmities. [Monclova]. [1834]. [With heading:] Gobierno Supremo del Estado Libre de Coahuila y Tejas. One page, Quarto. Dated August 30, 1834 and signed in print at end by the new governor Juan José Elguezabal and by J. Antonio Padilla (Secretary). Translation, in part: "The present governor, Vidaurri y Villasenor, is removed from office because of his infirmities and replaced by Juán José Elguezabal. To save the state from anarchy it should follow the wishes of the majority of the states of the Mexican Federation and recognize as national the movement to repeal laws for ecclesiastical reforms." Rivalry between the cities of Saltillo and Monclova led the Monclova faction to abruptly remove Villaseñor from office and install a military man, an inspector named Elguezabal. After the election, Juán José was unwillingly replaced. Although the broadside is dated August 30, the law refers to the July 23 1834 decree - the date of capitulation of Texas to Santa Anna. Half-leather case with marbled boards and gilt lettering. A beautiful, pristine document, perfect for framing and prominent display. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 811. Yale Exhibition 65. Eberstadt 162:718

Reglamento E Instruccion Para Los Presidios Que Se Han De Formar En La Linea De Frontera De La Nueva España. [Regulation and Instruction For The Presidios That should be Formed along the border line of New Spain]. Mexico: Reimpreso en la Oficina de la Aguila, Dirigida por Jose Ximeno, Calle de Medinas número 6. 1834. Folio, 30 pp.

The line of fifteen presidios extended from Altar in Sonora to La Bahia del Espiritu Santo in Texas and included a presidio at Paso del Norte and another at Monclova. North of the line was a presidio at San Antonio de Bejar, and another at Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Reglamento goes into considerable detail as to the organization of each presidio. This is the first Mexican edition of an important and enduring borderlands decree, originally published in Spain in 1772, only a handful of which are known to exist. Full red morocco with gilt lettering. Title page and final integral wrapper exhibit minor silk repairs due to small sections of paper loss and a small tear on page 19 has also been repaired; else fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 706B, locating only 2 copies. Sabin 56262. Wagner, Spanish Southwest, note following 159d. Eberstadt 162:142.

Reglamento Para La Milicia Civica Del Estado De Coahuila Y Texas. Monclova 1834 [Regulations for the Civic Militia of the States of Coahuila and Texas. Monclova 1834] Government printing directed by the citizen Sisto Gonzales: 1834 [May 6, 1834], 12mo., 21 pp., with ornamental border on title page. Thomas Streeter's copy, containing his personal bookplate on the front pastedown. The Reglamento contains regulations for the establishment of the civil militia, in 9 chapters, 86 articles. It outlines the chain of command, and covers such details as uniforms, salary, ranks, and armament. Entered in Kimball's Laws Of Coahuila and Texas only by title, it follows the same general arrangement as the earlier Reglamento on the civic militia of 1828 (Streeter 731), which it supersedes, and many of the articles are the same. Ironically, the military unit established by these regulations would be involved in the earliest uprisings under Juan Seguin, and would eventually participate in the revolution against Santa Anna. Bound in quarter Morocco with marbled paper, gilt title along spine. Minor staining at bottom throughout. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 809: locating only two additional copies. Streeter's copy with bookplate

[Circular] Decree No. 270 dividing the state into seven departments, including the three departments of Bejar, Brazos, and Nacogdoches in Texas, and providing for their administration. Monclova: March 18, 1834. One page, two sided. Imperial Octavo. Signed in print by Francisco Vidaurri y Villaseñor, and José Miguel Falcon, Secretario. This copy is addressed, signed and dated by José Maria Cantu, with several other inscriptions in unknown hands. Only four copies of this important document are known to exist.

In January, 1831, the legislature divided the Department of Bexar into two districts or departments and created the district of Nacogdoches (Decree 164; Streeter No. 768). Here, the remaining territory of the Department of Bexar was cut into again by setting up the new Department of Brazos. The dividing line began at the mouth of the Lavaca River, went south of the DeWitt colony and the Guadalupe River to the Bexar-Nacogdoches Road, and then north to the Red River. San Felipe was named the capital. Henry Smith, later governor of the provisional government of Texas, was appointed the first political chief of the new department. Gray cloth case with leather spine, gilt lettering. Small sections of paper loss at three corners; pin holes at upper and lower left corners. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 804: locating only four copies, this being the Eberstadt copy, 162:249. Kimball's Laws of Coahuila and Texas, p. 245.

John E. Garvin Autograph Document Signed "John E. Garvin," one page, 7.75" x 3.25". No place, May 13, 1835. In full, "Due A Zumw[a]lt or bearer nine dollars and Twenty cts for value recvd." "A Zumwalt" was Gonzales merchant and hotelier Adam Zumwalt. At the time of the Texas Revolution, John E. Garvin was a resident of Gonzales. He was a Private artilleryman in Capt. Carey's Company. Garvin received one fourth sitio on the Guadalupe River southeast of Gonzales as single settler in the DeWitt Colony arriving on February 20, 1831. On December 14, 1835, he joined the Texas artillery under Lt. Col. James C. Neill at San Antonio de Béxar. Garvin was at home in Gonzales when the Alamo was surrounded and he joined the relief force to return to his post on March 1, 1836. John E. Garvin died in the Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836. Alfred Kelso was a First Corporal in Captain William J. Heard's Company of the Army of the Republic of Texas. On April 21, 1836, Alfred's twenty eighth birthday, he fought in the Battle of San Jacinto, for which he was awarded a league and a labor of land. On verso of this document, Kelso has penned, "I Accept the within July 2d 1840. Alfred Kelso/Admr." Edmund Bellinger, who had participated in the Battle of San Jacinto, was a member of the Council of the City of Gonzales in 1840. He has signed beneath Kelso: "Allowed & Registered/Edmd Bellinger" and, two years later, to the right, "Recd pay in full of A Kelso adm. Aug. 3rd 1842. Edm. Bellinger." There are also calculations, seemingly in the hand of Bellinger, that appear to indicate that the $9.20 Garvin owed in 1835, with seven year's interest, was now $13.05. A fine Texian document signed by a defender of the Alamo and two veterans of San Jacinto, one of whom fulfilled Garvin's obligation after he died for his country. Tear at top edge with small portion missing affecting "a" of "Zumwalt." Overall, fine condition.

Restoration of Order in Coahuila and Texas Decree Signed "Miguel Barragán" in type as President ad interim, one page, 8.25" x 11.5". Mexico, May 23, 1835. Printed decree of the Congreso General, approved by Barragán and promulgated by José Maria Gutierrez de Estrada, continuing Santa Anna's decree of December 2, 1834, regarding the restoration of order in Coahuila and Texas. Order to be published by Ramon Rayon, Governor of the Federal District, June 12, 1835. Light creases. On laid paper, watermarked. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 834

[Broadside] Decree of the Congreso General Regarding the Restoration of Order in Coahuila and Texas. [Mexico]. [1835]. With heading: Primera Secretaria de Estado. Departamento del Interior. Four-page folder printed on p. [1]. Quarto. Dated and signed in print at end: México Mayo 23 de 1835. Gutierrez Estrada. This decree of the Congreso General, approved by Miguel Barragán (President ad interim) on May 23, 1835 and promulgated the same day by Jose Maria Gutierrez de Estrada (Secretary of Interior), concerns the continuation of Santa Anna's December 2, 1834 decree, regarding the restoration of order in Coahuila and Texas. Santa Anna's decision of December 2, 1834, is summarized in the note to the proclamation of Governor Elguezabal dated December 16, 1834 (Streeter 800) and the text of the decision is given in Arrillage following the entry for the decree of May 23. Half-leather case with gilt lettering. Only three copies of this broadside known. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 834, locating only three copies. Eberstadt 162:369. Arrillaga, 1835, p. 191.; Not in Dublan.

Charles B. Stewart Autograph Docket Signed "C B Stewart" on verso of Manuscript Document Signed "John Crane," one page, 8" x 5". Montgomery, July 7, 1838. In full, "One Day after date I promise to pay William W. Shepperd or order Fifty one 12/100 Dollars Value received with ten per Cent interest until paid for a/c to Jany 1, 1838. John Crane." Penned on verso: "Copy of note &/account filed/with probate clerk/duly proved &/sworn 15 August/1840. CB Stewart/Atty for WW Shepperd." Charles Bellinger Stewart was the first signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and the first Secretary of State of Texas. As a member of the committee appointed by Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar in 1839 to create an official flag for the Republic, Stewart sketched on vellum three rectangles of equal size, one vertical and the others horizontal. In the vertical rectangle he placed a lone star. The original drawing, in the Texas State Archives, was not colored but Stewart labeled the rectangles blue, white, and red. The committee approved the flag design as well as the Republic seal which Stewart had drawn on the same piece of vellum. On March 11, 1836, while Stewart was still serving as a delegate to the Convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos, he married Julia Shepperd, daughter of William W. Shepperd who, with the authorization of Judge James Hall, performed the marriage ceremony. In 1837, Shepperd founded the town of Montgomery, Texas, and was appointed its first postmaster. In 1838, when Shepperd donated additional land to the town, his son-in-law acted as his agent. C.B. Stewart later served as Montgomery County District Attorney and Notary Public. Also noted on verso, in unknown hand: "The interest on Fifty Dollars/for four years at 10 perct/would be = $20.00/principal = 50.00/$70.00/cash $60.00/cash 10.00/plough 7.00/$67.00/$3.00 balance." John Crane moved to Texas from Tennessee in 1834 and settled in Joseph Vehlein's colony. In 1835, for the siege of Bexar, he raised a company of volunteers. In 1836, Crane served in Capt. John M. Wade's cavalry company in Victoria. Crane was killed in the Battle of the Neches during the Cherokee War in July 1839. Soiled, one corner missing, separation at mid-horizontal fold (goes through three letters of Crane's signature) repaired on verso with glassine. The area in which Stewart has penned his seven-line docket is clean except for glassine which touches the "C" of "Copy." Overall, fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

W. Barret Travis Autograph Document Signed Twice "W. Barret Travis," two pages, 7.5" x 12.5", front and verso, March 25, 1835. In full, "In the Town of San Felipe de Austin on the 25th day of March 1835, before me, George Ewing Judge of the 1st instance of the jurisdiction of Austin, and the witnesses named at the end, appeared the Mexican Francisco Rosales - whom I know & to whose act I give faith; who declared: That in consideration of the sum of twenty five dollars & 25/100ths paid by John B. Johnson, of said Town to Anselmo Patiña in discharge of a debt which the said Francisco owed to the said Anselmo he the said Francisco binds & obligates himself the work for said Johnson in the capacity of a servant until he shall have paid said sum of money & all every other sum which he may or shall owe to said Johnson, at the rate of eight dollars per month for each month which he shall thus serve said Johnson. And he binds & obligated himself to submit himself to the government & direction of said Johnson as a good servant should do & to be subject to him & his orders according to the existing laws on the subjects until he shall have paid & satisfied said sum & all he may hereafter owe to him at the said rate of eight dollars per month & he binds & obligates himself not to quit the service of said Johnson without his express consent & approbation, under no pretext whatever until he shall have paid with his service the said debt & all other debts that may become due; & to pay to said Johnson the ordinary rates for all clothes which he may furnish him at his request & with his approbation & consent. He renounces all laws which might favor him & signed this instrument before me - W. Barret Travis & T.L. Hill - instrumental witnesses together with those of my assistance with whom I authenticate in conformity to law- Instrumental witnesses." Signed "W. Barret Travis," Francisco Rosales's "X," and an illegible signature. Assistant Witnesses signing: "John M. Allen" and "G. A. Powell." Also signed: "Geo. Ewing." The document is docketed in an unknown hand on the integral leaf, "Indenture/F. Rosales/to/John B. Johnson/1835." Born near Saluda, South Carolina, the first child (of 11) of farmer Mark and Jemima Travis, William Barret Travis moved with his family to Alabama when he was nine-years-old. He attended school in Claiborne, Alabama, and eventually was accepted as an apprentice to the town's leading attorney, James Dellet. In 1828, at the age of 19, Travis married Rosanna Caro and their son, Charles, was born the following year. By the time he was 21, W. Barret Travis founded the Claiborne Herald, becoming the publisher and editor. He had accepted a position as adjutant in the Alabama Militia and opened a law office. Possibly because his newspaper was not profitable and income from his law office was not enough to pay his debts, as well as an unhappy marriage, Travis abandoned his pregnant wife (Susan was born in 1831) and son and left for Texas in April 1831. Arriving in San Felipe de Austin, he obtained land from Stephen F. Austin on May 21, 1831, listing his marital status as "single." He established a legal practice in Anahuac on Galveston Bay. Travis traveled through Texas doing legal work, becoming associated with a group of militants who opposed the Law of April 6, 1830, designed to stop the flood of immigration from the United States to Texas and to encourage Mexican and European settlement. Eventually this group became known as the "War Party" as tension increased between the Mexican government and American settlers in Texas. After the Anahuac Disturbances of 1832, Travis moved his legal practice to San Felipe de Austin. In 1834, he was elected secretary to the ayuntamiento, the principal governing body.

By March of 1835 a huge rift had grown between "Peace Party" and "War Party" Texans as to what course of action should be pursued regarding centralism and states' rights. Elections for governor, vice-governor, and members of the legislature had recently taken place in Coahuila and Texas. Evidence of legislative corruption appeared in a decree passed on March 14, 1835, authorizing the governor to sell 400 leagues of land, over 1.7 million acres, at less than two cents per acre, without being subject to the provisions of the general colonization law of 1825. The lands were shortly disposed of to speculators. Texas wanted to separate from Coahuila. On March 15th, Stephen F. Austin wrote "The territorial question is dead. The advocates of that measure are now strongly in favor of a state government; and that measure is now before Congress. A call has been made upon the president [Santa Anna] for information on the subject; and I am assured the president will make his communication in a few days, and that it will be decidedly in favor of Texas and the state." Santa Anna was simply delaying until he could get Texas occupied with his troops.

It was at this time, ten days after Austin's letter, that 25-year-old lawyer William Barret Travis accomplished this document by which the $25.25 debt of Mexican Francisco Rosales to Anselmo Patiña has been paid by John B. Johnson and, in turn, Rosales agrees to be an indentured servant for Johnson at $8.00 per month until his debt was paid. John B. Johnson, later clerk of Austin County, was in charge of the commissary at San Felipe, issuing rations to companies passing through during the Texas Revolution. In 1839, John M. Allen was elected the first mayor of Galveston. He came to Texas in 1830 and joined the Tampico expedition in October 1835 but escaped imprisonment. Allen returned to Texas in December, enlisted in the revolutionary army, was appointed captain of infantry, and served as acting major at the battle of San Jacinto. The ayuntamiento of Austin had elected George Ewing judge of the second instance in 1834 and was shortly thereafter promoted. He resigned as judge of the first instance in November 1835 when he was appointed Judge by Texas Governor Henry Smith. Darkly penned in brown ink by Travis on each side of the page, there is light show-through. Browning and light soiling do not materially affect its fine appearance. The document is almost completely split at one of the horizontal folds, not through any of the signatures. The indenture and the integral leaf are also almost completely split. Overall, the document is in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Ex. William A. Philpott, Jr. Collection "TEXIANA"

Joseph H. Barnard Autograph Letter Signed "Joseph H. Barnard," one page, 7.5" x 6.5". No place, no year. Thursday Morning, September 28th. In full "Sir - There is 25 ¾ Barrels of Corn in the load hauler this morning - I will shell out a barrel of it & measure it - I have the same barrel to measure the remainder. If you should send up a load from your house - I can spare me the chickens we talked of. I would like to have you send one up a day in the baggage. Yours respectfully." Massachusetts native Dr. Joseph H. Barnard (1804-1861) had been practicing medicine in Canada when he left for Texas in late 1835 to enlist in the Texas Revolutionary army as a private with the Red Rovers (uniformed in red jeans), a unit of Col. James W. Fannin's regiment. Dr. Barnard accompanied the unit to Goliad and was assigned to the Lafayette Battalion. Col. Fannin and his regiment surrendered to Mexican forces at the Battle of Coleto on March 19, 1836. Eight days later, Fannin and 342 of his men were massacred by orders of General Santa Anna. The Goliad Massacre, together with the fall of the Alamo on March 6th, branded both Santa Anna and the Mexican people with a reputation for cruelty and aroused the fury of the people of Texas, the United States, and even Great Britain and France, thus considerably promoting the success of the Texas Revolution. Dr. Joseph H. Barnard was not executed at Goliad. He was taken to San Antonio to treat Mexicans wounded at the Battle of the Alamo; he later escaped. Uniformly foxed, slight spreading of ink at top. Very good condition.

George Fisher: Memorials of George Fisher, Late Secretary to the Expedition of Gen. Jose Antonio Mexia, against Tampico, in November, 1835. (Houston: Telegraph Office, 1840). First edition. Presentation copy, inscribed on the front flyleaf: "To Christopher Fallon, Esq. / of Philadelphia Penn. / With the Respects of / Geo. Fisher [flourish] / Washington DC / May 1858." Fallon was legal counsel and president of the Sunbury and Erie Railroad. Octavo (8.5" x 5.25"). 87 pages. With additional material, consisting of: 1) autograph manuscript summary titles "Index to Special Reading" on front flyleaf, 2) a separately printed biography in six pages, reprinted from Livingston, Biographical Sketches of Eminent Americans (New York, 1853-1854), 3) a seven-page pamphlet reprint from the Madisonian of 5 February 1844 and a reprint from the Panama Echo of 1 June 1850, 4) two folding leaves reprinting the text of eleven letters regarding Fisher's qualifications to be Commissioner of deeds in California.

These Memorials are one of the most important contemporary accounts of the Texan and Louisianian attack on Tampico, compiled by George Fisher, who participated in the events. It is the only first hand account of an episode in Texas history that just missed being one of its important events. Had the Tampico Expedition from New Orleans in November, 1835, gained its objective, the course of Texas history would have been changed and its leader, General Jose Antonio Mexia, and its secretary, Fisher, would have been Texas heroes. In this memorial Fisher gathers documents in support of the claim that the invasion was supported by the leaders in Texas.

Original brown cloth. Minor wear and soiling, front hinge starting at top, remnants of labels on front board and on front pastedown endpaper. Some browning and foxing to text leaves. Altogether, a very good copy. Housed in a cloth chemise (with descriptions mounted) and quarter morocco book-backed slipcase, lettered in gilt on the spine. One of the foundation documents of Texas history. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Ex-Yale University Library, being from the Coe Collection.

Reference: Streeter Texas 384. Raines, page 82. Sabin 24460. Graff Fifty Texas Rarites 22. Howes F151.

Journal of the Proceedings of the General Council of the Republic of Texas, Held at San Felipe de Austin, November 14th 1835. Houston: National Intelligence Office, 1839, 363 p. Quarto.

Of note in these proceedings: On December 10, 1835, the General Council issued a call for an election on February 1, 1836, to choose forty-four delegates to assemble on March 1 at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Representing the seventeen Texas municipalities and the small settlement at Pecan Point on the Red River, these delegates included Branch T. Archer, William H. Wharton, and Stephen F. Austin, who were sent to the United States to solicit men, money, supplies, and sympathy for the Texas cause of independence from Mexico. The following month, the agents went to New Orleans where they found enthusiastic support, but were advised that aid would not be forthcoming so long as Texans squabbled over whether to sustain the Mexican constitution.

Texas had two navies during its short history as a nation. The first was commanded by Charles E. Hawkins, who carried the title of commodore. To protect the supply line to New Orleans the General Council authorized the purchase of four schooners on November 25, 1835, and granted letters of marque and reprisal to privateers until the ships could be armed. This first navy included the 60-ton Liberty, the 125-ton Independence, the 125-ton Brutus, and the 125-ton Invincible. All four ships were lost by mid-1837.

The first meeting recorded here is that of November 14, 1835, and the last that of March 11, 1836, but, with the exception of two or three short meetings, the entries from and including January 19, 1836, merely record an adjournment because there was a lack of quorum. Whiting charged for printing 500 copies, less 6 copies short (Ms. bill, Archives, Texas State Library). Full gold-stamped leather. Extremely rare. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 337. Rader 3054. Raines, p. 229. Sabin 94958.

Stephen F. Austin Manuscript Document Signed "S.F. Austin," one page, 7.5" x 2". [Head Quarters Mill Station above Bexar], November 17, 1835. In full, "$90/on the first day of Feby next I promise to pay J.G. Smith or bearer ninety dollars for an express horse purchased for the use of the army." Endorsed on verso "J G Smith/Novr 18th 1835." The siege of Bexar (San Antonio) was the first major campaign of the Texas Revolution. From October until early December 1835, an army of Texan volunteers laid siege to the Mexican army under General Martín Perfecto de Cos (Santa Ana's brother-in-law and second in command) in San Antonio de Bexar. After a Texas force drove off Mexican troops at Gonzales on October 2nd, the Texan army grew to 300 men and, on October 11th, elected Stephen F. Austin Commander-in-Chief. In November, the Consultation appointed Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton as commissioners to the United States to lobby for financial assistance, collect supplies, and recruit men for the Texas cause, so on November 24th, Austin resigned as Commander-in-Chief and left the Texas Army. In Austin's Order Book for the Campaign of 1835 [reprinted in the Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 011, Issue 1, 1908], his letters of November 16th, 17th, and 18th are written from "Head Quarters Mill Station above Bexar". Irregular lower edge. Vertical folds, one passing through the "F" in signature. Light soiling. Remnant of red wax seal on verso. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 64

[BROADSIDE] Propaganda Letter From Gen. Martin Perfecto de Cos, Dispelling Rumors About the Army's Collapse and Downplaying the Loss at Bexar. [Mexico. Jan. 3, 1836]. One page. Imperial Octavo. Vicente Filisola, Santa Anna's second in command, forwards the text of a letter from Gen. Martin Perfecto de Cos, reprinting in full the Noticia Extraordinaria issued by Filisola from Rio de la Laja, December 21, 1835.

On December 21, 1835, Santa Anna's second in command, Vicente Filisola, issued the Noticia Extraordinaria, providing information concerning Santa Anna's operations in Texas. In hopes of improving morale, Filisola reprinted the Noticia Extraordinaria two weeks later, and included the text of a letter from Gen. Martin Perfecto de Cos dated December 15, 1835, in which Cos notes the "black treachery of the colonists of Texas," and attempts to dismiss rumors about deserters and the disintegration of the Mexican army. Filisola, in forwarding the letter for publications, plays down the fall of Bejar to the Texans and says the Mexicans will soon re-occupy it. Half-calf case with marbled boards and gilt lettering. Minor age toning, else fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter; reference Streeter 831.

[Broadside] Decree Of The Congreso General Modifying The Law Of March 21, 1826, By Establishing A Separate Commandancy-General In Coahuila And Texas. [Mexico]. [1836]. [With heading:] Secretaria de Guerra y Marina. Seccion Central. - Mesa 1a. Four page folder printed on p. [1], Imperial Octavo. Approved by Miguel Barragán, President ad interim, January 13, 1836 and promulgated the same day by José Maria Tornel. During Santa Anna's first term as president, he revoked the liberal constitution of 1824 and ruled as a virtual dictator. Texas and a half dozen other provinces then declared themselves independent of the federal government until the return to constitutional principals. Santa Anna immediately relinquished the office to Barragán on a temporary basis, and headed north as "General Presidente," first to Zacatecas to confront rebels there, whom he defeated on 12 May, 1835, ransacking the city of Zacatecas and plundering the great silver mines. Then he marched north to pacify Texas. This broadside establishes new comandancias and their headquarters, a separate one being created specifically to handle the revolt then occurring in Texas. Fresh and clean, in a half-calf case with gilt lettering at the spine. Very fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 872, locating only his copy which was apparently purchased from Eberstadt (162-834). Not in Dublan. Not in OCLC.

[Broadside] "Santiago Villeas, Presidente de la Junta Departmental, en Ejercio del Poder Ejecutivo en el Departmento de Zacatecas..." One page, 8.5" x 12", Santiago Villages, January 17, 1836. An extremely rare contemporary reprint of the Barragan/Vallejo Decree that authorized the government to "dispose" of half of the income generated by the various "departments" while the war brought on by the colonists continued. Scattered insect holes do little to detract from this very clean and bright document, overall very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Republication of Streeter 871. According the revised edition of Streeter's bibliography, he was unable to source a copy of this imprint. OCLC references three institutional examples.

Decree Closing Texas Ports Signed "José Gomez de la Cortina" in type, one page, 8"x 12". Mexico, February 11, 1836. Interim Mexican President José Justo Corro issued this order to José María Tornel y Mindívil, Secretariat of War and Navy, who, on February 9, 1836, sent it to the governors. On February 11, 1836, José Gomez de la Cortina, Colonel of the Battalion of Commerce and Governor of the District, published the decree. In part, "The Interim President of the Mexican Republic, has issued forth the following. 1. The foreign trade ports, ports of call, ports of coastal sailing of Matagorda, La-Baca, S. Luis, Galveston, Brasoria, Harrisburg, Goliad, Anahuac, Copano and all those anchoring places located on the coast of Texas, from longitude 94°, 50' to 101°, 10' West of London shall be closed. 2. This resolution shall go into effect thirty days after its publication in this city for foreign vessels not coming from Mexico, and ninety days after publication for those located outside of it. 3. The effects of this resolution will last until new orders are issued from the Government." On February 22, 1832, the president of Mexico had been granted the power to close the ports occupied by forces that do not obey the Government. This was an attempt by the Mexican government to strangle the Texas rebellion. Santa Anna and his army were marching on San Antonio and would begin their attack on the Alamo in 12 days. This move would hopefully shut down all attempts to deliver supplies and army volunteers into Texas by ship. In apparent very fine condition. Matted and framed to 15"x 26.5". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 883a: notes that this issue by Governor Cortina was the earliest issue he was able to locate. Jenkins 187

Historically Important William Barret Travis Manuscript Document Signed "W. Barret Travis/Lt. Col. Comdt.," one page, 7.75" x 6.25". Bejar, February 23, 1836. On the day after this document was signed, on February 24, 1836, from the Alamo, Lt. Col. Travis wrote the following letter he addressed "To the People of Texas & all Americans in the world." In full, "Fellow citizens & compatriots - I am beseiged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna - I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man - The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken - I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls - I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism, & every thing dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch - The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country - VICTORY OR DEATH William Barret Travis Lt. Col. Comdt." He added this postscript: "P.S. The Lord is on our side - When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn - We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves - Travis"

Offered here is the receipt signed by Travis the previous day for the 30 head of Beeves (heifers). In Spanish, translated, in full: "Received from Citizen Ignacio Perez thirty heifers, for the consumption of this garrison that will be paid for in the form of four hundred thirteen pesos by the provisional government of Texas as soon as it has the dinero." Travis purchased the cows, promising the government would pay the bill when it had the money. He has boldly signed his name and title beneath which Perez has penned a receipt dated 6½ months later. Translated from the Spanish: "Paid voluntarily by Cm [Commander] Francisco Ruiz for the amount received of this Señor Bejar September 8 of 1836. Igno. Perez." Ignacio Perez was the son of Col. Ignacio Perez who had helped command the Royalist forces in the victory over the Republican Army in the Battle of Medina in 1813 and was alcalde (mayor) and interim Spanish Governor. When he died in 1823, his son inherited his land and lived in the Spanish Governor's Palace which his father had bought in 1804. Francisco Ruiz was one of only two of the 59 signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence to be born in Texas; the other was his nephew, José Antonio Navarro. He had been Commander of Fort Tenoxtitlan from 1830-1832, hence the title given him in Perez's receipt. On September 5, 1836, Ruiz was elected by the Bexar District as its Senator in the First Congress of the Republic of Texas. As evidenced by the receipt on this note, three days later, he paid the 413 pesos owed by the government of Texas to Ignacio Perez.

Commander Francisco Ruiz's son, Francisco Antonio Ruiz, was the alcalde of San Antonio de Bexar during the battle of the Alamo. He was ordered by Gen. Santa Anna to identify the fallen Alamo leaders and to dispose of the dead. Ruiz later wrote one of the most vivid eyewitness accounts of the fall of the Alamo. In part, "On the North battery of the fortress lay the lifeless body of Colonel Travis on the gun carriage, shot only in the forehead. Toward the west, and in a small fort opposite the city, we found the body of Colonel Crockett. Colonel Bowie was found dead in his bed, in one of the rooms of the south side..." Before Travis departed for the Alamo, he left his six-year-old son Charles in the care of a friend, David Ayers. Charles had only just come to live with his father after a four-year separation between his parents that ended in divorce. In his last known letter, on March 3, 1836, Travis wrote Ayers, "Take care of my little boy. If the country should be saved, I may make for him a splendid fortune; but if the country be lost and I should perish, he will have nothing but the proud recollection that he is the son of a man who died for his country." William Barret Travis was only 26 years old when he died at the Alamo. His letter of February 24, 1836 to the people of Texas and all Americans, symbolizes Travis's unyielding courage, heroism, and patriotism. After penning the ironic words "Victory or Death," he assured himself that "the Lord is on our side" because 80 or 90 bushels of corn were just found in deserted houses and "20 or 30 head of Beeves" are now within the walls of the Alamo. That letter is in the collection of the Texas State Library. Virtually all important Travis letters are in public institutions, never to find their way into private collections. Travis's autograph is rare in any form, whether they be documents, letters, or even a simple clipped signature. Seldom is anything bearing Travis's autograph offered for sale, much less a document written from the Alamo. This extraordinary receipt for the 30 Beeves mentioned by him in his "Victory or Death" letter, in very fine condition, tangible proof of the source of the beef used to feed Travis, Bowie, Crockett and the rest of the Texans as they fought for their country, determined never to surrender or retreat, is the cornerstone of a Texana collection.

Almeron Dickinson. Autograph Document Signed "Almeron Dickinson," one page, 7.75"x 3". No place, August 10, 1835. In full, "On demand I promise to pay Malkjah Williams Twelve dollars and fifty cents for value received of him this the 10 day August 1835." Almeron Dickinson (sometimes spelled Almaron Dickenson) was a Pennsylvanian who served as an artilleryman in the U.S. Army. He and his wife moved to Gonzales, Texas, in 1831. As a colonist in DeWitt's colony, Dickinson received a league of land on the San Marcos River. He participated in the Battle of Gonzales on October 2, 1835, which began the Texas Revolution. At the siege of Bexar, he distinguished himself as a lieutenant of artillery. At the Battle of the Alamo, he was the captain in charge of artillery. On the morning of March 6, 1836, as the troops of Gen. Santa Anna stormed the mission, Dickinson ran to his wife, reported that all was lost, and expressed hope that she could save herself and their young daughter. Although he died at the Alamo, his wife and child, who lived there with him, survived. Malkijah Williams, also spelled Malkyah and referred to as Lige Williams in some accounts, arrived in the DeWitt Colony in 1830 as a single man and received title to a quarter sitio in 1831 according to colony land records. He and Cynthia Burns were married in 1834. According to some reports, Cynthia Williams helped Evaline DeWitt design and make the "Come and Take It" flag of Gonzales. Malkijah Williams was appointed sheriff of Gonzales in August, 1834. On verso: "allowed Wm. A. Matthews/admn A Dickinson" and "Allowed & Registered/Aug. 31st 1841 Edmd. Bellinger/Probate Judge." All in the hand of Bellinger except for Matthews' signature. There are also calculations, seemingly in the hand of Bellinger, that appear to indicate that the $12.50 Dickinson owed in 1835, with six year's interest, was now $23.87. Edmund Bellinger, who had participated in the Battle of San Jacinto, was an alderman and councilman of the City of Gonzales. On February 4, 1836, a report of the advisory committee to Texas Governor Henry Smith requested that he order the immediate organization of two companies of rangers, one company was to be raised in Gonzales. William A. Matthews was one of two agents appointed to raise mounted volunteers to be concentrated at Gonzales. Minor soiling, rough lower edge. Fine condition.

James Tylee Certificate of Good Character; Alamo Defender Partially printed document Signed, "C. W. Lawrence", Mayor of New York, one page, 10.25" x 14", New York City, October 27, 1834. A wonderfully engraved Seal of The City of New York presides over this mayoral endorsement, which reads in part, "...The bearer hereof Mr. James Tylee being about to emigrate from this his native City to the State of Texas, I do hereby certify that Mr Tylee has been a resident of this City since his Birth...he has sustained the Character of a good and Moral Citizen and therefore recommend him to the friendly aid and protection of all Magistrates and citizens...". Daniel E. Tylee and an R. Riker also write here on Tylee's behalf. Stains and folds, else very good condition. New York City farmer James Tylee (1795-1836) went on to Texas in December of 1834 seeking land and soon found a revolution instead. Among the defenders of the Alamo, he was killed on March 6, 1836. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

James C. Neill Autograph Document Signed: Alamo "J C Neill the/Lt Coln of Artilery," one page, 8" x 7.5". Houston, November 26, 1837. Original spelling. In full: "I Do here by Certify that John E Garvin enterd the vollinteer Army of Texis on the 14th December 1835 in the Artilery Core under my Command & fell in the Alamo." John E. Garvin had joined the Texas artillery under Lt. Col. James C. Neill at San Antonio de Béxar. Garvin was at home in Gonzales when the Alamo was surrounded and he joined the relief force to return to his post on March 1, 1836. Garvin died in the Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836. On October 2, 1835, James C. Neill was a participant of the skirmish at Gonzales. John Holland Jenkins, teenage soldier and later Texas Ranger, recorded that Neill "fired the first gun for Texas at the beginning of the revolution," the famous Gonzales "Come and Take It" cannon. As Lieutenant Colonel of Artillery in the regular army, constantly calling for reinforcements and supplies, Neill buttressed the defenses of the Alamo. In mid-February, Neill left the Alamo to care for his family, all of whom had been stricken with a serious illness. He left William Barret Travis in temporary command, assuring the garrison that he would return within 20 days. He was riding back when the fort fell. Light offset occurred when the document was folded before the ink had dried. In near fine condition, with uneven margins along top and at right.

"Remember the Alamo" Sword Cane. The straight stag horn handle is 3.5" high and 1.5" at its widest. Inlaid on the round top is a coin silver star that is engraved "Remember the Alamo." At the base of the handle, a 28" diamond shaped sword can be withdrawn with a straight pull. It has 9.75" of worn early bluing and it is in very good condition. There is a .33" coin silver collar on a malacca shaft with thin oval silver eyelets and a 1.5" brass ferrule. There are some splits in the malacca shaft and a 2.33" burnished brass sleeve was added above the ferrule some time ago to retard any further splitting. It has worked very well and the piece is sound and sturdy. The overall length is 33.5" and the general condition is very good. The Battle of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, took place in 1836 and, from all its characteristics, the cane was probably made just after that (we have seen similar canes issued for Lafayette's visit in 1824 and for Andrew Jackson's presidency). The Battle was famous because of the many illustrious combatants who took part (James Bowie, David Crockett and William B. Travis), all of whom were killed by Santa Anna's army. It became a celebrated defeat and a rallying cry for Texan insurgents. The defeat was avenged six weeks later at the Battle of San Jacinto. The recent discovery of an eyewitness diary by a Mexican soldier disputes the popular legend. If true, it indicates that Bowie, Crockett and Travis surrendered, expecting fair treatment as prisoners of war, but were instead executed by their captors. This is the only period artifact of its type we have ever seen -- an item of great historical importance.

[Broadside] Extremely Rare Account of Santa Anna's Operations in Texas During the Revolution, With Specific Mention of Events at the Alamo. Mexico: printed by Juan L. Valazquez de Leon, March 17, 1836. One page, two sided, Imperial Octavo. Being a later issue of an 1836 broadside account of Santa Anna's operations in Texas during the revolution.

This news-filled broadside includes: 1) letter signed by Ramon Morales of the Commandancia Principal de Coahuila y Tejas (dated at Leona Vicario March 10), 2) Santa Anna's account of the capture of San Antonio de Béxar (the Battle of the Alamo) on February 23, 1836 (dated Bejar, February 27, 1836), 3) two notes enclosed in Santa Anna's letter: the first from James Bowie dated from the Alamo (February 23) suggesting the discussion of a truce; the second being the reply of Santa Anna's aide, Colonel Jose Batres, refusing the parley, saying that if the rebels wished to save their lives they should surrender immediately and hope for clemency.

These are mportant reports of the events at the Alamo, written just days after Santa Anna's army's initial attack and during the ensuing 13-day siege. Half-calf case with gilt lettering on the spine. A few faint creases and minor age toning do not detract from this handsome document. Extremely rare - a most desirable addition to any Texana collection! From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 864C ; locating only the Yale copy.

1836 Suplemento al Diario del Gobierno de la Republica Mexicana, (Núm. 326. Tom. IV.), one sheet, 12.5" x 17.5", front and verso. Imprenta del Aguila (Aguila Press), "dirigida por José Ximeno. 1836." ("Daily Supplement of the Government of the Mexican Republic"). No specific date, but the information within was certified on March 21, 1836. Under the heading "Secretaría de Guerra y Marina. Seccion central. Mesa 1.a" in the first column is Santa Anna's report about the attack on the "fuerte del Alamo" dated Cuartel general de Bejar, marzo 6 de 1836. He writes "La Victoria acompaña al ejército, y en este momento que son las ocho de la mañana, acaba de conseguir la mas completa y gloriosa que perpetuará su memoria..." ("The Victory that accompanies the army, at this moment eight in the morning, has ended but it is one complete and glorious that will perpetuate its memory..." - in other words, "Remember the Alamo"). The report specifically mentions three casualties by name: "Entre dichos cadavers se encuentran el primero y sdegundo gefe de los enemigos Bowie y Travis, coroneles que se titulahaa, el de igual graduacion Croket..." ("Between said bodies are the first and second chiefs of the enemies Bowie and Travis, colonels who were titled, the one of equal rank Croket..."). Santa Anna writes there were "600 cadáveres" - two to three times more than the actual number. Following Santa Anna's report are the General Order of the day of March 5, 1836 (giving the plan for the assault), a Spanish translation of a March 1, 1836 letter from Robert McAlpin Williamson to Travis (taken from Travis's body or from his quarters; Williamson concludes "For God's sake hold out until we can assist you." - this may be the first printing of the text of this letter revealing its existence; the original has never been found), a communication from General Urrea to Santa Anna dated San Patricio March 3, 1836, and Santa Anna's letters to Tornel, Secretary of War, transmitting the above documents. The sheet is badly soiled and frayed at the wide blank right edge with portions missing, not affecting the text on either side. There is also a soiled portion missing at the opposite edge affecting three words of text. Two stains in the center do not affect legibility and there are small tears in the mid-horizontal fold. Contemporary ink and pencil notations and penciled mathematical examples are on verso in the blank area beneath the printed text. Overall, the document is in very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 865.1

General Andrade's Evacuation of San Antonio after San Jacinto. Pamphlet, Documentos Que El General Andrade Publica Sobre La Evacuacion de la Ciudad de San Antonio de Bejar, del Departmento de Tejas, a sus Compatriotas" ("Documents That General Andrade Publishes On The Evacuation Of The City Of San Antonio de Bejar, Of The Department Of Texas, To His Countrymen"), 24 pages, 5" x 7.25". Monterey: Imprenta del Nivel, propiedad de Lorenzo A. de Melo, 1836. A rare and important firsthand account of the Mexican retreat from San Antonio two and a half months after their victory at the Alamo. Juan José de Andrade, a cavalry commander under Santa Anna, was left in charge of San Antonio de Bejar after their victory at the Alamo on March 6, 1836. Oval ink stamp on title page, old stain in upper outer corner of first eight leaves, else generally internally clean and very good. Bound in modern crushed morocco, gilt lettering on spine: "Andrade - Documentos de Tejas 1836." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 849. "The pamphlet is most interesting in the picture it gives of the lack of food and sufficient clothing for the troops and the sufferings and deaths of the wounded due to lack of medicines" - Streeter. We are able to locate a total of only ten copies of this rare and crucial account. This is Thomas W. Streeter's copy, with his pencil notes in the margins of four pages.

[Broadside] Decree Authorizing the Government to Settle Contracts for Clothing of the Troops Now On Their Way to Texas. [Mexico] 8.5" x 12.5", March 23, 1836. Decree by C. José Gomez de la Cortina, Governor of Mexico City, and published by Rafael Mangino, Secretary of the Treasury, authorizing the government to settle, on the least onerous terms, contracts for the clothing of the troops now on their way to Texas. Catalina Barroso (Secretary) printed signature. A few chips and small tears at edges; faint age toning at corners. Contemporary brown half-calf case, gilt lettering. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 874, no copy located; Yale Exhibition 86. Eberstadt 162:515

[Broadside] Reports on the occupation of Goliad and the Battle of Coleta. San Luis Potosi: [at end] Imprenta del gobierno á cargo del Ciudadano José Maria Infante (Citizen José Maria Infante in charge of the Press of the Government), April 10, 1836. One page. Imperial Octavo. Being a collection of notices by various individuals regarding events involving the Mexican Army in Texas.

Rich with wartime propaganda, this extremely rare broadside begins: "With the pleasure that our victories over the revolting colonists has given us, and the just feeling that encourages us for the loss of the Mexicans that have sacrificed their lives fighting on to maintain the rights of the country in the War of Texas, we present today to our fellow citizens the news related to those swindlers and the events in that department, and the following private letter I have from Senor General Don Francisco Vital Fernandez .... DEEP DOWN IT BOILS THE BLOOD OF MEXICANS!"

Included in this newsletter is a note from D. Francisco Vital Fernandez to a friend, dated Matamoros, March 21, 1836, giving a brief account of the occupation of Goliad by General Urrea after its abandonment and burning by the Americans. It also offers a report on the battle of Coleta submitted by Colonel Francisco de Garay to General Santa Anna, supplementing a report on this by General Urrea of the same date. Navy half-calf case with gilt lettering. Fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 902 locating only his copy. Yale Exhibition 101

Decree Legalizing Confiscation of Property of Supporters of Texian Revolution issued by José Justin Corro, Mexican President ad interim, April 9, 1836, promulgated by José Maria Tornel, Secretary of War and Navy, published by Governor José Gomez de la Cortina, one page, 8.5" x 12.5". Mexico, April 11, 1836. This printed decree gives the government the right to be compensated for expenses incurred in the Texas war by confiscating the property of those who promoted or supported it. This was one of the laws passed in the wave of enthusiasm resulting from the victory at the Alamo five weeks earlier. On laid paper, watermarked. Light folds. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Eberstadt 162:838; unrecorded Bando issue of Streeter 875

Decree Substituting Perpetual Banishment of Texas Prisoners; Printed Circular signed "Tornel" in print. 2 pages, 8.25" x 12.25", México, April 14, 1836. Decree of the Congreso general, approved by José Justo Corro, President ad interim, on April 14, 1836, and promulgated the same day by José María Tornel, substituting perpetual banishment for the death penalty in the case of certain Texan prisoners of war, but not members of the government and leaders of the revolution, and fixing in some cases lesser penalties. Headed: "Secretaria de Guerra y Marina. Sección Central. - Mesa 1..." Light dampstain, several creases, irregular left margin, else bright with a dark imprint, very good condition. A tremendous rarity of significance. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 876: "This decree was passed in the flush of the victory at the Alamo, applied to those rebellious Texans who surrendered within fifteen days or such greater or lesser time as Santa Anna might fix, and gave Santa Anna the right to fix the times and places of embarkation of those banished. Those not already subject to the death penalty might be punished by ten years imprisonment in interior regions of the Mexican republic, distant at least 70 leagues from the coast and the land frontiers." Eberstadt 162:490

Treatment of Texas Prisoners 1836 Printed Decree Signed "Tornel" in type, two pages, 8.25" x 12". Mexico, April 14, 1836. José Maria Tornel was Secretary of War and Navy. On December 30, 1835, Mexico passed legislation decreeing, in effect, that all foreigners who were intent on attacking Mexico or supplying arms to those with that intent would be deemed pirates and dealt with accordingly, i.e. executed. On March 20, 1836, following a battle near Coleto Creek, a Texian force of approximately 350 men surrendered. Led by Col. James W. Fannin, they were imprisoned at Goliad and, on March 27, 1836, by order of Gen. Santa Anna, they were executed, carrying out the congressional decree. Undoubtedly, the immediate reaction to the Goliad massacre, in the United States as well as in Mexico, was a major factor in new legislation and the issuance of this decree. Translated from the Spanish, in part, "Article 1. Prisoners of war captured in Texas up to the date of publication of this decree, who are to receive capital punishment according to the laws, are granted pardons, even if captured with weapons in their hands. 2. The same grace shall be granted to those who voluntarily put themselves at the disposal of the government [surrender] under the terms and conditions established by the government. 3. Pardons are not issued, in all cases, for the main leaders of the revolution: those who have formed the so called General Council of Texas; those who have intrusively served as governor and vice-governor; those who have been captured commanding any land or sea armed force, and those who have committed a murder in cold blood. 4. The capital punishment from which those included in Art. 1 and 2 are exonerated shall be commuted to perpetual banishment from the Republic for those having entered the country against the provisions of Art. 11 of the Act of Aril 6th of 1830..." On the verso of the first page detailing the five articles of the decree appears an additional seven articles explaining their implementation. Exactly one week after this decree, the Texian Army defeated the Mexicans at the Battle of San Jacinto and Gen. Santa Anna was captured, ending the Texas Revolution. The document is matted and framed to 16" x 28" and is in apparent fine condition. A photocopy of the second page is in a pocket affixed to the verso of the framed display. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 876; Eberstadt 162:839

José María Tornel: Secretaria de Guerra y Marina: Decree Establishing a Military Legion of Honor for honoring distinguished actions in the campaign against Texans. (Mexico: April 27, 1836). Eight folio pages; 11.75" x 8.25". Housed in a quarter morocco four-fold case, lettered in gilt on the spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 877 (see also Streeter 957). From the Eberstadt Collection, 162:490.

Jose Justo Corro and Jose Maria Fornel, "Decree of the Congreso General." In Spanish, 8" x 11.75", May 20, 1836. This printed document, with the printed signature "Fornel" was prepared one month after Santa Anna's defeat and the Battle of San Jacinto and his subsequent capture by Texas forces. The document is stored in a custom-made slipcase with acid-free boards, brown-cloth binding, and leather spine with gold lettering. Fine condition with minor creases and smudges. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Andrew Jackson "Condition of Texas" 1836 Message to House of Representatives, 6.5" x 9.5". Blair & Rives, Printers: Washington, 1836. "Doc. No. 35/Condition of Texas/Message/ from the/President of the United States,/Upon the subject of the political, military, and civil condition of Texas./December 22, 1836./Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs." In its Journal, the House reported that "A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Jackson, his private secretary..." It begins "During the last session, information was given to Congress by the Executive, that measures had been taken to ascertain 'the political, military, and civil condition of Texas.' I now submit, for your consideration, extracts from the report of the agent who had been appointed to collect it, relative to the condition of that country." The House then "Ordered, That the said message be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and that twenty thousand copies thereof, extra, be printed for the use of the members of the House." This is one of those copies. President Jackson had sent Henry M. Morfit, a State Department clerk, to Texas as his agent. Morfit reported favorably but Jackson, in this message, urged against recognition of Texas independence. In part, "The title of Texas to the territory she claims is identified with her independence: she asks us to acknowledge that title to the territory, with an avowed design to treat immediately of its transfer to the United States. It becomes us to beware of a too early movement, as it might subject us, however unjustly, to the imputation of seeking to establish the claim of our neighbors to a territory, with a view to its subsequent acquisition by ourselves. Prudence, therefore, seems to dictate that we should still stand aloof, and maintain our present attitude...if Congress shall differ with me upon it, their judgment will be the result of dispassionate, prudent, and wise deliberation... I shall promptly and cordially unite with you..." Congress agreed with President Jackson. Tied together with string, this "Message" is apparently complete. It is soiled and foxed with rough right edges and is in apparent very good condition. Matted and framed to 15.5" x 19.5". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1255; Jenkins 168

Representacion dirigida al Supremo Gobierno por el General Vicente Filisola, en Defensa de Su Honor y Aclaracion de Sus Operaciones como General en Gefe del Ejército sobre Tejas. México. Impreso por Ignacio Cumplido, calle de los Rebeldes, casa N. 2. 1836. 82 pp. 8vo. Printed paper wrappers. Original full Mexican tree sheep with gilt-rolled borders. In an order dated May 31, 1836, Tornel, the Secretary of War relieved Filisola of command. Tornel issued a second order on June 25, demanding Filisola return to Mexico to stand trial for his conduct. First translated into English by George L. Hammeken in his Evacuation of Texas, Filisola's Representacion. Printed just prior to Filisola's trial, the book contains a detailed account of the retreat, in which he argues his case forcefully and convincingly, easily knocking down the accusations made against him by his former subordinate, Urrea. It also includes fifteen additional letters and documents which support his position and his actions (page 43-82; dated between April 28 and June 10, 1836). We know that the comments made by Filisola in this defense struck home, as evidenced by Urrea's statement (on page 3 of his Diario ... Militares), in which he complains that Filisola's rebuttal "insults me, abuses me, satirizes me, and belittles me." As it turned out, by the time Filisola returned to Mexico City (early August, 1836), official and public sentiment had turned strongly in his favor, and he was exonerated from all wrongdoing. Enclosed in a dark green half-calf case with marbled boards, raised bands and gilt printing on spine. Minor age toning with occasional foxing, but overall in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 853: Streeter (853) calls this : "The classic account of the retreat of the Mexicans through Texas after the battle of San Jacinto and a masterly defense by Filisola of his acts in ordering and conducting the retreat." Eberstadt, Texas 162:293: "Seldom found with the printed wrappers." Rader 1382. Sabin 24326. Graff 1321. Howes F127. Palau 91610. Raines, p. 82. Basic Texas Books 61. Vandale 66.

Mexican Account of the Battle of San Jacinto. (Deepwater, Texas: W.C. Day, 1919), first edition, 22 pages, 6" x 9". Written by Col. Pedro Delgado, aide to General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Translated from the Spanish, it was published by W.C. Day, Superintendent of San Jacinto State Park. Col. Delgado was captured on April 21, 1836, the day of the battle. His release on April 25, 1837 ends this narrative. In the "Preface," Day acknowledges that the "account probably contains some exaggerations of the insults and cruelties inflicted upon the Mexican prisoners, while in the hands of the Texans...However, I feel sure that insofar as the incidents of the battle are narrated by him, the writer gives a truthful account of what occurred under his personal observation." This is a copy of the first edition as future editions are noted on the covers. The wrappers are soiled, the blank lower right corner of the front cover is missing. There is a crease at the mid-upper edge which is conspicuous on each page. Stapled wraps with the lower staple not catching all the pages. There is minor soiling internally, not affecting the legibility. According to the Museum of Houston, a Third Edition (1921) of this booklet which they have "is one of only four publicly available at this time."

Sam[uel] Houston: Documents of Major Gen. Sam. Houston, Commander in Chief of the Texian Army, to his Excellency David G. Burnet, President of the Republic of Texas; containing a Detailed Account of the Battle of San Jacinto. (New Orleans: John Cox & Co., Printers, 1836). First edition. Octavo 8.5" x 5.25", 18 pages plus errata sheet. Plain blue-gray wrappers. With one vertical crease in the middle of sheets and wrappers, faint damp-stain to top fore-edge corners, and another small stain to the title. Unattributed ink note to the rear of the errata page. Still, an excellent copy in very good condition. Housed in a custom full morocco four-fold case, lettered in gilt on the spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1239: "Documents of Major Gen. Sam. Houston, the first edition in book form of Houston's report on the battle of San Jacinto, is one of the great Texas books." In the introduction to his bibliography, Streeter says that "For the Battle of San Jacinto, Houston's report is a must." Sabin 33189. Graff 1975. Eberstadt 162-402.

Holograph Letter Calling For Reinforcements To Fight The Texans, Signed By José Maria Tornel. Mexico: May 21, 1836. [2] p. of handsome manuscript text in Spanish. Folio, with imprint heading: SECRETARIA DE GUERRA Y MARINA. Interesting letter from José Maria Tornel, Secretary of War and Marine, to the Governor of Queretaro (state just north of Mexico City), relating to the war in Texas, written following the Battle of San Jacinto and the capture of General Santa Anna.

In hopes of freeing the captive Santa Anna and avenging national honor, Tornel devises a plan against the "ungrateful treacherous foreigners," calling upon the Governor of Queretaro to send an additional 128 troops to Mexico City in precisely 19 days "to vigorously continue the war on Texas, until leaving well placed the national honor, to assure all the interests of the Republic, and to obtain the liberty of the Distinguished one of the Country, His Excellency General President Don Antonio de Santa Anna". Unbeknownst to Tornel, seven days before issuing this letter, Santa Anna signed the Treaties of Velasco which promised recognition of Texas independence by the Mexican government.

Substantial letters from the Mexican side relating to the Texas Revolution are rare, this one being fresh and clean, with particularly attractive holography. Housed in a dark brown half-calf folder with marbled boards and gilt letting on the spine. In very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Captured Mexican Dagger "TAKEN FROM MEXICAN AT THE BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO 1836" is the period hand engraved legend on the brass overlaid ricasso of this Mexican dagger. Heavy 8.75" blade with rudimentary median ridge, 13.75" overall. Ebony grip with .75" brass capstan. The heavy brass cross guard is decorated w/crude ric-rac engraving at the edges and terminates in decorative finials reminiscent of Aztec carvings. The base of the blade is overlaid with 1" brass panels which are decorated with crude engraving. The inscription is incorporated into the line engraving on one of these panels. The knife is presented in a lined French style casing, probably executed in the late 19th century utilizing a mid 19th century cutlery box which is covered in black Moroccan leather and decorated with gilt embossing. In a recessed compartment in the red silk lined lid is a 1/6 plate ambrotype of James Stevens who, by family tradition captured the knife. The muster rolls of the Army of the Republic of Texas were known to be incomplete due to a fire in 1955. In 1986 the Daughters of the Republic of Texas transcribed and published copies of these muster rolls, at which time the name J. Stevens was not included. However, in 1996 a Texas archivist discovered a cache of these muster rolls and they were consolidated with the previously known information. In the newly discovered muster rolls the name J. Stevens did, in fact, surface.

James Stevens enlisted on September 28, 1835 in Col. E. Morehouse's Command, 1st Regiment Texas Volunteers, one of the earliest enlistments recorded, mustering out on August 31, 1836. It is reasonable to assume that this is the same James Stevens who commanded the 22d Texas Volunteer Infantry CSA during the Civil War. Stevens enlisted in 1835 at the age of 18, making him 44 at the outbreak of the Civil War. Although this logical progression has not been proven it is certainly worthy of further in depth research. Also in a recessed compartment in the lid is a heavy 3" X 3.75" brass plaque with a decorative hand engraved border which includes five pointed stars on each corner, inside of this is the following, "Knife taken from Mexican soldier at The Battle of San Jacinto Texas April 21, 1836 by Volunteer J. Stevens Sam Houston (sic) Army". The engraving style utilized on this plaque is more reminiscent of the later rather than the mid 19th century leading to our conclusion that the casing was affected at this date. Accompanying the whole are the results and procedures from a highly detailed forensic analysis conducted by Orenda Laboratories in 2003 stating that all engraving was executed by hand using tools that were in use in the 19th century and that "There is ample evidence to support the authenticity of this war knife as being a genuine historical artifact". There is also extensive accompanying research on Stevens and the Battle of San Jacinto. The action at San Jacinto is characterized on the monument that stands on the battlefield as "...one of the decisive battles of the world. The freedom of Texas from Mexico won here led to the annexation and the Mexican War, resulting in the acquisition by the United States of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma. Almost one third of the American nation, nearly a million square miles of territory, changed sovereignty." About 3:30 on the afternoon of April 21, 1836, after several preliminary skirmishes, and during the Mexican siesta period, Houston distributed his troops in battle array, bracketing his line with the "Twin Sisters" cannon. Shielded by trees and a rise in the terrain, the Texans were able to advance with some security and secrecy. Then with the cries "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Bahia" or "Remember Goliad" ringing along their lines, the Texans swooped down on the dismayed Mexican Army, pursuing and butchering them long after the battle had ended. 630 Mexicans were killed and 730 taken prisoner including Santa Anna himself who was captured on the following day. The Texans lost only 9 killed or mortally wounded and thirty less seriously wounded. It is recorded that the Texans captured 'a large supply of muskets, pistols and sabers'. Doubtless most of the Mexican troops, and the equipment they carried, including this knife, were present at the Alamo. Owing to the relatively small number of troops engaged, as well as the exigencies resulting in the subsequent heavy use of the items that were captured, there are but a handful of pieces remaining from the Texas War of Independence. A rare opportunity to acquire a documented artifact from this tumultuous and highly romanticized period of Texas history.

Blade with smooth dark patina. All brass w/dark patina most notably the capstan which is black and untouched. Ambrotype excellent with just a few chips off of the black lacquered backing. Case excellent, near perfect with just some minor exterior scuffing.

Mexican Decree Relating to Prisoner Santa Anna Signed "José Gomez de la Cortina" in type, one page, 7.5" x 12.5". Mexico, May 21, 1836. Gomez de la Cortina, Governor of the Federal District, orders the publishing of a decree of the interim President of Mexico, José Justo Corro, on May 20th announcing that "to show the correct sentiments of the Nation and the army towards the capture of the hero of the Fatherland, President General D. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna," a "black bow of crepe" will be put on the flags and uniforms while he is in prison. It will also be known that Santa Anna was captured as he was "fighting to save integrity of the national territory." Fine condition.

[Circular] Decree Appointing Commissioners and Setting Time and Place for Marking the Southwestern Boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase. Mexico: 1836. With heading: Primera Secretaria de Estado. Departamento del Exterior. Four-page folio folder (text of treaty in Spanish and English in parallel columns). Imperial Octavo. First Mexican printing. Signed in print at the end on June 18, 1836, for the interim president of Mexico, José Justo Corro, by José Maria Ortiz Monasterio.

This decree, which relates to the long disputed and much delayed southwestern boundary of the Louisiana Purchase, sets the time and place and appoints commissioners for running and marking the boundary from the mouth of the Sabine River to the Pacific Ocean in northern California. As it turned out, the treaty became effective on the same day as the Battle of San Jacinto, making the whole matter of the boundary meaningless as far as Texas was concerned. This being an edition in Spanish and English of the Additional Article to the Treaty of Limits of January 12, 1828. Green half leather case with gilt lettering. Fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1257a (Streeter locates only two copies). Eberstadt 162:853.

Mexican Loan Decree Signed by local officials, three pages, 8" x 12". Mexico, June 17, 1836. On two conjoined sheets. From the Secretaria de Hacienda (Secretary of the Interior), J. de la Fuente, announcing that the interim President of Mexico, José Justo Corro, has been authorized by the congress to issue certificates for a new government loan of two million pesos, to be for one year. With Pres. Santa Anna fighting in Texas, Corro became interim president succeeding Miguel Barragán who had died on March 1st. There were money problems and the country was disorganized and demoralized mainly because of the war in Texas. By the time this loan was authorized, Mexico had been defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto and Santa Anna had been taken prisoner. Notes about publication of this decree, signed by Ramon Covarrubias and Manuel M. de Veneiza, local officials, at the bottom of the second page. The third page is a form for the loan certificate to be issued. With dampstaining affecting all pages at top, unaffected portion remains bright.

Eagle Tavern, Manhattan, Ohio, Celebrates the Independence of the United States and the Triumph of Texas. Four-page folder, Manhattan, Ohio, 1836. Approximately 8" x 5". An attractive item, this folded invitation reads as follows: [Cut of eagle.] "The Company of Mr. [blank] is respectfully solicited at the Eagle Tavern, Manhattan, on Monday, the Fourth day of July, 1836. Managers S. Thompson, Buffalo, S. Corning, Painesville, V.J. Card, Cleveland, J.G. Camp, Sandusky City, F. Wright, Manhattan, T. Stickney, Manhattan, H.W. Goettel, Toledo, George McKay, Toledo, A.M. Thompson, Perrysburg, C.C.P. Hunt, Maumee." The Battle of San Jacinto (April 22, 1836) concluded the Texas Revolution and secured Texas' independence from Mexico. Although this handsome folder does not hail from Texas nor mention any of early or noteworthy Texans, its content secures its place as a desirable collectible for Texana aficionados. In very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1198: Thomas Streeter noted that the Eagle Tavern celebration "does show how a little town in Ohio felt about Texas in 1836."

[Circular] Ha Observado Este Gobierno Que, Bien Por El Considerable Numero De Desertores. Monterrey: July 16, 1836. With heading: Gobierno del Departamento de Nuevo Leon. Two pages with integral blank. Octavo. Dated and signed in print at end by Juan Nepomuceno De La Garza Y Evia and by Pedro del Valle (Secretary), each with his own holograph rubric. Additional holographic notations in unknown hands.

Fought on April 21, 1836, the Battle of San Jacinto was the last military engagement of the Texas Revolution. In a fight reported to have lasted just 18 minutes, Sam Houston's Texas army engaged and soundly defeated General Santa Anna's Mexican forces. According to Houston's official report, 630 Mexicans were killed at San Jacinto and 730 were taken prisoner. Against this, nine of the 910 Texans were killed or mortally wounded and 30 suffered only minor wounds. One of those wounded was Sam Houston, whose ankle was shattered by a rifle ball.

Following this resounding defeat, members of the Mexican Army were soon found to be deserting their posts, seeking refuge and anonymity at area ranches and farms nearby, activities the Mexican government was keen to squash. This interesting bulletin discusses the illegality of harboring deserters during the war with Texas, and warns specifically against employing them on ranches. Green half-calf case with brown cloth boards; gilt lettering at spine. In very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter (see Streeter 899 for reference).

[Broadside] Decree Opening the Port of Matamoros. [Mexico] With heading: Secretaria de Hacienda. Seccion 1.a. Four-page folder (without the integral blank leaf) printed on p. [1]. July 16, 1836. Imperial Octavo. Decree of the Congreso General, approved by José Justo Corro, President ad interim, July 16, 1836; promulgated the same day by Secretary of the House Juán de la Fuente. Dated and signed in print at end: México Julio 16 de 1836. J. de la Fuente.

During the war with Texas, it was imperative that provisions be available to Mexican troops. To accomplish this, the Congrese General opened the port of Matamoros to the imporation of provisions, assigning them to the Texas expeditionary force, and exempting from seizure mules and wagons carrying supplies to that army from within the country. Three months later, on October 15, President Corro extended the terms of this decree to the ports to the north that were occupied by the expeditionary forces against Texas. Document is protected in a burgundy half-calf case with gilt lettering at the spine. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 880 (locates but a single copy). Yale Exhibition 92. Eberstadt 162:525

Decree Creating Adjutant General Post for Coahuila and Texas Signed "José Gomez de la Cortina" in type, one page, 7.75" x 12". Mexico, July 28, 1836. This rare Mexican broadside prints a decree creating two adjutant general posts, one for Sonora y Sinaloa, and another for Coahuila and Texas. The decree was issued by José Justo Corro, Mexican President ad interim, on July 23rd and sent to be published and circulated. Not in Streeter. Contemporary ink notation "A 53." at top center. Minor rippling at lower right. On watermarked, laid paper. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Broadside] Decree Extending President Jose Justo Corro's Powers to Occupied Ports in Texas. [Mexico]. [1836]. With heading: Secretaria de Hacienda. Seccion 1.a. Four-page folder printed on p. [1]. Imperial Octavo. Dated October 15, 1836 and signed at the end, with holograph notations in several hands. Corro served as Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs in the cabinet of President Miguel Barragán, who had been named interim president while Santa Anna was fighting rebels in Zacatecas. However, Barragán died of typhus on March 1, 1836 with Santa Anna still absent (this time fighting rebels in Texas). Under these circumstances, the Chamber of Deputies named Corro interim president on February 27, 1836. He formally took office on March 2 of that year. This decree was issued by Corro to extend his presidential powers to cover all ports in the north which were, at that time, occupied by the expeditionary force against Texas. Red half-calf case with gilt lettering at spine. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 881, his duplicate copy. Eberstadt 162:527. Arrillaga, July-December, 1836, p. 217.; Not in Dublan.

[Broadside] Decree Establishing a Commissary Department for the Army Now Proceeding To Texas. [Mexico] October 15, 1836. With heading: SECRETARIA DE HACIENDA. SECCION 1.a. One page. Folio. Dated and signed in print at the end: "México á 15 de Octubre de 1836.-- José Justo Corro.-- A D. Ignacio. Alas." Followed by postscript also dated October 15, 1836 and signed in print "Alas" as Secretary of the Treasury, with his holograph rubric below. This law was written to acquire and transport supplies that would support the army that was then preparing to re-invade Texas. Listed here are general types of provisions that are expected to be procured and distributed appropriately to the troops: corn meal, rice, sugar of all types, cocoa, chocolate, coffee, tea, corn, beans, meat, and spices. Encased in a green half-calf folder with marbled boards and gilt lettering on the spine. Old tape stains at extreme outer edges, otherwise in fine condition. This would make a wonderful addition to any Texana or Mexican army collection! From the Darrel Brown Collection.

Reference: Streeter 885 (locating only the Bancroft copy).

[Andrew Jackson] Message of the Presdient of the United States, to the Two Houses of Congress, at the Commencement of the Second Session of the Twenty-Fourth Congress. December 6, 1836. Washington: Blair and Rives. 1836. First edition. 554 pp., 3 folding maps, 1 profile. 8vo. Title shows some soiling/stains, with a few dog-eared leaves. Modern brown cloth, black leather label.

Being President Jackson's final annual message to Congress, warning of possible conflict with Mexico, whose "struggle with Texas" had become "irritating" to the United States, especially in view of "the known desire of the Texans to become a part of our system."

The accompanying documents include diplomatic correspondence with Mexico, offering detailed review of the delicate relations with that government at the time, particularly due to Jackson's having granted "a discretionary authority to a high officer of our army, to advance into territory claimed as part of Texas, if necessary, to protect our own or the neighboring frontier from Indian depredation." As reported by Jackson, such an advance would, in the view of the Mexican ambassador, "wound the honor of his country." Jackson also defends his banking and economic policies, and reiterates his opposition to a latitudinarian (not insisting on strict conformity to a particular doctrine or standard; tolerant) construction of the Constitution.

Reference: Streeter 1254: "The documents accompanying the message include, at pages 26-105, correspondence with Gorostiza from May 14 to October 20 on Texas matters." Wise & Cronin 76. Not in American Imprints.

Chester Newell: History of the Revolution in Texas. New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1838. First edition. Folding map, 12mo, 194 pp. with appendix. Full title: History of the revolution in Texas, particularly of the war of 1835 & '36; together with the latest geographical, topographical, and statistical accounts of the country, from the most authentic sources. Also, an appendix. By the Rev. C. Newell. Published shortly after the Revolution, this work is a fine review of the early Texas Republic, and as such is a must have for any complete Texana collection. This is a particularly desirable copy, as it is one of the few that still contains the rare folding lithographed map of Texas.

Chester Newell was an Episcopal clergyman. Following his graduation from Yale (1831) and completing his religious studies at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia (1834), he moved to Texas. From 1837 to 1 in 1838 he ran a school at Velasco, then traveled around the state gathering material for this important history of the Texas Revolution.

Historians and Texana experts call this book one of the most informative and trustworthy histories of the young Republic. One of the earliest books about the Texas Revolution to be published, Basic Texas Books (151A) praises its value: "The work begins with an excellent summary of Mexican history from 1821 to 1835, followed by a sketch of Texas history from 1832 to 1835, ending with Cos' retreat from San Antonio. The events of 1836 are described, including quotations from participating Texans and from Mexican accounts, such as Almonte's diary. Of particular value are the account of Santa Anna's capture [and his] confrontation with Houston shortly afterwards. Newell was one of the first to seduce Sam Houston into giving particulars of the campaign... The quotations from participants are of considerable value. The descriptive portions add much to our knowledge of the early Republic.... The account is pro-Texan throughout, but more objective than many other contemporary Anglo-American versions.... Newell describes the towns of the Republic, offers advice to immigrants, analyzes the people of Texas, and projects the future. His predictions, some sage and some ludicrous, are remarkable." Contemporary half leather case with gilt lettering at spine. Light outer wear, occasional mild foxing. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1318. Graff 3010. Howes N115. Rader 2479. Raines, p. 154: "One of the rare and reliable books on Texas." Clark, Old South III:215. See also New Handbook of Texas IV:991.

[Periodical] El Cosmopolita. Num. 104. Tom. 1. Mexico. With heading: Impreso por Agustin R. Y. Castillo, December 10, 1836. 4 pp., folio, folded sheet. This Mexican periodical consists almost entirely of documents relating to the Texas Revolution. Interestingly, none of these have been seen in contemporary print elsewhere, nor are they recorded in Streeter's Bibliography of Texas. This includes Santa Anna's June 9, 1836 multi-point protest against the Texans while he was a prisoner, as well as the response to Santa Anna by interim Texas president David G. Burnet, with several references to Santa Anna's actions at the Alamo as breaking the armistice: "There are many tragic memories written about the Alamo... that destruction was an infraction of the armistice..."

Also includes the full text of the "Tratado Secreto" (Secret Treaty) of Velasco. This agreement between Santa Anna and the government of Texas was signed on May 14, 1836, and required the Mexican army to retreat south of the Rio Grande. In return, Texas was obligated not to attempt to claim land beyond that river. This led to the ultimate establishment of Rio Grande as the western boundary of the Republic. The Secret Treaty was considered the effective treaty, as opposed to the public "Treaty of Velasco" which Streeter records as No. 177 in his Bibliography (Streeter mentions the Secret Treaty but does not record it). Finally, a letter addressed to Santa Anna from Mariano Olarte signed at Campo del Coyoquihuit on November 20, 1836, calling on Santa Anna to return from exile in the United States, and blaming the events in Texas on Mexico's flawed form of monarchical government. Contemporary green half-calf folder with gilt lettering at spine. In very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter but can use 177, 998, 977.1, 1424, 1011 as references.

[William Harris Wharton]: Reasons why The Independence of Texas should be Immediately Recognized by the Government of the United States [caption title]. [Washington: n.p., 1837]. First edition. Octavo, in six leaves, 9" x 5.75". Self-wrappers, 12 pages, disbound. Signed in type "Jefferson" on the final leaf. In 1835 Wharton was agitating for complete independence from Mexico, in opposition to the conservative policy of Stephen F. Austin. He went with the army in the siege of Bexar, then resigned his commission a few days before he was notified of his appointment as a commissioner to the United States with Austin and Branch T. Archer to secure aid for the Texans. United by common bonds of patriotism and common responsibilities, Wharton and Austin forgot their enmity of the preceding years. Upon completing their mission, Wharton and Archer urged Austin to be a candidate for president of Texas, and they supported him in the campaign in which he was defeated by Sam Houston. In November of 1836 President Houston appointed Austin secretary of state and Wharton first minister to the United States, hoping to secure recognition by and possibly annexation to the United States. Recognition was won on March 3, 1837, but annexation at that time was hopeless in spite of Wharton's persuasive pleas. Wharton wrote to Austin on 15 January 1837 from Washington, D. C., on the progress of recognition of Texas in which he says: "Besides small essays I have finished a pamphlet signed 'Jefferson' which puts the matter in a proper light and has done great good" (Garrison, Diplomatic Correspondence of the Republic of Texas, I:176). Traces of rusty paper clip on first and last leaves, one-inch tear to gutter margin affecting text of all leaves, neatly repaired, intermittent foxing. Quarter light-brown morocco over marbled boards four fold case, lettered on the spine. A scarce item. There are only three copies located in American institutions (NY Historical Society, NYU, and Yale), and this is the only copy sold at auction in the last twenty-five years. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1302. Sabin 103113.

Manuel Eduardo de Gorostiza: Correspondencia Que Ha Mediado Entre La Legacion Extraordinaria De Mexico Y El Departamento De Estados Unidos Sobre El Paso Del Sabina Por Las Tropas Que Mandaba El General Gaines. Translated title: "Correspondence of Mediation Between The Special Envoy Of Mexico and The Department of the United States about crossing the Sabine River By The Troops Commanded By General Gaines". (Mexico: Reimpreso por Jose M. F. de Lara, Calle de la Palma número 4, 1827.) 122 pp. Large Octavo. First edition with printed paper wrappers. Wrapper title: Contestaciones Habidas entre la Legacion Extraordinaria de Mexico y el Departamento de Estado de los Estados-Unidos. Año de 1837. Translated title: Answers Had between the Special Envoy of Mexico and the State Department of the United States. Year of 1837. On verso of back wrapper is vignette of arms of Mexico and below: Impreso por J.M.F. de Lara.

Written and published by Manuel Eduardo de Gorostiza, special envoy of Mexico to the United States, this pamphlet contains a 21-page introduction attacking the good faith of the United States in sending its troops across the Sabine as far as Nacogdoches. Gorostiza's commentary was bitterly resented in Washington and fuel was added to the flames when the diatribe was republished in Mexico, early in 1837. The reprint led to a rapid deterioration of diplomatic relations with Mexico which did not resume until 1839, following a renouncement of the inflammatory comments made by Gorostiza by the then-serving Mexican special envoy to Washington. A most important pamphlet attacking the good faith of the U.S. in sending Gaines across the Sabine to occupy Nacogdoches. Brown half-leather with tan canvas boards, gilt-lettered spine. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1220A. Raines, p. 95. Sabin 16908.

Benjamin Lundy: The War in Texas; a Review of Facts and Circumstances, showing that this contest is a Crusade against Mexico, set on foot and supported by Slaveholders, Land-Speculators, &c. in Order to Re-Establish, Extend, and Perpetuate the system of Slavery and the Slave Trade. (Philadelphia: Printed for the Publishers by Merrihew and Gunn, 1837.) Second edition By a Citizen of the United States. 64 pp. Quarto. Printed paper wrappers with Contents on verso of back wrapper.

Benjamin Lundy (1789-1839) was active in the antislavery movement in the 1820s. He strongly believed that the slavery problem could be solved by settling free blacks in thinly populated regions. In hopes of obtaining land for such a colony, he visited Texas (1830-1835) and concluded that it was an ideal place for his colonization experiment, particularly because the Mexican government was friendly to his proposal. Unfortunately, the Texas Revolution intervened before Lundy could carry out his plans, and the Republic of Texas legalized slavery. Outraged, Lundy charged that the revolution was a slaveholder's plot to take Texas from Mexico and to add slave territory to the United States.

He began publishing the National Enquirer and Constitutional Advocate of Universal Liberty in Philadelphia in August 1836 to set forth his thesis. In the same year he published this pamphlet, arguing strongly against the annexation of Texas to the United States for its position on slavery. Lundy won many influential adherents, among them John Quincy Adams, who represented his views in the United States Congress. Adams, Lundy, and their followers were instrumental in delaying the annexation of Texas for nine years. Minor age toning and occasional foxing, else fine. Housed in a half-calf contemporary case with gilt lettering at spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1217A. Raines, p. 141. Sabin 95134.

Mexico (Republic). Decree Separating Coahuila from Texas, one page imprint, 8.5" x 12", December 30, 1836. The decree, issued under the authority of Luis Madrid, divides the Mexico into as many Departments as there formerly were States, separating Coahuila from Texas and authorizing the central government to locate the capital of Texas where most convenient when order is re-established there. [Toluca, January 5, 1837]. Very fine. Housed in a handsome custom quarter red morocco over red cloth clamshell case, the spine in compartments with five raised bands and lettered in gilt. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: An unrecorded Toluca broadside issue of Streeter 882. "Had this decree been passed in 1833, Texas might be a Mexican state today" (Eberstadt 162:581).

Vincente Filisola: Evacuation of Texas. Translation of the Representation Addressed to the Supreme Government by Gen. Vincente Filisola, in Defence of His Honor, and Explanation of His Operations as Commander-in-Chief of the Army Against Texas. (Columbia: Printed by G. & T.H. Borden, Public Printers, 1837). First and only edition in English (first published in Mexico in 1836) of the account of the Mexican retreat following the Battle of San Jacinto, written by Santa Anna's second in command, Vincente Filisola. A masterly defense of his acts in ordering and conducting the retreat. It was the first book printed in Texas by the Republic of Texas. Filisola wrote this vindication only four months after San Jacinto and the 'documents' on pages 37-68 are as important as his account of Santa Anna's failure. Octavo (8" x 5"). Iv, [3]-68 pages (bound in front of approximately fifty additional leaves). Early twentieth-century half sheep over marbled boards, spine gilt with raised bands, red morocco label lettered in gilt. Housed in a custom full morocco clamshell case lettered on the spine.

The account was of great interest to all Texans, and there is an entry in the journal of the Texas House of Representatives for November 23, 1836, announcing a message from the President 'recommending the translation of a Spanish pamphlet in vindication of Filisola's conduct in the campaign of Texas.' The preface of the translator, George L. Hammeken, signed G.L.H. is dated Brazoria, January, 1837, and there is a notice in the Telegraph Register for January 27, 1837, reading in part, 'We are now engaged in printing the translation of Filisola's defence in a pamphlet which we hope to have completed in two weeks.'

Vincente Filisola (1789-1850). When Antonio López de Santa Anna organized his campaign against Texas, he commissioned Filisola as second in command of his army. Thus, with the capture of Santa Anna at the battle of San Jacinto, he was faced with the formidable task of withdrawing the Mexican forces from Texas. Despite considerable opposition from other officers, Filisola carried out Santa Anna's orders and began to retreat. By the time he received instructions from the Mexican government on May 28, he had already ordered the evacuation of San Antonio and had ratified the public treaty of Velasco, and his army had crossed the Nueces. Upon receiving the government's order to preserve conquests already made, he offered to countermarch, but because of the condition of the Mexican troops the retreat continued to Matamoros. On June 12, José de Urrea replaced Filisola in general command; Filisola resigned his own command to Juan José Andrade and retired to Saltillo. Upon his return to Mexico in 1836, Filisola published a defense of his conduct in Texas. It was translated into English and published by the Republic of Texas in 1837, as Evacuation of Texas. Filisola was accused of being a coward and a traitor in overseeing the withdrawal of the Mexican troops, and he faced formal charges upon his return to Mexico. The general successfully defended himself before the court-martial and was exonerated in June 1841.

George Louis Hammeken was a businessman, government official, and historian, probably a native of New York, who moved to Mexico around 1831. In 1833 he met Stephen F. Austin, who advised him to settle in Texas. He arrived as the representative of Manning and Marshall, agents for the British banking firm of Barings, in October 1835. When the Texas Revolution curtailed his activities, he went to New Orleans and Mexico City but returned to Texas in December 1836. At Brazoria in 1837 he translated Vincente Filisola's Evacuation of Texas. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 191. Vandale 65. Howes F127. Rader 1379. Raines page 82. Sabin 24323. Basic Texas Books 61A. Fifty Texas Rarities 7. Graff 1321.

Printed Circular Broadside establishing constituent legislatures in Coahuila and Texas. 2 pages, 7.75 x 11", Mexico, February 4, 1824 in Spanish bearing the heading "PRIMERA SECRETARIA DE ESTADO. SECCION DE GOBIERNO". and reading in part: "Ley para establecer las legislatures constituyentes de los estados, interno de Occidente compuesto de las Provincias de Sinaola y Sonora, Interno del Norte, compuesto de las Provincias de Chihuahua, Durango y Nuevo Mexico, e Interno de Oriente, compuesto de las Provincias de Coahuila, Nuevo Leon y Texas..." (Trans: "Law to establish the constituent legislatures of the states, internal Western Provinces composed of Sinaloa and Sonora, internal Northern Provinces composed of Chihuahua, Durango and New Mexico, and internal Eastern Provinces composed of Coahuila, New Leon and Texas..."). From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter; reference Streeter 927

Broadside Announcing Santa Anna's Arrival at Vera Cruz and his Loyalty to Mexico. 8.5" x 12.5", San Luis Potosi, February 26, 1837. Alcance a la Opinion, Num. 174. In part: Llegada a la Republica del Exmo. Senor General D. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna ["His Excellency General D. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna has returned to the Republic"] ... Imprenta del Gobierno a cargo del Ciudadano Jose Maria Infante.

Following Santa Anna's defeat and capture by Sam Houston's soldiers at the Battle of San Jacinto, (April 21-22, 1836), he and acting Texas president David G. Burnet signed the Treaties of Velasco which stated that, "in his official character as chief of the Mexican nation, he [Santa Anna] acknowledged the full, entire, and perfect Independence of the Republic of Texas." In exchange, Burnet and the Texas government guaranteed Santa Anna's life and transport to Veracruz. This circular from the Minister of the Interior announces Santa Anna's return from captivity in Texas, followed by a paragraph explaining that the need for immediate publication of this news prevents the printing of the accompanying documents, although it does include one paragraph of Santa Anna's denial that he signed any deed in captivity that was unfaithful to Mexico. Once back in Mexico City, a new government declared that Santa Anna was no longer president and the treaty was thus null and void.

The documents transmitted with this circular were undoubtedly those in the Supplemento al Diario del Gobierno (Streeter 919). Contemporary half-calf case with gilt lettering at spine.A few small chips at upper edge, else very fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 927.1, locating only two copies

Letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting Various Reports in relation to the Protection of the Western Frontier (25th Congress, 2nd Session, House War Dept. Doc. No. 59). [Washington]. Printed by Thomas Allen, January 3, 1838. 18 pp., two folding maps. Quarto. Includes two maps titled, respectively: Map Illustrating the plan of the defenses of the Western & North-Western Frontier, as proposed by the Hon: J.R. Poinsett, Sec. of War, in his report of Dec. 30, 1837. Compiled in the U.S. Topographical Bureau under the direction of Col. J.J. Abert, U.S.T.E. by W. Hood; and Map Illustrating the plan of the defenses of the Western & North-Western Frontier, as proposed by Charles Gratiot, in his report of Oct. 31, 1837. Compiled in the U.S. Topographical Bureau under the direction of Col. J.J. Abert, U.S.T.E. by W. Hood.

There is also a Senate issue of this document containing the same maps as the House issue, but the Gratiot map is more useful as its lines of communications and the extent to which rivers should be made navigable, are shown in color. The report of J.R. Poinsett, Secretary of War, is followed by a report by C. Gratiot of the Engineer Department on the defense of the western frontier. The two reports discuss the Texas frontier, as does the later report of General Gaines (Streeter 1328). The two maps are were created prior to the map in the report of General Gaines, but they are similar in that they make the same error of showing the Texas frontier facing Louisiana and Arkansas as about half a degree too far west. They do not show the proposed railroads. Bound in blue cloth with leather label on spine, gilt lettering. Moderate to significant age toning throughout, otherwise fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1338. Wagner-Camp 72A. Graff 4432. Wheat 426, 427. Claussen and Friis 226.

Tejas Y Los Estados-Unidos De America, En Sus Relaciones Con La Republica Mexicana. Escrito Por El General Jose Maria Tornel. (Texas and The United States Of America, In Its Relations with the Mexican Republic. By General Jose Maria Tornel). Mexico: Impreso por Ignacio Cumplido, calle de los Rebeldes N. 2. (Printed by Ignacio Cumplido...) 1837. 98 pp. 12mo.

During his tenure as Secretary of War and Marine, General Tornel wrote this hasty review of Texas history with considerable venom, ending his diatribe with a plea for a vigorous continuation of the Texan war. Tornel firmly believed - and his belief was later proven - that the loss of Texas would mean the loss of New Mexico and the Californias.

As Mexican Minister Plenipotentiary to the United Sates in 1803, Tornel refused to issue passports in a vain attempt to halt the colonization of Texas. In this brief discussion, he analyzes the Texas Revolution, as well as American attempts to colonize Texas and the Californias. Of significant interest in this work is a report on Texas colonization contracts between 1825-1834. Bound in red half leather with blue cloth boards; gilt lettering at spine. Faint, even age toning throughout; in very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 932. Graff, Fifty Texas Rarities 18. Sabin 96208. Howes T302b. Eberstadt 114:790. Rader 3145.

Santiago Villegas and J. Gregorio de Llamas, Printed Broadside bearing their marks. One page, 8.5 x 12.75", Mexico, April 13, 1837, in Spanish, reading, in part: "SANTIAGO VILLEGAS, GOBERNADOR DEL DEPARTMENTO DE ZACATECAS A SUS HABITANTES, SABED...El Gobierno de acuerdo con el consejo, procederá á hacer efectiva la coloinacion de los terrenos que sean y deban ser de propiedad de la Repúplica, por medio de ventas, enfiteusis ó hipotecas, aplicando el impte (que en las primeras no deberá bajar e diez reles por acre) á la amoritzacion de la deuda nacional, contradia ó que se contrajere, reservando siempre lo bastante para cumplimiento do lo prometido á los militares que cooperation á la independencia, y para os premios y concesiones que decrete el congreso á favor de las tribus ó naciones ingígenas, y de los cooperadores al restabliecimento de Tejas..."

Quite rare. Not in Streeter. A Zacatecas bando printing of a broadside relating to land sales and usage in the aftermath of the Texas revolution. Originally issued by Joaquin de Iturbide, this decree affects land that the administration believes ought to remain in the hands of the Mexican Republic, including a discussion of territory promised to the military and indigenous peoples. Several very light and minor dampstains clear of text, a few minor marginal tears and pin holes, else fine condition, overall quite bright and clean with dark printing. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Journals of the Consultation held at San Felipe de Austn [sic], October 16, 1835, 54 pages, 5" x 8". Published by Order of Congress. Telegraph Power Press./500: Houston, 1838. "Austin" is misspelled in the title. Original blue and gold marbled wrappers. At a meeting of the citizens of Columbia held on August 15, 1835, it was resolved that "a consultation of all Texas, through her representatives is indispensable," and as a result of a call made on August 20th by the Committee of Safety of Columbia, the various municipalities elected delegates to such a consultation, to assemble at San Felipe on October 15th. On the 17th, the following resolution was adopted: "Whereas, there is not a sufficient number of members present to form a quorum of the consultation, owing to the members being absent in the army; therefore, Resolved, That the members present adjourn until the first day of next month..." This is on page five; page six begins "San Felipe de Austin, Nov. 1st, 1835." The Consultation endorsed the establishment of a provisional government, commissioners to the United States to lobby for financial assistance, established a regular army with two-year enlistments and U.S. Army regulations, and elected Sam Houston as commander with the rank of Major General. The last resolution, on page 54: "Resolved, That this house now adjourn to meet on the first day of March next..." The Convention of 1836 met on March 1st and, on March 2nd, approved the Texas Declaration of Independence. Minor printing defects. Light foxing throughout, faint shading on some pages, light wear to wrappers, especially at edges. Minor paper loss at edge and upper corner of end wrapper. Overall, in very good condition. Contemporary blue cloth folder in slipcase with gilt lettering "Texas Journal of Consultation - Houston 1838" on partial blue leather spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 245

Texas (Republic). War Department. Government of the Army of the Republic of Texas, Printed in Accordance with a Joint Resolution of Congress, Approved January 23rd, 1839... (Houston: Intelligencer Office, Printed by S. Whiting, [1839]). 187 pp. 12mo. Two engraved plates. [With]: Uniform of the Army of the Republic of Texas, Prescribed and Published by Order of the President, np, nd. 16 pp. First edition. Section from an 1864 government document concerning the Confederate States of America has been affixed to front endpaper. Original brown muslin covers; somewhat worn with occasional stains. Some interior pages show minor to moderate age toning and water stains. Contemporary tan cloth slipcase; leather label on spine with gilt lettering. This rare and desirable volume has triple appeal, as it is a fine piece of Texas military history, a wonderful exemplar of Texas printing, and a unique instance of early Texas bookmaking and bindery.

Reference: Raines, p. 127. Sabin 95057. Streeter 372: 9 copies-this count is for both issues; 3 copies of this issue. This muslin-bound volume represents one of the earliest examples of Texas bindery, and is one of only three known issues, all of which are located in Texas. Streeter also notes that: "These regulations were printed in compliance with a joint resolution of Congress, approved by President Lamar on January 23, 1839, that 1,000 copies be printed. Except for the section at the end, 'Uniform of the Army,' they follow closely the General Regulations for the Army of the United States, City of Washington, 1835."

John Scoble: Texas: Its Claims to be Recognised as an Independent Power, by Great Britain; examined in A Series of Letters. (London: Harvey and Darton, 1839). First edition. Octavo (8" x 5.25"). 56 pages. Printed wrappers. A bit of discoloring and soiling around spine, Previous owner's ink name on the front cover, else a very good, clean copy. Housed in a quarter calf over marbled boards folding case, lettered in blind on the spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1354

Bustamante's Apologia for Campaign Against Federalists, 75 pages, 6.5' x 9.75". Manifesto que el Ciudadano Anastasio Bustamante Dirige á sus Compatriotas, como General en Gefe del Ejército de Operaciones sobre Tamaulipas y demas Departamentos de Oriente, ("Manifesto that Citizen Anastasio Bustamante Directs to his Countrymen as the General in Chief of the Army of Operations on Tamaulipas and other Departments of the East"), México. Impreso por Ignacio Cumplido. 1839. Three table fold-outs. Ornate brown paper wrappers with national symbol of eagle and serpent on back wrapper. Both wrappers are chipped at the edges, mostly in bank areas. Lightly stained in the lower half of most of the pages; foxing throughout. Good condition. Housed in cloth covered four flap folder with gilt lettering on spine: "Bustamante Apologia for Campaign Against Federalists." This apologia by Anastasio Bustamante of his military campaign against the Federalists in northeast Mexico, from March to June, 1839, includes various documents relating to the Texan penetration on the Tamaulipas side of the Nueces River in the early part of 1839, and to a proposal by the Federalist leader Canales that the Federalists and Centralists cease their rivalry and unite to stop the Texans. One of the documents included is Texas Pres. M.B. Lamar's proclamation of February 1839 regarding opening trade with Mexican citizens along the Rio Grande. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 941

(Texas Revolution) Printed Circular signed "Tornel" in print. 2 pages, 5.5" x 8", Mexico, July 5, 1938. Headed "MINISTERIO DE GUERRA Y MARINA. SECCION CENTRAL. == MESA TERCERA. El Exmo. Sr. Presidente interino se ha servido dirigirme el decreto que sigue. El Presidente interino de la República Mxicana á los habitantes de ella, sabed..." The repeal of Jose Maria Tornel's decree of April 27, 1836 (Streeter 877) establishing a Military Legion of Honor. Scattered insect holes do little to detract from this very clean and bright document, overall very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter. Coleccion de Leyes, 1839--1840, p. 156.

[Broadside] General Mariano Arista: El Ciudadano Mariano Arista, General en Jefe de la Division Auxiliar del Norte, A Los Habitantes de Los Departamentos de Tamaulipas, Coahuila y Nuevo Leon. (Saltillo: Diciembre 12 de 1839). First edition. Folio broadside, 12.5" x 8.5". Housed in a four-fold cloth chemise and a quarter morocco slipcase, lettered in gilt on the spine. Attack on the traitor Canales.... Appeal for help in suppressing the revolt along the Rio Grande. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 943, locating only his copy. Yale Exhibition 116. Eberstadt 162-25.

Palmer Job Pillans: Government of the Army of the Republic of Texas, Printed in Accordance with a Joint Resolution of Congress, Approved January 23rd, 1839... (Houston: Intelligencer Office-S. Whiting, Printer), [1839]. 187 pp., two engraved plates. 12mo. [With]: Uniform of the Army of the Republic of Texas, Prescribed and Published by Order of the President. 16 pp. (including half title). 2 vols. in one, 12mo. First edition.

Streeter notes that the muslin binding was accomplished in Texas and is among the earliest examples of Texas binding of which he knows. In addition he states that: "These regulations were printed in compliance with a joint resolution of Congress, approved by President Lamar on January 23, 1839, that 1,000 copies be printed. Except for the section at the end, 'Uniform of the Army,' they follow closely the General Regulations for the Army of the United States, City of Washington, 1835."

This particular issue was owned by P.J. Pillans, who served as U.S. Army engineer surveying rivers and railroad right-of-ways in the South. In 1838, Pillans was commissioned to survey the right-of-way for a railroad from Charleston to Cincinnati, but before the project was completed moved to Texas. There, he was commissioned first lieutenant in the Army of the Republic of Texas and quickly promoted to captain. During this time, he was stationed at Galveston and involved in mapping the Sabine boundary. He also acted as a surveyor for the Mercer Colony. Inscribed "P.J. Pillans Capt. 1st Regt. T Army Houston Aug. 17 1839."

This is an outstanding collectible for those interested in Texas military history, Texas printing, and the history of bookmaking in Texas. This particular volume's original owner imparts additional value and desirability as a thoroughly unique Texana collectible. Housed in red half-calf case with raised bands and gilt lettering at spine. Original brown muslin cloth. Sections of moderate to significant age toning throughout, occasional foxing. There are three known copies of this volume, only one of which is in private hands. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 372 (9 copies - this count is for both issues; 3 copies of this issue located, all in Texas). Raines, p. 127. Sabin 95057.

[Broadside]: Valentin Canalizo: Noticia Extraordinaria. (Monterey: Agosto 21 de 1839). Folio broadside, 12.5" x 8.5". Housed in a quarter morocco four-fold case, lettered in gilt on the spine. Report from Canalizo to the Ministry of War on operations of the Federalist forces under Canales, together with a report from Colonel Francisco Gonzales Pavon dated August 18, 1839; The General en Gefe [Valentin Canalizo] reports that the Federalist rebels forced Pedro Lemus to surrender his command to Juan Pablo Anaya and that Lemus and his brother are marching into Texas. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 944 (Streeter Sale #370).

[Republic of the Rio Grande] Decree Signed "Jose Maria de Ortega" in type, one page, 8.5" x 12.25". Monterey, November 7, 1839. José Maria de Ortega was Commandante General of the Department of Nuevo Leon, a Mexican state bordering Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Texas. This decree begins, "Compatriots! The revolution that exploded last year in the villas of the North of Tamaulipas, invoking the restitution of the federal system, concluded at the borders of Lampazos and in one of the towns of Coahuila...They again appear in the villas commanding a force composed of adventurous Texans, of Indians of several tríbes and of Mexicans that no longer deserve the name..." Lampazos is a villa in Nuevo Leon. Federalist leaders in Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, and Coahuila wanted to break away from the centralistic government of Mexico and form a new confederation called the Republic of the Rio Grande. Antonio Canales Rosillo, Governor of Tamaulipas, raised a force of Texans, Indians, Mexican deserters, adventurers, and others to invade Mexico in a purported attempt to restore Federalism according to the 1824 Mexican Constitution. Streeter states that, in this decree, "Ortega denounces the Federalists as a mixed force of Texans, Indians and traitors, belittles their victory at Alcantra, and warns that unless the citizens unite to resist them they will end up like their compatriots in Texas who are treated worse than slaves." The particular action referred to in this decree took place near Alcantra Creek where Centralist Gen. Francisco González Pavón was forced to surrender because he had no water for his troops, and is known as the Battle of Alcantra (October 3-4, 1839). His command had been decimated in an action the previous day by a group of Canales' troops made up mostly of Texans and their recruits. Lightly soiled and archivally reinforced, with a small chip along left margin.

Reference: Streeter 945.2

[Texas Revolution] Printed Document Signed "Almonte" in print. 1 page, 6" x 8.25", Mexico, February 10, 1840 in Spanish bearing the text of a decree approved by President Bustamante on February 10, 1840 and promulgated the same day by Juan Nepomuceno Almonte (1803-1869) to award military decorations to those soldiers who distinguished themselves defending against the French during the Pastry War. It also recognized those who participated in the Texas campaign. Issued by the Ministry of War and Navy, the printed text bears a manuscript endorsement at bottom dated March 11, 1840 identifying the document as an exemplar. Very light creases, very bright and clean example, extremely fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 957.

Robert Mayo: Political Sketches of Eight Years in Washington; in Four Parts, With Annotations to each... by Robert Mayo, M.D., (Baltimore: Fielding Lucas, Jr. and others 1839). viii and (v)-216 pages, tall 8vo. , 2 folding leaves of facsimile between p. 124 and 125. Cloth, with printed paper label on spine: "Eight Years in Washington Part I." Half-title on page 51: Part the First. Sketches of the Duplicity of the Jacksonian Diplomacy. A bitter attack on Andrew Jackson with information about "the conspiracy of General Houston to dismember the Mexican dominions, and the connivance of President Jackson to give it effect." With Fragments of Jacksonism Alias Clandestine Van Burenism as Comprised in Supplementary Notes to the Third Edition by Jackson's Affidavit, signed on top of the cover page "Wm. Winton Seaton," co-owner of one of Washington's leading newspapers, the National Intelligencer, from 1812-1860, and Whig Mayor of Washington, D.C. 1840-1850. Title page: "The Affidavit of Andrew Jackson Taken by the Defendants on the Suit of Robert Mayo vs. Blair & Rives for a Libel, Analysed and Refuted..." by Robert Mayo, M.D., 23 pages, tall 8vo. (Washington, D.C.: Printed for the Plaintiff, 1840). "Mayo became acquainted with Houston in 1830, wormed from him and others the plans of the contemplated invasion of the Mexican province of Texas, the secret crypto graphical correspondence, etc., and then sent all his information to President Andrew Jackson. The burden of the work goes to prove that the President was in collusion with Houston and the other conspirators in the scheme to wrest Texas from the Mexicans" - Eberstadt. Mayo goes to some length to defend himself against charges that appeared in "The Globe" of Washington (published by Blair & Rives), and an affidavit by ex-President Jackson which stated that Mayo stole a letter relating to Houston's Texas schemes. Streeter states that "though Dr. Mayo was undoubtedly an officious busybody, he proves pretty well that the letter was given to him by the White House staff and not purloined." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Copper, Tobacco, and the Texas War. Pamphlet, Analisis e Impugnacion/del/Proyecto de Ley/Sobre/Amortizacion de la moneda de cobre, sobre con-/tratar la renta del tabaco, y sobre arbitrios para/la guerra de Tejas ("Analysis and Challenge of the Government Bill on Amortization of the Copper Currency, on Engaging the Income of Tobacco, and on Judgments for the War on Texas"), 21 pages, 5.25" x 7.25". Imprenta de J.M. Lara: Mexico, 1841. By Joaquin Lebrija and Ignacio de la Barrera, March 19, 1841. Streeter 965. The "war with Texas" was used by the Mexican government as a battle cry in their campaign for increased revenues. The methods proposed for such increases caused bitter debates. This pamphlet gives arguments, pro and con, only mentioning Texas in relation to expenses, such as a lack of funds for "the war of Texas and other preferred and recommendable attentions" and "to take care of...the army that marches against Texas and to be without resources to continue the aid." There is one handwritten correction in the text. This is one of about a dozen pamphlets printed at Mexico City from March to May, 1841, relating to expenses, which have "guerra de Tejas" or "Tejas" in their titles. Slight separation of the last three sheets at the binding. Overall, in very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 965

Pamphlet, La Verdadera a la Falsa Opinion Publica, sobre el proyecto Pendiente en el Senado, relativo á la amortizacion del cobre, administracion de la renta del tabaco y arbitrios para la guerra de Tejas, por un patriota. 15 pages, octavo, 4.5" x 7.75", (Mexico: Impreso por I. Cumplido, calle de los Rebeldes n. 2, 1841) in titled wraps. Dated at end April 12, 1841, and signed "Un Patriota", this pamphlet was part of a larger series of works concerning the proposal to the Mexican Congress early in the year 1841, by a group known as Comisiones Unidas de Hacienda y Tejas, of a law to help remedy the then deplorable state of Mexican government finances. Though the Federalist revolt under Canales, in which Texans were prominent, had been put down the previous fall and the Texan Santa Fe Expedition was not to start until June, the "war with Texas" was used by the Mexican government as a battle cry in their campaign for increased revenues. One tiny hole at bottom right, wraps evenly toned, else very good. From the Darrel Brown Collection.

Reference: Streeter 965 no. 7; Eberstadt 162:865

Reply to Lebrija and Barrera: Copper, Tobacco, and the Texas War. Pamphlet, Contestacion de la Empresa del Tabaco a la Réplica de los Señores Lebrija y Barrera, sobre el proyecto de ley Relativo a la amortizacion de la moneda de cobre, renta del tabaco, y arbitrios para la guerra de Tejas, ("Answer of the Tobacco Company to the Retort of the Gentlemen Lebrija and Barrera, To the Government Bill Relative to the amortization of the copper currency, income of tobacco, and judgments for the war of Texas"), 28 pages, 4.25" x 8". Impreso por Ignacio Cumplido: Mexico, 1841. Concerning the proposal of a law to the Mexican Congress by a group known as Comisiones Unidas de Hacienda y Tejas to help remedy the then deplorable state of Mexican government finances. Written by F.N. del Barrio on April 24, 1841, replying to the Maarch 19th pamphlet by Joaquin Lebrija and Ignacio de la Barrera, Analisis e Impugnacion/del/Proyecto de Ley/Sobre/Amortizacion de la moneda de cobre, sobre con-/tratar la renta del tabaco, y sobre arbitrios para/la guerra de Tejas. The "war with Texas" was used by the Mexican government as a battle cry in their campaign for increased revenues. Other than in the title of this pamphlet and in the title of the Lebrija and Barrera pamphlet del Barrio is criticizing, "Texas" is not mentioned at all. This is one of about a dozen pamphlets printed at Mexico City from March to May, 1841, relating to expenses, which have "guerra de Tejas" or "Tejas" in their titles. Blue wraps. Light foxing. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 865 no. 10; Eberstadt 162:57

Thomas J. Green: Journal of the Texian Expedition Against Mier; Subsequent Imprisonment of the Author; His Sufferings, and Final Escape from the Castle of Perote. With Reflections Upon the Present Political and Probable Future Relations of Texas, Mexico, and the United States. By Gen. Thomas J. Green. Illustrated by drawings taken from life by Charles M'Laughlin, a Fellow-Prisoner. (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1845). First edition. Octavo, 8.5" x 5.5". xiv, [15-17] 18-487 pages. Illustrated with eleven plates, including two plans (one of them folding), and with one of the plates used as a frontispiece. Handsomely bound in modern half brown morocco over marbled paper boards, spine in six compartments with five raised bands and lettered and tooled in gilt. Sprinkled edges. Green's first-hand account of the expedition against Mier, and the ensuing tragedy. Green and others led a retaliatory attack against Mier on the Rio Grande in 1842 and after failing were taken prisoner. The author describes the expedition, his imprisonment and eventual escape. Occasional light foxing and soiling, especially to the tissue guards and plates. A few small spots of soiling to the edges, else a very good copy. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Sabin 28562. Basic Texas Books 80. Dobie, page 55. Graff 1643. Streeter Texas 1581. Howes G371.

William Preston Stapp: The Prisoners of Perote, Containing a Journal Kept by the Author, Who was Captured by the Mexicans at Mier, December 25, 1842 and Released from Perote May 16, 1844. (Philadelphia: G.B. Zieber and Company.) [On verso of title:] C. Sherman, Printer, 19 St. James Street. 1845. First edition, 12mo, 164, 4 pp., ads, retains original front printed wrapper. Printed paper wrappers.

William Preston Stapp joined the Texas forces in October 1842 and was one of the members of the Texas expedition against Mier. He was taken prisoner in 1842 and released two years later. His narrative includes a chronology of events in Texas from 1836 to 1842, and accounts of the Dawson Massacre and the Vasquez and Woll expeditions. From the Collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1610. Graff 3949, Graff Fifty Texas Rarities: "The author was a member of Col. W. S. Fisher's party which was defeated by the Mexicans at Mier in 1842. The better part of the book is the author's account of the long march to Mexico City and his imprisonment in the castle of Perote. He was released after nearly two years through the intervention of his uncle, General Milton S tapp." Howes S-891, Howes-Hartley S-901. Jenkins Basic Texas Books, 197: "This was the first book to appear on the Mier Expedition; it is still one of the best. Stapp was a highly literate private soldier, observant and interested in what went on around him." Raines p. 194. Sabin 90483.

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Partially Printed Military Commission Signed, "A.L. de Sta Anna", one page, 10.5" x 17.25", Tacubaya, Mexico, August 20, 1853. Santa Anna, here titled "National Hero, Major General, Knight of Great Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, and as President of the Mexican Republic", confers upon Lieutenant D. Estevan Zamora a commission of "2nd Assistant of the Permanent Battalion of Grenadiers of the Guard of the Supreme". Affixed with embossed national seal and having seven endorsements on the verso. A large and impressive document with a bold, legible signature. One turned corner, minor splits along smoothed folds. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Adrian Woll: Expedicion Hecha en Tejas,
por una Parte de la 2.a Division del Cuerpo de Egercito del Norte. [Expedition Undertaken to Texas by a Unit of the Second Division of the Army of the Northern Corps] (Monterey: Impreso por Francisco Molina, 1842); 60 pp., Octavo. 2 folding tables.

An interesting account of Adrian Woll's capture of San Antonio in September, 1842, given in a collection of reports made by Woll to General Isidro Reyes, General en Gefe Ejercito del Norte [Commanding General of the Northern Army], dated from August 29 to October 11, 1842. These reports tell of his march from the Rio Grande to Bejar, that is present-day San Antonio, of his capture of the city on September 11, and of the engagement at the Salado on September 18.
At the beginning is Woll's proclamation to his troops dated Rio-grande [sic] Mayo 2 de 1842 (Streeter No. 979) and at the end, p. 56-60, are resolutions of congratulations passed in various towns south of the Rio Grande between October 15 and 26.
Court was being held at San Antonio the week of Woll's entry and on pages 20-21 is a list of the 52 Texans, including James W. Robinson and Judge Hutchinson, who were taken as prisoners. On pages 22-28 there is a day by day diary of the expedition for the period August 24 to September 10. On September 20 Woll began his withdrawal from San Antonio.

The imprint is bound in a large folio, ornate stamped binding that includes 54 documents and letters detailing the career of General Manuel del Frago (1834-1884). General del Frago served with distinction under Woll's command during this campaign and is mentioned honorably by Woll.

Highlights of the archive include:
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, DS, July 19, 1834, del Frago's Commission as Second Sub-lieutenant of the Active Company of the Artillery of Puebla, signed "Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna".
Miguel Barragan, DS, October 12, 1835. del Frago's Commission as Sub-lieutenant in the Sixth Company of the Brigade of Mounted Artillery, signed "M. Barragan".
Jose Justo Corro, DS as acting president of the Republic of Mexico, DS, April 17, 1837, del Frago's Commission as Ensign in the Fourth Company of the Brigade signed "Jose Justo Corro".
Anastasio Bustamante, DS, January 31, 1839, del Frago's Commission as Lieutenant of Third Company of First Brigade of Light Artillery, signed "Anastasio Bustamante".
Anastasio Bustamante, DS, March 12, 1830, del Frago's Commission as Lieutenant in the Sixth Company of the First Brigade of Light Artillery, signed "Anastasio Bustamante".
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, DS, November 3, 1841. Commission of Frago's brother, Rodrigo, Sub-lieutenant, Student of the Military College, Signed "Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna".
Jose Maria Tornel, DS, June 6, 1840. Permission from for four months leave as Lieutenant of the Brigade of Light Artillery, Signed "Tornel".
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, DS, September 7, 1842. Commission of Jose Maria Ruiz as Captain of Cavalry of the Active Militia, signed "Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna" and "Jose Maria Tornel".
Jose Maria Tornel, DS, January 4, 1843. The Cross of Honor awarded to del Frago for action on September 11 and 18, 1842, as a Lieutenant at San Antonio de Bejar and El Salado, signed "Tornel".
Map of the United States of America (Paris: J. Andriveau-Goujon, 1840), bottom half of original map (includes the Atlantic Coast from Virginia to Florida, West to East Texas, and northern Tamualipas).
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, DS September 7, 1853, del Frago's appointment to Command of Division of Light Artillery as Lieutenant Colonel. Signed "A. L. de Sta Anna".
A drawing of the Frago Family Tree.

Overall condition of the imprint and all documents is very good to near fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 989. Sabin 104992. Fifty Texas Rarities, #24; Graff 4731. Other extant copies of this imprint are at the following locations: Yale University; Bancroft Library at the University of CA; Private library of Everett D. Graff; University of Texas, Austin.

Reglamento Del Estado Mayor del Ejercito que debe operar sobre Tejas; formado por el Sr. General D. Lino J. Alcorta, y aprobado por el Supremo Gobierno de la Republica. ("Regulations Of The Chief of the Mexican Army exercising operations on Texas; formulated by General D. Lino J. Alcorta, and approved by the Supreme Government of the Republic.") First edition. Mexico: Imprenta de J. M. Lara, Calle de la Palma N. 4., 1844. 11pp.; bound in tan marbled calf; binding spine reads "Guerra de Texas - 1844" in gilt letters on maroon morocco. With original pink wrappers present, title reading: Reglamento del Estado Mayor del Ejercito que debe operar sobre Tejas. Imprenta de Lara. Chipping at top corners throughout, otherwise a clean copy in near fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1002 (locating only four copies): "This Reglamento is dated July 20, 1844, and is signed at the end by Alcorta and Valentin Canalizo, then general en gefe del ejercito del Norte. It was presented by Canalizo to the president, Santa Anna, and approved by him at Tacubaya on July 31, 1844."

[Circular] Decree to Hear Propositions For Treaty. [Mexico] May 17, 1845. Single sheet folded and printed on page 1, approximately 6.25" x 8.25". With heading: "Ministerio de relaciones exteriores, gobernacion y policia." Dated and signed in print at end. Being a decree of the Congreso General approved by José Joaquin de Herrera, president ad interim, on May 17, 1845, and promulgated the same day by Luis G. Cuevas, authorizing the government to hear the propositions made by Texas and to agree on a treaty, to be submitted to congress for its approval. After capturing Santa Anna in 1836, Texas began to push hard for independence from Mexico and later, annexation to the United States. This ongoing effort by the Texas Republic was not well accepted by Mexico, and bad relations continued between the two governments through the early 1840s. Many raids and attacks by Mexican troops and supporters were reported to have been waged against Americans living California and other Mexican provinces. Those who weren't killed outright were often enslaved or marched back to Mexico City and imprisoned, their lands confiscated. This decree was issued in a vain attempt to settle the annexation matter, but with the annexation of Texas in early 1845, war with Mexico became all but inevitable. Protected in a burgundy half-calf folder with burgundy cloth boards; raised bands and gilt lettering on spine. Minor age toning along right edge, otherwise clean and sharp. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1020. Dublan, Vol. V, No. 2822, p. 17.

General Adrian Woll Printed Document Signed in Spanish, 1.5 pages, 8.5" x 12.25", front and verso. Santa-Anna de Tamaulipas, June 9, 1853. Countersigned by Pedro Josè Peniche as secretary. Partially translated. In 1836, Adrian Woll was quartermaster general of Santa Anna's army in the invasion of Texas. After the Battle of the Alamo, Woll accompanied Gen. Joaquín Ramírez y Sesma who had orders to march with 725 men through Gonzales to San Felipe de Austin. Woll then became chief of staff to Gen. Vicente Filisola, second in command of the Mexican forces. Informed of Santa Anna's surrender, Filisola dispatched Woll to the Texan camp. On April 30th, Woll rode in under a truce flag and was detained. Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, commanding the Texan army, transferred Woll to Velasco, where he was given safe conduct to Goliad and released. During the summer of 1842, Woll received orders to invade Texas and capture San Antonio. Woll crossed the Rio Grande and entered San Antonio on September 11th. He was repulsed by Texan troops in the battle of Salado Creek and evacuated San Antonio on September 20th. When he returned home, the Mexican government hailed his Texas campaign as a success, promoted him to Major General, and awarded him its Cross of Honor. Woll later served under Santa Anna in the Mexican War. After Santa Anna returned to the presidency on April 20, 1853, he appointed Woll Governor and Commandant General of Tamaulipas. On May 25, 1853, President Santa Anna issued a decree to the people of Mexico relating to the crime of robbery which he sent to Woll. It appeared to relate to a recent occurrence. In this document, Woll imparts Santa Anna's edict to the people of Tamaulipas. In part "The law dated 8 April of the current year is declared valid - submits the crime of robbery to the military jurisdiction...The highway robbers that were apprehended red-handed and those that were not caught red-handed but caused death and heavy harm in the assault, will be judged very summarily... as penalty, it will be capital punishment to be dispensed and carried out in accordance with article 6... In no case recourse to mercy will be admitted for the highway robbers, whether caught red-handed or not..." Chipped at edges. Show-through on front from ink signatures on verso. Fine condition.

[Texas]: Two Brothers in Texas. [Five Manuscript Letters by One Francis Wheatley To Philadelphia Merchant Richard Ashhurst Relating To William H. Patton, Hero of San Jacinto]. [Hopkinsville, Ky. October 1832 - February 1834]. Five letters totalling twelve pages of text. Four measure 8 x 10 inches, one 8 x 12 inches. Faint fold lines. Quite clean. Very good. An intriguing manuscript account of the Texas emigration of William H. Patton, hero of the battle of San Jacinto, and his brother, Alexander Patton. The letters are written by Francis Wheatley, a business associate of the Pattons from their hometown of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to his Philadelphia business partner, Richard Ashhurst. Wheatley describes the Patton brothers' efforts to maintain various accounts established prior to their departure, and he includes a description of their westward emigration. William and Alexander Patton originally intended to head for Mississippi, but changed course for Texas, a decision that would have a profound impact on Texas history. Settling in Brazoria County near a place called Marion in March 1832, the brothers enjoyed three prosperous years of trading. In 1835, with war brewing, William Patton enlisted in the Army of Texas, and commanded a company at the seige of Bexar. As a major, he led a company at the Battle of San Jacinto, distinguishing himself so well that Houston remanded Santa Anna into his custody and selected Patton as one of several commissioners to escort Santa Anna to Washington. An important archive of letters, rich with details regarding the early Texas activities of one of her lesser-known heroes.

Reference: Handbook of Texas 5, pp.94-95.

William W.S. Bliss Manuscript Letter Signed "W.W.S.Bliss/Asst. Adj. Genl.," two pages, 7" x 9.5", front and verso. Head Qua[rt]ers, Army of Occupation, Corpus Christie, Texas, November 30, 1845. To Col. W.S. Harney, 2nd Dragoons, Commanding at Bexar, Texas. Bliss encloses a letter about "the recent seizures of a party of Comanches and also the line of buildings in Bexar...the General now directs that the buildings occupied by the troops in Bexar, with the exception of a hospital, and a storehouse if indispensable, be at once vacated, and that the Command be encamped at some position affording wood, water, and grass, from five to ten miles from town. In relation to part of your duties connected with Indian affairs," Bliss relates instructions given on October 15th: "'Reports alleging hostile intentions on the part of the Indians are always to be received with great cautio[n], and the Gen[era]l would deem it a great misfortune to embroil our government with any Indian tribe, without the most imperative necessity, resulting from our obligation to defend the settlement of Texas. In every case of alarm near you, the General directs that you dispatch a regular officer to inquire closely into the facts of the case, as great allowance must be made for the habitual exaggeration of frontier people on such subjects.'" During the Mexican War, Bliss was chief of staff to General Zachary Taylor, the General giving orders in this letter, and took an active part in the engagements of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Pahna, Monterey, and Buena Vista. In 1848, 33-year-old Col. W.W.S. Bliss married Mary Elizabeth Taylor, Gen. Taylor's 24-year-old daughter, and served as secretary to his father-in-law in the White House. The blank left margin has been trimmed. Two holes affect six letters of three words noted above. Trimmed. The letter is in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Albert Sidney Johnston Carte de Visite A fine image showing Albert Sidney Johnston (1802-1862) in the uniform of a Major General in the U.S. Army. No photographic backstamp, and trimmed at the bottom margin. Johnston's name is written twice on the verso, once in pen and once in pencil. After the death of his first wife, Johnston moved to Texas in 1836 and enlisted as a private in the Texas Army. Johnston quickly rose through the ranks and on December 22, 1838, he was appointed secretary of war for the Republic of Texas by President Mirabeau B. Lamar. In December 1839 he led an expedition against the Cherokee in East Texas. At the outbreak of the Civil War Johnston resigned his position as commander of the U.S. Army of the Pacific in California and went on to form the Confederate Army of Mississippi. Johnston was killed at the Battle of Shiloh.

Albert Sidney Johnston Army of Texas Honorable Discharge Signed "A. Sidney Johnston" as Secretary of War, one page, 7.5" x 3.25". Austin, January 8, 1840. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. In full, "This is to certify that D. Cooper Entered the Army of Texas on the nineteenth day of January 1836 and was Honorably Discharged. This certificate is given said claimant for the purpose of enabling him to obtain his Head right from the Hon. Board of Land Commissioners." [Houston: Printed at the Telegraph Office (Francis Moore), c.1837/1838]. The Telegraph was the first Houston newspaper. Dr. Francis Moore was the editor of the Telegraph from 1837-1854. The printed word "Houston" is lined through and replaced in manuscript with "Austin." Houston was capital of the Republic of Texas from April 19, 1837, until January 19, 1839 when Austin became the capital city. On December 22, 1838, Albert Sidney Johnston was appointed Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas by President Mirabeau B. Lamar, and in December 1839, he led an expedition against the Cherokee in East Texas. On March 1, 1840, Johnston returned to Kentucky. On April 6, 1862, Confederate General Johnston was killed while leading his forces at the Battle of Shiloh. Dillard Cooper traveled to Texas with Capt. John Shackelford's Red Rovers, landing at Copano Bay on January 19, 1836. Shortly thereafter, he was sent to join James W. Fannin's command. Cooper was slightly wounded at the battle of Coleto but escaped the Goliad Massacre. Browned waterstaining at left does not affect printing or manuscript. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Albert Sidney Johnston Autograph Letter Signed "A.S. Johnston," as Colonel 2d Cavalry Commanding Dept., two pages, 7.75" x 9.75", front and verso. Head Qrs Dept Texas, May 27, 1856. To Col. Samuel Cooper, Adjutant General, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C, In full, "For the information of the Secretary of War I have the honor to enclose Dept. order No. 64 of this date and also a copy of a letter of instructions to Lieut. R.E. Lee in connection therewith - The vigorous movements of the troops on this frontier, since the renewal of the depredations of the Indians in Feby. have had the effect to drive them back to their retreats on the Colorado & Brazos rivers, and although there have been no incursions of the Indians for predatory purposes for more than two months, I have thought it injudicious to suffer them to remain when they are quietly to arrange new plans for future annoyance of the inhabitants of the frontier - convinced of the hostile disposition of Sa-na-co's band of Comanches and from information derived from our scouts and also from the Superintendent [sic] of the Indians Dept. of Texas, that the greater portion of the robberies & murders on this frontier by Indians for some time past was done by Sa-na-co's band associated, perhaps, with northern Comanches, I consider the movement of the 2d Cavly. against them as absolutely necessary to the establishment of permanent security on the frontiers. The result of the operations ordered I do not doubt will go far to accomplish the object desired."

On December 22, 1838, Albert Sidney Johnston was appointed Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas by President Mirabeau B. Lamar and in December 1839 he led an expedition against the Cherokee in East Texas. During the Mexican War, he was Colonel of the 1st Texas Rifle Volunteers and served with W. O. Butler as Inspector General at Monterrey, Mexico. On December 2, 1849, Johnston became Paymaster in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the Texas frontier. He went to the Great Plains in 1855, and on April 2, 1856, he was appointed Colonel of the 2nd Cavalry. Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Lee was with Col. Albert Sidney Johnston's 2nd Cavalry regiment in Texas from March 1856 to October 1857 and again from February 1860 to February 1861. Soon after his arrival at San Antonio on March 27, 1856, Lee was assigned to command the two squadrons of the 2nd Cavalry at Camp Cooper on the Comanche reservation. On April 9th, he arrived at his post, which for the next 19 months he called "my Texas home." In June 1856, with four squadrons of cavalry from Camp Cooper and forts Mason and Chadbourne, Lee led a 1,600-mile expedition out to the foothills of the Llano Estacado and returned, scouting the headwaters of the Colorado, Brazos, and Wichita rivers. Most probably this expedition was in the "letter of instructions to Lieut. Col, R.E. Lee" Johnston mentions in this May 27th letter. The Texas legislature had passed a law in 1854 that established the Brazos Indian Reservation and also provided four square leagues of land, or 18,576 acres, for a Comanche reserve to be located at Camp Cooper on the Clear Fork of the Brazos in Throckmorton County. In compliance with the treaty of August 30, 1855, about 450 of the Penateka or southern Comanches settled on the reservation and were taught farming. Sa-na-co was the principal war chief of the southern Comanche. We now know that the Kickapoos and northern Comanche bands raided the settlements. The reservation southern Comanche received the blame. In fact, in this letter, Johnston blames Sa-na-co's band. Six years later, on April 6, 1862, the first day of the Battle of Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing, General Albert Sidney Johnston, commander of the Department of the West, was killed while leading an advance against a Union position. Very fine condition.

Albert Sidney Johnston Document Signed as Secretary of War Partially printed DS "A. Sidney Johnston", one page, 10.25" x 7.75", Houston, Jan. 5, 1839, although likely 1840 being that he served as Mirabeau Lamar's Secretary of War and Lamar was inaugurated President in December 1839. This document attests that "James M. Arnest, a private in captain Neils Company 1st Regiment... is hereby honorably discharged from the Army of the Republic of Texas". Johnston served in this capacity for less than a year. With wide margins and light even toning. Near fine condition.

Albert Sidney Johnston Autograph Letter Signed twice "A. Sidney Johnston/Secretary of War," one page, 8.75" x 11". War Department, February 15, 1839. To Col. [William G.] Cooke, C[o]m[mandin]g Gen[era]l. Sub[sistence]. In full, "You are authorized to pay thirty dollars to Wm W. Bell who is employed to go express to the upper Brassos, to enable him to prosecute his journey." After signing, Johnston continued, "The 1st auditor will issue his warrant for the above amount and charge the same to the Qr Master Genls Dept." Johnston signed again. In 1836, Pres. Sam Houston appointed William G. Cooke acting Secretary of War and, in 1837, inspector general, an office he held until July 31, 1837. Cooke then retired from the army because of ill health. He reenlisted in the army around October 1838 and received a commission as Quartermaster General of the republic. Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston was Secretary of War from 1838-1840. He was killed in the Battle of Shiloh in 1862, the highest ranking soldier, Confederate or Union, killed in the Civil War. A tiny ink burn, otherwise near fine.

William P. Miller Partly Printed Document Signed "William P. Miller/Col. Com. 2nd R R T.I.," one page, 7" x 6.25". Washington, January 2, 1837. In full "Know All Men by these presents that I, John H. Phillips born in the state of Maryland aged twenty four years, five feet seven inches high, of fair complexion, light eyes light hair, and by profession a farmer do hereby acknowledge to have this day voluntarily enlisted as a soldier in the army of the Republic of Texas, for the period during the War unless sooner discharged by proper authority; do also agree to accept such bounty, pay, rations, and clothing, as is or may be established by law; and I, John H. Philips do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Texas, and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Texas, and that I will serve her honestly and faithfully against all her enemies and opposers whomsoever, and that I will observe and obey the orders of the President of the Republic of Taxas [sic], and the orders of the officers appointed over me according to the rules and articles of War." Also signed "John H. Phillips." Ten months earlier, when Maj. William P. Miller and his Nashville Company of volunteers had anchored at the Texas port of Copano in late March 1836, they were captured by the Mexicans. Though also imprisoned at Goliad, Miller and his men were separated from Fannin's men and spared the massacre at Goliad. The men were taken to Matamoros as prisoners until freed by the terms of the Treaties of Velasco. A few months after his release, Col. Miller of the 2nd Regiment Texas Infantry has witnessed the enlistment of 24-year-old John H. Phillips of Maryland in the Texas Army to fight "during the War." Light soiling with show-through from docket on verso. Fine condition.

[Texas Army Recruitment] William Parsons Miller Partly-printed Document Signed "William P. Miller Col Com 2d R[egiment]. R[epublic of]. T[exas]. I[nfantry]." 1 page, 7" x 6", Vincennes, [Indiana], January 9, 1837. An enlistment form for Thomas McMurray "...born in the State of Kentucky aged twenty one years...by profession a Farmer do hereby acknowledge to have this day voluntarily enlisted as a soldier in the army of the Repubblic [sic] of Texas, for the period of During the War unless sooner discharged...I Thomas McMurray do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Texas and that I will serve her honestly and faithfully against all her enemies and opposer whomseoever, and that I will observe and obey the orders of the President of the Republic of Texas..." William Parsons Miller (ca. 1802-1862). The Irish-born Parsons arrived in Texas at the statert of the Revolution, bringing with him recommendations from the governor and other prominent citizens for an appointment in the Texas regular army. Miller returned to Tennessee to recruit volunteers for the Texas cause. He left Tennessee with seventy-five men and traveled to New Orleans, where they set sail for Copano, Texas (north of Corpus Christi). The battalion landed about March 20, and not knowing that the port had just recently fallen to General José de Urrea's Mexican force, they were captured. On March 23 Miller and his men were marched to Goliad and imprisoned with James W. Fannin, Jr.'s command, although kept apart from them. The batallion was spared from the Goliad Massacre because it had been taken without arms in hand. The men were taken to Matamoros as prisoners until freed by the terms of the Treaties of Velasco in May, 1836. Upon his return to Texas Miller was promoted to Colonel in Command of the Second Regular Regiment of Texas Infantry. Partial separation at folds as well as minor marginal tears and chips, very light and minor dampstain at bottom margin, else very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Texas State Library and Archives, Austin, Texas; Klein Collection of the History of Vincennes, Indiana. Vincennes University; Handbook of Texas ; Jenkins, The Papers of the Texas Revolution, vol. 8 [4232].

George Washington Poe Partly Printed Document Signed "Geo. W. Poe" as Acting Adjutant General and filled out in his hand. 1 page, 7.5" x 9.75", Washington, Dec. 15, 1835. An appointment by Sam Houston (whose name appears in print above Poe's signature) of Samuel Williams as a Captain in the "1st Regiment of Artillery in the regular Army of Texas, by the General Council." In the event that Williams accepted the appointment, he was to report "in person to the Officer in Command at the recruiting rendezvous of Matagorde for orders and instructions." Below, Poe has added a short postscript adding that "The writer begs leave most sincerely to congratulate Capt. Williams on his appointment..." Under the Provisional Government of Texas, Sam Houston is communicating the appointment of Samuel Williams to the rank of Captain in the 1st Regiment of Artillery. This is one of the first official acts by Houston in the newly created Texas Army. The Consultation at San Felipe, on November 1, 1835, had just drafted the "Articles On The Military" setting out that the "Major General, who shall be commander-in-chief, shall be appointed by this consultation". On November 12, The Texas Provisional Government names Sam Houston as Major General of the Texas Army.

On December 6 Houston delivered a letter to Henry Smith, Governor of Texas during the administration of the provisional government, urging "that [army] officers be appointed and a regiment of artillery be raised". The next day, December 7, 1835, the General Council "proceeded to ballot for Captains of Artillery", and Samuel Williams along with four others were duly elected Captains of Artillery.

Samuel Williams was a 1st Lieutenant of the Artillery attachment at the Siege of Bexar under Captain Thomas F. L. Parrot. Williams had proven himself very resourceful in the prior three months securing artillery supplies as far away as Mobile, Alabama. Col. James W. Fannin, in a letter dated 31 November 1835 to Governor Smith, recommended Williams along with Parrott as "Gentlemen with whom I have served, and who I believe to be entitled to your especial notice..." and adding that "Messrs. Parrot [and] Williams have as much, and probably more experience as Artillerists than any I can name to you,..." Williams continued to serve under Parrott until they both resigned in August 1836. At that time Williams submitted a list of amounts due him including "My pay as Captain of Artillery from 29th December 1835 to the sixth of August 1836". This claim was approved by Barnard Bee, War Dept, September 12, 1837.

George Washington Poe (1800-1844) was a career soldier. Born in Ohio, he moved to Texas in 1834 and in October 1835 was serving as a volunteer captain in the artillery branch, assigned to mounting the army's cannons. By November 6 he was with the artillery company engaged in the siege of Bexar. On December 15, 1835, he was acting Adjutant General of General Sam Houston's army with the rank of captain and was stationed at army headquarters. The Adjutant General is the channel through which are issued all orders emanating from the head-quarters of the army, and all regulations necessary to be communicated to the troops. By March 1836 Poe had been appointed assistant inspector general of the army and was commanding the 120-man garrison at Velasco. Many sources place him at the Battle of San Jacinto, but without certainty. He left the army in 1837 and died in Houston in 1844. With integral address panel on verso addressed to Williams. Light creases and very faint dampstains with light, even toning, else fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 86 for more information on these imprints. [Printed at San Pelipe de Austin by Baker & Bordens, 1835.]

Voluntary Enlistment of Kentuckian in the Army of the Texas Republic Signed "A. Neill captain/Commanding Station on Colorado" and "X" by Roland Richey, one page, 7.5" x 5.75". Colorado Station, December 25, 1836. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. [Columbia: Printed at the Telegraph Office, 1836.] In full, "Republic of Texas, Station on Colorado the Twenty fifth day of December 1836 I, Roland Richey born in Nicholas Co. in the state of Kentucky aged Twenty Six years, five feet nine inches high, of dark complexion, black eyes, black hair, and by profession a Farmer do hereby acknowledge to have this day voluntarily enlisted as a soldier in the army of the Republic of Texas, for the period of during the War unless sooner discharged by proper authority; do also agree to accept such bounty, pay, rations, and clothing, as is or may be established by law; and I, Roland Richey do solemnly swear that I will bear true allegiance to the Republic of Texas and that I will serve her honestly and faithfully against all her enemies and opposers whomsoever, and that I will observe and obey the orders of the President of the Republic of Texas, and the orders of the officers appointed over me according to the rules and Articles of war."

Colorado Station was also known as Station Colorado River and Post Colorado. Located on the lower Colorado River at Thomas Cayce's ferry near the site of present Bay City, Texas, in Matagorda County, the small army post was garrisoned from the latter part of November 1836 until June 1837 by a detachment of Permanent Volunteers, 30-40 men, under the command of Scottish-born Capt. Andrew Neill. Living in Mississippi, Neill moved to Texas in 1836 as captain of a company of volunteers under General Felix Huston, serving in the army until 1837. He practiced law for a brief time in Gonzales and then moved to Seguin, where he was an original shareholder in the town laid out in 1838. While trying a case in district court in San Antonio in the fall of 1842, he was captured by Adrián Woll and taken as a prisoner to Mexico. Neill managed to escape, traveled to Veracruz, sailed for New Orleans, and was back in Texas in January 1843. Uniformly toned. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Thomas Sypert Autograph Document Signed "Thomas Sypert/Col. Commanding/5th Regiment 2nd Brigade/Texas Militia" and "J.H. Evetts Lnt./Col. Texas Militia," one page, 8.25" x 9". Franklin, April 27, 1843. To William Young of the Republic of Texas, Brazas county. In full, "Having full confidence in your integrity, ability and patriotism, I do hereby appoint you Quarter Master Sergeant of the Fifth Regiment and Second Brigade of the Militia of the Republic of Texas, and you will be obeyed and respected as such. You are strictly enjoined to discharge with faithfulness, and to the best of your ability, the duties appertaining to your appointment as Quarter Master Sergeant."

Military records show that William Young was born in 1822. He enlisted about May 7, 1841. Texas had claimed a large area north and west of its boundaries, including a large stretch of the Santa Fe Trail, a lucrative trade route linking Missouri with Santa Fe. Proposed and organized by Texas Pres. M.B. Lamar, on June 19, 1841, a trading expedition set out from Austin, Texas, for Santa Fe, New Mexico. A military escort of several companies was organized, commanded by Hugh McLeod. Young was part of the military escort. The expedition of 320 men was captured by the Mexican army and was marched 2,000 miles to a prison in Mexico City. Young was released on or about June 13, 1842. The affair became the subject of a heated diplomatic controversy between the United States and Mexico because there were American citizens on the expedition. In 1843, by this letter, Young was appointed Quarter Master Sergeant in the Militia of the Republic of Texas. It took 12 years, but in 1853 he received compensation for the Santa Fe Expedition. For one year and three months salary plus the two horses he proved he lost, he was paid $350. Thomas Sypert and J.H. Evetts had served under Captain Eli Chandler and participated in the Somervell Expedition in 1842. Colonel Sypert was one of the panel of five military officers who participated in the 1844 court-martial of Texas Navy Captain Edwin W. Moore. The letter is stained and moldy with some lightening of text. Matted and framed to 17.5" x 26", it is in apparent good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Thomas Green Endorsement on the verso of a Partly-Printed Document Signed "B. T. Archer" as "Secretary of War. & Navy". 1 page, 8.25" x 6.5", Austin, February 5, 1841 being a certificate entitling William K. Simpson (deceased) "...to pay from the date of last payment to him, to 27th March 1836, as Private in Capt Wyatt's company of Tanner's Command...He entered the service of the REPUBLIC OF TEXAS on the Fist day of December 1835..." Green signs on the reverse as Simpson's designated receiver on behalf of the heirs to Simpson's estate.

Thomas Green (1814-64) military leader, was born in Virginia and moved to Tennessee in 1817. He left Tennessee to join the volunteers at the start of the Texas Revolution. Joining Isaac N. Moreland's company in early 1836, which operated the Twin Sisters cannons in the battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. A few days after the battle Green was commissioned a lieutenant; in early May he was made a major and aide-de-camp to Thomas J. Rusk. He resigned on May 30 to continue his law studies in Tennessee. When he returned to settle in Texas in 1837, he was granted land in reward for his army service and became a county surveyor at La Grange, Fayette County. He was elected engrossing clerk for the House of Representatives of the Republic of Texas, a post he held until 1839, when he represented Fayette County in the House of the Fourth Congress. After a term he chose not to run again and resumed the office of engrossing clerk. During the Sixth and Eighth congresses he served as secretary of the Senate. From 1841 to 1861 he was clerk of the state Supreme Court. When the United States went to war with Mexico, Green recruited and commanded a company of Texas Rangers in La Grange as part of the First Texas Regiment of Mounted Riflemen, led by John C. Hays. The Texans helped Zachary Taylor capture Monterrey, Nuevo León, in September 1846. After secession in 1861, Green was elected colonel of the Fifth Texas Volunteer Cavalry, which, as part of a brigade led by Gen. H. H. Sibley, joined the invasion of New Mexico in 1862. There Green led the Confederate victory at the battle of Val Verde in February. After a difficult retreat into Texas he led his men, aboard the river steamer Bayou City, to assist in the recapture of Galveston on January 1, 1863. In the spring of 1863 Green commanded the First Cavalry Brigade in fighting along Bayou Teche in Louisiana. On May 20 he became a brigadier general. In June he captured a Union garrison at Brashear City but failed to seize Fort Butler on the Mississippi. At Cox's Plantation he defeated a Union advance in July. In September the First Cavalry captured another Union detachment at Stirling's Plantation. A similar success followed in November at Bayou Burbeaux. In four victories Green's men inflicted about 3,000 casualties and suffered only 600. In April 1864 he led a division in successful attacks against Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks at the battle of Mansfield and against Maj. Gen. William H. Emory at the battle of Pleasant Hill. A few days later, on April 12, 1864, Green was killed on April 12, 1864 while leading an attack on federal gunboats patrolling the Red River at Blair's Landing.

Branch Tanner Archer (1790-1856). Branch Tanner Archer, legislator and secretary of war of the Republic of Texas. A professionally trained physician from Virginia, Archer arrived in Texas in 1831 and quickly joined a group in Brazoria agitating for independence from Mexico. He represented Brazoria at the Convention of 183v and participated in the battle of Gonzales in October 1835. In November 1835 he traveled to San Felipe as representative of Brazoria and there was elected chairman of the Consultation. He urged the members to disregard previous factional divisions and concentrate on what was the best course for Texas. Although he favored independence, he voted with the majority, who favored a return to the Constitution of 1824. The Consultation then selected Archer to join Stephen F. Austin and William H. Whartong as commissioners to the United States to lobby for financial assistance, collect supplies, and recruit men for the Texas cause. The three arrived in New Orleans in January 1836 and negotiated a series of loans that totaled $250,000. Then they proceeded up the Mississippi River, making numerous speeches before turning east for Washington, D.C. During their trip Texas declared its independence, on March 2, 1836. The three commissioners were unable to persuade Congress to support their cause and returned home. After arriving in Texas Archer worked for the election of Austin as president of the young republic. He also served in the First Congress of Texas and as speaker of the House during its second session. In Congress he and James Collinsworth sponsored a law establishing the Texas Railroad, Navigation, and Banking Company. Subsequently, Archer served as President Mirabeau B. Lamar's secretary of war until 1842. Moderate uneven toning and soiling, partial separation at horizontal fold and repaired on verso with tape, else very good. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Texas Army Bounty Land Certificate Signed "Geo W. Poe" as Acting Paymaster General, one page, 8" x 9.5". Columbia, December 3, 1836. Partly printed, completed in manuscript, certifying "that Robert Fletcher having served faithfully and honorably for the term of Six months from the Twenty Sixth day of May until Twenty Sixth day of November and being honorably discharged from Texas Army is entitled to Six Hundred Forty Acres Bounty Land..." [Columbia: Telegraph press. Printed by Gail Borden]. George W. Poe was named Acting Paymaster General on October 12, 1836, and charged with the responsibility for establishing a pay department for the Army of the Republic of Texas, which he based on that of the United States Army. At the funeral of Stephen F. Austin on December 29, 1836, he served as marshal and led the procession. Private Robert Fletcher of Owensville, Kentucky, served in the Madison Volunteers of Mississippi, General Green's Brigade, commanded by Capt. William E. Harreld. Three tape repairs at edge on verso show through in blank left portion. Small tears at blank right edge. Worn at folds. Overall, in very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Republic of Texas Land Bounty Document] Partly-printed Document Signed "B T. Archer" as Secretary of War and Navy. 1 page, 7.5" x 8.25", Austin, December 11, 1841 granting a land bounty of 320 acres to John Ingham for serving for serving three months in the Texas Army. John Ingram (1808-1896), was a soldier and farmer originally from Kentucky. He left Arkansas Territory in the fall of 1821 with Thomas J. Williams, Jesse Burnam, and James Gillaspie and reached the Brazos River on December 29, 1821. Due to the severity of the weather they camped there until spring. Then they pressed on to a spot on the Colorado River some twenty-five miles below the site of present La Grange. There Ingram helped Williams plant a crop of corn before returning in June to his guardian in Arkansas. When his guardian refused to allow him to return to Texas the next year, he ran away from home with William Rabb and James Gillaspie and made his home with Rabb's family in the colony of Stephen F. Austin. From that time until the Texas Revolution. Ingram was employed in farming and in almost constant battles with the Karankawa, Waco, Tonkawa, and Tawakoni Indians who menaced the colony. In a letter to Austin written on August 16, 1826, Ingram said that he had "been one of the first settlers in this Colony, and ha[d] never been backward in doing a soldier's duty." In September 1835, he enlisted with Col. John H. Moore's command and in October 1835 fought against Gen. Martín Perfecto de Cos's cavalry at the battle of Gonzalez and served with great distinction at the siege of Bexar. In 1836 he and three others volunteered to guard the Atascosito Crossing of the Colorado River to prevent the Mexican army from crossing below Sam Houston's army. Ingram led this party through the night and returned the next day to report to Houston.

Another John Ingram arrived in Texas in 1834 and was granted a league and a labor of land in 1838 by the Board of Land Commissioners for Jasper County. This Ingram served as a first lieutenant with Capt. Martin B. Lewis's company (Jasper Volunteers) from November 16 to December 13, 1835, and was present with this company at the siege of Bexar. He may have been the J. Ingram listed as a member of Capt. William R. Carey's artillery company, which was at Bexar in February 1836 under the command of Col. James C. Neill. On July 16, 1836, as a resident of the District of Jasper, Ingram enlisted as a captain for three months with the First Regiment, First Brigade of Volunteers, commanded by Col. Edwin Morehouse; on September 9 he was furloughed for the remaining thirty-six days of his enlistment. Imprint from the Intelligencer office at Houston. Laminated, dampstains at right margin, slightly toned at weak folds, reinforced on verso. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Ex: From the library of Ford Mitchell Sale

The Texian Grand March, apparently seven pages, 9.75" x 12.75". Firth & Hall: New-York, 1836. Engraving on the cover page, 8" x 5.75", depicting a wounded Gen. Sam Houston accepting Gen. Santa Anna's sword. Lithographer identified as "Swett" above the title. Beneath the engraving:: "The Texian Grand March/for the Piano Forte/Respectfully dedicated to/Genl. Houston/and his brave Companions in Arms/by/Edwin Meyrick/New-York/Published by Firth & Hall, 1 Franklin Square/Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1836, by Firth & Hall in the Clerk's Office of the district court for the 5th Dt. of N. York." Published after April 21, 1836, the date of the Battle of San Jacinto. Mounting strip at left edge, lightly soiled. In apparent fine condition. Affixed to a 14.5" x 19" white board. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1171B

Convention Between Her Majesty And The Republic Of Texas, Containing Arrangements Relative To Publick Debt. Presented to both Houses of Parliament, by Command of Her Majesty, 1842. London: Printed by T.R. Harrison, St. Martin's Lane. Dated and signed in print at end: "Done at London, the fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty. (L.S.) Palmerston (L.S.) J. Hamilton." Four-page folder, approximately 8.25" x 13". First edition.

One of three important treaties with Great Britain which led to the Republic's eventual peace with Mexico and ultimate annexation to the United States. As noted in Eberstadt: "In this Convention England offers to mediate a treaty of peace between Texas and Mexico, Texas agreeing to assume one million pounds sterling of the Mexican foreign debt if such a treaty be concluded within six months."

Hamilton successfully negotiated three treaties with Great Britain, and although they were signed in November 1840, the provisions of the treaties would not be put into effect until July 1842. Housed in a burgundy half-morocco folding case with marbled boards, raised bands and gilt lettering at spine. Light marginal browning, else in very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1415, 1416, 1417. Eberstadt, Texas 162:842. The three treaties are discussed in "Diplomatic Relations of England and the Republic of Texas," Texas State Historical Association Quarterly for July, 1905. The text of the Convention is in Gammel, Volume II, pages 886-888.

Treaty Between Great Britain and Texas for the Suppression of the Slave Trade Six pages, two-sided, folio. London: Printed by T. R. Harrison, [1842]. Treaty Between Her Majesty And The Republick Of Texas, For The Suppression Of The African Slave Trade. First edition. A pristine first edition with immaculate edges and corners. Contemporary half-leather case with marbled boards and gilt lettering at spine.

In the fall of 1838, Sam Houston sent James Pinckney Henderson abroad to seek recognition of Texas by England and France. Because France was at war with Mexico at the time, it was amenable to signing a treaty recognizing Texas independence (September 25, 1839). England was unwilling to stand idly by while France gained influence and trade privileges in Texas, so it, too, agreed to support a treaty recognizing Texas independence. It is no small coincidence that England was currently facing hostilities over her claims in Oregon and the controversial Pacific Northwest boundary - she needed a supply of cotton if war came - so Britain was happy to offer her support to the fledgling Republic.

In the fall of 1840, Lord Aberdeen announced that Her Majesty's government would recognize Texas independence, and on November 13-16, three treaties were signed that dealt with independence, commerce and navigation, and suppression of the African slave trade. A month earlier, on September 18, Texas had concluded a treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation with the Netherlands. The three treaties with England were not ratified until December 1841, soon after Houston's election for a second term to the Texas presidency. Houston named Ashbel Smith minister to Great Britain and France and sent James Reily to represent Texas in Washington, D.C., instructing both men to get the three nations to exert pressure on Mexico for peace and recognition. Housed in a contemporary half-leather case with marbled boards and gilt lettering at spine. Pristine first edition with immaculate edges and corners. Extremely desirable! From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1416.

Treaty Of Commerce And Navigation between Her Majesty And The Republick Of Texas. Presented to both Houses of Parliament, by Command of Her Majesty, 1842. London: Printed by T.R. Harrison, St. Martin's Lane. Dated and signed in print at end: "Done at London, the thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty. (L.S.) Palmerston (L.S.) J. Hamilton." Six-page folder, approximately 8.25" x 13". First edition.

The financial demands of operating a Republic while fighting a war with Mexico were bound to shape Texas' foreign policies. Originally commissioned by Sam Houston to negotiate a $5 million loan, Hamilton traveled abroad and began seeking financial backing for the Republic. In London he drew up three treaties: one providing for British mediation in the Texas-Mexico hostilities, one calling for the suppression of the slave trade, and this one, concerned with commerce and navigation. Hamilton negotiated this treaty with Viscount Palmerston, which when ratified by both countries, marked the formal recognition of Texas by England. Although signed in November 1840, these treaties did not go into effect until July 1842.

Aged toned overall, with somewhat fainter toning at edges, indications of having been matted/framed at one time. Protected in a dark green cloth case with raised bands and gilt imprints at spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1417: "This treaty... has the customary provisions for carrying on trade between the two countries." (7 locations). Eberstadt 162:843.

An Act For Carrying Into Effect The Treaty Between Her Majesty And The Republic Of Texas For The Suppression Of The African Slave Trade [At end:] London: Printed by George E. Eyre and Andrew Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. Dated April 11, 1843. 180 pages, 7.5" x 11.5". Caption title preceded by a beautiful woodcut of the royal arms, and the heading "Anno Sexto Victoriæ Reginæ. Cap. XV."

As long as the Republics of Mexico and Texas remained in a state of war, Texas could not enjoy the full benefits of independence, and diplomatic relations with other nations were hampered by Texas' equivocal status. In hopes of speeding annexation to the United States, President Sam Houston designated General James Hamilton a "Commissioner on the part of said Republic to treat with any Commissioner Agent or Minister which may be duly appointed by the Republic of Mexico to negotiate for Amity , peace, and boundaries with the Republic of Texas, aforesaid, and to open said negotiation either at London or elsewhere, either through the intervention of Her Britannic Majesty's Government or of any other power which he may select for that purpose."

Hamilton successfully negotiated three treaties with Great Britain: one of commerce and navigation, one providing for British mediation in the Texas-­Mexico peace negotiations, and this one, calling for the suppression of the slave trade. Although signed in November 1840, various delays postponed the ultimate adoption of the treaty until July 28, 1842.

In 1845, the governments of Great Britain again intervened in an attempt to broker a permanent peace between the two Republics. Their negotiations were successful and President Anson Jones was able to present both the United States' Joint Resolution to Annex Texas and the treaty terms with Mexico to the Congress of the Republic and to the Annexation Convention. Pages 165-176 reprint the text of the treaty. Housed in a black half-calf case with burgundy cloth boards and gilt lettering on spine. Bright, clean, and sharp; in very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1456, 1416.

David G. Burnet Autograph Letter Signed "David G. Burnet" as President of Texas, one page, 6.5" x 7.75". Executive Department, Republic of Texas, Port of Galveston, April 25, 1836. To Col. W.D.C. Hall. In full: "You are requested to accept the appointment and to perform the duty of Secretary of War pending the absence of Col T.J. Rusk who is now with the army. Your acceptance will confer a favor on Your obt Servt." Integral leaf addressed by Burnet "To Col/W.D.C. Hall." David G. Burnet served as President ad interim of Texas from March 16-October 22, 1836 when Sam Houston was inaugurated as first President. When informed that the Alamo had fallen and the Mexicans were moving eastward, Thomas Jefferson Rusk, Burnet's Secretary of War, helped him move the government to Harrisburg. After the Goliad Massacre on March 27th, Burnet sent Rusk with orders for Gen. Sam Houston to make a stand against the enemy. Rusk participated with bravery in the defeat of Santa Anna on April 21, 1836, in the Battle of San Jacinto, just four days before Burnet wrote this letter. Warren D.C. Hall, appointed Adjutant General by Burnet, accepted this appointment and acted as Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas while Rusk was with the army. Hall held the rank of Colonel and commanded the post at Velasco until May 26th, after independence had been won at San Jacinto. During most of his tenure as President, Burnet maintained the seat of government at Velasco. Usual mail folds present; boldly penned and in fine condition.

David G. Burnet Autograph Letter Signed "David G. Burnet" as Vice President of Texas, two pages, 8" x 10", front and verso. Houston, January 25, 1839. Accompanied by 8" x 10" leaf addressed by Burnet to "Andrew Neill Esq/Atty at Law/San Antonio." In full, "I avail myself with pleasure of your kind offer to attend to my law certificate. Some months ago I committed my own head right for a league and labor and a certificate issued to a Mr. Hammiken and assigned to my infant son William E. Burnet for 640 acres to Mr. Trimble for location. He told me some time ago that he had located both certificates on the San Christoval - but no returns have been made at the office and I am somewhat anxious about it. I am an old settler in Texas and have been traduced as a speculator - but I have not yet a title for one league of land in the County. You will confer a particular favor upon me by inquiring into the condition of these certificates and if possible facilitate their location and the return of the surveys. The accompanying pamphlets contain a reprimand which my duties in the Senate constrained me to administer and also my address to the Senate on taking my seat - you will please distribute these among your friends in the West - it is late - near midnight and I write in great haste." Burnet adds, "Address to me at this place."

Burnet was elected provisional president of Texas and served from March 16, 1836 until Sam Houston's inauguration on October 22, 1836. He was President Mirabeau B. Lamar's Vice President from December 10, 1838 to December 13, 1841. Head right grants were issued to individuals by Boards of Land Commissioners in each Texas county. A First Class Head right was issued to those who arrived before March 2, 1836. Heads of families received one league (4,428 acres) and one labor (177.1 acres). Major William E. Burnet, his sole surviving son, was killed on March 31, 1865, at the battle of Spanish Fort, near Mobile. David G. Burnet enclosed pamphlets in his letter to Neill containing "a reprimand." This was the reprimand Burnet, as President of the Senate, delivered by order of the Texas Senate on January 13, 1839 to Sen. Robert Wilson from Harrisburg for having made "most profane and objectionable statements" in the Senate on December 26, 1838; he was expelled as a result. There were also pamphlets of his "address to the Senate on taking my seat." This was his address to the Senate on December 12, 1838 the day he took his seat as presiding officer. He asks Neill to distribute these among his friends in the West, meaning the area around San Antonio. Scottish-born Andrew Neill served in the Texas Army in 1836 and 1837. He practiced law for a brief time in Gonzales and then moved to Seguin, where he was an original shareholder in the town laid out in 1838. George Hammeken was granted a charter from Texas to build a railroad from Galveston Bay to the Brazos River. He later became president of that road, the Brazos and Galveston, and a landowner at Austinia, the town planned as the principal office of the company. The letter, in apparent fine condition, has two holes just nicking letters in three words. Lightly toned, there are remnants of a mounting strip at the right edge of the second page. There is also slight show-through on each page. The second (signature) page is matted with a color photocopy of the first page and framed to 28.5" x 28.25". The original address leaf, in fine condition, is present in a pocket affixed to the verso of the frame. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 344.

Sam Houston Autograph Letter Signed "Sam Houston" as President of Texas, four pages, 8.5" x 11", front and verso. Columbia, Texas, February 22, 1837. To his cousin, John H. Houston. John lived in Washington, D.C., working in the Jackson administration. He begins this letter "My dear Houston." In part, "E're this you have had the 'Lyon of the day' with you, and doubtless you were in company with him. I trust some good may have resulted to our country for the course which I adopted in relation to him. The world here are all agog to know what has transpired in Washington between Genl Jackson & Genl Santa Anna. Something doubtless of great importance to the citizens of each country. You cannot come to me for the present but I hope at some day to see you with my dear Cousin Gertrude, Sweet Mary, and all the little ones in our 'fairy land.' Should we have peace there is no region on this Globe where I would so soon see my friends located as in Texas. It is extensive and it is adaptable to every pursuit or employment. The soil, the climate, the atmosphere, the water, and every variety of productions will insure to those who transfer a moderate fortune to this country, boundless wealth and every comfort which a national existence can anticipate or require, I have never held out lures to my friends to emigrate who had families because you will know that I foresaw the present crisis and wou'd not be uncandid nor unkind to my friends. I hope the storm will soon pass over, and the sunshine of peace illumine our way while our children will watch in pleasure around the peaceful hearths of their anxious Parents. Jack! I have none of these small cares nor do I anticipate them shortly. By the bye, Mrs Houston spent the winter of 35 in the city. Why did you never write to me at length about this matter and tell me all the news? You are an idle fellow and if we ever meet I will have to give you a fair Lot in the 'City of Houston' Provided you will improve it handsomely and --- live on it!...This evening I intend to write to Major Lewis for whom I do feel most kindly and affectionately. The interest which he has taken in behalf of Texas as well as in my individual behalf has placed me under eternal obligations, and I wou'd have written to him much but for great perplexity, and a want of time! You will not fail to commend me to him and the Venerable Old Chief as well as the President and Vice President elect! Give cousin & Mary a brother & a fathers kisses and all the cousins. When you write to Phila my regards to Dr and Madame Nancrede with Sam! Salute all my friends with affection...Tell Mary to puff our land, and if we have peace it is worth $50 per acre...Very truly yr affectionate Kinsman." In a postscript along the blank left edge on the first page, Houston has penned "Dear Friend, I have this moment heard of the death of the Excellent Mrs. Nancrede! H."

John H. Houston and Gertrude Truxton, daughter of Commodore Thomas Truxton, were married in 1825. Their daughter, Mary Truxton Houston, was born in 1826. Their son, Sam Houston, was born in 1827. Gertrude's sister Cornelia had married Dr. Joseph G. Necrede in Philadelphia in 1822. They had no children. They adopted Sam Houston and renamed him Samuel Joseph G. Necrede. Gertrude and John H. Houston had another four daughters and two sons. The "Mrs. Nancrede" mentioned in the postscript of this letter was Dr. Nancrede's mother. Major William B. Lewis, a staunch supporter of Texas, was President Jackson's longtime friend and advisor; he had served as Second Auditor of the Treasury since 1830. The "Venerable Old Chief" was, of course, President Jackson and the President and Vice President elect were Martin Van Buren and Richard M. Johnson. They would be sworn in 10 days after Houston wrote this letter. He refers to the "City of Houston" which was founded just six months earlier. The Texas Congress chose Houston to be the temporary capital of the republic and the government moved there from Columbia in April 1837.

On July 4, 1836, Mexican Pres. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna wrote Pres. Jackson from Columbia, Texas, that "The chances of war, made inevitable by circumstances, reduced me to the condition of a prisoner, in which I still remain...The disposition evinced by General Samuel Houston, the Commander-in-chief of the Texian Army...for the termination of the war - the decision of the President and Cabinet of Texas in favor of a proper compromise between the contending parties, and my own conviction, produced the conventions of which I send you copies enclosed..." Santa Anna desires to return to Mexico under the terms of the conventions but incidents in his country opposed to the ending of the war have made it impossible. "The continuation of the war, and of its disasters, is therefore inevitable, unless the voice of reason be heard, in proper time, from the mouth of some powerful individual. It appears to me that you, sir, have it in your power to perform this good office, by interfering in favor of the execution of the said convention, which shall be strictly fulfilled on my part. When I offered to treat with this Government, I was convinced that it was useless for Mexico to continue the war..." The conventions referred to were the Treaties of Velasco drafted on May 14, 1836. Santa Anna's letter was forwarded to Pres. Jackson by Texas Pres. Sam Houston who undoubtedly read it. Houston also enclosed his own letter. In his September 4th reply, Jackson wrote "The great object of these communications appears to be to put an end to the disasters which necessarily attend the civil war now raging in Texas and asking the interposition of the United States in furthering so humane and desirable a purpose...In reference, however, to the agreement which you, as the representative of Mexico, have made with Texas, and which invite the interposition of the United States, you will at once see that we are forbidden, by the character of the communications made to us thro' the Mexican Minister, from considering it. That Government has notified us that, as long as you are a prisoner, no act of yours will be regarded as binding by the Mexican authorities...If, however, Mexico should signify her willingness to avail herself of our good offices in bringing about the desirable result you have described, nothing could give me more pleasure than to devote my best services to it...

On November 22, 1836, Santa Anna informed the Mexican Minister of War that he had obtained his liberty and was going to Washington. Houston freed Santa Anna on the condition that he pay a visit to Pres. Jackson. He arrived in Washington in January. The N. York Journal of Commerce reported from Washington on January 26th that "General Santa Anna's business with the President has, after several conferences, been brought to a conclusion...A vessel of war was ordered last night to be fitted out for Vera Cruz immediately. It is intended to send a special Minister to Mexico with an offer of our mediation in the Texian contest and to allow the Mexican President to take his passage in the same vessel." The Connecticut Courant reported on March 25, 1837 that "Santa Anna arrived at Vera Cruz on the 21st February, where he was received rather coldly. He addressed the citizens, and stated that his deliverance was entirely owing to the liberal feeling of Gen. Houston. He then left for his estate...Santa Anna's term of Presidency expires on the 1st of April; it appears, however, that he will not repair to the capital to fill the station for the short unexpired term." On March 11, 1837, Santa Anna wrote his Minister of War "There were three powerful reasons for my journey to Washington, two of which were, as a matter of fact, essential, while the third was one of public convenience. It was necessary not to alarm the Texans but rather to try to confirm the opinion of my willingness to favor their plans. It was neither safe nor prudent to go to New Orleans where I would expose myself to being subjected to new insults, since that port has been the center of activity for the rebellious colonists. I could not return directly to Veracruz because there was no communication between that port and the rest of Texas. Lastly, it was very expedient that I could approach the cabinet at Washington to observe at close range its real attitude towards Texas and towards us. The six days of my stay there were used for this purpose. General Jackson expressed to me his desire of continuing the friendly relations that bind the two nations; and very kindly furnished me transportation in a war vessel."

A truly extraordinary letter of Sam Houston extolling the virtues of living in Texas "should we have peace," anxiously awaiting word on what "transpired in Washington between Genl Jackson & Genl Santa Anna," offering to give his cousin "a fair Lot in the 'City of Houston,' and concluding with regards to Andrew Jackson, "the Venerable Old Chief, as well as the President and Vice President elect." Written just a day before the first anniversary of Santa Anna's entry into San Antonio and the first day of the siege of the Alamo, the letter has been expertly repaired, mostly in blank areas, with archival tissue. It is in very fine condition.

Sam Houston Land Scrip Document Signed "Sam Houston" as President of Texas and "Henry Smith" as Secretary of the Treasury, one page, 9.75" x 15.5". Columbia, December 20, 1836. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. Columbia, Telegraph Print. In part, "Be it known That I, Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas, by virtue of the authority vested in me by joint resolution of both houses of Congress and passed into law on the tenth day of December, eighteen hundred and thirty-six, which authorizes and requires me to issue to Thomas Toby of New Orleans, Land Scrip in the amount of five hundred thousand acres, as the recognized agent of this Republic, and in the discharge and fulfillment of obligations attendant thereon. Therefore, I, Sam Houston, President as aforesaid, in compliance with the provisions of the above recited act, do declare that Thomas Toby or his Legal representatives, are entitled to Three hundred and twenty acres of the public domain of Texas..." 320 acres had been the amount of land allocated to single men settlers. On May 24, 1836, a company formed by New Orleans businessmen Thomas and Samuel Toby, Toby and Brother Company, was made the purchasing agent for the Republic of Texas. Toby and Brother was appointed general agent of Texas on June 10, 1836. The firm was also commissioned to sell 500,000 acres of Texas land at a minimum of fifty cents an acre. The appointment was formally accepted on June 30, 1836, and set up subagents in Louisiana, Baltimore, and New York to sell the land scrip. While serving as agent, the company disposed of 940,761 acres for cash or credit. This Land Scrip is particularly desirable because it was sold to Thomas Toby personally. Remnant of wax seal at lower left touching "H" of "Henry." "X" cut cancellations pass through both signatures, not materially affecting their appearance. The document was folded before the wax cooled resulting in a tear and minor paper loss at the upper left. Light toning. Slight separation at edges of folds and small tear at lower edge. Light offset. In apparent fine condition. Matted and framed to 19.5" x 30.5". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Sam Houston Land Scrip Document Signed "Sam Houston" as President of Texas and "Henry Smith/Secy of Treasury," one page, 9.5" x 15.5" (area visible). Columbia, December 12, 1836. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. Columbia, Telegraph Print. In part, "Be it known That I, Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas, by virtue of the authority vested in me by an act of the general congress of this Republic, entitled an act establishing an agency in the city of Mobile, bearing date the tenth day of December, eighteen hundred and thirty-six, which act authorizes and requires me, to issue to DAVID WHITE, as the said agent, a sufficient quantity of Land Scrip, in conformity with the object of the bill establishing such agency. Therefore, I, Sam Houston, President as aforesaid, in compliance with the provisions of the above recited act, do declare that _____ Legal representatives, are entitled to Three hundred and twenty acres of the public domain of Texas..." 320 acres had been the amount of land allocated to single men settlers. During the first weeks of Sam Houston's first term as President of the Republic, he had to find solutions to sustain its credit and to provide funds for its own support. One of the solutions was to sell Land Scrip certificates. These certificates, typically representing 320 or 640 acres, were sold for a minimum of 50 cents per acre and entitled the purchaser to claim available Texas lands. On December 10, 1836 an act was passed creating an agency in Mobile, Alabama, naming David White agent for the sale of land scrip. In part, "Be it further enacted, That David White of the city of Mobile, is hereby made the agent of the government of Texas. The said agent be and is hereby fully authorized to dispose of land scrip at not less than fifty cents per acre; the proceeds of which shall be applied exclusively to the benefit of this government." According to the act, he was to be issued $100,000 of scrip. In a letter from White, dated January 1837, he acknowledges receiving 169 certificates of 320 acres each and 247 certificates of 640 acres each. This made a total of 212,160 acres, and at 50 cents per acre this would be valued at $106,080. The act also provided that he should make monthly reports of all transactions touching the agency, and fixed his compensation at five per cent on all moneys received and two and one-half per cent on all disbursements. Partially cracked wax seal at lower right. "X" cut cancellations pass through both signatures, not materially affecting their appearance. The document was folded before the wax cooled resulting in a stain in a blank area in the upper right. Folds. On verso is a Manuscript Document Signed "David White Texas Agent." In full, "For value received I hereby transfer assign and set over all the right title and interest which [this] scrip gives me to the Lands herein named to Edward Hall of Texas or his legal representatives. New Orleans March 25, 1837." The verso of the cracked seal affects some of the text. Edward Hall was Texas purchasing agent at New Orleans. He was also an artist. Folds, with tiny slits in the mid-horizontal fold. In apparent fine condition. Matted and framed under glass, on both sides, to 13" x 19.25". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Broadside] Executive order signed by President Sam Houston and Secretary Of State Robert A. Irion commissioning J. Walker to the office of Justice of the Peace in Washington County. [Colombia or Houston] [Telegraph Press] June 12, 1837. [With heading:] In The Name And By The Authority Of The Republic Of Texas. One page, approximately 7.5" x 10". Signed and dated at end: Sam Houston, R A Irion, City of Houston, Twelfth day of June A.D. 1837. Both signatures are bold and vibrant, Houston's being particularly large and decorative.

This partly printed form, used to commission an elected Justice of the Peace, is one of the first municipal actions made by Sam Houston during the early days as President of the newly born Republic of Texas. It names "J. [James] Walker as Justice of the Peace... in the county of Washington..."

In December 1836, an Act Organizing Justices' Courts was passed providing ". . . there shall be elected, by the qualified electors of each militia captain's district, two justices of the peace for their respective districts, who shall be commissioned by the president, and shall hold their offices for a period of two years" (Laws Of The Republic Of Texas, Volume 1, p. 141, Section 1). At about the same time (December 10, 1836), the Republic of Texas adopted its official seal, composed of a star with the words "Republic of Texas" written in a circle around the star. This document brings those elements together in one rare decree.

Signed by Houston and Irion just a few days after the city of Washington [on-the-Brazos] was officially incorporated (June 5, 1837) and became the first county seat. The first county elections were held in February 1837, and James Walker became one of the first two Justices Of The Peace in Washington County under the first laws of the Republic. (Republic of Texas Election Returns, Texas State Archives). The document bears a faint impression of the first seal of the Republic, making it all the more desirable.

This is Walker's copy of his commission, showing light age toning overall. Small section of paper loss at right edge with some separation at folds (all professionally silked). In very good condition and exceedingly rare. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Samuel Houston Signed First Texian Loan Scrip "Sam Houston" as President of Texas, one page, 7.75" x 13". Houston, June 20, 1838. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. [Houston. Telegraph Press. 1838.] Countersigned "Henry Smith" as Secretary of the Treasury. In part "That, in consideration of a Loan to the Government of Texas, negotiated by the Commissioners of said Government in New Orleans, on the eleventh day of January, 1836, Thomas D. Carneal, of Cincinatti [sic], Ohio, is entitled to have and to hold, six hundred and forty acres of land of the Public Domain of Texas, according to the terms and conditions of a Contract of Compromise, made and executed on the first day of April 1836, between the Government ad interim of Texas, and the Stockholders in the aforesaid Loan..." Carneal could select any land owned by the Government of Texas any time after August 1, 1838. This first loan for the Texian cause was for $200,000 and was subscribed by ten men. Carneal had committed $40,000 or 20%. Under the agreement, he would have been entitled to approximately 30,671 acres. This would have required 47 or 48 First Texas Loan Scrip forms to have been issued to Carneal. The Jenkins catalogue copy is issued to Carneal is certificate No. 194. The University of Houston Archives has No. 227. This certificate is No. 233. That sequence accounts for 40 certificates. While other loan subscribers may have received this Scrip, no copies issued to others have ever been located. Only six Scrip certificates are known to exist today and they are all issued to Carneal. Smith's signature is slightly smudged on the "m". There are two diagonally cut cancellations which pass through "Sam" and "ou" and the paraph. A small hole is punched between two lines. A blind embossed 1.5" diameter seal of Texas, star in the center, is at the left, above the words "By the President." There is rectangular toning of the text from prior framing. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Sam Houston: Message from the President of the Republic. Houston: Printed by order of the Senate, Telegraph Press, May 12, 1838, 9 p., verso blank, blank leaf, Octavo. President Sam Houston gives the House of Representatives his reasons for not signing the bill entitled, "An Act to Define and Limit the Issue of Promissory Notes."

This lucid and well-reasoned message on the evils resulting from currency inflation is as applicable today as it was to the Texas of 1838. Houston comments that under the present "depreciated value of our currency ... the prices of merchandise in Texas, are from one to two hundred per cent higher than in the United States of the North, or Mexico, or, probably any other country."

The bill, which provided for the issuance of promissory notes for the current expenses of the government and other purposes, should be distinguished from an act relating to a limited amount of promissory notes approved by President Houston on May 18, 1838. This bill was passed over the veto by the House, but failed in the Senate.

The message is preceded on p. [3] by the bill which Houston vetoed. On May 15, 1838, the Senate ordered the printing of 500 copies. The message, but not the bill, is reprinted in the Writings of Sam Houston, Vol. II, p. 220-225, from the manuscript in the Texas State Library and newspaper sources, this separate publication apparently not having come to the attention of the editors. It is one of the messages reprinted in Messages and Other Communications, Made to the Honorable Congress, Houston, 1838, entry No. 291, and is printed in the House Journal of the adjourned session of the Second Congress at p. 119-124. There is no known reprinting of the bill. Contemporary cloth covers, gilt lettering on spine. Moderate age toning throughout, but otherwise in fine condition. Extremely rare. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 289, this being Thomas Streeter's personal copy. Sabin 95013.

Samuel Houston Autograph Endorsement Signed as President of the Republic on verso of a manuscript list of goods and supplies purchased from the merchant W. M. Cook and delivered to (Capt.) James Rogers for use in dealing with the Cherokee Indians. Two pp. folio, 8" x 12.5", Houston, May 10 1838. Endorsement and signature on verso reads in full: "Let this be audited, Sam Houston, 10th May 1838".

Thomas Jefferson Wright (Jeff Wright) certifies $200 worth of items including fabrics, hats, bandanas, saddle, and $9.00 in cash that were delivered to "James Rogers as Interpreter of the Chiefs of the Cherokee Indians By order of the President." Wright was the Cherokee Indian Agent at the time. He dates the document "at the City of Houston this 10th day of May 1838".

The four conventions of Texas colonists (the Convention of 1832, Convention of 1833, Consultation, and Convention of 1836) all noted the two things necessary to successfully addressing the Indian question: peace with the nearby tribes and protection from those on the western frontier. The treaty with the Cherokees and their associate bands on February 23, 1836, sought to provide peace, and the establishment of a border ranger force was designed to provide protection.

The Cherokees and associated groups were restless because their land titles had not been ratified. This was further aggravated by the presence of Mexican agents, and the advance of white settlers into their territory. President Houston's Indian policy of peace, friendship, and commerce, plus adequate frontier protection, was clearly delineated in a law of December 5, 1836, in which Houston was given power to send agents among the Indians, to make treaties and distribute presents, to establish blockhouses, forts, and trading posts, to provide for a battalion of mounted riflemen to guard the frontier, and to call out the militia if necessary. The constant arrival of United States Indians, the influence of Mexican agents, and the continued growth of private land companies extending their surveys into Indian country all served to further antagonize relations between whites and Indians.

This document is dated shortly after the Choctaws from near Fort Towson in the Indian Territory clashed with white settlers south of the Red River in April 1838. It would prove a fruitless gesture; that summer the Cherokees and other East Texas Indians, allied with Mexican agents under Vicente Córdova and took part in the Córdova Rebellion. President Houston had initiated his policy of treaty making by concluding agreements with the Tonkawas at Bexar on November 22, 1837, with the Lipan Apaches at Live Oak Point on January 8, 1838, with the Tonkawas again on April 10, 1838 (at Houston). These efforts would continue with the Comanches at Houston on May 29, 1838, and with the Kichais, Tawakonis, Wacos, and Taovayas near the mouth of the Washita at Shawnee Village in what is now Fannin County on September 2, 1838. Document is evenly toned, with several holes resulting from ink burn, all well away from Houston's autograph endorsement and signature. Overall condition is near fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Message of the President, Submitted to Both Houses, December 21, 1838, 32 pages, 5.5" x 8.5". Published By Order of Congress. Houston: Telegraph Power Press./3000, 1838. Dr. E.C. Barker in Chapter 24 of Johnson and Barker's Texas and Texans, devotes considerable space to President Mirabeau B. Lamar's message which, he says "has become justly famous for its strong advocacy of public education." After recommending the appropriation of land for the purpose of general education, Lamar calls the time "a propitious moment, to lay the foundation of a great moral, and intellectual edifice, which will in after ages be hailed as the chief ornament and blessing of Texas." Though the Message is dated December 21st, both the Senate and House Journals record that it was read on December 20th. Water staining and soiled on covers and first four sheets, light soiling through text. Very good condition. Contemporary brown cloth folder with gilt lettering "Message of the President Houston 1838" on partial black leather spine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 296

Unrecorded Broadside: Sam Houston Forbids Illegal Impressment One page, 7.5" x 11.25". Galveston, March 11, 1842. Signed in print by Sam Houston. Because the Army of the Republic of Texas was generally unable to provide its troops with a dependable supply of food, arms, and clothing, recruits often resorted to impressment (essentially, theft) of private property. Although such activities resulted in frequent civilian complaints, there was little else the soldiers could do; even with infusions of supplies captured from the enemy or shipped in on government credit, the soldiers suffered from exposure and an inadequate diet.

In this extremely scarce document, President Sam Houston issues a proclamation against the taking of personal and private property by soldiers of the Texas Army. In part: "Proclamation to the Army and Citizens of Texas. Whereas, the odious practice of indiscriminate impressment of individual property, without authority, from the Government, and merely sanctioned by private will, and often stimulated by cupidity and dishonesty has often occurred: Now, therefore, be it known that I, Sam Houston, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the Republic of Texas, do by these presents direct and command all persons to abstain from the commission of such practices, unless it is by the express order of the Government, emanating from the War Department...."

Related to the reinvasion of Texas by Mexico and the chaotic state of the country in 1842, this is possibly the only surviving copy of this important document of Texan history. Contemporary ink docketing by Thomas Ward on verso. Significant age toning, splits at old folds with a few minor losses, right blank margin uneven and rough. The document has been professionally repaired and affixed to silk backing sheet. Red half-leather case, gilt lettering. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Not in Streeter, and apparently the only surviving copy, although mentioned in The Writings of Sam Houston.

Remarkable Sam Houston Document Signed "Sam Houston" as President of Texas, one page, 9" x 11". Countersigned "W.D. Miller/Private Secretary." Washington, April 15, 1843. All in manuscript including the heading in block letters: "Sam. Houston/President of the Republic of Texas." In full, "To all to whom these presents shall come: Know ye that HAD-DA-BAH, a Chief of the Caddos, is one of the signers of the treaty lately concluded with various border tribes of Indians, and therefore is entitled to the friendship and protection of the whites, so long as he shall continue to walk in the path he has helped to make. When he returns to his tribe he will give them the talk of peace, and keep all his warriors, and the warriors of his friends, from mischief, from stealing horses and from war. We wish and expect a firm and lasting peace; but if mischief is done, trouble will grow out of it. He will give counsel to all his red brothers of all tribes to make peace. This is the talk of a friend to peace and a brother . - He will be expected at the Great Council in August when we will again shake hands. Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the Republic, at Washington the 15th day of April, 1843." Washington D. Miller (1814-1866) served in the Texas Congress (1840-1841) before becoming Sam Houston's private secretary (1841-1843). He later served as Texas's Secretary of State (1848-1850) and Secretary of the Senate (1851-1853).
Sam Houston made Indian policy a principal concern of his second administration. On July 1, 1842, he appointed a commission to "treat with any and all Indians on the Frontiers of Texas." The Indians, too, were more open to negotiation after the costly wars under the Lamar administration had reduced their numbers. In August 1842, representatives of various border tribes agreed to a peace council at the Waco village on October 26, 1842, but no one attended. On March 31, 1843, two weeks before Houston signed this document, chiefs of nine tribes accepted an invitation to a Grand Council to conclude a treaty of peace. Had-dah-bah was one of the Indians accepting the invitation, shaking the hand of Pres. Houston, and agreeing to meet in August when they would "again shake hands." This official document was created by Houston for the Caddo Chief to show to his people on his return home. It was not written on a preprinted document because no such document existed, so it was clearly handwritten in the format of an official proclamation. The two leaders met six months later and on September 29, 1843, Had-Dah-Bah was one of 14 chiefs who signed the treaty with the following preamble: "Whereas, a treaty of peace and friendship between the Republic of Texas and the Delaware, Chickasaw, Waco, Tah-woc-cany, Keechi, Caddo, Ana-dah-kah, Ionie, Biloxi, and Cherokee tribes of Indians, was concluded and signed at Bird's Fort, on the Trinity River, on the twenty ninth day of September, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three, by G.W. Terrell and E.H. Tarrant, Commissioners on the part of the Republic of Texas, and certain chiefs, Headmen and warriors of the tribes of Indians aforesaid...Whereas, for sometime past, hostilities have existed and war been carried on between the white and red men of Texas, to the great injury of both parties; and whereas, a longer continuance of the same would lead to no beneficial result, but increase the evils which have so long unhappily rested upon both races; and whereas, the parties are now willing to open the path of lasting peace and friendship and are desirous to establish certain solemn rules for the regulation of their mutual intercourse: Therefore, the Commissioners of the Republic of Texas, and the chiefs and Headmen of the beforementioned tribes of Indians being met in council at Bird's Fort, on the Trinity River, the 29th day of September, 1843, have concluded, accepted, agreed to and signed the following articles of treaty..." In the first of 24 articles, "Both parties agree and declare, that they will forever live in peace and always meet as friends and brothers. Also, that the war which may have heretofore existed between them, shall cease and never be renewed." On January 31, 1844, the Texas Senate ratified the treaty and, on February 3, 1844, President Sam Houston signed one of the few Indian treaties ever entered into by the Republic of Texas. Long green, white, and yellow ribbons affixed with superb embossed 2.5" diameter seal of the Republic of Texas. Lightly soiled. Fine condition.

Sam Houston Document Signed "approved/Sam Houston," one page, 8" x 12.5". Washington, September 17, 1844. In full, "Republic of Texas. To Stephen T. Slater, Dr. To expenses on road and in Washington, as bearer of express from Tah-woc-cano Creek to the President, and returning - $10.- on Indian business. I certify the above to be correct." Signed "Stephen T. Slater." Born in Tennessee, Stephen T. Slater (1815-1884) was a Cherokee. He went to Texas and married the daughter of two members of Austin's Old Three Hundred. Slater was attached to the Somervell campaign in 1842, serving as a spy and scout. In 1843, he was in the Snively expedition. In an 1874 letter, Slater wrote, "We killed and captured one hundred Mexicans and were frequently engaged with Indians. I held a commission (from General Sam Houston who was then president of the republic of Texas,) as Indian agent. I brought the Comanches in and they made a treaty with the whites, near where the town of Marlin stands." On August 6, 1844, Pres. Houston appointed Slater as agent to various tribes of Indians residing on the frontier. Slater's mission was to encourage adherence to the terms of the treaty of peace between the Republic of Texas and all of the Texas tribes except the Wichita and Comanche, concluded on September 29, 1843, and ratified early in 1844. Docketed on verso by three Texas officials. Near fine condition.

Sam Houston and Anson Jones Document Signed "Sam Houston" as President and "Anson Jones" as Secretary of State to which Jones has added "and acting Attorney General," one page, 13" x 16". Washington, September 23, 1844. Printed at the "Telegraph Office - Houston." In part, "Be it known, that I, Sam Houston, President of said Republic of Texas, reposing special trust and full confidence in the honor, patriotism, fidelity, skill, and capacity of John B. Jones, Esquire, do, by these presents, constitute and appoint him, the said John B. Jones, Esquire, to the office of Judge of the First Judicial District, in said Republic..." On December 5, 1844, President Houston wrote to the Texas Congress "that during their recess, the judgeship in the first judicial district became vacant...and that the same was filled by Executive appointment." Anson Jones, his Secretary of State, had been elected in September to succeed Houston which he did on December 9, 1844, just four days later. This was Sam Houston's last official appointment as President of the Republic of Texas. John B. Jones represented Galveston County in the House of the Sixth Congress of Texas (1841-1842) and, in 1842, served as a deputy clerk in the county courts. His appointment as Judge of the First District was confirmed by the Texas Congress on January 21, 1845. After the judiciary was reorganized at the Constitutional Convention in July, 1845, Jones became Judge of the Seventh District.

On verso of this appointment appears a large Autograph Document Signed "A.P. Thompson/Chief Justice/H[arris].C[ounty]." attesting to the fact that "Before me A.P. Thompson Chief Justice of the County Court of said County, came John B. Jones, and upon oath said that he would well and truly discharge the duties of the office of the First Judicial District, to the best of his skill and ability, without prejudice or partiality. So help him God!" to which "Jno. B. Jones" has signed. Thompson's writing shows through on front. A color photocopy of this ADS is in a pocket on the back of the frame. The document has horizontal folds, one passing through Houston's huge 6.25" long signature. There are minor nicks at the right edges of the folds as well as tiny holes in the folds but not at the signature. It is in apparent fine condition. Matted and framed to 21.5" x 31.5". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Sam Houston Treasury Warrant as President of Texas Endorsed on verso "Sam Houston," one page, 6.25" x 2.5". Treasury Department, December 12, 1844. Signed "Charles Mason" as Auditor and "Samuel B. Shaw" as Comptroller. On verso: "Pay in Gold coin-/15th December 1844./W.B. Ochiltree/Secretary of Treasury." Partly printed, completed in manuscript. In full, "The Treasurer of the Republic of Texas will pay to the Order of Sam Houston Sixteen hundred & twenty three 89/ Dollars, out of any money appropriated by Act of February 5, 1844 for Compensation of President of the Republic this amount being for Pay as President of Texas." Boldly endorsed by Houston with his ornate paraph. Elected the first President of the Republic of Texas in September 1836, Sam Houston served from October 22, 1836, to December 10, 1838; he was ineligible to succeed himself. He ran again in 1841 and was elected, serving from December 12, 1841 to December 9, 1844. Texas was now in the midst of a fiscal crisis. Setting an example, Houston had Mirabeau B. Lamar's presidential mansion boarded up, moving into an Austin boarding house. The legislators followed suit by cutting their own salaries from $5 to $3 per day and Houston's annual salary in half, from $10,000 to $5,000. The Act of February 5, 1844 made "appropriations for the support of the Government for the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-four." This check for $1,623.89 is for his last four months in office. The order for payment by Secretary of the Treasury Ochiltree is dated six days into the term of President Anson Jones. Charles Mason saw action in the Battles of Gonzales, Bexar and San Jacinto. He was Acting Secretary of War (1838-1839) and was appointed First Auditor of the Republic in 1839. William B. Ochiltree served the Republic of Texas as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (1842-1845), Secretary of the Treasury (1844), and Adjutant General (1845). Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Sam Houston Autograph Letter Signed "Sam Houston" as U.S. Senator, five full pages, 7.75" x 9.75", front and verso. Senate Chamber, February 4, 1852. To Gideon Welles. In part, "Although I am very hasty, I can not deny myself the pleasure of thanking you for your favor. I do so with greater pleasure because you write frankly and freely what you think. You are right in your views, touching the Temperance movement...You need not fear for I will undertake to wade no stream, unless I can see the bottom. It would not only be unwise but impertinent in me to interfere in the Legislation of any state upon any subject. When I accepted the invitation to attend the 'Banquet' in New York, I was at home, and did not anticipate that it could ever become connected with politics. I will regret to see any influences ingrafted upon our great political system. We have principles enough to ingraft all the minds of statesmen and employ all their faculties. To these, I wish to direct all my capacity of usefulness to my country!...I will not yield my principles to any Schism, which as a private and humble citizen, I would condemn in a public man or public agent. My friend Ned is fearful that I may sustain injury by presenting the Medal to Mr Dow...I have had the responsibility placed upon me, without my knowledge and I assure you, without the least desire. It is upon me and I must discharge it...Commend me to our friend Burr and say to him that I had no distrust of any of my friends but I thought as you suggested that might be best for the matters of Texas History to appear in the Union first...For now, I can only say as reported here that Genl Scott & Gov Jones of Tennessee are to form the Whig ticket for 1852. Our Great men are greasing their Omnibus wheels so that they can convey passengers at cheap rates. Salute our friends, & write soon! Truly thy Friend. Sam Houston." Sam Houston was a staunch supporter of the temperance movement which amused many of his old friends. In earlier years, Houston was a heavy drinker. In fact, during the years he lived with the Cherokee, one of his Indian names was Oo-tse-tee Ar-dee-tah-skee (Big Drunk). In 1851, Mayor Neal Dow of Portland, Maine, wrote a proposed law prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and keeping for sale of intoxicating liquors, except for medicinal and mechanical purposes and the arts. He took his bill to the state legislature at Augusta where it was introduced in both houses, easily passed and, on June 2, 1851, signed into law by the Governor. On February 18, 1852, two weeks after Houston wrote this letter from Washington, at Metropolitan Hall in New York City, the National Temperance Society held its "First Annual Banquet." Guests included P.T. Barnum, Horace Mann, and Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. A notice placed in the February 10, 1852 edition of The New York Times about the banquet announced that "At the conclusion, Gen. S. Houston, of Texas, in behalf of the National Temperance Society, will present a splendid gold medal to Hon. Neal Dow, the author and champion of the Maine Law." Alfred E. Burr was editor of The Hartford Times from 1839-1900, a newspaper founded by Gideon Welles in 1826. Evidently Houston wrote an article relating to Texas that Welles felt should first be published in the Union, a New Haven newspaper. By February, many Whig state caucuses had passed resolutions supporting a Scott-Jones ticket. Three months later, Tennessee Governor James C. Jones wrote to the Whig congressional caucus that he was not interested in the Vice Presidency: "I have never sought the place, I do not seek it; I have never wanted it, do not now want it...I am content with the position I have." In June, the Whigs nominated General Winfield Scott for President and Navy Secretary William A. Graham of North Carolina for Vice President. The Compromise of 1850 was compared to an omnibus because it was considered to be a vehicle for all kinds of passengers. In a passionate speech on the floor of the Senate in support of the "Omnibus Bill," Houston proclaimed "A nation divided against itself cannot stand," used by Lincoln eight years later, replacing "nation" with "nation." It was endorsed by the Democrats in the 1852 campaign. In this letter Houston refers to the "Great men" of his party getting ready for the campaign, "greasing their Omnibus wheels," with the "passengers" being the voters. The New-York Daily Times reported from Washington on May 31, 1852 on the tight race between Buchanan and Cass for the Democratic presidential nomination concluding that "From present appearances the brunt of the contest will be between [Stephen] Douglas and [Sam] Houston. Each of them is the second choice of many coteries whose first preferences are for other men." Sam Houston received at least one delegate's vote on all 49 ballots at the convention which eventually nominated Franklin Pierce. Gideon Welles was a Jacksonian Democrat but he abandoned the Democrats in 1848 and supported Van Buren's Free Soil campaign. Mainly because of his strong anti-slavery views, Welles shifted allegiance in 1854 to the newly-established Republican Party. A strong supporter of Lincoln in 1860, Welles was named to his cabinet and served as Secretary of the Navy from 1861-1869. Sam Houston's letter is fresh and clean and in very fine condition.

Sam Houston: Original Wood Carvings. A grouping of nine carved items, presented to M. J. Welles, wife of Gideon Welles, who served as Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy. One of Sam Houston's hobbies was carving small items, many of them detailed and polished, from various types of wood. One of his favorite items was a "wooden heart" that he would present to female acquaintances. This assortment of carvings includes one Houston's iconic wooden hearts, as well as four thread bobbins, a round piece with an "X", and an antelope and its original pedestal (now detached). Accompanying the items is a small piece of paper (2" x .5"), torn from a larger sheet, on which Mrs. M. J. Welles wrote "by Gen'l Sam Hous[ton]". The items are stored in a wooden box with a painted lid from France (a tag with the price of 3.50 francs is affixed to the bottom). All carved items are in fine condition. A personal memento gifted by the father of Texas to the wife of a noted U.S. Statesman, a wonderful association relic.

Sam Houston: Signed 1860 Military Appointment of E. M. Daggett, with Doggett-Daggett Family Book and Correspondence Archive.
1) Signed Military Appointment, 17" x 14", Austin, February 14, 1860. This document, boldly signed in full "Sam Houston", appointed Brigadier General E. M. Daggett to organize the 20th Brigade of the Militia of the State of Texas. The Official Seal of the State of Texas, in green wax, is included at bottom left. The document, framed to a size of 18.25" x 14.75", is in good condition with folds and paper loss on the left and right edges; the seal is fine. 2) History of the Doggett-Daggett Family (Boston: Rockwell and Churchill, 1894), limited numbered edition, 263 of 300 copies, 686 pages, illustrated, blue-cloth binding with gold lettering, 8vo (9.5" x 6.25"). Documents, including correspondence, notes, photographs, and newspaper articles, are scattered throughout the book. Good condition with moderate wear. 3) Doggett-Daggett Family Archive, including correspondence, last will and testament of E. M. Daggett, marriage certificates, burial plot certificate, family history and geneology, newspaper and periodical articles. Very good condition.

Mirabeau Lamar Autograph Letter Signed as Secretary of War One page, 8" x 9.25", "War Department", May 21, 1836, to Colonel Hall at Port Velasco. In full: "You are directed to cut off all communication between the officers & soldiers under your command and the Mexican prisoners in the custody of the Govt not permitting any of the former to visit of converse with the latter without your express orders". Houston's decisive victory over Santa Anna's forces in the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21 had gained Texan independence. Lamar's valor brought him a promotion to colonel just prior to the start of the battle, and his further heroism earned him the appointment of Secretary of War in President Burnet's cabinet ten days later. Although Texan independence was sealed with the signing of the treaty of Velasco on May 14th, Lamar is aware of the morale of his war-weary army. They were anxious to return home, and some were even deserting. Eight days prior to the date of this letter Lamar had written requesting provisions for these troops. And with this letter, Lamar takes the next step to prevent further demoralization of the Texan soldiers by prohibiting communication with the Mexican prisoners. Separations at the folds, and minor chipping at margins, however letter remains in near fine condition with bold ink. Autograph letters by Lamar are rare on the market, and his short term as Secretary of War makes this one highly desirable.

Mirabeau B. Lamar Document Signed "Mirabeau B. Lamar" as President of Texas and "Abner S. Lipscomb" as Secretary of State, [Whiting's Press: Austin], one page, 9" x 11". Austin, November 17, 1840. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. Appointment of "Thomas Wm Ward by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to the office of Notary Public for the County of Travis..." Capt. Thomas Wm (Peg Leg) Ward had fought at the siege of Bexar in December 1835, during which he lost his leg to a cannonball. Two months after this appointment, Lamar appointed Ward Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas; he served until 1848. He was later Collector of the Port of Corpus Christi and U.S. Consul in Panama, New Granada (Colombia). Docketed on integral by Ward: "File 403/Commission as/Notary Public/Novr. 17th 1840./Thos. Wm. Ward." Tiny tears and creases along right margin, and a few incidents of foxing, otherwise very good to near fine.

Mirabeau B. Lamar Document Signed "Mirabeau B. Lamar" as President of Texas, one page, 9" x 8.75". Executive Department, Austin, February 3, 1840. In full, "The Secretary of the Treasury will pay to Hon. J. Pinckney Henderson seven thousand four hundred sixty dollars in a draft on Mssrs. Hamilton and Burnley commissioners to negotiate a loan on the Bonds of this Government." Docketed on verso: "Order from the/President authorizing/the payment of Hon/J.P. Henderson for/services as Minister/to France & England/in a draft on/the Loan bonds." James Pinckney Henderson, Attorney General (1836) and Secretary of State (1836-1837) of the Republic of Texas was appointed Minister to England and France in 1837. France signed a treaty on September 25, 1839, recognizing Texas independence. England, in spite of slavery in Texas and her desire to see the abolition of slavery worldwide, could not stand idly by and see France gain influence and trade privileges in the new Republic. In the fall of 1840, Lord Aberdeen announced that Her Majesty's government would recognize Texas independence, and on November 13-16, three treaties were signed that dealt with independence, commerce and navigation, and suppression of the African slave trade. Henderson returned to Texas in 1840. He later served as the first Governor of the State of Texas (1846-1847) and U.S Senator (1857-1858). Sam Houston's Vice President from 1836-1838, Mirabeau B. Lamar served as President of Texas from 1838-1841. The docket on verso shows through in the left portion of the text. A small portion is missing at the blank right edge. The letter is in apparent fine condition. Matted and framed to 18" x 26.25", a color copy of the docketed verso is in a pocket affixed to the back of the frame. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Thomas W. "Peg Leg" Ward] Partly-printed Document Signed by Secretary of State "Abner S. Lipscomb" on behalf of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar. (Imprint from Austin: Whiting's Press, 1840.) 1 page, 8.75" x 11", Austin, September 8, 1840 appointment of Thomas W. "Peg Leg" Ward as "...Justice of the Peace for the City of Austin, as Mayor, to which he was elected on the 15th day of August Instant..." Bears secretarial signature of Lamar. With blind-embossed seal of the Republic of Texas. Docketed on verso. Some bleeding to ink from exposure to moisture, some moderate dampstaining, expected folds, else very good condition.

Thomas William (Peg Leg) Ward, (1807-72) was second commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas. Ward was born in Dublin, Ireland, removing in 1828 to Quebec and thence to New Orleans, where he studied engineering and architecture. Seven years later he answered the call for volunteers to help stand off Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna's army. Ward was one of the organizers of the New Orleans Greys, which fought at the siege of Bexar in December 1835. During the battle, Captain Ward, at the head of an artillery company, followed Benjamin R. Milam into San Antonio. During the ensuing battle Ward lost his leg to a cannonball, and Col. Milam was killed by a rifle shot. For his service to the Republic of Texas Ward later received 2,240 acres in Grayson and Goliad counties.

Abner Smith Lipscomb (1789-1856), was a lawyer, justice, and secretary of state during the Mirabeau B. Lamar administration. Born in South Carolina, he studied law in the office of John C. Calhoun, was admitted to the bar in 1810, and began practice at St. Stephens, Alabama. In 1819 he was appointed a circuit judge of Alabama and from 1823 to 1835 was chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He was a member of the Alabama legislature in 1838. In 1839 he moved to Texas and established a law practice. He was secretary of state under Lamar from January 31 to December 13, 1840. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

David G. Burnet Document Signed "David G. Burnet," one page, 8.5" x 10.75". Austin, January 5, 1841. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. Headed: "In the Name and by the Authority/of the/Republic of Texas." In part, "Be it known, That I, David G. Burnet, President of said Republic of Texas, reposing special trust and full confidence in the honor, patriotism, fidelity, skill and capacity of Thomas William Ward do, by these presents, constitute and appoint him, the said Thomas William Ward, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to the office of Commissioner of the General Land Office, for the unexpired term of John P. Borden, Resigned..." The printed name "Mirabeau B. Lamar" has been crossed out in the first line and "David G. Burnet" has been penned over it. Burnet was provisional president of Texas following independence March 16, 1836 to October 22, 1836, when Sam Houston was inaugurated as first President. Lamar succeeded Houston, serving from December 10, 1838 to December 13, 1841. Burnet was Lamar's Vice President. By December 1840, Lamar had become too ill to serve as president and Burnet administered the duties of the presidency until the spring, but not the office itself as this document would seem to indicate. In 1841, Burnet ran for the presidency against Houston. The two men publicly attacked each other. Burnet called Houston "a drunk, coward, a bad lawyer and a bad general." Houston accused Burnet of "treason, fraud, cowardice, drunkenness and hypocrisy." When the votes were counted, Houston had soundly defeated Burnet with 75% of the vote. This appointment is also signed "Joseph Waples" as acting Secretary of State. Joseph Waples was Chief Clerk in the Department of State. He acted as Secretary of State for two intervals in 1840 and 1841. President Sam Houston had appointed John P. Borden the first land commissioner of Texas and he took office in August, 1837. Borden, brother of Gail Borden, Jr., faced the enormous task of acquiring and protecting numerous Mexican and Spanish land titles issued before independence. By 1840, the lack of funding and manpower needed for the land office now responsible for administering 216 million acres of Texas lands made Borden's job extraordinarily difficult so, in December 1840, he resigned. Thomas William (Peg Leg) Ward had fought at the siege of Bexar in December 1835. During the battle, at the head of an artillery company, Capt. Ward lost his leg to a cannonball. He returned to New Orleans to be fitted with a peg leg. Returning to Texas in the spring of 1836, Ward was commissioned as a colonel by President David G. Burnet. He served as Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas from 1841-1848. A complete, 2.5" diameter embossed blue paper seal is affixed at the lower left. Uniformly toned. Minor chipping at right edge. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Mirabeau B. Lamar Document Signed "Mirabeau B. Lamar" as President and "Thos Wm Ward" as Commissioner of the General Land Office, one page, 14.5" x 12.25". Austin, March 8, 1841. Grant to John Prewett of "Eight and one third Labors or 8,333,333 1/3 Square varas of Land" (approximately 1.480 acres) in Milam County "on the second Yegua above the San Antonio Road..." As families moved into Milam County after independence, roaming bands of Kickapoo, Lipan, Kiowa, and other Indians forced them to flee the area. Available land in other parts of Texas was becoming scarce and the government needed to populate the district. For that reason, most of the land grants of this period were for property in Milam County. Lamar was President of Texas from 1838-1841. Thomas William (Peg Leg) Ward had fought at the siege of Bexar in December 1835. During the battle, at the head of an artillery company, Capt. Ward lost his leg to a cannonball. He returned to New Orleans to be fitted with a peg leg. Ward served as Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas from 1841-1848. John Prewitt served in Commander John P. Gill's company of mounted gunmen under Cpl. John C. Neil from September 1839 as part of the Texas Militia and also guarded the western frontier of Brazoria. The acts and ordinances of 1837 granting bounty lands allowed Prewitt to receive up to 1,280 acres for military service and an additional 240 acres for guarding the frontier. This grant is for his service. Blind embossed seals of the Texas Republic and the General Land Office are at lower left. This vellum document has the usual vertical and horizontal folds, not passing through either signature. Lightly soiled. In apparent fine condition. Matted and framed to 22" x 28.25". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Mirabeau B. Lamar Manuscript Letter Signed "Mirabeau B. Lamar" as President of Texas, one page, 8" x 10". Austin, October 2, 1841. James H. Raymond of the General Land Office has requested Pres. Lamar to "appoint a committee to investigate the accounts and the work performed by him in the Genl Land Office." This letter, to James Izod and Benjamin F. Johnson, requests that they "act in that capacity and report to me whether in your opinion he has overdrawn any thing in receiving his pay for such service as he has rendered the Republic..." In April 1841, Pres. Lamar had appointed James H. Raymond acting Treasurer of the Republic of Texas. A month after this letter was written, he was appointed Chief Clerk of the Texas House of Representatives, a position he held until annexation in 1845. Evidently, Izod and Johnson reported favorably. Docket on integral leaf. Fine condition.

1845 Bowery Theatre Playbill Honoring Texas, one page, 6" x 24". Thomas Snowden, Printer, 58 Wall Street, Courier & Enquirer Office. [New York, 1845.] With box seats at 25¢ and seats in the pit or gallery at 12¢, New York City's Bowery Theatre presented three shows on Saturday night, January 11, 1845, two dramas and a comedy. The playbill is headed: "Grand Gala Night!!/Gen. Lamar/Ex-President of Texas/Com. Moore/of the Texian Navy/Accompanied by/Col. Polk,/Brother of the President Elect./Mayors Morris and Clark,/Major Generals Striker, Lloyd, and/Kiersted,/Aldermen Purdy and Emmons, Wm.S./Pierson, Esq., Texian Consul,/And other distinguished gentlemen, will visit the Theatre/To-Night!/The Theatre will be/Brilliantly Decorated!/With the Flags of many Nations, among which,/in honor of the guests,/The Lonestar of Texas." The names and casts of the three plays follow. There is an irregular tear through the entire width of the playbill, at the concluding lines of the firtst cast above the "Mrs." in "Mrs. Phillips" (brown stain on "Milner," "Hield," and "Phillips" names) extending across beneath "Phillips," through "January," and below "11" to the right edge. The upper 11 to 12 inches of the playbill is original; the concluding 11 to 12.5 inches is a reproduction expertly attached to it. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1566

Anson Jones Document Signed "Anson Jones" as President and "Thos Wm Ward" as Commissioner of the General Land Office, one page, 15.25" x 13.25". Austin, August 19, 1845. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. Grant to Joseph Marshall of "One Twelfth of a League of Land situated and described as follows: In Milam County on the head waters of the middle Yegua..." As families moved into Milam County after independence, roaming bands of Kickapoo, Lipan, Kiowa, and other Indians forced them to flee the area. Available land in other parts of Texas was becoming scarce and the government needed to populate the district. For that reason, most of the land grants of this period were for property in Milam County. Jones was the last President of Texas, serving from December 9, 1844 to Texas statehood. On December 29, 1845, President Polk signed the annexation resolution that admitted Texas to the Union. On February 19, 1846, at the ceremony setting up the government of Texas as a state in the Union, Jones declared, "The Republic of Texas is no more." Joseph Marshall served under Major Robert McNutt in forming a company of Austin volunteers to relieve the Alamo, then joined in the retreat from Gonzales with McNutt's company under the command of Gen. Sam Houston. Marshall received a first class head right grant of one league and one labor of land (4,600 acres). He apparently divided his total land allowance since this grant is for one twelfth of a league; General Land Office records reflect first class land patents issued to him totaling a league and a labor of land. Thomas William (Peg Leg) Ward had fought at the siege of Bexar in December 1835. During the battle, at the head of an artillery company, Capt. Ward lost his leg to a cannonball. He returned to New Orleans to be fitted with a peg leg. Ward served as Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas from 1841-1848. Blind embossed seal of the General Land Office affixed with red wax at lower left. "Jas. Harris Engraver 58 Nassau St. New York" printed at lower edge. Creases, with tears at edges with paper loss, some touching border. There are small holes in the upper horizontal fold. Overall, in apparent very good condition. Matted and framed to 22.75" x 29.25". From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Anson Jones Manuscript Document Signed "Anson Jones" as President of Texas and "Ebnr. Allen" as Secretary of State ad interim, one page, 7.75" x 12.5". Washington, June 25, 1845. In part, "Satisfactory evidence having been exhibited to me, that Edward Kauffman, Esquire, had been appointed Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, for Galveston, I do, hereby, recognize him as such, and declare him free to exercise and enjoy such functions, powers and privileges as are allowed to Consuls of the most favored nations, in the Republic of Texas..." Superb 2.5" diameter blind embossed Seal of the Republic of Texas at the lower left. Ebenezer Allen became Attorney General of Texas under Anson Jones in December 1844. He served as Secretary of State ad interim in the absence of Ashbel Smith and, as Smith's successor as the republic's last Secretary of State, assisted Jones in framing the terms of annexation to the United States.
The Netherlands was the second European country to sign a commercial treaty with the Republic of Texas (September 18, 1840), a year after France, a few months before Great Britain. On June 16, 1845, nine days before Pres. Jones signed this document, the Texas Congress met at his request; a convention of elected delegates was assembled on July 4th. Jones placed the choice of annexation or independence recognized by Mexico before both groups. Each voted for annexation. A state constitution, drawn up by the convention, was ratified by popular vote and accepted by the U.S. Congress on December 29, 1845, the date of Texas's legal entry into the Union. At a formal ceremony held on February 19, 1846, Pres. Jones handed over the reins of state government to Texas Gov. James Pinckney Henderson declaring, "The final act in this great drama is now performed; the Republic of Texas is no more." A clean two inch tear at top has been professionally restored on verso; with usual folds and light toning at margins. In near fine condition, with a blind embossed seal of the Republic.

Anson Jones Signed Republic of Texas Land Grant, 642, to "John Dickinson, assignee of Charles Bowman" for land in Montgomery County. One page on vellum, oblong folio, 15" x 12.75", "City of Austin", September 15, 1845. With embossed seal of the General Land Office of the Republic present but detached. Co-signed by Thomas William Ward as Commissioner. Docketing on verso indicates that this grant would not be filed until the following year, in March 1846. Document has wrinkling and folds typical of vellum, with dampstaining at center, and two tiny holes affecting a single word; all well away from Jones large signature.

Anson Jones (1798 1858) served as the last president of the Republic of Texas. Jones would declare "The Republic of Texas is no more" five months later in a formal ceremony bringing Texas formally into the United States. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Anson Jones: Memoranda and Official Correspondence Relating to the Republic of Texas, Its History and Annexation. Including a Brief Autobiography of the Author. (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1859.) 648 pp., frontispiece portrait. First edition. Large 8vo in original brown blind-stamped cloth. Light wear and a few minor stains to binding, first and last leaves foxed, else fine.

Anson Jones threw off the failures of young life to become an essential early Texas leader - the master diplomat that led Texas to annexation as the 28th state in the Union. Ironically, the triumph of annexation ended in personal ruin for Jones, and his final years were filled with bitterness and tragedy.

This interesting volume contains Jones' private memoirs from 1838 to 1854, his letters and correspondence from 1836 to 1857, and selected essays and speeches, as well as a brief autobiography. As noted in Basic Texas Books 113: "Anson Jones left us the only formal autobiography of a president of the Republic of Texas." An invaluable sourcebook on the Texas Republic and its annexation, and an excellent addition to any Texana collection.

Reference: Howes J191. Raines, p. 129. Basic Texas Books 113. Tate, The Indians of Texas 2071.

[Texas Laws, Statues, etc.]: Ordinances and Decrees of the Consultation, Provisional Government of Texas and the Convention, which assembled at Washington March 1, 1836. By order of the Secreta[r]y of State. (Houston: National Banner Office-Niles & Co. Printers, 1838). First edition. Twelvemo (8" x 4.75"). 156 pages. Raines, p. 229 (C). These are the Ordinances and Decrees enacted by the three bodies known as the Consultation, the Provisional Government and the Washington Convention. Among the vital documents herein contained are the Texas Declaration of Independence and War upon Mexico; the Provisional Constitution; the Legislation in relation to the Raising and Outfitting of the Texan army; the Establishment of the Texas Navy; the creation of Postal Service; Indian treaties; and the ad interim Constitution enacted by the harassed Washington Convention while the enemy were literally thoundering at the gates of the city. In the House Journal, Third Congress the report of November 5, 1838, of Secretary of State Irion on pp. 21--23 says that 2,000 copies of these ordinances and decrees were printed. Eberstadt, Texas 162:195: "Contains the 'Declaration of the People of Texas in General Convention Assembled' [November 7, 1835], and the 'Plan and Powers of the Provisional Government of Texas' [November 13, 1835]. Also the ad interim constitution enacted [March 16, 1836] by the harassed convention while the enemy was literally thundering at the gates of the town of Washington, Texas."

[bound with]: Laws of the Republic of Texas, in Two Volumes. Printed by the Order of the Secretary of State. (Houston: Printed at the Office of the Telegraph, 1838). Twelvemo. 276, v [index]; 122, v [index] pages.

[and with]: Laws of the Republic of Texas. Volume Third. By Order of the Secretary of State. (Houston: National Banner Press-Niles & Co, Printers, 1838). Twelvemo. 54 pages. Streeter 276. Official edition of laws passed at the adjourned session of the Second Congress, 9 April-24 May 1838.

[and with]: Laws of the Republic of Texas, passed at the First Session of the Third Congress. In one volume. (Houston: Telegraph Power Press, 1839). Twelvemo. [ii], 145, vi [index] pages.

Boldly signed in ink by John T. Tinsley on the front pastedown endpaper and at the top margin of page 268 in the first volume of the Laws of Texas. Additionally signed on the front board "Robert Tinsley" and also by T.M. Harwood (the book bears the bookplate of T.F. Harwood on the front pastedown endpaper). There is an obscured signature at the top of the first title page that appears that it might be also by Tinsley.

Handsomely bound in contemporary calf boards, with an old and attractive reback to style in calf, with a printed paper spine label. Hinges reinforced with binders cloth. Binding soiled and worn, but still shows very well. Foxing, browning (heavy in places), and dampstaining to the sheets, which remain remarkably supple and readable. Altogether, a very good copy of an extremely rare grouping of imprints on early Texas law.
"John Turner Tinsley, born circa 1809 in Sumner County, Tennessee, was probably the son of Moses and Elizabeth Turner Tinsley and migrated to Gonzales County from Kentucky in 1834. On September 19, 1835 Andrew Ponton deeded John T. Tinsley Lots 4, 5, 6, 7 in Tier 2 in the Outer Town East of Water Street near the creek. Hence the name Tinsley Creek which ran north and south in the 1300 blocks of Gonzales. Each twelve-acre lot was appraised at two pesos and seventy-five centavos. In Gonzales April 25, 1838 John T. Tinsley was granted a certificate to his league and labor of land. His application for pension stated that he took part in the "engagement at Gonzales in the month of September A D 1835.
"Frontier Days of Texas by A.J. Sowell stated, "Dr. John T. Tinsley shot one Mexican who stopped to look back . . . (after the Alamo fell) . . . and General Sam Houston was in Gonzales, Gen. Houston made the Tinsley house his headquarters. When the army left Gonzales on the approach of the Mexican army under Santa Anna, Dr. Tinsley materially aided the cause of independence by making a trip to the coast after ammunition and intercepting the Army of Houston on its line of march with the powder and lead in time to be used in the famous Battle of San Jacinto, which was fought soon after.
"Records showed that Dr. Tinsley served as alderman for Gonzales in 1848 and 1849, mayor in 1852, and Justice of the Peace 1850-1852. Minutes of one city council meeting in 1850 mentioned an "Act requiring B.B. Peck and John T. Tinsley to remove their houses from the public square." He died March 5, 1878 and was buried in the Gonzales Masonic Cemetery. -Sons of Dewitt Colony Texas.

Reference: Gilcrease-Hargrett, p. 362: "Highly important acts on the negotiations of treaties with the Cherokees and the Comanches." Howes T133. Rader 3056. Raines, p. 229. Sabin 94959. Streeter 246.

Laws of the Republic of Texas, in Two Volumes. (Houston: Printed at the Office of the Telegraph by order of the Secretary of State, 1838.) Octavo. Volume I.[-II.]; 2 vols.: Vol. I, preliminary blank leaf, 276 pp.; index, v p. Vol. II, 122 pp., blank leaf; index, v p., verso blank, blank leaf. The Irion statement, noted as on p. [1] in the two 1837 issues of Volume I of these laws (Streeter 210 and 210A), is no longer present. Vol. I here seems to be from the same setting of type as the second issue of the Laws, published in 1837 (Streeter 210A), except for the new 1838 title page and the absence of the statement of Secretary of State Irion, which was given on p. [1] of the 1837 issues.

Contains all the laws passed at the two sessions of the First Congress. Vol. II gives the laws passed at the called and regular sessions of the Second Congress, the first being a joint resolution approved September 30, 1837, and the last a joint resolution approved December 29, 1837. The laws as published in Vol. I of this 1838 edition, are given in a page-for-page reprint, except for the omission of the printer's name from the imprint on the title page, in Gammel, Vol. I, p. [1061]-1341, and the laws in Vol. II of the Houston, 1838, edition in Gammel, Vol. I, p. [1343]-1469. A news item in the Houston Telegraph and Texas Register of April 14, 1838, reports the publication of Vol. I and Vol. II of the Laws. Streeter lists entries for the two editions of the laws of the adjourned session of the Second Congress separately. Full gold-stamped calf binding. Moderate foxing and water staining throughout; a few silk repairs to beginning pages. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 275. Raines, p. 230. Sabin 94995-94996.

Laws of the Republic of Texas, Passed the First Session of Third Congress, 1839. (Houston: Intelligence Office, 1839.) Second issue with same title, imprint, and date as first issue, but with four additional laws on a new sheet marked "O," with a slip indexing the additional laws pasted at foot of p. v. Octavo. This issue includes a fourteen-page index to the Laws of Texas following the five-page index to the Laws of the Third Congress, this being one of the few known copies containing these items. Of note in the laws listed is "An Act entitled an act appropriating certain lands for the establishment of a general system of education," which stated "That each county of this Republic shall have three leagues of land surveyed and set apart for the purpose of establishing a primary school or academy ... provided, that said lands shall not be surveyed in tracts less than one hundred and sixty acres." Full gold-stamped leather. Minor to moderate age toning throughout, else fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 355A. Raines, p. 230. Sabin 94999.

Laws of the Republic of Texas, Passed at the Session of the Fifth Congress - Second Issue, Signed by Peter W. Gray. (Houston: Telegraph Power Press. 1841.) Second issue with same title, imprint, and date as the first, but including four additional acts on p. 185-189 (approved February 3-5, 1841), and with the appendix of proclamations separately paginated. The statement in the Morning Star (Houston) of March 6, 1841, that "the laws of the last session will be published within eight or ten days from this time, and will then be on sale at the Telegraph Office," probably refers to this issue. One of the two proclamations by Lamar gives the text of the Treaty with France signed at Paris, September 25, 1839. For the Gammel reprint of the laws see note to Streeter 479A, that for the second issue.

This copy was originally owned by Peter W. Gray, founder of the Houston law firm Baker and Botts, 1866. Signed by Gray on title page, with holograph notations throughout appendix and index. Full gold-stamped leather binding. Significant age toning throughout with occasional minor foxing. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 479A. Raines, p. 230. Sabin 95000, note.

Laws Passed by the Sixth Congress of the Republic of Texas. (Austin: S. Whiting, Public Printer, Published by Authority, 1842.) Octavo, 120 pp., index, vii p., verso blank. Abstract of Private Acts and Joint Resolutions, viii p. Included here are the laws passed at the regular session of the Sixth Congress. Whiting's charge of March 4, 1842, was for 2000 copies (Ms., Archives, Texas State Library). They are given in a page-for-page reprint, except for the omission of the printer's name and address from the imprint on the title page, in Gammel, Vol. II, p. [673]-808. Full gold-stamped leather binding. Moderate to significant age toning throughout; water stains at extreme right edge of pages. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 535. Raines, p. 230. Sabin 95000, note.

TEXAS (Republic). Laws Passed by the Seventh Congress of the Republic of Texas. Houston: Telegraph Office, 1843, 42 p., Octavo. Contains interesting legislation regarding import duties on French wines and free persons of color, proclamations promulgating Treaties of Commerce and Navigation with Great Britain (signed November 13, 1840); the convention with Great Britain relating to mediation by Great Britain between Texas and Mexico (signed November 14, 1840); the treaty with Great Britain for the suppression of the African slave trade (signed November 16, 1840); and the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation with the Netherlands (signed September 18, 1840), and much more. The two treaties with Great Britain were proclaimed by President Houston on September 16, 1842, and the treaty with the Netherlands on January 4, 1843. Full gold-stamped leather. Minor to moderate foxing to title page and end pages, else fine. Excellent addition to any library of early Texas law. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 570. Sabin 95000, note.

Laws passed by the eighth Congress of the Republic of Texas, Houston: Published by Authority. Cruger & Moore, Public Printers, 1844. 120 pp., blank leaf. Abstract of Private Acts and Joint Resolutions, [iii]-viii p.; index, vii p. 8.5". The Telegraph and Texas Register for April 10, 1844, has this comment: "The printing of the laws was completed on the 27th ult., within five days of the period designated in the contract of the public printers. They were delivered at the State Department on the 1st. inst. The index ... will be printed in a few days and will be in readiness for distribution with the laws this week." Cruger & Moore's bill of April 1, 1844, was for 2000 copies (Mss. Archives, Texas State Library). These laws are given in a page-for-page reprint in Gammel, Vol. II, p. [913]-1046, except that in the Gammel reprint the Index precedes the Abstract of Private Acts and the imprint on the title page omits the name and address of the printer. Occasional minor foxing; moderate water staining throughout. Full gold-stamped leather. An important abstract relating to early legislation in the Republic of Texas. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 603. Raines, p. 231. Sabin 95000.

Scarce Copy of the Laws and Decrees of the State of Coahuila and Texas, in Spanish and English, to which is added the Constitution of Said State: also: the Colonization Law of the State of Tamaulipas, and Naturalization Law of the General Congress. By order of the Secretary of State. Translated by J.P. Kimball, M.D. Houston: Telegraph Power Press [Cruger and Moore], 1839. 351 pp., Octavo.

Kimball enters here, by title or in full, 41 decrees of the Constituent Congress for the period 1824 to 1827, and 325 decrees of the Constitutional Congress for the period 1827-1835, as well as various addresses and iniciativas, such as those addressed to the Mexican Congress by the State Legislature in April and May, 1835.

Difficulty in finding a suitable translator had delayed the publication in English of the Laws of Coahuila and Texas, but "I finally engaged Doctor John P. Kimball, who has labored diligently during the last summer in translating them, which he has completed and is now superintending their publication. The work will be one octavo volume, printed in Spanish and English, comprising about three hundred pages, and will issue from the press during the present month."

Issued in two parts, in plain paper wrappers. The first part ends with p. 149 of the Spanish text and the text of the second part begins with p. 149 of the English text, the main title being issued with the second part and preceding p. 149 of the English text. Full calf covers with gold-stamped imprints. Significant age toning, foxing, and water staining throughout; a few silked sections on opening pages. Very good. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Eberstadt 162:461. Streeter 310.

Journal of the Senate of the Republic of Texas; First Session of the Third Congress -- 1838. (Houston: National Intelligence Office, S. Whiting, Printer, By order of the Secretary of State. 1839.) 132 pp., Octavo. There are only five known copies of this seminal work.

The Senate assembled for this session on November 5, 1838, and adjourned sine die on January 24, 1839. Various topics were discussed and voted upon. Of note during this session is Congress' authorization (its third and final) to locate a permanent capital, stipulating that the site should be located between the Trinity and Colorado rivers and north of the Old San Antonio Road, and named Austin. The commissioners selected the frontier settlement of Waterloo and purchased about 7,100 acres of land there for $21,000. The site was quickly surveyed and divided into city lots, and construction on government buildings, businesses, homes and hotels began immediately. By October 1829, the Texas government had taken up residence in the new capital.

Responding to newly elected President Lamar's address to Congress (December 21, 1838), Congress authorized a force of fifteen companies to be stationed in military colonies at eight locations along frontier rivers, including the Red River, the Brazos, the Colorado, and others. At each site, land was to be surveyed into 160-acre tracts and each soldier who fulfilled his enlistment would receive a tract. Bona fide settlers who lived on the land for three years also would be given tracts. In addition, Congress approved the building of sixteen trading posts near the settlement line.

On January 1, 1839, the Texas Congress authorized President Lamar to enroll eight companies of mounted volunteers for six months' service and appropriated $75,000 to sustain the force. Congress also set aside $5,000 to recruit and maintain a company of fifty-six rangers for three months, three mounted companies for immediate service against hostile Indians, and two additional companies to protect San Patricio, Goliad, and Refugio counties. To cover expenses for these military companies, Congress appropriated a million dollars in promissory notes, then quickly followed this by approving non-interest-bearing promissory notes, called "red-backs," on January 19, 1839. The treasury issued $2,780,361 in red-backs, valued at 37½ cents on the dollar in specie, which were worthless within three years.

The original edition of the Report of the Secretary of State, November, 1839. (entry No. 351: Document E, p. 33), indicates that 500 copies of the Journal were printed. Interestingly, the reprinting of this report in Vol. III of the modern Journals of the Fourth Congress (p. [5]-34, with Document E on p. 31) omits the sentence about this printing, although it does record that about 150 volumes were still on hand. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 343. Sabin 94970, note.

Report of the Secretary of State, November, 1839. (Austin: Whiting's Print, 1839.) 38 pages, 5" x 8". Modern three-quarter gilt morocco and cloth. The main report is from Acting Secretary of State David G. Burnet to President Mirabeau B. Lamar, followed by six documents, labeled A through F. A and B relate to the outrages of the Indians on the frontier and to the entrance of General Thomas J. Rusk into U.S. territory in the Indian campaign. The report contains a communication "from John Emberson, captain of a company of Texas Rangers on our north-eastern frontier...in order that prompt measures may be adopted by that government [U.S.] to prevent the threatened invasion of Texas by the Indians therein..." An early printed reference to the Texas Rangers. Soiled at lower edge of first three sheets and lower corner of each page. Very good condition. Contemporary partial leather, blue cloth binding, with considerable wear at leather edges. Gilt floral design on spine, gilt lettering on cover: "Report/of the/Secretary of State/November 1839." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 351: Streeter locates only four copies.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives: Fifth Congress. [Austin]. Printed at the Gazette Office. [1841] 448 pp., three tables (two folding). Octavo. First edition. The first half of the Appendix contains annual reports to President Lamar made by the Secretaries of State, Treasury, War and Navy, the Attorney General, the Post-Master General, and the Commissioner of the General Land Office. The latter half offers reports from associated committees.

Only a few copies of this book have ever been located, but it is indispensable to the study of Texas history. Research has failed to locate any other printing of many of the House Committee reports included here, save for the occasional partial reprint in newspapers of the time. The same can be said of the reports made to President Lamar in October, 1840, by the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, and the Post-Master General.

The extreme rarity of this volume is made clear by information enclosed within its pages. The House Journal for November 6, 1840 (p. 37), records a vote requiring all committees to prepare abstracts of their reports for the press. A few pages later (p. 41), we learn that the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads has chosen to decline publication of the report of the Post-Master General. On the same day, the Committee on the Judiciary stated that it was unnecessary to publish any portion of the Attorney General's report. Both committees pointed to the great expense that would be incurred by preparing and printing the abstracts for the press. On page 405, we find complaints made by the Committee on Finance that the Treasury Department's reports are "too voluminous for publication. In the case of the annual reports made by the Secretary of War and the Commissioner of the General Land Office, only the copies at the Grand Lodge at Waco are known, and only the Grand Lodge and the Texas State Library copies of the report of the Secretary of Navy have thus far been located. Even the report of the Secretary of State is uncommon, with only three copies known to exist, this being one of them.

The House Journal of the Fifth Congress is one of the two Cruger & Wing imprints entered under the year 1841; this Appendix with its imprint "Printed at the Gazette Office" is one of the many Samuel Whiting imprints of that year. The printer's bill was for 500 copies (Ms., Archives, Texas State Library). Enclosed in a blue half-calf case with raised bands and gilt lettering at the spine. Significant age toning throughout, but otherwise in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 456. Sabin 94965, note.

TEXAS (Republic). An Ordinance in relation to Colonization Contracts. An Ordinance assenting to the Proposals of the United States' Congress for the Annexation of Texas; adopted unanimously in Convention, at the City of Austin, 1845. Houston: printed at the Telegraph Office, 1845, 32 p. Very scarce, this is one of only five known copies.

As noted by Streeter, in this later edition printed at Houston, the Constitution (p. [3]-28) is dated and signed as in the first edition printed at Austin, but here, as in the Convention Journal, the printed signatures of sixty members of the Convention follow Rusk's printed signature as President. The Constitution is followed by "An Ordinance," undated, assenting to the proposals of the United States' Congress for the annexation of Texas (p. 29-30, as adopted by the Convention on its opening day, July 4, 1845), and by "An Ordinance" in relation to colonization contracts (p. 31-32). The assenting ordinance was not printed in the first edition, though the colonization contracts ordinance came after the text of the Constitution in that edition, and neither was printed in the Spanish edition. Extensive holograph notations follow, in an unknown hand.

Sharp edges and corners; minor foxing on cover, significant foxing and ink transfer on final pages. Contemporary half leather case, gilt lettering. Extremely rare; a necessity for a complete library of early Texas law. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 665. Raines, p. 231. Sabin 95065. The text of the Houston edition is reprinted in Gammel, Vol. II, p. 1275-1306.

James Wilmer Dallam: A Digest of the Laws of Texas: containing A Full and Complete Compilation of the Land Laws; together with the Opinions of the Supreme Court. By James Wilmer Dallam, of Matagorda, Texas. (Baltimore: Printed by John D. Toy, 1845). First edition. Quarto (9.5" x 5.5"). ix [x], [9] 10-632 pages. Full contemporary sheepskin, covers ruled in blind with a chain device, red morocco label lettered in gilt on the spine. "Dallam, born in Baltimore, was a legal scholar and newspaper editor who moved to Matagorda Texas in 1839 and quickly made a place for himself in the frontier community. He went to Washington DC in 1844 to compile A Digest of the Laws of Texas... which became known as the "lawyer's bible" and has gone through several printings. Because modern Texas jurisprudence is based on the laws in effect in the republic, the Digest has retained its importance. Dallam, who died from yellow fever at 29 years of age in 1847, also wrote two short romances founded on incidents of Texas history. After his death, Dallam County was named in his honor." (Handbook of Texas Online). General scuffing and light wear to the binding, some soiling including a 2" by 2" dark spot at the base of the rear joint. Previous owner's signature to the front pastedown endpaper and the top of the title, ink stamp to the top of the title. Light browning and foxing in the sheets, but overall still an excellent near fine copy. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1577.

John Tyler: Message from the President of the United States, Communicating, In Compliance with a Resolution of the Senate, Copies of the Proceedings of the Commissioner Appointed to run the Boundary Line Between the United States and the Republic of Texas. (Washington, DC: Thomas Allen, printer. [March 21, 1842.]) 8vo. 74 pp., plus two five-page annexed sections: In further compliance with a resolution of the Senate, copies of correspondence relative to the demarcation of the boundary line between the United States and Texas. Six fold-out maps. Slight age toning and minor foxing throughout, else very fine. Contemporary blue full-leather with black leather label on spine, gilt lettering.

On December 19, 1836, the Texas Congress unilaterally set the boundaries of the new Republic, declaring the Rio Grande to be the southern boundary, even though Mexico had refused to recognize Texas independence. The eastern border with Louisiana presented additional problems, and President Sam Houston took up the matter with the United States through diplomatic channels.

Ultimately, a treaty was signed in Washington on April 25, 1838, which provided that each government would appoint a commissioner and a surveyor to run the boundary. Texas chose Memucan Hunt and John Overton to join their United States counterparts at the mouth of the Sabine River. The work stalled when the commissioners could not agree on whether Sabine Lake was the "Sabine river" named in the treaty. On November 24, 1849, after annexation, the United States Congress recognized the Texas claim that the boundary ran through the middle of the lake.

This work contains some of the most important maps in Texas history, showing the final boundaries between Texas and the United States, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Red River. The map of the Sabine Pass is on an unusually large scale (1 inch = 2 miles). Also included is a 3-foot long map of the Sabine River.

A must have for any complete Texana collection.

Reference: Phillips, America, p. 843. Streeter 1432. Streeter (1438n)

[John Tyler] Secretarially Scribed and Signed Letter by His Son Robert Tyler, who served as the President's Private Secretary. One page, 7.75" x 10", "Executive Chamber / Washington City", May 30, 1844, to Col. W.A.J. Britain. In full: "Yours of 25 inst. received in due time but owing to the price of other business the answer has been delayed. I am indeed happy to find the start I have taken in regard to the annexation of Texas meets with your approbation, and you will please accept my warmest thanks for the interest you manifest towards me. I have no doubt the good sense of the great Democratic party, as well as large numbers of all parties will concur with you in your opinion of this important project. And when the subject is properly understood I have no doubt it will meet with the approbation of every American citizen. Should it be necessary to marshal force to maintain what I conceive to be justice to Texas as well as to ourselves I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I can rally some brave hearts around the cause of justice and liberty... " In 1837, the people of Republic of Texas, having just won its independence from Mexico, voted to be annexed by the U.S. Initially, when the Texas minister (ambassador) in Washington, D.C., proposed annexation to the Van Buren administration in August 1837, the request was refused for fear of a war with Mexico. Texas withdrew its request for annexation and chose to exist as an independent nation, recognized by both the United States and United Kingdom. In 1843 Tyler once again raised the issue of annexation. Despite opposition, Tyler would successfully achieve approval for annexation from Congress by means of adopting a joint resolution. With the usual mail folds, including a small stain with a tiny hole, this historic letter is in near fine condition and would display beautifully. We sold a secretarially scribed and signed letter by Tyler (this one scribed by his other son John Tyler, Jr.) dated the following year, which was a letter of introduction for the bearer of the resolution annexing Texas to the Union, as part of a lot of 3 letters for $9500 in an October 2006 auction. The powerful language of this letter illustrating the lengths to which Tyler would go to succeed in bringing Texas into the Union, exceeds in import.

James Buchanan Autograph Letter Signed. One page, 8" x 10", Washington, March 26, 1845, a letter of introduction to A[ndrew] J[ackson] Donelson. In part: "It affords me great pleasure to introduce to you the bearer hereof James Prentiss Esquire of this City. He is about to visit Texas & desires to have the honor of your acquaintance. He is an ardent Democrat, a warm friend of annexation & a respectable man..." Donelson had been appointed chargé d'affaires of the United States to the Republic of Texas by President Tyler, likely because Tyler believed that Donelson would be useful in persuading Samuel Houston (both Houston and Donelson were natives of Tennessee) to endorse the annexation of Texas by the Union. Donelson had been instrumental in the election of President Polk, who took office in 1845. James Prentiss had founded the Union Land Company in New York in 1830 in partnership with his brother Henry Bowdoin Prentiss, for the purpose of colonizing the land grants held by David G. Burnet and others in Texas. Henry sold his interest in the company to his brother James in 1834. Because no other person ever acquired title or shares in the company, the entire interest became vested in James. Hugely inflated claims of expenses made by the company for the years 1831-1834 (more than $400,000) greatly contradicted Henry's disclosure that the company had expenses of about $560 and held no more than $1290 in assets in Texas. It was more likely that the Union Land Company was a land speculation enterprise for James. Buchanan was serving as Secretary of State in Polk's administration when he wrote this letter, and it serves as a great association illustrating the variety of vested interests in the annexation of Texas. A few minor tears have been professionally repaired; with mounting stains along left margin, otherwise near fine condition.

[Circular] Decree Calling Mexico's Sons to Defend Against the Threat of Texas' Annexation. [Mexico] [1845] With heading: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Gobernacion y Policia. Four-page folder printed on first [3] pages. Octavo. Approved by José Joaquin de Herrera, President ad interim, on June 4, 1845, and promulgated the same day by Luis G. Cuevas. Signed in print at end: José Joaquin de Herrera = Luis G. Cuevas. Cuevas' rubric below.

Reads in part: "1st. The Mexican nation calls upon all her children to the defense of her national independence, threatened by the usurpation of Texas, which is intended to be realized by the decree of annexation passed by the congress, and sanctioned by the president, of the United States of the north. 2d. In consequence, the government will call to arms all the forces of the army, according to the authority granted it by the existing laws; and for the preservation of public order, for the support of her institutions, and in case of necessity, to serve as the reserve to the army, the government, according to the powers given to it on the 9th December 1844, will raise the corps specified by said decree, under the name of 'Defenders of the Independence and of the Laws.'" Housed in a red half-calf case with brown cloth boards and gilt lettering on the spine. Moderate waterstaining along lower center fold and edges; restoration to separated fold. From the Collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1021A. Eberstadt 162:226 (this being that copy).

Journals of the Convention, Assembled at the City of Austin on the Fourth of July 1845, for the Purpose of Framing a Constitution for the State of Texas. Austin: Miner & Cruger, Printers to the Convention, 1845, 378 p., 8vo, with modern marbled wrappers. First edition, this being Thomas W. Streeter's personal copy with leaf of notes laid in. Second only in importance to the convention that drafted the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the Republic of Texas (March 1836), this convention adopted the first Constitution of the State of Texas. It is one of the most indispensable sources of Texas history.

Considered the most able body of its kind to ever be assembled in Texas, the 1845 convention included such learned and politically experienced individuals as James Pinckney Henderson, Isaac Van Zandt, Hardin R. Runnels, Abner S. Lipscomb, Nicholas H. Darnell, R. E. B. Baylor, José Antonio Navarro, Thomas Jefferson Rusk, who was elected president of the convention, and James H. Raymond who was named secretary. By a vote of fifty-five to one, the delegates approved the offer of annexation. Subsequently, the convention prepared the Constitution of 1845 for the new state. Housed in a contemporary half-calf case with marbled covers, gilt lettering. Pages 371-4 missing, but photostatic copies have been laid in; a number of leaves have been washed and remargined. A few sections of minor age toning and foxing, else fine. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 638 (locating 12 copies, 3 of which are defective), Streeter's personal copy. Eberstadt, Texas 162:45 (this copy). Raines, p. 231. Sabin 94978. This is the copy Donated to the Texas State Historical Association by Shirley and Clifton Caldwell.

[Broadside] Governor of Nuevo Leon Denounces the Annexation of Texas and Calls for an Apology. [Monterrey] [1845] With heading: Juan Nepomuceno De La Garza Y Evia, Goberndaor Constitucional Del Departamento De Nuevo Leon Á Sus Habitantes [Juán Nepomuceno de la Garza y Evia, Constitutional Governor of the Department of Nuevo Leon to its Habitants]. One page. Folio. Signed in print at end: "Juan Nepomuceno de la Garza y Evia. Monterey Setiembre [sic] 20 de 1845." First edition.

Reads in part: "Fellow Citizens: The United States of America has broken their pact of friendship and commerce with Mexico . . . Have sanctioned the take-over of Texas and Its armaments and they already occupy the Valley of Corpus Christi . . . at this time we demand a public apology. People of New Leon: This nation raises its formidable arm to stop this aggression. Join the nation's noble inspiration, or we shall drag the chains which someday will bind the most ignored race which inhabits the world poor, but noble patriots, your government and I will appreciate your sacrifice." Nine months later De La Garza Y Evia issued another proclamation to stop the North American Invasion. Document is protected in a black half-calf case with red cloth boards and gilt lettering at the spine. Faint age toning at edges, but overall in very fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter [Hanna] 1021.5

E.W. Moore: Action of the Legislature of the State of Texas, in Reference to the Charge of Defalcation against Commodore E. W. Moore and the Construction Put upon the "Annexation Resolutions," by the Government of the United States. (Washington: T. Barnard, Printer, 1849.) 14 pp. 8vo. First edition. Small hole at inner margin of title does not affect typography. Modern half-burgundy levant leather over maroon cloth.

This rare work concerns Commodore Moore's attempts to be reimbursed for expenses incurred in 1840-41, while sailing off the Mexican coast to hasten negotiations for peace between Mexico and Texas.

Although President Sam Houston had commissioned Moore to blockade the Mexican coast, he refused to provide adequate funding for the excursion. As a result, Commodore Moore's expedition was desperately low on food and fuel. In a last bid to secure funds, Moore took his ships up the Tabasco River to treat with Yucatán rebels who were fighting the Mexican government. Moore agreed to help the rebels in exchange for a payment of $25,000. Moore's actions saved the federalist Yucatecans from a hasty and ill-warranted peace with centralist Santa Anna, and ultimately resulted in the first accurate navigation charts of the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, shipping losses plummeted, and insurance rates for ships going to Texas dropped, a great boost to the Texas economy.

By June 1843, the Texas Navy controlled the Gulf, but President Houston remained outraged that Moore had ignored his orders and assisted the Yucatán rebels. Houston accused Moore of willful neglect of duty, misapplication of money, embezzlement of public property, fraud, disobedience, contempt, treason, and murder. Angry, bitter, and financially impoverished, Moore demanded a trial, and was ultimately found not guilty except on four minor charges.

After the dissolution of the Texas Navy, Moore spent many years prosecuting financial claims against Texas. This imprint relates to those efforts. In the end, Texas settled with him for $44,655.

Branch T. Archer Manuscript Letter Signed A historically important LS "B.T. Archer chr" as Chairman and "Wm T. Austin" as Secretary of the Committee of Safety and Correspondence, one page, 6" x 7.75". Velasco, August 20, 1835. Committees of Safety and Correspondence, similar to those in the American Revolution, were organized in Texas as early as 1832 basically to secure the organization of the militia for defense against Indians. They kept people in touch with developments and eventually made possible an organized, effective resistance in the Texas Revolution. To Col. James W. Fannin. In full, "You are appointed as a confidential agent by the committee of safety and correspondence of the Jurisdiction of Columbia to proceed to San Felipe and use your utmost exertions to persuade Wyly Martin and all other persons with whom you may have influence to co-operate with us in the call of a consultation of all Texas through her representatives." Five days earlier, on August 15, 1835, at a meeting in Columbia, the citizens of the town passed resolutions "that a Consultation of all Texas through her representatives is indispensable...that a committee composed of fifteen persons, to be called a Committee of Safety and Correspondence for the Jurisdiction of Columbia be elected...that they be instructed to prepare an address to all the Jurisdictions of Texas requesting them to co-operate with us in the call of a consultation of all Texas...that the Committee communicate with all Texas in the most prompt manner by sending confidential agents to each Jurisdiction...that said committee keep the people correctly advised of all political intelligence of general interest...and that they continue to act until displaced by the people or the consultation." Pursuant to the resolutions adopted by that meeting, the Committee of Safety and Correspondence met in the town of Velasco on August 18th with Archer as Chairman and Austin as Secretary, and, by this letter, appointed Col. James W. Fannin, Jr. as a confidential agent. William T. Austin later served as aide-de-camp to Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston. At the August 18, 1835 meeting, a committee was appointed to address the "Citizens of all Texas" for the purpose of bringing about a Consultation as resolved at the Columbia meeting three days earlier. Chairman Archer was authorized to appoint delegates to the different Jurisdictions of Texas.
A public meeting at San Felipe on September 12, 1835 recommended the Consultation and Wyly Martin, Randall Jones, William Pettus, Gail Borden, Jr., and Stephen F. Austin were appointed members of a committee to "order and superintend the election of delegates of this jurisdiction, and to correspond with committees of other jurisdictions." Col. Fannin was evidently successful in persuading Wyly Martin and others to cooperate with the committee and support the calling of the Consultation. EXTENSIVE RESEARCH HAS NOT UNCOVERED THE WRITING OF ANY OTHER LETTER BY ARCHER AND AUSTIN AT ANY TIME TO ANYONE ELSE WITH SIMILAR CONTENT, SO IT WAS AS A RESULT OF THIS LETTER AND FANNIN'S ENSUING EFFORT THAT THE CONSULTATION WAS HELD. Wyly Martin was acting "jefe politico" (literally, "political chief") of the Department of the Brazos and had been a delegate from San Felipe de Austin to previous conventions held in 1832 and 1833. The term "consultation" was first used at the August 15th meeting in Columbia, perhaps to avoid the revolutionary connotations that the word "convention" implied in Mexican politics. Though originally set for October 15th, the Consultation was delayed until November 1, 1835 at the insistence of delegates-elect and army officers because of possible Mexican military action after the Battle of Gonzales on October 2nd, generally considered to be the first battle of the Texas Revolution. At the Consultation which convened on November 1st, at San Felipe, Branch T. Archer, representative of Brazoria, was elected chairman. The Consultation endorsed the establishment of a provisional government, selected Archer, Stephen F. Austin, and William H. Wharton as commissioners to the United States to lobby for financial assistance, collect supplies, and recruit men for the Texas cause, and established a regular army with two-year enlistments and U.S. Army regulations. Sam Houston won unanimous election as commander with the rank of Major General. The Consultation also agreed that another popular assembly was needed to chart a course of action. On December 10, 1835, the General Council of the newly established provisional government issued a call for an election on February 1, 1836 to choose delegates to assemble at a Convention to be held on March 1, 1836. Meeting at Washington-on-the-Brazos, on March 2nd, the delegates unanimously adopted a Declaration of Independence. Ultimately fifty-eight members signed the document. Thus was born the Republic of Texas. And it all began with this letter!
Continuing as an agent of the provisional government of Texas, the recipient of this letter, Col. James W. Fannin, had begun recruiting volunteers for the Matamoros expedition in January 1836. Fannin was elected colonel of the Provisional Regiment of Volunteers at Goliad on February 7th and from February 12th to March 12th, acted as commander in chief of the army. When he learned that the Mexicans had occupied Matamoros, Fannin went no further with plans for the expedition and fell back to strengthen defenses at Goliad. On March 12th, Fannin dispatched most of his force to aid Texans near Refugio. On March 14th, he received Gen. Sam Houston's order to retreat to Victoria, which rescinded a previous order to relieve the Alamo which had fallen on March 6th. Waiting for his forces under Capt. Amon B. King and Col. William Ward to return from Refugio, Fannin delayed retreating until he heard of their capture. On March 19th, Fannin began his retreat, but he and his men were surrounded and forced to surrender at the Battle of Coleto. The Texans were imprisoned by the Mexicans at Goliad. Col. Fannin and his men were murdered by order of Antonio López de Santa Anna on March 27, 1836. The fall of the Alamo and the Goliad Massacre of 342 Texans aroused the fury of the people of Texas, the United States, and even Great Britain and France, thus considerably promoting the success of the Texas Revolution. Light rippling with small tear in upper left blank area. Lightly waterstained at mid-vertical fold which has been expertly strengthened on verso. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Papers of the Texas Revolution, Vol. 1, No. 531, p. 358

Moses Austin Manuscript Document Signed "Moses Austin," one page, 7.75" x 7.5". Ste. Genevieve District [Louisiana Territory], March 12, 1812. In the Court of Common Pleas. Case of John Heathorn & Co. vs. Moses Austin. In full, "Moses Austin being duly sworn on his oath saith that Benjamin Elliot is a necessary and material Witness for him on the trial of this case and is absent. That he ordered a Subpoena to be issued for him. That he cannot establish the same facts by any other Witness to his knowledge and that he has reasonable grounds to indicate that he can procure the attendance of said Witness - that the said Subpoena was ordered sometime the middle of February last." Moses Austin had served as a justice on the Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the Ste. Genevieve District from 1804-1806. Unsuccessful in escaping debt through traditional business pursuits, Austin developed a plan in 1819 for settling an American colony in Spanish Texas. He personally presented it to Governor Antonio Maria Martinez. On December 26, 1820, Gov. Martinez sent Austin's petition for permission to bring 300 settlers into Texas to General Don Joaquin Arredondo, Commanding General of the Eastern Internal Provinces, for final approval. On his trip back to Missouri, Austin contracted pneumonia. Shortly after he reached home, he learned that permission for the colony had been granted. His health worsened. On June 8, 1821, two days before he died, he told his wife to tell his son Stephen that "it is his dying father's last request to prosecute the enterprise he had commenced." And he did. Horizontal folds, one lightly toned. Slight chipping at edges of folds. Soiling in blank area beneath the paraph of Austin's bold signature. On good quality, laid paper, in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Moses Austin Autograph Note Signed. 7.5" x 3.5", July 13 (no year). Born in Durham, Connecticut, Moses Austin (1761-1821), the father of Stephen F. Austin, was the first person granted permission for Anglo-Americans to settle in Spanish Texas. A leading developer of the American lead industry, he eventually faced financial ruin, and the business was left to be salvaged by his son. In this note, Austin writes in full "Mr. Marlon Rugles / Please send me by the boy as much meal as he can bring on his horse- / Yours M Austin / July 13." The note, which has been matted and framed to an overall size of 10" x 14", is in very good condition with folds and acidification.

Moses Austin Autograph Letter Signed "M. Austin," one page, 8.25"x 10.5". Mine au Burton, June 13, 1803. To Frances James, addressed by Austin on verso to "Mr. Frances James/St. Genouve." In full "I have sent you by Jos Coleman 8 Barrs Lead which you will please store for me." In 1797, the Spanish Commandant granted to Moses Austin a square league of land and the lead mines discovered at Mine au Burton (or "Breton") near St. Genevieve, in Spanish Upper Louisiana (later, Missouri). He also received the right to settle 30 families there from the United States. Austin erected smelting furnaces and developed the lead deposits, producing the first sheet lead and cannonballs made in Missouri. On the lower part of the letter, Joseph Coleman has signed with his "X" mark, "Recd from Moses Austin Eight Barrs Lead which I promise to deliver Mr. Frances James in St. Genevieve. Mine Au Burton, June 13, 1803. 8 Barrs Lead." On verso is a column of notes penned by Austin, headed by him "Memorandum." On 11 lines he's listed what seem to be purchases and payments for items such as linen. The letter has been archivally reinforced with tissue. With uneven margins and paper loss, however Austin's holograph remains unaffected.

Theodore Barbey Autograph Letter Signed "Th. Barbey," four pages, 8.25" x 10.5", front and verso. Paris, July 15, 1841. On stationery of the "Consulat du Texas/A Paris." To "The Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas. Austin." In part, "I have the honor to inform you that I have received my Commission as Consul for Texas in Paris & that his Majesty the King of the French has sent me his Exequator. I take the liberty of having recourse to your extreme kindness to reclaim of you a Copy of the Laws of Texas, a Commercial or Customs Tariff, an Ensign or Flag, & a Geographical Map of the Country. I should also recall to your attention that I am entirely destitute of instructions concerning Emigrants concerning Emigrants [sic] which I might have in my power to direct to you, for unless I can convince these people that it would be more advantageous for them to proceed to Texas than to the United States, they will always continue to take the direction of the United States which is known to them..." Theodore Barbey's appointment as the first Texas Consul in Paris was confirmed by the Senate on November 30, 1840. In May 1842, Ashbel Smith, chargé d'affaires of the Republic of Texas to England and France, transmitted to Barbey a letter of revocation of his appointment from the Secretary of State of Texas, but he refused to give up his post. On November 4, 1842, Smith announced to the French Minister that Barbey had been dismissed and replaced by Henri Castro. In near fine condition with minor separations at folds and creasing along left margin.

Robert Barr Postmaster Appointment Signed "R Barr" as Postmaster General of Texas, one page, 8.5" x 10.75". Houston, April 12, 1839. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. Appointment of Thomas Wm. (Peg Leg) Ward as "Post Master at the City of Houston." Robert Barr was appointed as the first Postmaster General of Texas on December 22, 1836 by Pres. Sam Houston and was reappointed by Pres. Mirabeau B. Lamar in 1838. He died in office on October 11, 1839. Thomas William (Peg Leg) Ward had fought at the siege of Bexar in December 1835. During the battle, at the head of an artillery company, Capt. Ward lost his leg to a cannonball. He returned to New Orleans to be fitted with a peg leg. Ward later served as Mayor of Austin (1840-1841, 1853, 1865) and Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas from 1841-1848. Light folds. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Robert Baylor Manuscript Document Signed, "R. E. B. Baylor" signed twice, 3 ½ pages with docketing, 8" x 12.5", Washington County, Texas, February 10, 1845. Baylor, in his capacity as District Judge, rules here in favor of Robert Clow's financial claim against Robert Merritt. Stains, chipping to one edge, smoothed folds. Good condition. Kentucky native Robert Emmett Bledsoe Baylor (1793-1873) gave his name to the university he helped found in 1845. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Asa Brigham Autograph Letter Signed "A. Brigham." 3 pages, 7.75 x 9.75", Austin, January 8, 1840 to Robert Mills. Brigham (c.1790-1844), the first Treasurer of the Republic of Texas, writes to Mills (1809-88) a prominent merchant, concerning a counterfeiter. In part: "...In the package you sent by Mr. Perry of $800 I return you one 50$ bill counterfeit, I did not discover it until the 2 auditor returned it to me defaced as you find it. In the package sent by J.R. Jones of $1,371 I find $40 counterfeit... These bills are well calculated to deceive persons as the signature of H. Smith is genuine, the bills of that no. should have been dated the 15th of Nov. 1838. W.G. Cook denys (sic) the signature of Sam Houston to be his writing and Major Izod says he did not no. or date them. You will see all the figures 8 in the genuine bills are made very different from those of the counterfeit notes - and the signature of Sam Houston on the bad notes is badly executed..."

Asa Brigham (c. 1790-1844) was signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, the first treasurer of the Republic of Texas, and mayor of Austin. Brigham emigrated from Louisiana to Texas in April 1830. In December the ayuntamiento of San Felipe de Austin announced his election as síndico procurador for the precinct of Victoria (Brazoria), and in December 1831 he was elected comisario for the same precinct. He was one of those who signed a document on June 20, 1832, indicating readiness to participate in military operations in the interest of Texas independence. After 1832 he kept a ferry at Brazoria, where he ran a mercantile business with his son-in-law, and later he was a stockholder in the San Saba Colonization Company and receiver of stock for the Brazos and Galveston Railroad. He acquired leagues of land at Hall's Bayou in Brazoria County and in Galveston and Bastrop counties, and raised sugar, cotton, corn, and cattle. Brigham was elected Brazoria alcalde in 1835. He served as one of four representatives from Brazoria to the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos and was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He remained at the convention until at least March 16, 1836. David G. Burnet appointed him auditor of the Republic of Texas, and President Sam Houston named him Treasurer on December 20, 1836. He was the first to hold the latter office and was reappointed by Mirabeau B. Lamar in January 1839. On February 16, 1839, Brigham became a Houston alderman while serving as national treasurer. He left the treasury on April 12, 1840; later that year he was charged with using state funds for private purposes but was cleared. Houston reappointed him Treasurer on December 31, 1841, and in 1842 Brigham became mayor of Austin.

With integral address leaf bearing much of wax seal. Usual folds, soiled with some fading, interior pages cleaner and overall quite legible, overall good condition. Asa Brigham examples with any content are quite difficult. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Republic of Texas Railroad Stock Certificate. Partly-printed Document Signed "Wm. J. Bryan" and "Geo. L. Hammeken". 1 page, 8" x 12.5", Austinia, Republic of Texas, March 18, 1839 being a deed acknowledging the payment of $100 by George Fisher for five shares of stock of the Brazos and Galveston Railroad Company. The document reads in small part: "Know all Men by these Presents: That we, William J. Bryan and George L. Hammeken, for and in consideration of One Hundred Dollars, paid by George Fisher to James F. Perry and George L. Hammeken Commissioners appointed for receiving subscriptions to the capital stock of the Brazos and Galveston Rail Road Company...Do..Convey...the following property, lying...in the village of Austinia, on Galveston Bay..." Apparently a lot in the town of Austinia was conveyed to each subscriber for five shares of the capital stock of the railroad. William J. Bryan was a nephew of Stephen F. Austin and a brother of Moses Austin Bryan. Hammeken was a close friend of Austin's and active in enterprises such as this railroad, of which he was the president. He was the translator of Filisola's Evacuation of Texas. Minor pin holes and a few slight nicks at margins, light soiling and dampstain with the expected folds, else very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 321.

William Bryan Autograph Letter Signed, "Wm. Bryan", two pages with docketed integral address panel having oval Galveston stamp and marked "SHIP", 7.75" x 10", New Orleans, Louisiana, October 2, 1841, to Col. Ira R. Lewis, Matagorda, Texas. The letter reads in part, "... I assure you it will afford me pleasure to make your house my home while I remain at Matagorda as I am confident I cannot be so happy under any other roof - Yesterday I rec'd a letter from Col. Bee from Washington [D.C.].He writes as follows 'Gen Hamilton does not expect to have the other side until about the 3rd or 19th of October. He is still most sanguine of the loan but desires that no publication should be made; all will be well , depend upon it. With new loan, tho, he has had a hard time' although, a loan may be obtained, I am of your opinion, the terms will be so unfavorable, that our Republic will profit nothing from it...". William Bryan, an early Texian revolutionary, was serving as the new republic's Consul at New Orleans when he penned this letter. The recipient, Virginia-born Ira Lewis, was an attorney and soldier. It is interesting to note that Bryan here quotes South Carolinian Bernard Bee regarding loans to the infant Texas Republic. Some 20 years later, on the battlefield of First Manassas, Bee would utter the enduring observation that General Thomas Jackson was standing before the enemy "like a stonewall". Light toning, smoothed folds, very good condition. From the collection of Darrely Brown.

Surveyor Promissory Note Signed "Jno. S. Cox," one page, 7" x 2.25". Austin, November 28, 1832. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. In full "Sixty days from date I Promise to pay to Horatio Chriesman, Surveyor, or order, forty eight Dollars - Cents; being amount of surveying fees on land granted to me by the Government of the state of Coahuila and Texas - And I hereby renounce the benefit, exemption, and privileges of law No. 70, and all other laws, that might favor me to retard or evade the prompt payment of this note." Not in Streeter. Calculations at lower left: "Int. to 23d Sept 1836/3 yrs 7 mo 27 ds $17.50/note 48./$65.50." Imprinted vertically at left margin: "G.B. [Co]tten, Printer." John S. Cox was granted one league of land (4,428.4 acres) on October 16, 1832. Horatio Chriesman, one of the Old Three Hundred, was elected alcalde at San Felipe in 1832 and signed the official call for the Convention of 1832. In October 1837, Chriesman was one of a commission of five chosen to select a site for the capital of the republic. His offer of 700 acres near Washington-on-the-Brazos for the seat of government was rejected. Two lines and a signature were crossed off on verso. The chemical reaction of the ink "burned" through the paper, resulting in holes and tears. Portion missing at upper left corner. Glassine in blank area at upper right. Overall in very good condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Jacob Raphael De Cordova Autograph Letter Signed "J. De Cordova," one page, 7.75" x 9.75". Austin, March 4, 1848. To the County Clerk of Montgomery. In full, "I am really anxious to receive the Unconditional certificate of H. Mac Rea - and will feel particularly obliged if you will use your best exertions to put me in possession of this Certificate at as early a date as possible - For your polite letter of Feby 16 accept my thanks." De Cordova adds "Direct to me at Houston." Jacob Raphael De Cordova (1808-1868) was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, but was reared by an aunt in England because his mother had died in childbirth. His father, a Jewish coffee grower, moved to Philadelphia where he became president of Congregation Mikveh Israel in 1820. Jacob joined his father in Philadelphia, married, and learned the printing trade. He returned to Jamaica in 1834 where he and his brother started a newspaper, the "Kingston Daily Gleaner." In 1836, Jacob went to New Orleans where he shipped cargoes of staples to Texas during its struggle for independence. As Grand Master of the Odd Fellows, he visited the Texas Republic to install members in Odd Fellows lodges, the first established outside the United States. Jacob settled in Galveston, Texas in 1839, then moved to Houston where, in 1847, he was elected as a state representative to the Second Texas Legislature. This letter was written by Jacob De Cordova from the state capital during his one two-year term in the state legislature. Through scrip and direct purchase, De Cordova acquired large amounts of land to sell to settlers. He made speeches in New York, Philadelphia, and other U.S. cities on the desirability of living in Texas and even traveled to England to speak to a cotton-spinners association in Manchester. His lectures were published and were widely read. De Cordova was one of three men who laid out the town of Waco in 1848-1849. Normal folds and two browned folds in blank left and lower edges. Small portion missing at upper blank left. Very good condition.

Kentuckian Rents Part of the Land of Fort Griffin, Texas, to the United States. Comprises contemporary copies of: 1) Power of Attorney, two pages, 8" x 12.5", 1875; 2) Certification of Power of Attorney, 1.5 pages, 8" x 12.5"; 3) Indenture, five pages, 8" x 12.5". San Antonio, Texas, July 1, 1875. Signed "S.B. Holabird" as Deputy Quarter Master General U.S. Army and Chief Quarter Master Department of Texas, and "D.M. Dowell/By G A Kirkland atty in fact." All three documents are attached at top. Folded for filing, docketed "Lease/of/Part of the site of/Fort Griffin, Texas/By/D.M. Dowell/To The/United States/July 1 1875/Filed Nov. 9th 1876/J N Masterton/Clerk." Two endorsements have been affixed to the right of the docket: "Headquarters Department of Texas/San Antonio, Texas, July 28, 1875/Approved" signed "J.H. Taylor" as "A.A. General/In the absence of and by direction/of the Brigadier General Commanding," 3.25" x 1.75"; "Headquarters Military Division of the Missouri/Chicago, Aug. 9th 1875/Approved/By Command of Lieut. Gen. Sheridan" signed "R.C. Drum" as Assistant Adjutant General," 3" x 2.25'. The Power of Attorney is certified as being "A True Copy" by "Placidus Ord," 1st Lieutenant 19th Infantry, Aide-de-Camp. Upon graduation from West Point in 1849, Samuel B. Holabird (1826-1907) was assigned to the First Infantry then serving on the Rio Grande. In the Civil War, he saw action at Harpers Ferry. After serving as Chief Quarter Master of the Department of Texas, Holabird served as Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army from 1883-1890. Joseph H. Taylor (1836-1885), the nephew of Pres. Zachary Taylor and son-in-law of Gen. M.C. Meigs, served in Kansas, in the Utah expedition, and in a campaign in 1860 against the Kiowa and Comanche Indians of Colorado. He won the brevet of Major at Fair Oaks and that of Lieutenant Colonel at Antietam. Taylor served as Assistant Adjutant General from 1862 until his death. During the Mexican War, Richard C. Drum (1825-1909) fought at the siege of Vera Cruz, and was brevetted First Lieutenant for bravery at Chapultepec and the capture of Mexico City. He was Assistant Adjutant General from 1861 until 1880 when he became Adjutant General of the Army with the rank of Brigadier General. Both Taylor and Drum are buried in Arlington. In 1867, Placidus Ord (1821-1876), brother of Gen. E.O.C. Ord, was promoted to First Lieutenant by Pres. Andrew Johnson "for gallant and meritorious services in the siege of Vicksburg, Miss." He died after being thrown from a carriage by a runaway horse in San Antonio, Texas, a year after signing this document. The indenture is between General Holabird and D.M. Dowell of Louisville, Kentucky, who "does hereby dismiss, let, rent, and lease to the United States of America, all that tract of land situated upon the south bank of Clear Fork of Brazos river containing two hundred and twenty-one (221) acres more or less...and a portion of the land upon which the Military Post of Fort Griffin is situated...together with the privilege of using and hauling water therefrom...the yearly rent or sum of one hundred dollars..." Established in Shackelford County in 1867, Fort Griffin was a strategic unit in the string of border and frontier outposts defending Texas settlers against hostile Indians and outlaws. By 1879, the southern buffalo herd was depleted, eliminating the Indians' food supply. Fort Griffin was closed in 1881 and is today in Fort Griffin State Historical Park. Fine condition.

U.S. Recognition of Texas Independence: William Gatewood Autograph Letter Signed "Wm. Gatewood," 2.5 pages, 8" x 10", front and verso, with integral leaf addressed "To/Henry M. Morfit Esq./Counsellor at Law/Washington/D.C." and red circular "New Port, R.I. Jan 25 PAID" postmark. Newport, R.I., January 23, 1837. Marked "Confidential" by Gatewood. In July 1836, both U.S. houses of Congress passed resolutions "that the independence of Texas ought to be acknowledged by the United States whenever...information should be received that [Texas had] a civil government capable of...fulfilling the obligation of an independent Power." President Jackson sent Henry M. Morfit to Texas as his agent. Morfit reported favorably but Jackson urged against recognition of Texas independence because the people of Texas resolved to seek admission of their nation to the Union as a state once recognition occurred. The President felt that it would seem that the United States was acknowledging Texas independence for the sole purpose of acquiring her territory. Congress agreed with the President. In this letter, Gatewood, a captain in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, writes to his friend Morfit about Texas, telling him he is "really sick and tired" of his job and would like to go to Texas because of the "chances which are afforded to an active and enterprising man (who understands foreign languages) to make a fortune in that country in the event of the recognition of its independence by the United States...Don't you think it will be a good time for me to put in a claim for back pay after Van Buren gets into the Presidential chair? I recently received a very flattering letter from him in reply to a letter I wrote him on the subject of his triumphant election..." Van Buren succeeded Jackson seven weeks after this letter was written. In very fine condition.

Washington County Execution of Judgment Signed "J.D. Giddings/DC WC" as Clerk, one page, 7.5" x 12.25". Partly printed, completed in manuscript. [Washington County], May 26, 1841. Headed: "Republic of Texas/To the Sheriff of Wahsington [sic] County....Greeting." In part, "Whereas, Oliver Gorman on the 8th day of March in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and Forty One at our District Court for Washington County, hath recovered against James R. Cook Debt for Two hundred and twenty five Dollars and twenty three Dollars and thirty nine cents cash and which the said Oliver Gorman now adjudged. There are, therefore, to command you, that of the Goods, Chattels and Estates, of the said James R. Cook you cause to be made the full amount of this execution..." Clerk's fees are listed at the left totaling $23.39. Dockets on verso including a Manuscript Document Signed "Jas. R. Cook." In full "I James R. Cook Defendant to the within Execution do authorize the Sheriff to sell without the necessity of advertizing in a news paper as the Law requires. Oct. 1st 1841." This Washington imprint is unique. Thomas Streeter, in his landmark Bibliography Of Texas, states that the earliest Washington imprint located is a proclamation of President Sam Houston printed by Thomas Johnson on November 21, 1842. Furthermore, he states that no separate item printed at Washington by G. H. Harrison in 1842, or by J. W. J. Niles, who published the Texas Emigrant there in 1839 and 1840, has been located. Most likely, this was printed on the Niles Press in 1840. The last record of Niles is of his establishing the first newspaper at Washington, Texas, in the summer of 1839. He published his weekly Texas Emigrant from July 1839 to August or September, 1840. The printed year "184_" is in the lower left and lower right.

Jabez Demming Giddings was elected Washington County District Court Clerk in 1840 and served until 1844, while he studied law. He enlisted in Capt. Samuel A. Bogart's company on September 20, 1842, participated in the Somervell expedition against Mexico, and was honorably discharged on January 16, 1843, as orderly Sergeant of Volunteers. On December 25, 1835, James Russell Cook joined Capt. Peyton S. Wyatt's company of Huntsville (Alabama) Volunteers, but was on furlough on February 29, 1836, a fact that no doubt saved him from sharing the fate of his comrades at the Goliad Massacre. He was elected 1st Lieutenant of Capt. Henry Wax Karnes's cavalry company and participated in the battle of San Jacinto. According to the Clarksville Northern Standard, Cooke was killed in the streets of Washington by a man named Adkins "with whom he had some difficulty." The Telegraph and Texas Register stated that "in a drunken row" on March 31, 1843, Cook "cut his friend Adkins, who in turn shot and killed Cook." Uniformly toned, partial separation at edges of folds, light offset in the lower area. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Washington County Republic of Texas Imprint. Partly-printed Document Signed "J D Giddings" as Clerk. 1 page, 7.75" x 6", Mt. Vernon, Republic of Texas, August 30, 1842, a summons for Horatio Chrisman to appear before the District Court to testify on the behalf of the plaintiff in a pending suit "on the fourth Monday after September next..." With blind-embossed seal at lower left. Docketed on verso noting costs involved in delivering the summons.

Jabez Demming Giddings, lawyer and banker, son of James and Lucy (Demming) Giddings, was born on October 8, 1814, in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. His elder brother, Giles, died of wounds received at the battle of San Jacinto, and Giddings traveled to Texas to claim Giles's land bounty in 1838. He was elected Washington County district court clerk in 1840 and served until 1844, while he studied law. He enlisted in Capt. Samuel A. Bogart's company on September 20, 1842, participated in the Somervell expedition against Mexico, and was honorably discharged on January 16, 1843, as orderly sergeant of volunteers. During the Civil War he served as Confederate receiver at Brenham and conducted a confidential mission from Governor Francis R. Lubbock to Confederate secretary Judah P. Benjamin.
Before the Civil War he was a slaveholder and one of the state's wealthiest men. By 1870 he had recovered his fortune. He was the only Texan who had a net worth of at least $100,000 in 1860 to do so. In 1866 he and his brother founded one of the state's earliest banks, Giddings and Giddings, in Brenham.

[Washington: Printed at the Tarantula office. 1841] The Tarantula was an early newspaper published at Washington-on-the-Brazos in the Republic of Texas between late March or the beginning of April 1841 and January 1842. Light horizontal creases, moderate toning, else very good. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Steamer Galveston Stock Certificate signed "J.T. Harrell" as Proprietor, one page, 8" x 5.25". Galveston, ______ 18 [no date]. Noted at bottom: "Printed at the 'NEWS' Office, Galveston." See Jenkins, Printer in Three Republics 452, where he states that Samuel Bangs printed the Galveston Daily News during 1842. Jenkins commented that he knew of no other copy in existence of this imprint, and no other stock certificate for a Texas naval vessel. Printed stock certificate with ornate typographical border, numbered "24" in manuscript. "One Share/$100/Certificate of Stock/in the/Steamer Galveston: Capital, Seven Thousand Dollars-70 Shares, 100 Dollars Each. This Certificate entitles _______ to one Share of Stock in the Steamer Galveston:/the original Proprietor being Josiah T. Harrell, who, hereby, for himself, his Heirs, &c., warrants and defends the Title to the same to the said _______, his Heirs or Assigns. This Certificate shall be transferable by assignment, in writing, on the back hereof." Except for the number, the certificate is not filled in. Docketed on verso: "Filed in court on/the 7th July 1854/Thos G. Masterson/clk." Thomas G. Masterson came to Texas from Tennessee in 1832 and bought land on the Brazos River near Velasco. A lawyer and partner in a mercantile business, Masterson held five separate mail contracts from March 1844 to April 1845. In a report from Pensacola, Florida, dated April 15, 1861, Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg reported to Secretary of War LeRoy P. Walker "Mail steamer Galveston from New Orleans this morning. I have taken possession of her." Masterson served as County Clerk and Chief Justice of Brazoria County and was enrolling officer of the district during the Civil War. In the 1840s, Josiah T. Harrell served as Associate Justice of the Harris County Court. Plastic tape at top edge, visible on both sides, touches "on" of Masterson's signature. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

"Old Three Hundred": George Huff Autograph Document Signed "Geo Huff," one page, 7.5" x 6". Austin, Texas, May 31, 1839. Original spelling. In part, "Republick of texas County of Austin to the Sheriff or any Constabl of Said County Greeting. You are Comandet to Sumans Nail Mixon and William Coopar forth with and appair Before me A justice of the Pease to Give Creendence in A Cas where the Republic of texas is Plentive and W.G.L. Foiley Defendet...Given under Hand and Seal." Tradesman George Huff was one of Stephen F. Austin's "Old Three Hundred," settlers who received land grants in Austin's first colony. Born in Woodville, Mississippi, Huff received title to 1.5 leagues of land on the San Bernard River in 1824, settling there with his family in 1825. In 1833 and 1834, he and one of his sons owned a business selling candles, paper, and other supplies at San Felipe de Austin; one of their customers was their friend, attorney William B. Travis who was to die at the Alamo. In 1835, Huff was in charge of provisions, arms, and ammunition sent to headquarters of the volunteer army at Gonzales. He later served as a Justice of the Peace in Austin County. Light soiling else in fine condition.

William Houston Jack Autograph Letter Signed "Wm. H. Jack". 1 page, 8" x 10", Galveston, September 8, [18]40 to Abner Smith Lipscomb requesting that he "...send to Edward Andrews Esq Post Master at San Luis a copy of the transactions of the laws of Coahuila & Texas with the proper Seal and certificate. I wish to send them to the United States to be read in evidence and you know best, the mode of certifying..."

William Houston Jack (1806-44) soldier and member of the Republic of Texas Congress. Born in Georgia, Jack emigrated to Texas in 1830 becoming an active resister to the Mexican government in 1832 following the arrest of his brother and others. He was an author of the revolutionary Turtle Bayou Resolutions. During the revolution he participated in the capture of Goliad and commanded Texas troops at the Grass fight on November 26, 1835. Light dampstain, expected folds, tear at top margin repaired with laid paper on verso, else near fine. Another fine, rather scarce example. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Thomas F. McKinney Autograph Letter Signed 3 pages, 8" x 9.75", Galveston, Dec. 3, 1841 to Sam Houston at Austin withdrawing his request to be appointed as Texas Consul at New Orleans. Promising on his next visit with Houston to explain his actions, he warns against the appointment of "Mr. P. Edmunds of Galveston...[who] left the United States for forgery and Since he has been in Galveston has again been guilty of the Same offence and while for the sake of his wife who is a worthy lady and his helpless children I would be glad to see him prosper in business and make a living yet I do think he treats you badly and attempts to abuse your confidence applying for office. I do not with to injure Edmunds unnecessarily these facts are only known to a few in Galveston who for the sake of his family will not expose him. I have seen the paper and while I would be unwilling that this letter should be come public to his inquiry I am willing & desire that should you act upon it you furnish him a copy and give him an opportunity to vindicate himself..." With integral address leaf.

Thomas Freeman McKinney (1801-73) was a prominent trader and stock raiser. Born in Kentucky, his family moved first to southern Illinois and then Randolph County, Missouri. McKinney went to Santa Fe in 1823 and then Chihuahua, Durango, Saltillo, and Bexar. In 1824 he received a league on the Brazos River from Stephen F. Austin, but a trip to Ayish Bayou, where his uncle Stephen Prather had a trading post, convinced him that the Nacogdoches area was best for trade. He married Nancy Watts in 1827 and kept a store on the square in Nacogdoches until 1830. In 1834 he became senior partner with Samuel May Williams in McKinney and Williams, a firm located on the Brazos; Williams supplied the bookkeeping and commercial contacts in the United States, while Mckinney collected and shipped the cotton. The firm developed Quintana at the mouth of the river in 1835 and used its credit to help finance the Texas Revolution. Though he refused commissions as commissary general and loan agent, he continued to forward men and supplies to the Texas army. He and Williams joined Menard in 1833 in a scheme to claim Galveston Island, and in 1836 they combined with others to secure a charter for the Galveston City Company. The firm had a wharf and warehouse on the island in October 1837, when Racer's Hurricane struck and severely damaged their property. McKinney withdrew from the partnership with Williams in 1842 and devoted himself to trading and stock raising, first on the island, where he had a race course, and in 1850 in Travis County, where he constructed a fine stone house, a gristmill, and another quarter horse track opposite the capital city. He also served as state senator from Galveston in 1846 and as representative in 1849. He was a member of the Democratic party and a Unionist in 1860-61. He had opposed independence, annexation, and secession, but once each was accomplished, he worked to support the government. He served the Confederacy as a special cotton agent and made several trips to Mexico with cotton, but the duplicity of various individuals and the confusion of the times left him liable for contracted debts. This burden, along with the loss of about fourteen slaves, crippled him financially. Usual folds, small loss from seal tear, a few contemporary ink smudges, else fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Texas Republic Manuscript Document Naming William J. E. Heard Chief Justice of Colorado County, one page, 7.75" x 10", Colorado County, Texas, September 17, 1838. Signed by early settlers David Wade, W. B. Deweese, W. Daniels and Robert Brotherton. Stains, smoothed folds and loss to lower left corner. Good condition. A Tennessee native, Heard (1801-1874) was a junior officer during the Texian Revolution and helped capture a Mexican battery at San Jacinto. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

James Kerr Collection. Comprises: 1) Texas Naturalization Papers Signed "J. Ma. Viesca" as Governor and "J. Antonio Padilla" as Secretary of the State of Coahuila and Texas, one page, 8.25" x 12.5". Leonia Vicario, October 1, 1828. Kerr is identified as "Santiago Kerr" in this document. A Mexican law of 1828 offered its citizens eleven-league grants in Texas for $100 to $250 each; one league was 4,428.4 acres. A native born or naturalized Mexican citizen could make an application for a land grant immediately, but a non-Mexican settler could only petition for citizenship, then pledge his loyalty to both Mexico and the Roman Catholic Church. After a year's probation, he could receive citizenship and petition for a land grant. Jose Maria Viesca was Governor of Coahuila and Texas from 1827-1831. Creases at top, slight tears, minor soiling. 2) Kerr's Business Card, 3.5" x 2.5". In full: "Texas Land Agency/James Kerr, Surveyor,/will locate/Head [Righ]ts, Bounty Land,/and Scrip./References:/Hon. S. Rhoads Fisher, Seat of Government/Col. Ira R. Lewis, Thomas M. Duke, Esq. S.B. Brigham & Co. Matagorda." Undated, but c. 1836-1837, the years Fisher served as Secretary of the Navy. Lightly soiled with "Righ" of "Head Rights" rubbed off. Tear at blank lower margin. Vintage blue backing on card. 3) Postmaster Appointment. Document Signed "Fitz-Henry Warren" as Second assistant Postmaster General, one page, 8" x 10". Washington, December 12, 1849. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. To James Kerr, Esq. In part, "The Postmaster General has established a Post Office by the name of Morales De Lavaca in the County of Jackson and State of Texas and appointed you Postmaster thereof..." Soiling and water stains do not affect legibility. In January 1825, James Kerr was appointed surveyor general of the Texas colony of Green DeWitt. In April or May, he took his family and about eight slaves to Brazoria, where he joined the colony of his close friend, Stephen F. Austin. In May 1827, as one of the Old Three Hundred, Kerr received title to a league now in Jackson County. In 1831, Kerr was granted land directly from the Mexican government by personal authority of Land Commissioner Jose Navarro. He was elected a delegate to the Consultation of 1835 but did not serve because he was involved in a campaign against the Lipan Apaches. Kerr was later appointed as a member of the General Council. Overall, the entire collection is in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Andrew Ponton Document Signed One page manuscript DS "Andrew Ponton" as appraiser, 8" x 9", Navadad, January 16, 1839, being the appraisal of property of the deceased Naom Mixon. Listing includes various farm animals including: "Three cows & calves...one heifer...one steer..." and 1284 acres of land. Boldly penned with light ghosting and uneven margins; near fine condition.

Andrew Ponton (1804-1850) was a pioneer farmer, stockman, politician, and judge. He was the last elected alcalde of Gonzales, elected in 1835, and was a member of the Gonzales Committee of Safety. In September 1835, when Domingo de Ugartechea demanded that the Gonzales cannon that had been given to the town to be used as a warning to Indians, be surrendered to Mexican soldiers or that Ponton be brought to San Antonio as a hostage, Ponton put off the Mexicans with excuses. He was able to call for help to the settlements and was a defender in the battle of Gonzales. It was to Ponton that William Barret Travis appealed to for men and provisions for the defense of the Alamo on February 23, 1836; the men of Gonzales heeded his call for help.

Pacific Railroad Co. Resolutions Signed "Saml Copp, Jr. Secy/P.R.Rd Co.," two pages, 8.25" x 13.25". Office of Pacific Railroad Co., St. Louis, December 29, 1856. Six early manuscript resolutions passed at six meetings of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Railroad Company from July 12, 1854 to August 13, 1856. Each concerns company stock. In part, "Resolved that ten per cent on all stock subscribed west of Jefferson City is hereby called and required to be paid to the Treasurer on or before the 15th day of January 1854...Resolved that a further call of ten per cent on the subscription of stock for the construction of the road between Jefferson City and the western boundary of the State be made payable before the first day of September next..." Further resolutions relate to subscribers on the Southwest Branch of the railroad. At the conclusion, secretary Samuel Copp, Jr. certifies "that the above and foregoing are true and correct copies of the proceedings of the Board of Directors of said Pacific Rail Road as therein stated..." The political and business leaders of St. Louis secured a Missouri charter in 1849 for the Pacific Railroad to extend "from St. Louis to the western boundary of Missouri and thence to the Pacific Ocean." On July 4, 1851, groundbreaking ceremonies for the railroad, a direct predecessor of the Missouri Pacific, were held at Buffalo Bayou, near Houston, Texas. In 1865, it became the first railroad to serve Kansas City on the western boundary of Missouri. It is today part of the Union Pacific Railroad, the largest railroad network in the United States. Light soiling at folds, otherwise near fine.

James W. Robinson Autograph Letter Signed "James W. Robinson Acting Governor". 1 page, 7.75" x 12", San Felipe de Austin, January 16, 1836 to Ira Randolph Lewis strongly urging him to attend his seat at the General Council: "It has become absolutely necessary that you give your attendance in this place without delay. And it is hoped that no apology or excuse will be made but I implore you to come, if you love country or family or friends or your species, come quickly, and take your seat in the General Council. I am ordered by the General Council to make this call." With integral address leaf addressed in Robinson's hand.

A good, strong letter clearly documenting the urgency many Texans felt about establishing their own independent government as the wheels of war rolled inexorably forward in January 1836. Although not so well-known as Austin, Houston, and others, Robinson (1790-1857) remains an important figure in Texas history. At the time this letter was written, he had succeeded Henry Smith as Governor of Texas (second Anglo governor of Texas). Judge, attorney, and San Jacinto veteran, Robinson arrived in Texas at the beginning of 1833 with a letter of recommendation addressed to Stephen F. Austin. He served as a delegate from Nacogdoches to the 1835 Consultation and was elected lieutenant governor of the provisional government of Texas. In 1842 he was captured during Woll's invasion of Texas and taken to Mexico. He returned to Texas with terms from Santa Anna to negotiate a brief armistice. After annexation, he moved to San Diego, California, where he became a prominent attorney and engaged in promoting a railroad line between El Paso and California. Recipient Ira Randolph Lewis (1800-67), prominent Texas patriot, soldier, and attorney, was Moses Austin Bryan's father-in-law. Lewis came to Texas in 1831 and served in the Consultation and the General Council of the provisional government. While he was serving on the council in February 1836, he was commissioned a colonel and raised funds and men from the United States. In 1842 he served as a volunteer in the campaign against Adrián Woll. Toned and dampstained, horizontal folds, some weak on address panel, light soiling, else very good. Examples by Robinson are quite difficult to source. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Ex: From a direct descendant of recipient Ira Randolph Lewis.

Thomas J. Rusk Manuscript Document Signed "Tho J. Rusk" as President and "James H. Reynolds/Secretary of the Convention," one page, 8" x 12.5". Austin, Texas, August 28, 1845. Headed "Resolution." In full "'Resolved, that Thomas Wm Ward Esq'r Commissioner of the General Land Office for the faithful discharge of his duties and the prompt and satisfactory manner in which he has responded to the calls made on him, is justly entitled to the thanks of the Convention.' Adopted in Convention at the City of Austin Texas this 28th day of August 1845." The Convention of 1845 was called by Anson Jones to meet in Austin to consider the joint resolution of the United States Congress proposing the annexation of the Republic of Texas to the United States. The convention assembled on July 4, 1845. Thomas Jefferson Rusk was elected president of the convention, and James H. Raymond was secretary. By a vote of fifty-five to one, the delegates approved the offer of annexation. The convention also prepared the Constitution of 1845 for the new state. The convention adjourned on August 28, 1845, the day this resolution thanking Thomas Wm Ward was passed. Thomas Wm (Peg Leg) Ward had fought at the siege of Bexar in December 1835. During the battle, at the head of an artillery company, Capt. Ward lost his leg to a cannonball. He returned to New Orleans to be fitted with a peg leg. Returning to Texas in the spring of 1836, Ward was commissioned as a colonel by President David G. Burnet and served under Gen. Thomas J. Rusk. He served as Commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas from 1841-1848. Thomas Jefferson Rusk was the first Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas and was in command of the forces at the Battle of San Jacinto. Upon the admission of Texas as a State into the Union, he was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate and served from February 21, 1846, until his suicide at Nacogdoches, Texas, on July 29, 1857. In 1841, James H. Raymond was appointed clerk of the Texas House, a position he held until annexation in 1845. In 1844, he was appointed Treasurer of the Republic of Texas. Abner Lipscomb, former Texas Secretary of State, offered this resolution to the Convention; it was immediately adopted. Following the vote, the delegates to the Convention of 1845 signed the Constitution of the State of Texas and adjourned. Uniformly lightly toned, usual folds. Slight show-through from docket on verso. Fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna] Barnard E. Bee Autograph Document Signed "B.E. Bee" in text, one page, 8.75" x 5.25". Houston, December 19, 1838. In part "Recd of B E Bee on acct of Genl St Anna's Expenses Eleven Hundred and Twenty Dollars in Texas Money...equal to five Hundred and Sixty Dollar in Gold and Silver - and in full This Note in favor of Col. Hockley for $500..." Signed "H.W. Davis" as agent. Barnard E. Bee was Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State in David G. Burnet's provisional government. When General Santa Anna was sent to Washington in 1838 after the Battle of San Jacinto, George W. Hockley, Reuben M. Potter, and Bee accompanied him. Bee lent Santa Anna $3,000 in return for a draft on the Mexican general's Mexico City bank. When Bee attempted to cash the draft, however, Santa Anna refused to honor it, insisting that he had signed the draft under duress as a prisoner of war. Bee also served as Secretary of War under Pres. Sam Houston and later as Secretary of State under Pres. Mirabeau B. Lamar. When Bee was sent to Mexico in 1839 as minister, Santa Anna had regained control of the Mexican government and refused to meet with him. Toning at margins, small tear affecting a single word, otherwise very clean and bright; in near fine condition.

William Savage Autograph Document Signed Two pages, 12.25" x 7.5", March 15, 1830. This two-page handwritten document refers to land purchased from Stephen F. Austin in Coahuila by an agent, Thomas A. Smith, for William Savage, Hiram Savage, and John M. Savage of Howard County, Missouri, at the cost of $40,000. The document is signed "William Savage", "Hiram Savage", and "John M. Savage". Very good condition with original folds, several tiny holes, primarily along the center horizontal fold, and tiny border nicks.

1838 Washington County District Court Summons Signed "Tho. P. Shapard" as Clerk, one page, 8" x 9.25". To the Sheriff of Washington County, Texas. Partly printed, completed in manuscript. In part, "You are hereby commanded to summon Alexander Carmach & Joseph B. Chance to be and appear before the Honorable the District Court, to be held in and for the County of Washington, on the second Monday in September next to answer the petition of Edward Bailey Thomas Gay & Asa Hoxey trading under the name & style of Bailey Gay & Hoxey...filed in said Court against them..." Joseph B. Chance was a surveyor and soldier in the war for Texas independence. In July 1838, a month before this summons, as Deputy Surveyor in Robertson County, Chance advertised plans "to run two or three compasses during the season...for gentlemen wishing to select lands in those parts." Chance surveyed 67,000 acres of land in the virgin wilderness that became parts of the present Bosque, Hill, McLennan, and Robertson counties. Edward Bailey and Thomas Gay were members of the Standing Committee of San Felipe de Austin; Asa Hoxey was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Bailey, Gay & Hoxey was a mercantile business in Washington-on-the-Brazos, but the venture was unprofitable and abandoned. Notes relating to this summons are on verso, including a smudged docket by the Deputy Sheriff. Uniformly toned, light offset. Overall, in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Martin Van Buren Document Signed Partially printed, one page, 8" x 10", Washington, Oct. 29, 1839, directing "the Secretary to affix the Seal of the United States to an Exequatur for Cyrus Joy, as Consul of the Republic of Texas, for Philadelphia". One inch separation at fold, negligible dampstaining at top left, otherwise very clean and in near fine condition. A great Presidential autograph issued on behalf of the Republic during its short tenure as an independent government.

Isaac Vandorn Autograph Document Signed: "Old Three Hundred" "Isaac Vandorn/Collector," one page, 7.5" x 3.5". Matagorda [Texas], December 21, 1839. In full "Recived [sic] of Wm Criswell Eighteen Dollars in part payment of John Y Criswell Taxes on a League of Land in Matagorda County this 21st day of Dec. 1839 for the year 1838." Isaac Vandorn was one of Stephen F. Austin's "Old Three Hundred," settlers who received land grants in Austin's first colony. William Criswell had fought in the Battle of San Jacinto for which he was later given 640 acres of land. John Y. Criswell Sr. was his father. Born in Pennsylvania, Isaac Van Dorn came to Texas in 1822. He petitioned for land in 1826 and, in 1828, received title to land in southeastern Matagorda County. He was a member of the committee of safety and correspondence at Matagorda in October 1835 and in December was recommended by Joseph W. E. Wallace to Henry Smith as a lieutenant in the artillery. Vandorn was elected first sheriff of Matagorda County in 1837. Fine condition.

"Der Stern von Texas" A.H. Hoffman von Fallersleben Autograph Poem (not signed), 1.5 pages, 4.25" x 6.75", front and verso. In German. In 1843, German poet A.H. Hoffman von Fallersleben befriended writer Gustav Dresel who had recently returned from Texas. Hoffman encouraged Dresel to have his Texas journal published and volunteered to do the editing. In late 1845, a few weeks before a friend, Adolf Fuchs, and his family sailed for Texas, Hoffman wrote a poem for their departure, "Der Stern von Texas" ("The Star of Texas"). In 1846, he published a collection of 31 songs, Texanische Lieder. Even though it was published in Germany, Hoffman's title page said it was written by German Texans and published in San Felipe, Texas, by Adolf Fuchs & Co., in order to circumvent German censorship regulations. Offered here are all four stanzas, completely handwritten by Hoffman. The first stanza, loosely translated: "After Texas, after Texas. Where the star in the blue field announces a new world, each heart for right and liberty and for truth gladly ignites - |there my heart longs itself completely." August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben is better known as the author of the German anthem, "Das Deutschlandlied" which begins "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles..." Evenly toned and near fine.

Hermann Ehrenberg: Texas und seine Revolution. Leipzig: Otto Wigand. [On p. 258:] Druck von C.P. Melzer in Leipzig. 1843. 258pp., 8vo., with final leaf of publisher's ads. Contemporary quarter calf binding with marbled boards and gilt title on spine. Gently toned throughout, rubbed spine and worn extremities; otherwise near fine. Housed in a custom clamshell case, with five raised bands stamped in gilt. Very scarce title. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter, Texas 1454: "Ehrenberg, then a youthful German private, was a member of one of the three companies of the New Orleans Greys in the campaign against Bexar in November and December, 1835, and later was one of the few of Fannin's soldiers who escaped the massacre. His account of his services is one of the valuable sources for part of the military phase of the Texas Revolution."

Fr[iedrich] W. V[on] Wrede: Lebensbilder aus den verenigten Staaten von Nordamerika und Texas. In der Fortsetzung nach Tagebüchern und mündlichen Mittheilungen bearbeitet. Vorwort von Emil Drescher. (Cassel: In Commission bei Theodor Fischer, 1844). First edition. Octavo (7.5" x 4.5"). v, 324 pages. Contemporary calf back over marbled boards, stamped and lettered in gilt on the spine. Streeter Texas 1560: "These Lebensbilder include accounts of three visits to Texas made by Captain Wrede, a retired officer of the Hannover army, who came to the United States in the year 1835. The first Texas visit was from February to May, 1836, the second from May to September, 1838, and the third from May to September, 1841. Excellent source materials for conditions in Texas at the time." Raunick, Survey of German Literature in Texas p.136: "It is said to have influenced many wavering Germans to sell their belongings and immigrate to Texas." "Wrede's Sketches, an epistolary travel book, is a generally realistic account of opportunities and difficulties of colonists on the American frontier, especially in Texas. The book helped to influence prospective German settlers to come to Texas, in spite the negative effect of Wrede's own violent death in Texas the following year. He was killed and scalped by Indians." (Handbook of Texas On-line). Binding worn and partially perished at the top of the spine, joints and corners, joints starting. Ex-library copy, with labels or remnants of labels on the spine and endpapers, and with ink stamps to the top edge and to the title page. Front free endpaper torn at bottom fore-edge corner with some loss. Sheets browned and foxed. Altogether, a very good copy. Housed in a custom cloth chemise and quarter leather book-backed slipcase. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Graff 4751. Howes W690. Buck 305. Streeter 1560, locating only seven copies.

[German Immigrants in Texas] Partly-printed Document Signed. 1 page, 9" x 13.5", Antwerp, October 28, 1845 in German: "Vertrag zwichen dem zum Schuke deutcher Einwanderer in Texas und dem Auswanderer Nic[holas] Weishie nar Wiesbaden..." (Translated: "The cosignatory, Nic Weisheit hereby confirms that the Society named hereinabove, represented by their assignee...received the amount of 50 fl. rh., Fifty Gulden (florins) for his migration to Texas. By acknowledging the receipt of the amount named hereinabove, he is particularly obliged to abstain from seizure and the right of ownership of the land given to him by the Society until the debt in the amount named hereinabove is paid off by providing services to the Society, and upon discretion of the General Commissioner in Texas. For this purpose, the parties agree that the salary for one working day as a day laborer will be 1 fl. and as a craftsman 1 fl. and 24 thaler. In addition, the debtor is allowed to pay off his remaining debt in cash at any time..."). Bears the embossed paper seal of the Texas consulate at Antwerp.

The Society for the Protection of German Emigrants to Texas was responsible for the emigration of several thousand Germans. Known as The Mainzer Verein or more briefly the Adelsverein, the society had its beginning at Biebrich on the Rhine in April, 1842, when a group of German noblemen met to consider ways and means of purchasing lands in Texas and sending there German emigrants. Two representatives were sent to Texas and as a result the Society in the fall of 1843 took under consideration a project submitted by Bourgeois d'Orvanne to acquire a participation in his colonization contract with Texas of June 3, 1842. The Society was organized formally at Mainz, on March 25, 1844, under the name of Verein zum Schutze deutscher Einwander in Texas [Society for the Protection of German Emigrants in Texas], and on April 7, 1844, the formal agreement with Bourgeois was closed. Light creases, just a hint of toning at extreme margins, else very fine condition with dark crisp printing and engrossments. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Friedrich Ernst: Autograph Document Signed Regarding a Celebrated Texas Murder Case. "Fr. Ernst J. P." One page, docketing on verso, 7.5" x 12.25", July 1842, lined paper, manuscript subpoena to the Sheriff of Austin County for witnesses to the murderer of Henry Caruthers, ink. The letter reads, in full: "Republick of Texas County of Austin Sub poena to the Sheriff of said county, greeting. You are hereby commanded to summon Dr. T. Dubronner 1. William M Campbell 2. Joseph M Campbell to appear before the Justices Court to be held at San Felippe on Monday the 25th of this month, then and there to give their evidence in the case of the Republick of Texas versus Jackson Bell, Samuel Shelburne, Elijah Jackson and Madison Jackson charged on oath of having by violence caused the death of Henry Caruthers, a citizen of this county. Their testimony is requested on the part of the defendants. Herein fail not and make due return of this writ according to law. Given under my hand and Seal this 17th of July 1842 Fr. Ernst J. P." To the left of Ernst's signature is the unique German verein seal of the Teutonia Orden [Teutonic Order] established by Ernst and other immigrants in Cat Spring and Industry, Texas.

Johann Friedrich Ernst (1796-1848), the first German to bring his family to Texas, was born Christian Friedrich Dirks at Burg (Castle) Gödens in Lower Saxony. He began to use the name Ernst after his departure from Oldenburg. In 1800, after the death of his father, who was employed at Burg Gödens, Ernst moved with his mother to Varel in the Duchy of Oldenburg. In February 1814 he joined the Oldenburg Regiment of the Duke of Oldenburg, and he remained a soldier until June 1819. In September 1829 Ernst, his wife, and their five surviving children fled Oldenburg; he was subsequently charged by the Duke of Oldenburg with embezzling a large amount of money from the post office. He and his family escaped by way of Bremen and eventually sailed from Le Havre to New York, where they arrived in late 1829. For a time Ernst and his family ran a boardinghouse in New York. There he met Charles Fordtran, also a German. They became friends and decided to move together to Missouri. On the ship to New Orleans they read a prospectus about the favorable conditions in Austin's colony in Texas and changed their destination. The Ernst family and Fordtran sailed on the schooner Saltillo for Harrisburg and arrived before March 9, 1831; they were the first German family to arrive in Texas. Ernst became well known as a benefactor to new emigrants from his homeland: his house served as a hotel and a boardinghouse for travelers, and he even assisted new settlers financially. He acquired the nickname "father of the immigrants" for his work with emigrating German citizens, and Sam Houston nicknamed Ernst "The Baron". Ernst became a justice of the peace in Austin County and sold lots from his league to new immigrants. The resulting settlement, Industry, was the first German town in Texas.

The document is in fine condition, with two vertical and one horizontal mailing folds. The two vertical folds show mild separation along the bottom half of the document. The ink is still bold and striking on this document. The document itself is interesting to read even today, as it concerns the events surrounding a celebrated Texas murder case that is over 150 years old. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

[German Immigration to Texas] An unaccomplished printed Document headed "Agentur Schiff-Vertrag ". 4 pages, 8" x 13", [no place, no date] in German, being a shipping contract issued by the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas. Headed: "Agentur Schiff-Vergrag Berein zum Schutze deutcher Einwanderer in Texas..." The document provides spaces for manuscript completion of the contract terms noting the needs for the passengers and noting fees paid for various services aboard ship as well as "... hospital and clearance fee for Texas, which is 2 Dollars per person..."

The Society for the Protection of German Emigrants to Texas was responsible for the emigration of several thousand Germans. Known as The Mainzer Verein or more briefly the Adelsverein, the Society had its beginning at Biebrich on the Rhine in April, 1842, when a group of German noblemen met to consider ways and means of purchasing lands in Texas and sending German emigrants. Two representatives were sent to Texas and as a result the Society in the fall of 1843 took under consideration a project submitted by Bourgeois d'Orvanne to acquire a participation in his colonization contract with Texas of June 3, 1842. The Society was organized formally at Mainz, on March 25, 1844, under the name of Verein zum Schutze deutscher Einwander in Texas [Society for the Protection of German Emigrants in Texas], and on April 7, 1844, the formal agreement with Bourgeois was closed. Light toning and soiling, one horizontal fold, a few tiny creases at top and bottom margins, else fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1452, 1625, 1626, 1560

[Texas]: Promoting Emigration to Texas. Verein Zum Schutze Deutscher Einwanderer In Texas. Mainz. 1846. 3pp. Folio. Slight stain at top not affecting text, else very good. An important promotional for the Society for the Protection of German Emigrants to Texas. Signed by the president of the Society, Prince Carl of Castell, it describes the colony, the number of emigrants who have gone to Texas, and adds numerous other details about the ways of getting there, costs, etc. A fine, important piece.

[Texas]: Vortrag Die Beschaffung Der Fonds Betr; Welche Der Generalagent Bene Zur Theilweisen Deckung Der Vereinsschulden In Texas.... Wiesbaden. 1850. 29pp. Folio, 34 x 22 cm. Very good. Manuscript reproduced in contemporary offset, printing letters from F. Roemer, Kroeber, and others. This lengthy report seems to have been prepared for financing purposes, the literal title being "Report on the Condition of funds, which the General Agent Bene has submitted on Jan. 22, 1850, for partial provision of the Verein in Texas." There is an account of the situation there, as well as information on stockholders in Germany and financing measures.

[Texas]: Die Thatigkeit Des Comite's Seit Dem Lekten Bericht Vom 15 May D.J. Betreffend. Frankfurt. 1849. 4 pages printed on folio sheet, 33.5 x 21.5 cm. Fine. A report of the Committee of the Society for the Protection of German Emigrants in Texas, on the progress of the settlements. Most of this report is a summation of information transmitted by the general agent, Bene.

[Texas]: Bertrag Zwichem Dem Verein Zum Schutze Deustcher Einwanderer In Texas Und Dem Auswanderer. Antwerp: 1845. Printed broadside, completed in manuscript, with blank integral leaf. Old fold, else a fine copy. An emigrant contract between the Society for the Protection of German Emigrants to Texas and a German emigrant sailing from the port of Antwerp in the fall of 1845. The document bears the seal of the consulate of the Republic of Texas and is signed by the Texian consul as well as the emigrant. A fine contract.

[German Emigration to Texas]: Prioritats-Obligation Des Vereins Zum Schutze Deutscher Einwanderer In Texas Uber 500 Gulden Im 24 1/2 Gulden Fuss.... Weisbaden. 1850. 4pp. Folding folio sheet, printed on 2 pages, 2 pages blank tables. An unissued bond for financing the German colonization effort in Texas, as part of a proposed float of 1,600,000 gulden. This bond was signed in manuscript by a representative of the Verein but is unnumbered and evidently was not issued.

[Texas]: Beilage Zu No. 41. Des Herzoglich Rassanischen Allgemeinen Intelligenzblatts Von 12. October 1850. Wiesbaden. 1850. 4pp. printed on folded sheet. Fine. Fiscal paper for the Society for the Protection of German Emigrants to Texas.

[Johann Heinrich] [Siegfried Schultz]: Die deutsche Ansiedelung in Texas. Besonderer Abdruck einer Reihe das Unternehmen des Verein zum Schutze deutscher Einwanderer in Texas besprechender Artikel aus dem Rheinischen Beobachter. Translated title: The German Settlement in Texas. Special printing on the business organization of the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas as discussed in articles from the Rhine Observer. (Bonn: printed by Friedrich Encke.) [On verso of title:] Druck von Carl Georgi in Bonn. 1845. First edition. 60 pp. Octavo. Printed paper wrappers.

The Verein zum Schutze deutscher Einwanderer in Texas (Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas) was organized on April 20, 1842, by twenty-one German noblemen at Biebrich on the Rhine, near Mainz. Also known as the Mainzer Verein, the Society wished to establish a new Germany on Texas soil by means of an organized mass emigration.

The society's goals were both philanthropic and commercial, and included economic relief of the German proletariat by the direction of emigration to Texas and the establishment of German settlements in Texas, which would supply markets abroad for German industry and promote the development of German maritime commerce.

Referencing a series of articles in Rheinischen Beobachter [The Rhine Observer] (published around May and June, 1845), Schultz defends against the accusation that the Texas colony was a scheme to enrich the German noblemen that founded it. He tells of some of the services performed for emigrants by the Society, comments that danger from Indians is slight, and says that a German colony in Texas without political ties to the homeland would be of great commercial value to Germany. Red cloth buckram covers with significant wear to spine; housed in a contemporary red cloth case. Extremely rare. Only two known copies. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter Texas 1607. Howes S205. Raines, p. 182. Sabin 78005. Not in the Eberstadt Texas Collection or Vandale Texianameter.

Magnificent Jeweled Ames Presentation Sword to Captain Allen Lowd for Action at Fort Texas (Brown) in 1846
Allen Lowd was appointed 2d Lt. in the Corps of Artillery on 1 May 1814 and promoted to 1st Lt. 20 April 1818. He was transferred to the 2d U. S. Artillery 1 June 1821, promoted to captain in 1836, and breveted major for gallant conduct in the Defense of Fort Brown (Texas), Tx. 9 May 1846. And it is for that gallantry that Lowd was awarded this sword. Lowd was subsequently commissioned major in the 1st U. S. Artillery 9 Oct. 1853 and died in service 25 November 1854, having served 40 years in the United States Army. Construction of Fort Texas, as it was originally designated, was begun in 1846. This small, star shaped, earthen redoubt was clearly meant to taunt the Mexicans in hopes that they would commit an openly hostile act. The fort was an extension and representation of America's firm belief of the philosophy of 'Manifest Destiny'. Although President Polk realized that he was courting war, he was determined that Mexico should be perceived as the aggressor. Polk was quickly obliged when in April of 1846 a force of 1600 Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande, surrounded a force of 63 U. S. Dragoons, and killed or captured all but one of the Americans. Joseph Hardee, later a Confederate general, was among those captured. On May 3, 1846, Mexican artillery, based in Matamoros, began a week long bombardment of the fort. The barrage was answered by American guns and a number of Mexican cannon were disabled. Capt. Allen Lowd commanded a section of the 2d U. S. Artillery with four 18 Pdrs and his effective management of these guns, as well as the light guns of Lt. Braxton Bragg, convinced the Mexicans that a frontal assault on the fort would be far too costly General Arista then settled in for a siege of the American garrison. Arista held overwhelming numerical superiority over the small American force manning the fort, with some 5700 troops at his disposal. Several clandestine attempts by the Mexicans to assault the fort were promptly discovered and broken up by effective American artillery fire, again led by Captain Lowd. During the initial bombardment, on May 6, Major Jacob Brown was killed by Mexican artillery fire. Meanwhile, General Winfield Scott had mounted an expedition at Point Isabel, to relieve the fort. To contest the advance of Scott, Gen. Arista repositioned his forces away from Fort Texas, to the plains of Palo Alto, resulting in the first major battle of the Mexican War, a resounding American victory. Upon Scott's arrival the fort was renamed Fort Brown in honor of Major Brown who was killed in its defense. Although the American garrison suffered only two killed and ten wounded, the action at Ft. Brown turned a Mexican - American border dispute into a war, with the eventual result that some one million square miles of territory were added to the American nation. The sword is a consummate example of the swordsmith's art. The hilt and scabbard mounts are entirely of silver gilt. The obverse counterguard incorporates a separately affixed spread wig eagle over a panoply of arms with a wreath in its beak. The knuckle bow, pommel cap and quillon display cast scroll motifs. A large faceted amethyst is mounted on the top of the pommel. The sides of the grip are of mother of pearl and the faces are chaised silver plaques with scroll motifs on the obverse and a faceted aquamarine mounted in the center. The reverse has scroll motifs with the central theme of an eagle surmounting a globe, really beautifully done. Folding counterguard on the back of the hilt, the sword being modeled on the 1840 foot officer's. The all brass scabbard utilizes silver gilt mounts which are decorated with deep relief cast scroll motifs and panoplies of arms. Scroll motifs engraved at the throat and a large exquisitely executed spread wing eagle between the two top mounts holding a riband in its beak with the legend "Fort Brown Texas May 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th 6th 7th & 8th 1846". A 9" section below the middle mount is chaised/engraved with scroll motifs terminating in a coiled serpent, a panoply of arms with a shield and knapsack with blanket roll, both highlighted with a lone star, doubtless representative of Texas, all of this is surmounted by a liberty cap. Silver gilt carrying rings with two on the top mount and one on the middle. The inscription is contained in a scroll edged panel on the obverse of the scabbard between the two top mounts and reads as follows, "To Capt. Allen Lowd U. S. Army from Citizens of Rochester, N. Y. as a testimonial of their respect for his virtues as a man and his Bravery as an Officer". The 31" double edged blade is of the style normally used on the 1832 General and Staff Officer's sword and is etched for 2/3 of its length with a frosted background. Obverse with floral/scroll motifs, panoply of arms and spread wing eagle with riband and motto. The reverse includes floral scroll motifs with cannon barrels, and crossed American flags and American shield in the center. A panel near the base is etched "N. P. Ames/Cutler/Springfield". All etching is profusely highlighted with hand engraved details. The sword is presented in its original maroon velvet lined and padded walnut case which is custom made and form fitted to the sword. Closure is achieved with three large flat brass hooks and screws. Although the actual inscription is not dated the use of the Ames Springfield address validates that the sword was made no later than 1847. In simple terms an absolutely beautiful sword, in superb condition, presented to a dedicated American officer who played a pivotal role in the opening engagement of the Mexican War.

Hilt mint, mounts mint, blade mint. The brass scabbard just shows some wear to the original gold wash on both sides between the top mounts and on the reverse at the throat, otherwise mint. The case shows some wear to the velvet lining as would be expected, with a rich patina on the wood which has an old varnish finish. A small piece is missing on the lower section at the middle where the closure screw was attached, minor.

Robert E. Lee Autograph Letter Signed, four pages, 8" x 10" (16" x 10" sheet folded, with integral address sheet addressed in Lee's hand), "Camp near Passas", Dec. 9, 1846, to his friend and fellow military officer, Major R. Delafield. In large part: "Many thanks my dear Major for your letter of the 26 Sept: which I rec'd a few days since about 1 A.M....With it there were several letters from Mrs. Lee, the only ones I had rec'd since leaving home. You may therefore judge of my impatience for day light... I am much obliged to you for your clear statement of my accounts & for the trouble you took concerning my horses. I wish I had one of them here for the price both sold for. The slips from the papers were a great treat & they are now going the rounds of the whole camp. I occasionally get a paper from New Orleans, but they are few & far between & that is all we see of the living world... .We reached here on the 4th... The Troops suffered considerably for the want of water. Before leaving... they marched in an atmosphere of dust, under a scorching sun at midday & one day had to go 30 miles before reaching water. The stream was called Aqua de los Angeles... it must have seemed to them the stream of the angels. Our route laid through the mountains passing from one valley to another & frequently through difficult passes. One called San Francisco... on our arrival here the authorities of Parras waited on Gen'l Wool & offered him peaceable possession of the town. Parras... contains about 8000 inhabitants and has the appearance of much wealth. The ladies visit Camp... in their... real English glass coaches... I have been at two dinners given to Gen'l Wool... I am told that there were... 20 courses... It was a pleasure to be waited on by the pretty girls with their bright petticoats... I was particularly pleased with a red wine called Carlon... a mixture between Port & Burgundy... the napkins, silver forks, spoons & rich china were satisfying to the sight... I do not know how long we shall remain here. The Chihuahua expedition is considered abandoned... We have now as much possession of that Province as if we were there... They endeavored to make some opposition to our approach & applied to the Central Gov't for aid. Santa Anna sent... 500 horsemen... there are no soldiers there as we hear... There is a rumor that the place of the Campaign has been changed & that we are to advance no farther, but hold on to all we have... I presume the reason is that we are too weak to advance, without being supplied. The reserve troops now in the U.S. ought to be here to support us, but the Pres. [Polk] has no funds to send them till furnished by Cong[ress]... We learn from Good Authority that Santa Anna has with him at San Luis over 30,000 Infantry. His cavalry am't to 10 or 12,000... Santa A. is drilling his men night & day & has informed his Gov't that if he is not attacked by the Americans by the 15th... He will be ready to move against them..." Santa Anna was reviled by Americans as the villain in Texas' fight for independence. First elected president in 1833, Santa Anna turned his office into a dictatorship the following year. His efforts to increase central government powers did much to foment unrest in Texas, home to many American expatriates. In 1835, the Texas Revolution erupted and Santa Anna became the prime villain of Texas history because of his actions at The Alamo and at Goliad. American forces, under the leaderships of Samuel Houston, defeated the Mexican army under Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, assuring Texan independence. Santa Anna continued in and out of power during the early 1840s and built an undistinguished record in the Mexican War, losing battles at Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Puebla and Mexico City. He eventually retreated into exile, dying in poverty in 1876. Address cover has a black postal cancellation stamp. In near fine condition, save the usual mail folds, with a single clean tear along a fold with no paper loss.

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna: Signed Battlefield Orders from the Mexican War. In Spanish, two pages, 9.75" x 7.5", Encero (Santa Anna's hacienda), April 6, 1847. These field orders calling for reinforcements to be sent toward the U.S. Army were written after the fall of Vera Cruz, just before the Battle of Cerro Gordo and General Winfield Scott's march on Mexico City. Boldly signed in full "Ant. Lopez de Santa Anna". Very good condition, trimmed at edges, with original folds, a 3.5" tear repaired on verso with archival tape, and small nicks on the bottom edge.

Daniel Powers Whiting Lithograph: "Monterey, As Seen from a House-Top in the Main Plaza, (to the West) October 1846". Plate No. 1 of a Series. New York: G. & W. Endicott, 1847. Black & white lithograph, engraved by Frederick Swinton after Whiting. Image size (not including text): 12.5" x 18.4", sheet size: 15.8" x 20.8", and matted to an overall size of 27.5" x 23.25". Beneath the image are listed highlights included in view: "1. Sierra Madre 2. Mitre Mountain 3. Height on Federation Hill 4. Fort Soldado 5. Height from which shot was thrown from one of the captured nine pounders of the Redoubt, into the main plaza on the 23d..." A total of 12 notes are listed, although the last has been matted out of view. One of a series of five Mexican War views from Whiting's "Army Portfolio". In the Whiting family tradition, the work was limited to no more than 24 sets (quoted by Goodspeed's of Boston: "The Month at Goodspeed's Book Shop", Vol. XXI, nos. 2-3, Nov.-Dec. 1959, p. 43). These views served not only as a primary visual record of the conflict, it was also a fine topographical work that accurately recorded the area during a critical turning point in its history. The engraving is in very good condition, save overall light toning.

In late 1845, General Taylor's army was camped at Corpus Christi, Texas. By January 1846, they advanced to the United States side of the Rio Grande, where they remained until May, and then marched on to the strongly fortified city of Monterey, which was taken in September. Whiting's work documents this campaign. He originally intended to continue the series beyond the five views, but the rest of the original drawings were lost aboard a steamboat that sank in the Mississippi.

Daniel Powers Whiting (1808-1892) graduated in 1832 from the U.S. Military Academy, where he received his training as a topographical artist. During the Mexican War, he served under General Zachary Taylor and was promoted to major for gallantry in the battles of Fort Brown, Monterey, Vera Cruz, and Cerro Gordo.

Daniel Whiting Powers Lithograph: "Heights of Monterey, from the Saltillo Road Looking Towards the City (From the West)". No. 2 of a series. New York: G. & W. Endicott, 1847. Black & white lithograph, engraved by Frederick Swinton after Whiting. Image size (not including text): 12.5" x 18.4", sheet size: 15.8" x 20.8", and matted to an overall size of 27.5" x 23.25". A series of 6 highlights shown in the view are listed in the bottom margin, including: "1. Independence (or Castle) Hil 2. Lt. Col. Duncan's Light Artillery throwing shells at the routed Mexican Cavalry 3. City of Monterey..." One of a series of five Mexican War views from Whiting's "Army Portfolio". In the Whiting family tradition, the work was limited to no more than 24 sets (quoted by Goodspeed's of Boston: "The Month at Goodspeed's Book Shop", Vol. XXI, nos. 2-3, Nov.-Dec. 1959, p. 43). These views served not only as a primary visual record of the conflict, it was also a fine topographical work that accurately recorded the area during a critical turning point in its history. The engraving is in very good condition, save overall light toning.

Daniel Powers Whiting Lithograph: "Monterey, from Independence Hill in the rear of Bishop's Palace, as it appeared on the 23d. September 1846 (Looking East)". No. 4 in a Series. New York: G. & W. Endicott, 1847. Black & white lithograph, engraved by Frederick Swinton after Whiting. Image size (not including text): 12.5" x 18.4", sheet size: 15.8" x 20.8", and matted to an overall size of 27.5" x 23.25". matted to an overall size of 27.5" x 23.25". Seven highlights included in the view are listed in the bottom margin: "1. 'Sierra Silla' (Saddle Mountain, about 7 Miles distant) 2. Village of 'Gaudaloupe' [sic] 3. Citadel (in possession of the Mexicans, firing upon Genl. Taylor's position on the Eastern side of the City)..." One of a series of five Mexican War views from Whiting's "Army Portfolio". In the Whiting family tradition, the work was limited to no more than 24 sets (quoted by Goodspeed's of Boston: "The Month at Goodspeed's Book Shop", Vol. XXI, nos. 2-3, Nov.-Dec. 1959, p. 43). These views served not only as a primary visual record of the conflict, it was also a fine topographical work that accurately recorded the area during a critical turning point in its history. The engraving is in very good condition, save overall light toning.

W[illiam]. W[illiston]. Heartsill: Fourteen Hundred and 91 Days, in the Confederate Army. A Journal, kept by W.W. Heartsill, for four years, one month, and one day. Or Camp Life; Day-by-Day, of the W.P. Lane Rangers from April 19th 1861, to May 20th 1865. ([Marshall, Texas: Privately Printed, 1876]). First edition, one of only 100 copies hand-printed by the author on an "Octavo Novelty Press". Octavo (8.25" x 5.75"). [viii], 264, [1] pages. Illustrated with sixty-one original albumen photographic portraits (including one of the author) mounted on leaves with printed captions identifying the subjects. Original black cloth, with silver rules and lettering stamped on the spine. Binding is slightly dulled, with light rubbing and soiling. A few corner tears due to the brittle nature of the paper, some foxing, else an excellent, near fine copy.

The front free endpaper boasts two pages of manuscript exposition (recto and verso) by Heartsill's child, and begins: "My Father - William Williston Heartsill was born in the town of Louisville Blount County Tennessee Oct. 17th 1839. Came to Texas 1859- April 19th 1861. Joined Capt. S.J. Richardson's Co...." Most of the forty-five lines describe events of the Civil War, and note that it was written in 1915, the year before W.W. Heartsill passed away.

Heartsill's journal describes his experiences during the Civil War, including material related to Texas ranching activities, Indian and Mexican affairs, and botany; the Texas Secession Convention; generals Braxton Bragg, Stonewall Jackson, Joseph E. Johnston, and John W. Whitfield; his work with the W.P. Lane Rangers; battles of Chickamauga and Vicksburg; prisoners of war; and Confederate Army Trans-Mississippi Department. Harwell, In Tall Cotton 86: "This book would be of considerable interest because of the homespun way in which it was produced, even if it were devoid of any other virtues. It is, however, a good narrative in its own right-of the early days of the war in Texas, of operations in Arkansas and Louisiana, of Heartsill's capture and imprisonment in the North, of his travels through the north to City Point, Virginia, for exchange. After some time in Richmond he was attached to Bragg's army in time to participate in the Battle of Chickamauga. Then slowly back to Texas through Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. For a while he guarded Federal prisoners in Camp Ford at Tyler, Texas. He and his comrades in the W. P. Lane Rangers were finally disbanded near Navasota May 10, 1865." Howes H380: "Printed by the author, page-by-page, on a hand-press; one of the rarest journals by a Confederate combatant." Basic Texas Books 89: "The rarest and most coveted book on the American Civil War. Only one hundred copies were printed, of which merely a handful have survived.... The journal itself is historically important.... This four-year record is one of the most vivid and intimate accounts of Civil War battle-life that has survived." "A product of homemade printing, this work recounts not only the experiences of a soldier in the Trans-Mississippi, but also his travels through the North as a war prisoner." -Civil War Books.

Extraordinary John Salmon "Rip" Ford Autograph Letter Signed "John S. Ford/Col. Commandg/Rio Grande Mil. Dist.," five separate pages, 8" x 12". Head Quarters Rio Grande Mil. Dist., Fort Brown, April 21, 1861. Ford had gotten the nickname "Rip" when, as adjutant during the Mexican War, he would write the official letters announcing deaths, adding to the letters "Rest in Peace" or "R.I.P." Nine days after the bombardment of Fort Sumter, Col. Ford, Second Texas Cavalry, writes to Texas Gov. Edward Clark who, a month earlier, as Sam Houston's Lieutenant Governor, had succeeded to the office when Houston refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederacy. As Governor, Clark moved quickly to address problems brought about by secession. To protect the frontier, regiments of cavalry were enrolled by Henry E. McCulloch and John S. Ford. There are numerous cross-outs and additions as Ford reread what he had written before he sent his report to the Governor. In part, "I have the honor to report that on the evening of the 18th inst Capt. Love [Captain W. P. Love, Confederate spy] arrived here, from Galveston, bringing intelligence of the opening of hostilities between the Confederate States and Mr. Lincoln's government, and of the sailing of an expedition for the coast of Texas, supposed to be destined for Brazos Santiago. Among other things I received a copy of a telegram directed to Gen. Nichols by Hon. John H. Reagan [Texas Congressman, 1857-1861; Confederate Postmaster General], which was intended to warn the Executive and the military authorities of Texas of the impending danger. I very soon determined upon a course of action, but in order to have the opinion of my officers, and to enable them to understand matters fully, and to know my determination, I called a council of war. It was the opinion of all that Brazos Santiago is not ofensible [sic], that the post should be abandoned for the present and that we concentrate and make a stand at this point. Capt. Powers, who was here on business, left at midnight, accompanied by Mr. Lawton of the Engineer Department. To the Captain was assigned the task of superintending the withdrawal of men, ordnance, and supplies of every kind from Brazos Island, and their transportation to this post by steamboats and waggons [sic]...There are no guns of long range on the island. A war vessel could shell a force out of Brazos Santiago without ever coming within reach of any piece we had there. One revenue cutter can make the place utterly useless to us. On the 19th the men were put to work to repair old Fort Brown, and they are progressing rapidly...It can not be approached without subjecting an enemy to serious annoyance and loss in reaching it from the coast or from any other direction. In the neighborhood mounted troops can be subsisted, and it answers the double purpose of defending Brownsville against the inroads of Black Republicans, and of keeping Matamoros within due bounds. I shall be able to place it in about 10 heavy siege pieces and ammunition for siege purposes. I forward a drawing of the fort...Rations can be had here and will be needed, if the enemy land soon. The citizens will furnish hands to work in the trenches, and volunteer companies will be organized. However, it would be improper not to state, that the preparations are not only being made to meet an invading force from the coast but an anticipated raid from Cortinas.

"On the 17th inst. I received a communication from citizens living in the vicinity of rancho Baston, some forty miles above this...Capt. Littleton was previously marching his company to the neighborhood of that ranch. I notified him of the state if things, and ordered him to beat Zamora if he crossed...I am confident there is danger of a descent from Cortinas. The opinion is general among the Mexicans, and they ought to know. In relation to the rebellion in Zapata county, the report of Capt. Nolan, and the letter of Mr. Redmond...will place you in possession of the facts. I think Capt, Nolan acted promptly, boldly, and properly. It is the only appropriate way to treat traitors, who avow against the authorities of the State. I hope the affair will end in nothing more serious, yet if, as some suppose, Cortinas is implicated in the matter there is no telling what may happen. It would certainly be very consoling to the gentlemen at Austin who have had a hand in this affair to know they have so able a backer as Gen. Juan Nepomuceno Cortinas [Mexican bandit]. I have strenuously endeavored to preserve the most amicable relations with the authorities and people of Mexico. Maj. Edwards reported that two of his command had been imprisoned without cause in Camargo, and that he wrote the Alcalde a very sharp letter. The Alcalde wrote to Gen. Garcia, that the men were arrested for fighting in the street, and, that upon their representation Maj. Edwards wrote him an insulting letter. I believed Maj. E. was to blame, and addressed him a communication - a copy of which is sent. I also forwarded a copy of the communication to Gen. Garcia...I am determined, as far as able, not to give our neighbors any just cause to complain of our want of friendship or a disposition on our part not to reciprocate acts of kindness and comity. Capts. Nolan and Donelson have been ordered to this point. Capt Littleton has been directed to hold himself in readiness to move at a moments notice. Capt. Tomlinson will be stationed at Carrizo. Capt. Benavides will remain near Fort McIntosh." In May 1861, Cortinas invaded Zapata County and attacked the county seat, Carrizo. He was defeated by Confederate Captain Santos Benavides and retreated into Mexico; Cortinas lost seven men, while eleven others were captured by Benavides and hanged or shot. Col. Ford concludes his report to the Governor thusly: "If Mr. Lincoln's army lands near Brazos Springs, I anticipate giving them something to do all the way up. They shall be fired upon from every place affording shelter to a sharp shooter. Their march shall be no holiday parade. I shall hold Fort Brown as long as I can offer resistance. Do not think, however, that we have the most distant idea of not being able to beat back the Black Republican hordes who would come sword in hand to force a president upon us elected in violation of the spirit of the Constitution & as an enemy to the Constitutional rights of the South..."

Col. Ford, who had been one of the prime movers of and a delegate to the Texas Secession Convention, initiated a trade agreement between Mexico and the Confederacy later in 1861 and was engaged in border operations during the war, protecting Confederate-Mexican trade. At the end of the war, he commanded the southern division of Brig. Gen. James E. Slaughter's Western Sub-District of Texas in the Brownsville area. On May 13, 1865, more than a month after Lee's surrender, Confederate forces routed Union troops at Palmito Ranch, chasing them for seven miles to Brazos Island. As Ford was leading his men to victory, the Confederate Governors of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri were authorizing Gen. Kirby Smith to disband his armies. A few days later, federal officers from Brazos Santiago visited Brownsville to arrange a truce with Gen. Slaughter and Col. Ford. The Battle of Palmito Ranch was the last land engagement of the Civil War. In very fine condition.

Texas CSA Soldier's Letters Archive of letters written by Dudley Ward primarily to his father, Thomas William Ward dated from January 15, 1863 to September 14, 1864. Mostly 3 to 4pp., various sizes. 32 letters are written to his father, one letter to his brother James. In small part: "[Jan. 25, 1863] Camp in the Field...a yankee blockader generally lies off, and occasionally amuses herself by throwing a few shells which are usually answered by our guns, resulting sometimes in injury to her, but our metal is so light, that we cannot do much damage. Our regiment is in a Brigade commanded by Col. Smith together with three regiments of State Troops, in one of which is Gray's company from Austin and vicinity... [April 7, 1863]...Fort Pemberton near Greenwood Miss... Since I last wrote to you the enemy have twice attacked, and as many times been repulsed... The force of the enemy when they last attacked us was ten gunboats and twentyeight transports, on each one of which I suppose there were five hundred men...Col. Smith...deserves more credit than any officer... he in person reviewed the country and finding out our most pregnable points, took good care that they should be well defended... Fort Pemberton is the keystone to Vicksburg, and if they had succeeded in taking it, they could have descended the Yazoo river and not only have landed troops... but also cut off the almost entire supplies of our armies...[Feb. 9, 1864]... Camp at the Mouth of the Caney at Fort...We had a considerable bombardment here on the 6th just, it continued for about half the day. The enemy wounded 3 of our men and three horses... The shelling was done by one vessel, it was a very large ... carrying six or seven guns of different weight of metal... [Feb. 13, 1864] Camp near Mouth of Caney... The Yankees are about forty miles from below us on the Peninsula, and have not as yet made any demonstrations of advancing. A party of our scouts went down as far as their pickets last night and were chased by them some distance... The cavalry does less actual good than any other arm of the service, and are more expense..." Much more good content. Additional letters from Brenham (Feb. 6, 1863), camp near Vicksburg (April 18, 27, and 28, 1863), Camp Lubbock, Houston, Camp Sydney. Ward's last letter is written from Galveston sated September 7, 1864, reporting an outbreak of Yellow Fever in Houston and Galveston, and his decision to remain in Galveston rather than leave with is regiment believing it would be safer to remain. He writes: "I think that one will be just as liable to take the disease at camp, which is only four miles off, as in the city, besides all the supplies will have to be brought from this post, and if a person happens to be sick in camp he will be almost sure to die for want of nurses, which I understand are more necessary to the cure of the fever than even medicine... I have a good many friends... who will certainly, if I should get ill, take the greatest care of me..." As this is his last letter, it is quite possible Dudley did not survive the epidemic. The archive also includes Dudley's parole under oath note dated July 7, 1863, at Vicksburg, Mississippi. It states that Dudley Ward was a "private of Co. 'Y' Reg't 2, Texas" and a prisoner of war, "in the hands of the United States Forces, in virtue of the capitulation of the City of Vicksburg and its garrison". Signed by Ward and the parolling officer George W. Goddord. There is an additional letter by a J.S. Atchison to Ward, "Camp Lubbock Houston, Texas", dated Nov. 16, 1863 denying his request for transfer. Overall condition of the letters is very good, some have faded ink, toning, and chips along margins.

Dudley's father, Thomas William "Peg Leg" Ward (1807 - 1872), was a hero of the Texas Revolution. He lost a leg to a cannonball in San Antonio in 1835. Ironically, he lost a second limb (his right arm) during the celebration of San Jacinto day in 1841 when a cannon misfired. Although a bitter opponent of secession, his son Dudley signed up to serve in the CSA.

A fantastic archive with great content, following the battle experiences of a second generation Texan fighting in the latest war for independence.

Confederate Texas Recruitment Broadside Signed in type "Edward Clark" as Governor of Texas, one page, 8" x 12.5". Austin, August 26, 1861. In part: "Whereas, A requisition has been received from the Secretary of War of the Confederate States, to the following effect: 'You [sic] Excellency will receive, for the war, two thousand men, by independent companies, each company to be composed of one Captain, one 1st Lieutenant, two 2d Lieutenants, four Sergeants, four Corporals, two Musicians, and from sixty-four to one hundred privates...' Now, therefore, I, Edward Clark, Governor of Texas, do hereby call upon the people of this State, to organize themselves into companies, for the purpose of complying with the above requisition. You require no appeal to animate your patriotism...You are now engaged in a struggle for your liberty. Of its propitious termination, there can be no doubt; but in order to make the contest decisive, and of short duration, it is necessary that your most powerful energies should be called forth. Then should every man be up and doing. If you want a speedy peace, you must be prepared to conquer it." Docketed on verso: "Proclamation / of Gov. of Texas / Call for /2000 men / 10 Co. Infantry / 4 Artillery / 3 Sept." Early recruitment broadsides are scarce, examples of the Texan variety are near impossible to find. In near fine condition.

1861 Confederate Election Proclamation, 17" x 13.75". This proclamation by Texas Governor Edward Clark (1815-1880) announced that an "Act of the Congress of the Confederate States" called for an election on Wednesday, November 6, 1861, to determine "electors for President and Vice-President of the Confederate States of America; also for the election of members of the House of Representatives in the Congress of the Confederate States, under the permanent Constitution." Texas seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy on February 1, 1861, two months before the beginning of the Civil War. Lieutenant Governor Edward Clark became governor after Sam Houston refused to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy. In near fine condition with a tiny separation at the horizontal center fold, and minor chipping along the right margin.

M1850 Foot Officer's Sword Inscribed to Lt. James Weltman of the 12th Texas Regiment of Infantry CSA. Weltman mustered into the regiment on December 17, 1861 at Camp Herbert, Texas and served with the regiment until his resignation on January 16, 1864, with an interval of sick leave from August to November of 1863. The 12th/8th Texas Infantry was part of the 1st brigade of Maj. Gen. John Walker's Texas Division, the largest unit in the Confederate Army composed entirely of troops from one state. The division was referred to by Union troops as "Walker's Greyhounds" out of respect for their repeated and rapid long distance marches throughout, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana, often appearing in the front of Union forces where they were least expected. The unit was sporadically engaged throughout Weltman's tenure with the regiment, including the Red River Campaign, Bayou Barbeaux and Pleasant Hill. The regiment disbanded on May 19th, 1865. They did not surrender, were not captured, and simply departed for their homes with everything they could carry. The sword is a regulation M1850 foot officer's made by Ames with the Ames logo "Ames Mfg Co./Chicopee/Mass" incorporated into the reverse blade etched just above the ricasso. Although the blade etching is rather heavily worn as the result of both age and use, the US in the center of the reverse, is quite distinct and has been altered, obviously during the period to CS by neatly removing a small section of the U. This detail has been noted on a number of other US swords that were adopted for Confederate use, a wonderful touch. Standard form brass hilt with "Liut [sic] Jas. Weltman" neatly engraved in shaded block letters on the top of the reverse counter guard. Fish skin grip with twisted brass wire wrap. Retains the original leather washer. No scabbard which doubtless explains the dark aging of the blade. An unquestionably authentic Confederate Texas sword, loaded with character in superb 'attic' condition.

Smooth dark untouched blade retains vestiges of the etch with hand engraved details. The Ames logo and altered US are quite distinct. Brass hilt retains about 30% of the original gilt, the balance, including the inscription, a brown to black untouched patina. The quillon is slightly bent. Fish skin grip and brass wire wrap perfect. Overall simply reeks of character and authenticity.

J. H. Waters, 1863 Texas Volunteers Powder Horn. Finely etched with an eagle, wings outstretched. The shield on the eagle's breast has a single star. Above the eagle is "E Pluribus Unum", a motto widely used by the Confederates. To each side of the eagle is a cannon and below is a drum. Also below is a riband with "Texas Volunteers 1863". The name, J. H. Waters, is also etched below the eagle.

Wooden cap and copper nails, 11.5" long. At the pouring end, a paper tag is still attached, that reads, "From Francis Bannerman, Dealer in Military Goods, 579 Broadway, New York".

Some insect damage to the horn, else near fine.

Thomas D. Babb: Eyewitness Account of the Battle of Galveston Bay. An original manuscript draft of testimony given in the case of Lieut. Commander Law, being an eyewitness account of the Battle of Galveston Bay. [Np. 1863]. Two pages densely written, in pencil, on folio sheet, plus an additional page on smaller half sheet. Overall condition is quite good. Babb was Acting Master on board the Union ship, Owasco, during the Battle of Galveston Bay in 1862-63. His testimony presents a fine eye-witness account of the attack, counterattack, surrender of the Harriet Lane (a Union ship), the burning of the Westfield (also a Union ship), and other details of this engagement. The battle occurred as part of the Union blockade of the Texas coast, with the counterattack of Jan. 1, 1863 by the Confederates leaving the port of Galveston under Confederate control for the rest of the war. An extract from the manuscript follows: "Actg. Master Tho. D. Babb - testifies in the case of Lt. Com. Law as follows - Jan. 1st 1863 attached to Owasco gunboat in Galveston Harbor on blockade duty & to defend the place...there were at Galveston the following U.S. vessels steamer Westfield, Clifton, H. Lane, Owasco, Sachem, & schooner [Corypheus?], six in all. Commander Renshaw was in command. The crew of the Owasco were at quarters about 20 past 4 A.M. On the occasion of the attack of Rebel troops on Galveston & the Harriet Lane - one officer on deck during the Mid watch - two steamers at first and another afterwards attacked the H. Lane - three in all...The Clifton was firing at the enemy's steamers on the flats above and at the town she couldn't fire at the steamers that attacked the Harriet Lane without firing over us...Lt. Com. Law ordered us to hoist a flag of war & keep our position. I answered him that I couldn't keep our position as we were touching the bottom. Law ordered us to steam out a little...I knew the Harriet Lane was in the enemy's possession as they were firing on us with musketry, we fired the 11 in gun solid shot...no other attempt by any of the squadron was made to recapture the Harriet Lane."

Reference: Eberstadt 162:319.

Benjamin McCullough Original Carte de Visite. 2.5" x 4". A scarce image with a Charles D. Fredricks and Co., New York backstamp. Benjamin McCullough (1811-1862) was a friend of Davy Crockett, a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a U.S. marshal, and a Confederate General during the Civil War. He was killed at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, on March 7, 1862. He was buried three times, finally reposing in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. Fine condition, with gently rounded corners.

Opinion of Henry Stanberry on Texas Bonds Sold During the Civil War. Six pages, written on recto only, Oct. 15, 1866; being a contemporary manuscript copy of a document from Attorney General Henry Stanberry, to Hugh Mcculloch, Secretary of the Treasury, related to the status of United States Bonds issued to the State of Texas before the war, which were later sold to buy war supplies. Folio. Bound with two metal eyelets in top margin. Overall very good and clean. During the war the Texas military board sold many of the bonds through an agent in Europe in order to buy war supplies. The bonds were eventually purchased by Messrs. Peabody & Co. in London. Stanberry argues that the bonds and the debt they represent remain "existing valid obligations against the United States," and that the provisions of the Confiscation Act of 1862 do not apply to these bonds. "The United States became indebted to the State of Texas in the sum of five millions of dollars, for which, by authority of Congress, five thousand coupon bonds of one thousand dollars each, bearing the date January 1st, 1851, and redeemable after the 31st day of December, 1864, were issued to the State of Texas. By each of these bonds it was certified that the United States were indebted to the State of Texas, or bearer, in the sum of one thousand dollars, redeemable after the 31st day of December, 1864, with interest at five per cent per annum...."

Pair of Manuscript Documents Relating to Texas Financial Commitments Before Secession. [Np]. 1867. Total of 13 pages of manuscript text. Two documents: a seven-page note and a six-page legal brief. Overall condition is very good. At issue was whether the United States or Texas should be responsible for the payment of $5,000,000 borrowed by Texas just before secession. The first document is written on Globe Mutual Insurance Company letterhead, and contains notes and opinions concerning the market prices for Texas bonds. The other document contains the opinion of the attorney general on the case, Texas vs. Hardenbergh.

Map: "Americae Septentrionalis", 17" x 14.25". This 1760 hand-colored map by Michaelis was part of a geographical atlas consisting of 12 pages and 38 maps. The main body of the map includes Texas, New Mexico, California (which is depicted as an island), and Louisiana (43 years before the Louisiana Purchase). The inset depicts the North Atlantic, including Greenland, Cumberland Island, Hudson's Bay, New Britain (Labrodor), and New Wales. Fine condition with one vertical center fold.

1838 Map of North America, 13" x 16", "Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1838 by T. G. Bradford in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts." Engraving by George W. Boynton. This map, which includes North America, Central America, and the northwest coast of South America, was taken from An Illustrated Atlas, Geographical, Statistical, and Historical, of the United States and the adjacent countries published in both Philadelphia and Boston. The atlas included maps of North America, Canada, the United States, 28 U.S. states, the Republic of Texas, the Caribbean, and eight U.S. cities: Washington, New Orleans, Louisville, Cincinnati, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The map has been matted and framed to an overall size of 18.75" x 23.5". Light spotting and staining in the margins. Fine condition.

Vandermaelen: Five Lithographed Maps of Colonial Mexico (Brussels: Ph. Vandermaelen, 1827). Five maps, all 28" x 21", from Philippe Vandermaelen's Atlas Universal: "Partie du Mexique," Numbers 48, 54, 55, 59, and 60. The maps cover portions of Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Together, the five maps comprise the largest scale map (one inch equals 26 miles) of Texas produced up to 1827. All five maps are in fine condition with minor spotting; the versos include blue paper mounts which were part of the original atlas binding.

Five Maps of Texas from the U.S. Coast Survey Supervised by A. D. Bache "Galveston Bay", 18" x 22.5", including sailing directions and insets of Clopper's Bar and Red Fish Bar. Very good condition with folds and some trimming on the left border.
"Reconnaissance of Aransas Pass", 11" x 14", including sailing directions. Very good condition with folds, acidification, and slight creasing at the top.
"Aransas Pass", 9.5" x 8.5", including sailing directions. Very good condition with folds and some chipping on the left border.
"Sketch I Showing the progress of the Survey in Section No. 9, 1948 to 51", 14.25" x 8.5". Very good condition with folds and a two-inch tear along the left border.
"Sketch I Showing the progress of the Survey in Section No. 9, 1848 to 53", 23.25" x 9.75". Very good condition with folds and some acidification.
Physicist and reformer Alexander Dallas Bache (1806-1867) was the great-grandson of Benjamin Franklin. A West Point graduate and veteran of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he was appointed Superintendent of the United States Coast Survey, one of the nation's leading scientific institutions, in 1843. A master of delegating authority, Bache managed to map the entire coast, including these detailed sections depicting the Texas seaboard.

1835 Bradford's Map of Texas , 12.75" x 10.25". With accompanying text of similar size headed "Texas," two pages, front and verso, beginning "It is a northeastern province of the republic of Mexico, and is at present engaged in an arduous struggle for independence." Light folds in upper bank corner. This map (identified as "64.A.") and two page text ("64B" and "64C") have been removed from T.G. Bradford's atlas, Boston and New York, 1835. This is the first separate map of Texas ever to appear in an atlas. All grants are identified, e.g. "Stephen F. Austins Grant," "Burnets Grant," "Dewitts Grant," "Zavalias Grant," etc., as are areas labeled "Comanches Indians" and "Austins Colony." All grants and areas are outlined in color. Both sheets are lightly foxed; chipped edge where removed from atlas. Very good condition.

1838 Bradford Map of Texas, 12" x 15", "Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1838 by T. G. Bradford in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts." Engraving by George W. Boynton. This hand-colored map, which includes Texas and parts of the Indian Territory, Louisiana, Coahuila, and Tamaulipa, was taken from An Illustrated Atlas, Geographical, Statistical, and Historical, of the United States and the adjacent countries published in both Philadelphia and Boston. The atlas included maps of North America, Canada, the United States, 28 U.S. states, the Republic of Texas, the Caribbean, and eight U.S. cities: Washington, New Orleans, Louisville, Cincinnati, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The map has been matted and framed to an overall size of 21.5" x 25". Unexamined out of the frame, but appears to be in fine condition.

1858 Colton Map of Texas , 12" x 14.5". Hand-colored copper plate engraving by Joseph H. Colton of New York. Ornately bordered in a floral motif, the map shows western Texas as unexplored, noting no towns, just rivers, mountains, and the route of the Memphis El Paso & Pacific Rail Road. Lightly soiled in blank margins. Fine condition.

Victor Considerant: Au Texas. Par Victor Considerant. (Paris: A La Librairie Phalanstérienne, 1854). First edition. Octavo (8" x 5"). [4] 190 [2, table] [191]-194 (publisher's notices) pages. Two lithographed maps with original outline color: Étas-Unis. Avril. (7" x 12"), Gravé par les Sres, Imp. Lemercier, Paris. And: Texas d'aprés la Carte Publiée par J.H. Colton.... (11" x 13.5"). Gravé chez Delamare rue St. André-des-Arcs, 45; Paris Imp. Lemercier Rue de Seine St. G. in 57. Modern pale blue cloth over marbled boards, black leather spine label (new endsheets). Cloth on binding abraded, title soiled at upper right and foxed, text with mild to moderate foxing, a few old repairs skillfully done to book and maps. Ex-library copy, with several oval ink stamps from the Bibliotheque Populaire. Basic Texas Books 33: "An eminent philosopher's account of Texas and his audacious plans for a social colony there, the direct result of which was the establishment of La Reunion Colony near Dallas.... Close to 500 colonists settled there. These included writers, musicians, artists, artisans, and free spirits, but only two farmers. As might be expected, a couple of years of utopian bickering and successive Texas droughts brought the experiment to a speedy collapse." Clark, Old South III: 292. Howes c697. Raines, page 53. Considerant's book excited great interest in socialist circles in Europe, and his "Manifest de la Democratie Pacifique" is considered by some to be a forerunner of Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto. The large map of Texas, based on Colton, is outlined in pale pink.

John Haven: "Map of the United States and Mexico Including Oregon, Texas and the Californias." This 1846 hand-colored map by John Haven measures 23" x 19". Statistical information on each U.S. state is included at the left and right edges of the map. Thirty official state seals align the margins. The map is in fine condition with original folds and some minor creasing in the corners.

John T. Hughes: Doniphan's Expedition; Containing an Account of the Conquest of New Mexico; General Kearney's Overland Expedition to California; Doniphan's Campaign against the Navajos; His Unparalleled March upon Chihuahua and Durango; and the Operations of General Price at Santa Fé: With a Sketch of the Life of Col. Doniphan... (Cincinnati: J.A. & U.P. James, 1850). Second edition, third issue, the "book issue", revised and enlarged (the first edition came out in pamphlet form in 1847; the second edition adds the portrait of Price and the list of Illustrations as specified in Howes). Octavo (7.5" x 4.5"). 407 pages. Frontispiece portraits of Doniphan and General Price. Illustrations, three single-page plans: Plan of Santa Fe and Its Environs, Plan of the Battle of Brazito, and Plan of the Battle of Sacramento; engraved map: A New Map of Mexico, California and Oregon (12" x 9.25"). Original blindstamped brown cloth. Binding a bit faded on spine and slightly worn, occasional mild to moderate foxing to the text, map age-toned. Altogether, a very good, desirable copy. Cowan, page 115. Edwards, The Enduring Desert, page 122. Hamilton, Early American Book Illustrators and Wood Engravers, 999a (Maclean) and page 214 (tisdale). Hill, page 452. Howes H769: "Doniphan's and Kearney's conquests gave the U.S. its claim to New Mexico and Arizona." Plains & Rockies IV: 134:5: "Recounts the adventures of the First Regiment of Missouri Cavalry in New Mexico and Chihuahua.... Hughes' brightly-written account of the regiment proved popular; by 1851 the Jameses reported more than 14,000 copies, and it remained in print for many years thereafter. Despite the quantity, and the many printings, it is now rare and avidly sought." Rittenhouse 311: "A classic work." Wheat, Transmississippi West 546.

Henri Joutel, Journal Historique du Dernier Voyage que feu M. de la Sale fit Dans le Golfe de Mexique...
(Paris: Robinot, 1713.) 12mo., xxiv, 386pp., folding engraved map: Carta Nouvelle de la Louisiane et de la Riviere de Missisipi..., 14.25" x 14". Map scale not stated, title engraved on illustration of two Native Americans holding a buffalo skin with head attached at lower left, illustration of Niagara Falls, map adorned with ships, sea battle, and buffalo, compass rose. Large key to locations and events (including La Salle in Texas) at right. Full contemporary calf binding, neatly rebacked; raised gilt spine, with corners renewed. Very light and even age-toning throughout, else near fine. The map, which remains firmly attached to the book block, rates fine.

Jackson, Flags along the Coast, p. 124 (illustrated) & p. 123: "Before leaving the subject of the influence of Delisle's Carte du Mexique, the map which appeared in Henri Joutel's Journal historique (1713) should be mentioned. This Carta Nouvelle de la Louisiane -- like Delisle's map -- has the Mississippi in mid-continent, emptying into the Gulf just west of the old bay off Espiritu Santo. Joutel's map shows the bay quite large, but even larger is his 'Baye de St. Louis.' Moreover, Joutel gives a detailed account of French exploration within Texas, keyed to letters on the map. Thus, this map represents a transition to the type of information that Delisle depicted on his 1718 map of Louisiana."

Joutel acted as La Salle's second-in-command on the ill-fated expedition of 1684-1687 to establish a French colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River. In 1682 La Salle first went down the Mississippi to its delta, formally claiming the territory for France. He named the territory Louisiana. Two years later he returned from France to found a colony there, but missed his mark and landed farther west, at Matagorda Bay on the Texas coast. The expedition was plagued by misfortune from the start, and eventually La Salle was murdered by his own men. Joutel and a few survivors would make their way across Texas to the Red and Arkansas Rivers, up the Mississippi to Fort St. Louis on the Illinois River, and from there to Quebec via the Great Lakes.

This book is an early work on the east Texas region; documenting the French incursion there. Although short-lived, the French effort represents the first European settlement attempted in the area. The handsome map illustrates the journey of La Salle's ill-fated expedition and presents a relatively accurate delineation of the Mississippi River and eastern Texas that would serve as a foundation for future cartographers.

Hugh Kerr: A Poetical Description of Texas, and Narrative of Many Interesting Events in that Country, Embracing a Period of Several years, Interspersed with Moral and Political Impressions; Also, An Appeal to Those Who Oppose the Union of Texas with the United States, and the Anticipation of that Event. To which is Added The Texas Heroes, Nos. 1 and 2. (New York: Published for the Author, 1838.) 122 pp. 16mo. First edition. Binding worn, some staining and soiling to text. Original brown cloth (rebacked in matching cloth); gilt-lettered on upper cover.

A native of Ireland, Kerr arrived in America circa 1795, eventually migrating to Texas country in 1822 and settling in Washington County. This unassuming little tome is important in Texas history as it was the earliest literary production of the state. It contains mainly descriptive poems about the Battle of the Alamo, the people, towns, geography, and animals of the area.

Unfortunately, Mr. Kerr's poetic talents leave a bit to be desired. As noted by Streeter: "This is Texas history in pretty poor verse, but it apparently can be characterized as the first book of Texas poetry. A brief notice of the book in the Telegraph and Texas Register for February 27, 1839, taken from the Louisiana Advertiser refers to Kerr as 'a gentleman who has devoted much of his time and means to the interests of the infant republic. At the commencement of the war in Texas, he had printed and diffused around, many martial and patriotic songs!'"

Reference: Streeter 1317. Raines, p. 133. Webb, Texana.

S[amuel] Augustus Mitchell, Mitchell's Reference & Distance Map Of The United States by J. H. Young, 1846. Lithograph map within ornamental frame border printed on paper and recently mounted on cloth backing. The map has the original full hand color and an ornamental border in green. Overall sheet size is 72" x 56". Light overall patina, several small cracks (no losses), light water staining, overall a very good copy of a map exceptionally rare in this format. Given the intended usage of wall maps the condition found here is fine.

The map also shows an early depiction of Texas as a state of the Union, complete with all its extravagant territorial claims, including a Panhandle that stretches aggressively north to the 42nd parallel and a border on the Rio Grande rather than the Nueces River. This map has been updated, however, to show Texas divided into counties instead of empresario grants.

During the middle of the nineteenth century, Mitchell (1792-1808) was the dominant commercial publisher of geographical materials. His career began as a teacher of geography but discouragement set in when he found inadequate the maps and atlases available to his students. He abandoned teaching with a plan to remedy the problem -- he would turn his attention to publishing. In this endeavor he found his calling and after some forty years he had published many of the most popular and influential works disseminating the expanding knowledge about America and introducing many Americans to the subject of geography.

Samuel Augustus Mitchell: New Map of Texas, 1842 (Philadelphia: S. A. Mitchell, 1842), 15" x 12.5". The full title of the map is New Map of Texas, with the Contiguous American and Mexican States. Entered by Samuel Augustus Mitchell. Hand-colored engraving by J. H. Young. Three text insets include "Remarks on Texas," "Land Grants," and "Rivers of Texas." The map was originally folded into a small (3" x 5"), leather-bound pocket folder with a gilt stamp, which is also included. The map is in very good condition with original folds and some minor stains; the pocket folder is very good. Ex. Dallas Historical Society.

A New Map of Texas, Oregon and California With the Regions Adjoining. Compiled from the most recent authorities Philadelphia Published by S. Augustus Mitchell. N.E. Corner of Market & Seventh Streets. 1846. 21" x 22.5". The multi-colored map, folded inward twice each from the top and bottom, and then accordion folded eight times, is affixed to the inside back cover of a 46 page, 3.25" x 5.25" booklet titled "Accompaniment to Mitchell's New Map... " bound in embossed olive green leather boards, imprinted in gilt lettering on the cover "Texas, Oregon and California." Spine and covers' edges slightly rubbed. On the first blank flyleaf, the owner has penciled his name "Jacob Warner/Oct 2 1846/Cincinnati Ohio." On February 18, 1847, before he led his Mormon followers west to Utah, Brigham Young wrote from Winter Quarters, Indian Territory, to Church member Joseph Stratton in St. Louis, "Bring me one half dozen of Mitchell's new map of Texas, Oregon, and California and the regions adjoining, or his accompaniment for the same for 1846, or rather the latest edition and best map of all the Indian countries in North America; the pocket maps are the best for our use. If there is anything later or better than Mitchell's, I want the best." One of these maps, in Brigham Young University's Special Collections, is annotated "Mormons" with an "X" mark, near the Great Salt Lake, said to be most likely the earliest known map entry still extant placing Mormons in Utah. It is known that Brigham Young did indeed use Mitchell's booklet and map on his migration to the Great Basin. In his diary, Albert Carrington, a member of the Council of Fifty, the chief administrative body of the Mormon Church, makes note of his arrival at a Great Plains stream, concluding it was "supposed to be the Wood River of Mitchell's map." Brigham Young must have taken special note of page 26 of Mitchell's booklet: "The Utah Indians, who reside in the vicinity of the Great Salt lake, and along the head waters of the Colorado, are less savage in their habits, having had some intercourse with the traders, and with the people of New Mexico. Many of them are well mounted, and have good rifles; they also commit depredations at times on the whites, and especially on the annual caravan that passes along the great Spanish trace from California to Santa Fe." In addition to the map's importance in Mormon history, it is also one of the first widely circulated maps of the new state of Texas, showing the borders of Texas extending to Santa Fe and its claim to the Upper Rio Grande in present day New Mexico. In the text, Mitchell notes that "Texas possesses a soil of great fertility and a geographical position highly favourable to commercial interests with the United States, as well as with other parts of the world." The chapter titled "State of Texas" is on pages 4-11 of the booklet. Written on the eve of the Mexican War, this booklet was "Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1845, by S. Augustus Mitchell, in the clerk's office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania." Fighting between the United States and Mexico did not begin until 1846, ending, in effect, on September 14, 1847 with Gen. Winfield Scott's occupation of Mexico City. Much of the territory depicted in this map were part of the United States by 1848. Minor cuts and holes in the map have been expertly repaired by silking. One of the most important published maps in Texas and American history. It is in fine condition as is the booklet to which it is affixed.

S. Augustus Mitchell County Map of Texas 15.25" x 12.25", Philadelphia, 1860. An attractive map hand-colored map, with a wide ornamental floral border. Inset map at lower left highlights Galveston Bay and Vicinity. Texas panhandle is omitted. With bright color, small crease at lower margin well away from engraving, overall condition is near fine.

Frederic B. Page: Prairiedom: Rambles and Scrambles in Texas or New Estrémadura. By a Suthron. (New York: Paine & Burgess, 1846). Second edition (first edition was published in New York the previous year). Twelvemo (7" x 4.25"). 166 pages. Engraved map: Map of Texas (5.75" x 3.5"). Contemporary brown calf neatly rebacked with a large portion of the original spine and the gilt spine label laid down. Small scuffs and bumps, marginal browning to preliminary and terminal leaves, moderate foxing, else a very good copy in a handsome binding. Clark, Old South III:221: "His tone is favorable." Graff 3159. Howes P9. Raines, p. 167.Streeter 1604n: "This is a pleasant account of the author's travels in Texas, for the most part a journey in the spring of 1839 from the Sabine by way of Nacogdoches, Houston, and Bastrop to San Antonio and return to Houston by way of Goliad and Texana, now Edna. It brings back to us now in charming fashion Texas of 1839." The map, which shows Texas east of about the 100 meridian west, is a rather primitive rendering. Austin and Houston are shown and the Texas Hill Country is labeled as the Guadalupe Mountains.

Willard Richardson: New Map of the State of Texas, 1867 (New York: G. W. and C. B. Colton Company, 1867), 29.5" x 20". In 1837, Willard Richardson (1802-1875) settled in Texas, where he worked as a teacher, newspaperman, and publisher of a series of Texas almanacs. This hand-colored map, created for the 1867 almanac, is a corrected version of an earlier map published in 1861. Five insets include detail maps of "Plan of the Northern Part or Panhandle of Texas," "Plan of the Great West," "Plan of Matagorda Bay," "Plan of Sabine Lake," and "Plan of Galveston Bay." In good condition with minor paper loss along the vertical center fold and at bottom left margin, corner creases, and small edge tears. Ex. Dallas Historical Society.

Willard Richardson: New Map of the State of Texas, 1870. (New York: G. W. and C. B. Colton Company, 1870), 26" x 18.25". In 1837, Willard Richardson (1802-1875) settled in Texas, where he worked as a teacher, newspaperman, and publisher of a series of Texas almanacs. This hand-colored map, corrected for the 1870 almanac, includes five insets: "Plan of the Northern Part or Panhandle of Texas," "Plan of the Great West," "Plan of Matagorda Bay," "Plan of Sabine Lake," and "Plan of Galveston Bay." In good condition with small pieces missing along two of the folds, corner creases, minor spotting, and chipping on the edges. Ex. Dallas Historical Society.

Willard Richardson: New Map of the State of Texas, 1873 (New York: G. W. and C. B. Colton Company, 1873), 26.75" x 19.5". In 1837, Willard Richardson (1802-1875) settled in Texas, where he worked as a teacher, newspaperman, and publisher of a series of Texas almanacs. This hand-colored map, prepared for the 1873 almanac, includes five insets: "Plan of the Northern Part or Panhandle of Texas," "Plan of the Great West," "Plan of Matagorda Bay," "Plan of Sabine Lake," and "Plan of Galveston Bay." The map was originally folded into a small (6" x 4"), leather-bound pocket folder with gold lettering (dated 1872), which is also included. In very good condition with tiny pieces missing along some folds, corner creases, minor spotting, and chipping on the edges. Ex. Dallas Historical Society.

A.R. Roessler's Latest Map of the State of Texas (1874) , 45" x 39" lithographed map with original full color and rose outline, affixed to a 48" x 43.5" canvas with 48" x 1" wood bars across the top and bottom. First edition, the large format version; a smaller version was published two years later. Titled at lower right: "A. R. Roessler's Latest Map of the State of Texas Exhibiting Mineral-and Agricultural Districts, Post Offices & Mailroutes, Railroads Projected and Finished, Timber, Prairie, Swamp Lands, etc. etc. etc. Authorities: Official Maps of the U.S. & Texas State General Land-Offices, Surveys & Reconnoissances of the U.S. Coast Survey, the Various Rail Road Surveys, U.S. Mexican Boundary Commission Surveys, U.S. Engineer Dept and Other Authentic Materials. Compiled and Drawn by M. V. Mittendorfer, C.E. 1874." "Printed By Ferd. Mayer 96 & 98 Fulton St. New York." The map contains illustrations of the Old State Capital Building (destroyed by fire in 1881) and the General Land Office. The hotly disputed Greer County to the east of the Panhandle is still shown as part of Texas. In 1896, the Supreme Court declared the county to be a part of Oklahoma Territory. Part of the Panhandle is identified as "Comanche/Hunting/Range/Treaty 1865"). There is an 11" x 10" inset colored map at the lower left entitled: "Map Showing Agricultural and Varieties of Soils in the State of Texas." To the right of the inset, in three columns, is "Enumeration of the Principal Minerals, Rocks, Soils and Timber Varieties Known to Exist in the State of Texas, Arranged According to Counties." Anton R. Roessler was a trained geologist and worked on the Texas Geological Survey in the 1860s and was involved with the Texas land and Immigration Co. of New York in the 1870s. His maps are the best contemporary records of agricultural and mineral wealth. A good portion of New Mexico is depicted. This map identifies county seats, towns, roads, streams, rivers, mountains, location of Indian tribes in Indian Territory, and public lands, with remarks on topography, notes on treaty cessions, etc. "Longitude west from Washington." Scale an inch = 20 miles. Day, p. 90. Phillips, America, p. 847. Taliaferro 349: "Roessler's maps are the only printed maps that preserve the results of the Shumard survey, the state's first geological and agricultural survey." There are numerous creases, cracks, stains, and tears in the map, with small portions missing mostly at folds and perimeter. Three of these rare maps, each in fine condition, were recently sold at auction. One sold by Heritage in the Texas State Historical Association benefit auction in 2006, realized $26,400. Also in 2006, another brought $48,300 at Swann Galleries, and a third sold at Dorothy Sloan Books auction earlier this year, for $39,950. Ex. Dallas Historical Society.

Railroad Map: "Central Route and Pioneer Line!: The Houston & Texas Central and Missouri, Kansas & Texas Rail Yards" (Chicago: Rand McNally, ca. 1875), 15.5" x 16.5". This map shows the counties of Texas and the two railroad routes through the state. An advertisement at the bottom appeals "TO THE EMIGRANT / The Central Route and Pioneer Line offers superior inducements, passing through the most fertile portion of the State, giving the passenger a view of the FINEST AGRICULTURAL PORTION OF THE STATE, as well as the Great Grazing Grounds of the West!" The map is in fair condition with a four-inch tear in the middle and chipping on the corners and right edge. Ex. Dallas Historical Society.

J. Wilmer Dallam: The Lone Star: A Tale of Texas; Founded upon Incidents in the History of Texas. (New York. E. Ferrett & Co. 237 Broadway. Philadelphia: 68 South Fourth Street.) [On verso of title:] King & Baird, Printers. 1845. 95pp. 8vo. First edition. Contemporary three quarter calf over marbled boards, title in gilt on spine. There are two issues of this work both published in 1845, one with 95 pages and one with 96 pages. The 96 page issue is considered the second edition. Gentle wear to cover, lightly bumped corners. Pages are evenly toned, with light ghosting throughout. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Rains p.60. Wright 819 locates 4 copies. Streeter Texas 1578: "This romance of Roland Deane and Annie Seymour makes very heavy reading nowadays. While there are Mexican and Indians, and some action takes place in New Orleans, the relation to Texas is not readily apparent." Streeter located 3 copies.

Texas Pamphlet: The City and County/of/El Paso, Texas,/Containing Useful and Reliable Information Concerning/The Future Great Metropolis of the Southwest./Its Resources and Advantages/for the/Agriculturist, Artisan and Capitalist." (El Paso, Texas: Times Publishing Co., 1886.), 84 pages, 5.5" x 8.5". Original light blue wrappers, tiny holes at lower right border on cover and on spine. Map of Mexico, 20" x 15", in color, is folded into eight sections and attached before the back outside wrap. Titled in Spanish, "Mexico Mapa de las lineas del Ferrocarril Central y Conecciones," it depicts the lines of the Central Railroad from El Paso to Mexico City, with connections to Guadalajara and Tampico. Minor separation at one of the cross-folds. Fine condition.

George Fisher: Memorials of George Fisher, Late Secretary to the Expedition of Gen. Jose Antonio Mexia, against Tampico, in November, 1835. (Houston: Telegraph Office, 1840.) 87 pp. 8vo. First edition. Small section of blank margin at upper edge of title missing, title stained, paper shows some age toning but still fine. Full dark brown calf; modern dark brown silk moiré box.

Born in Hungary in 1795, Fisher originally trained as a priest but in 1813 he joined the Serbian revolutionary forces during the First Serbian Uprising. The following year, Fisher came to Philadelphia and shortly thereafter headed to Mexico, becoming a naturalized Mexican citizen in 1829. After contracting to settle five hundred families on lands in Texas, Fisher became a customs agent at the northern end of Galveston Bay. Following a military confrontation with Texan settlers, Fisher was forced to resign his post in early 1832. Fisher then moved to Matamoros and began publishing a liberal newspaper, Mercurio del Puerto de Matamoros.

In October 1835, Fisher teamed up with José Antonio Mexía to organize a movement in New Orleans to attack Tampico with the intent of instigating a revolt among the eastern states of Mexico. As noted by Streeter (384): "If the Tampico Expedition ... had gained its objective, the course of Texas history would have been changed and its leader, Mexía, and its secretary, Fisher, would have been Texas heroes. By an unlucky accident it failed and its failure stirred the country because of the capture and execution of twenty-eight of its members... A linguist, an adventurer with physical and mental courage, an intriguer, inordinately fond of seeing his name in print, almost a blackmailer..., Fisher was one of the unusual characters who gravitated to Texas and enlivened its annals.... Austin speaks of Fisher as 'uno de aquellos adventureros miserables y desvergonzados que ni tienen patria ni pricipios de honradez.'"

Despite his reputation as a self-promoting instigator, Fisher is considered an important character in the history of the Republic of Texas. As such, this tale of his adventures on the Tampico Expedition are an important addition to any anthology of Texas history.

Reference: Streeter 384. Raines, p. 82. Sabin 24460. See also: The Handbook of Texas Online (George Fisher).

Henry Stuart Foote: Texas and the Texans; or, Advance of the Anglo-Americans to the Southwest; Including a History of Leading Events in Mexico, from the Conquest by Fernando Cortes to the Termination of the Texan Revolution. In Two Volumes. (Philadelphia: Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co., 1841. First edition. Two twelvemo volumes (7" x 4"). Viii, [13]-314, 24 [publisher's catalog]; v [vi] [7] 8-403 pages. Publisher's finely-ribbed brown cloth, stamped in gilt and blind. Yellow coated endpapers. Previous owner's ink signature on the front pastedown endpaper of volume II, with resulting offsetting to the front free endpaper. A few neat ink notes and markings by a previous owner, mostly to the bottom margins of several pages in the first half of volume I. Minor scuffs or blemishes to bindings, but the books show very well. Light intermittent foxing to the sheets, but mostly bright and clean with the pages still supple. Altogether, an excellent, handsome set in very good condition. Housed in a custom green cloth slipcase. One of the best histories of Texas for the period covered. There is a wonderful story abut James Long, who headed the so-called long expedition into Texas in 1819, and interesting sketches of W.H. Wharton, David Burnet, Lorenzo Zavala, and Benjamin H. Smith. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1377.

A.T. Myrthe [Anthony Ganilh]: Ambrosio de Letinez; or, The First Texian Novel, Embracing A Description Of The Countries Bordering On The Rio Bravo, With Incidents Of The War Of Independence. (New York: Charles Francis & Co., 1842.) Two volumes in one, 192 pp., 8vo. Engraved bookplate of Cambridge Public Library with manuscript discard notation, their small blue ink stamp on two inner leaves; blind-embossed stamp on p. 78. Light to moderate foxing, otherwise fine, in a handsome green full-leather binding with gilt lettering and decoration.

This is the second and best edition (with an added chapter), of the first Texas novel in English. The first edition was published anonymously in 1838 under the title Mexico versus Texas, and was the first novel to incorporate important historical events such as the Goliad Massacre and the Battle of San Jacinto. It was reissued in 1842 under the title Ambrosio de Letinez and credited to A. T. Myrthe, although its title page lists (Father) Anthony Ganilh.

The novel's argument is characteristic of the period: the dedication poses the rhetorical question "...whether anything could have taken place more conducive to the regeneration and improvement of Mexico than the success of the Texans."

Streeter (1414 and 1310n) notes, "The scene of the novel is laid in Mexico and Texas at the time of the Texas Revolution. Throughout there are satires on the Mexican clergy and thinly veiled attacks on the Roman Catholic Church.... There is no doubt that Ganilh occasionally rather enjoyed unsheathing his claws."

Reference: Streeter 1414 and 1310(n). Eberstadt, Texas 162:322. Wright 1018.

Benard de La Harpe: Journal Historique de l'Établissement des Français a la Louisiane.
[Historic Journal of the French Establishment in Louisiana.] Nouvelle-Orléans (États-Unis), A.-L. Boimare, Libraire-Éditeur; Paris Hector Bossange, Libraire, Quai Voltaire, No 11. [With vignette of ship on title page.] [On verso of half title:] Imprimé chez Paul Renouard, Rue Garencière, No 5. 1831. Signed at end: Benard de La Harpe. 412pp. 8vo. Contemporary full calf binding, with gilt design. Extensive restoration to spine and corners. Foxing and occasional spotting throughout. Very good. Housed in a custom clamshell case with raised bands and gilt title.

This Journal Historique is a reprinting without preface or notes of a manuscript giving no indication of its source. It is written in the third person and is usually considered as being authored by La Harpe. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1126.

John M[ilton] Niles and L[orraine] T. Pease: History of South America and Mexico; Comprising Their Discovery, Geography, Politics, Commerce and Revolutions. By Hon. John M. Niles. To Which is Annexed, A Geographical and Historical View of Texas, with a Detailed Account of the Texian Revolution and War. By Hon. L.T. Pease. In Two Volumes. (Hartford: H. Huntington, Jun., 1837). This is the rare 1837 edition of this work, which is the first edition with the material on Texas included. Two octavo volumes bound in one (7.75" x 4.5"). Engraved frontispiece, two engraved portraits (of Santa Ana and Samuel Houston) and two color folding maps: Mexico & Texas (13" x 14"); and South America (22" x 18"). Contemporary mottled calf, decorated and lettered in gilt on the spine. Binding with a bit of wear and a chip to the headcap at the rear joint. Intermittent foxing, one map with small tears to the corners, the other with a tape repair. Altogether, a very good copy. Gives accounts and details of the recent Texas Revolution of 1836. "Battle of San Jacinto" is depicted on the engraved frontispiece, and the extra engraved title page bears a vignette of the Alamo. Streeter calls the Texas material: "An excellent contemporary account of the Texas Revolution, compiled by the father of one of the participants." Twelve chapters, beginning on page 213 and extending to page 370, consist of "Geographical and Historical View of Texas with a Detailed Account of the Texian Revolution and War." From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1285.

William Davis Robinson: Memoirs of the Mexican Revolution: Including a Narrative of the Expedition of General Xavier Mina. With Some Observations on the Practicability of Opening a Commerce between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, through the Mexican Isthmus in the Province of Oaxaca, and at the Lake of Nicaragua; and on the Future Importance of Such Commerce to the Civilized World, and More Especially to the United States.... (London: Printed for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Lepard, Finsbury Square. Printed by Macdonald and Son, Great Sutton Street, Clerkenwell, London. 1821.) First London edition in two volumes. Another edition [of entry No. 1080] printed in London; By William Davis Robinson. Vol. I: 328 pp. with frontispiece (portrait). Vol. II: 389 pp. with one page of advertisements and frontispiece (folding map). Octavo. Both volumes are bound in full calf with black leather label on the spine stamped in gilt: Robinson's Mexican Revolution Vol. I/Vol.II.

Portrait: General Xavier Mina, from the Original Picture Painted a few Weeks before he left England, in the Possession of Thos Broadwood, Esqe Jas Harrison, Pinxt Thos Wright, Sculpt London, Pubd by Lackington, Hughes & Co Feby 20, 1821. Map: Map of Part of New Spain; Shewing the Track of General Mina: with the proposed Places for Uniting the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans. Compiled from the best Authorities. 1821. B.R. Baker Lithogr Printed by C. Hullman del. 13.75" x 13.75". No graphic scale, but about 150 miles to the inch.

Being an account of General Xavier Mina's expedition from Galveston Island to Soto la Marina, a few miles inland from the Mexican coast, as well as his later march into Mexico where he met his doom. Author Robinson obtained data on Mina and his expedition in part from the journal of an Englishman who accompanied Mina from England to Mexico and is believed to have escaped. This is the second and more desirable edition of a rare Texas and Latin American book. As reported in Howes R380, it is the: "Chief contemporary authority on the audacious filibustering expedition against Mexico under Mina, launched with a handful of men, through Texas in 1817. Notable also for its advocacy of a communication between the Atlantic and Pacific via Nicaragua." Raines (p. 176) calls it "One of the standard histories of the Mexican Revolution."

Robinson's Memoirs is also one of the few contemporary sources for the Mexican experiences of Samuel Bangs, the first Texas printer, who accompanied Mina and created the first Texas imprints during this expedition. The 1821 London edition seems to be the most desirable, due to its fine engraving of General Mina, its map, and its extensive index. Some later repairs to Vol I spine, but overall in fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1080A. Sabin 72203. Howes R380. Palau 271093. Raines, p. 176. Sabin also lists a Dutch edition and a German edition (Sabin 72205, 72206).

Albert Pike: Prose Sketches and Poems, Written in the Western Country. (Boston: Light & Horton, 1834). First edition. Twelvemo (7" x 4.5"). 200 pages. Publisher's dark green floral-patterned cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine. Binding slightly dulled, small bookseller's ticket on the front pastedown endpaper. A few amateur notes and sketches lightly penciled on the preliminary blank leaves, occasional light to moderate foxing, else a very good copy. Housed in a custom quarter green morocco over green cloth clamshell case, with a book-back spine in six compartments lettered in gilt. Book description mounted to the inside of the clamshell case. "While serving as associate editor of the Little Rock, Arkansas, Advocate in 1833, Pike wrote in travel narrative, short story, and verse of his recent adventures. These vivid memoirs, tales, and poems, which first appeared serially in the Advocate were published by Light and Horton of Boston in 1834 as Prose Sketches and Poems Written in the Western Country. Pike's narrative is said to be the first book ever printed dealing with the region between Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Certainly Pike was New Mexico's first Anglo-American poet as well as its first short story-writer in English and was among the first to describe in print the Mexican borderlands." -Thomas W. Cutrer, The Handbook of Texas Online. The first published account of a journey in modern times across the Texas Panhandle. Streeter also singles out this great rarity in his introduction as "desirable for a Texas collection." An unusual book by an unusual man, who besides hunting for furs on the Plains wrote poetry and was later a leading lawyer of the Southwest, and in his final thirty-two years head of the Southern Scottish Rite Masons. On pages [9]-80 are first-hand accounts of an overland journey west from Fort Towson, in what is now Oklahoma, across part of Texas by a friend of Pike's, one Aaron B. Lewis, and of a journey east by Albert Pike, where Lewis was one of the party, from New Mexico to Fort Smith, Arkansas. The remaining pages include poems by Pike and three prose pieces relating to his experiences in New Mexico. The preface is dated "Ark. Territory, 1st May 1833." The account of the journey west by Lewis from Fort Towson on the Red River, which began in September, 1831, and ended in December, is based in part on his recollections and in part on what appears to have been his journal. The account of Pike's trip east begins on page 36 with the heading, Narrative of a Second Journey in [sic] the Prairie. This began on September 6, 1832, and ended at Fort Smith, Arkansas, on December 10. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Wright 2045. Sabin 62815. Streeter Texas 1150. Wagner-Camp 50.

James L. Rock and W.I. Smith: Southern and Western Texas Guide for 1878. (St. Louis, MO.: A.H. Granger, Publisher, 1878). First edition. Octavo (8.5" x 5.5"). 282 pages. Frontispiece portrait of Col. Thomas W. Pierce, the dedicatee. Illustrations in the text, and with the large folding color map at the rear (25" x 19"), map is two-sided, with Texas on one side and the U.S. and Texas on the other. Publisher's orange pebble-grain cloth with a double rule border stamped in blind on the covers, and lettered and decoratively stamped in gilt on the front cover and spine. Chocolate-brown coated endpapers. Very light general shelfwear and other very minor blemishes to the boards, previous owner's signature on the front pastedown endpaper and on the title. A very good, clean and crisp copy.

Charles A. Siringo: A Texas Cow Boy, or, Fifteen Years on the Hurricane Deck of a Spanish Pony. Taken from Real Life by Chas. A. Siringo, An Old Stove Up "Cow Puncher," Who has Spent Nearly Twenty Years on the Great Western Cattle Ranges. (Chicago, Illinois: M. Umbdenstock & Co., Publishers, 1885.) First edition of this cowboy author's first book, a narrative of life on the western ranges. Octavo (7.5" x 5.25"). xii, [13] 14-316 pages. Beautifully illustrated with two chromo-lithographic illustrations (these include the color frontispiece and the extra color illustrated title that is seldom found in first edition copies of this book, and a black and white portrait of the author in his cow boy uniform. Publisher's original reddish-brown cloth, decorated and lettered in black and gilt, and reproducing the portrait illustration of Siringo on the front cover in gilt. Attractive original patterned endpapers. Binding is a bit rubbed and scuffed with the corners slightly bumped, spine dulled and with light wear at the top and bottom. Front hinge is just starting at the top but still sound. A few scattered finger smudges or other light soiled spots to the sheets, one short tear to the bottom edge of one leaf well away from the text. Altogether, a wonderful and attractive copy of an extremely rare and fragile book. "The first-and best- cowboy autobiography" -Howes S518. "The first autobiography of a cowboy, and unquestionably one of the most important range books... The first edition is virtually unprocurable." -Reese, Six-Score 99. "The most authentic book on the Texas cowboy." -Basic Texas Books 185A. "No other cowboy ever talked about himself so much in print; few had more to talk about." -Dobie, page 119. Adams, Burs under the Saddle, 360; Six-Guns and Saddle Leather, 2032; The Rampaging Herd, 2077. Dykes, Kid 17. Graff 3804. "True to life and full of flavor it provided the spark that sent many a boy after a job of punchin' cows... exceedingly rare." -Merrill, Aristocrats of the Cow Country, page 10. "It is nearly impossible to locate a copy of the first printing." -Adams. "The work of no single writer typifies the progress of cowboy literature from the dime novel phase to a plane of character and distinction like that of Charles S. Siringo." -J. Evetts Haley. There has not been a copy of this 1885 edition at a book auction in the past twenty-five years.

[Davy Crockett] [Richard Penn Smith?]: Col. Crockett's Exploits and Adventures in Texas: Wherein is Contained, a Full Account of his Journey from Tennessee to the Red River and Natchitoches, and Thence Across Texas to San Antonio; Including His Many Hair-Breadth Escapes; Together with A Topographical, Historical, and Political View of Texas. Written by Himself. The Narrative Brought Down from the Death of Col. Crockett to the Battle of San Jacinto, by an Eye-Witness. (Philadelphia: T.K. and P.G. Collins, 1836). First edition. Octavo (7" x 4"). 216 pages. Frontispiece portrait lacking in this copy. Publisher's original cloth with printed paper label. Binding and label worn, and boards are leaning slightly forward. Moderate to heavy foxing and browning to the sheets. Soiling to some pages. Still, a good copy. This is the saga of Crockett's journey from Tennessee to the Alamo in the winter of 1835-1836 with Thimblerig the gambler and Ed the bee hunter, who joined him along the way. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1192A.

Joseph E. Field: Three Years in Texas. Including a View of the Texian Revolution, and an Account of the Principal Battles, together with Descriptions of the Soil, Commercial and Agricultural Advantages, &c. By Dr. Joseph E. Field, One of the Few Survivors of Fanning's [sic] Command. (Boston: Abel Tompkins, 1836). Second edition (the first was published the same year in Greenfield, Massachusetts). Twelvemo (7" x 4"). 47 pages. Half blue morocco over blue cloth, gilt. Moderate foxing and light soiling, else very good. Housed in a quarter morocco clamshell case with a book-back spine lettered in gilt. A native of Massachusetts. Dr. Field had gone to the southern states in the early 30's, thence to Texas where he spent two years in the vicinity of Brazoria and Matagorda, and then volunteered on the outbreak of hostilities between Texas and Mexico, joining the ill-fated expedition of Col. James W. Fannin. After the capture of Fannin and the execution of a large part of his force, Field escaped to Velasco. In some respects Field's narrative differs from later historians, as Field asserts that Fannin was not entirely in favor of carrying the war into Mexico by seizing the port of Matamoras, after the fall of San Antonio. The author has devoted almost 20 pages of his work to describe the political and military situation and his personal experiences in the war. Being a physician and a man of some discretion, he gives us one of the most readable accounts in English, up to that time, of the commercial and agricultural advantages of Texas. He also gives some account of Crockett's last days at the Alamo. Streeter mentions this title in his introduction, declaring it as one of the most important books for a Texas collection: "For the revolution as a whole, the most sought-after book is Field's". "This important Texas pamphlet seems to be the first printing in book or pamphlet form of an account by a participant of the taking of San Antonio by the Texans in December, 1835...and of the capitulation and massacre of the Fannin forces at Goliad in March, 1836.... This is the first published account by a participant, except perhaps in a newspaper, of these two important events in the Texas Revolution. It is one of the best sources for the tragic defeat of Fannin.... Being a surgeon, he was ordered to attend the Mexican wounded and thus was one of the few who escaped the mass execution ordered by Santa Anna a few days after Fannin's surrender." -Streeter 1202A. He was one of only a few men to survive. After his escape, he visited friends in Massachusetts where he wrote this account which first appeared in August 1836 as a sketch in the Franklin Mercury, a weekly newspaper published by Justin Jones. In September Jones printed the pamphlet version. Field later traveled overland with Asa B. Clarke, author of Travels in Mexico and California. Eberstadt, Texas 162:291. Raines, page 81. Fifty Texas Rarities 14 (Greenfield printing). From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1202A. Graff 1314. Howes F114.

[George Wilkes]: The Life of the Celebrated Munroe Edwards, (Boston: William White & H.P. Lewis, Spring Lane corner Devonshire Street. 1842.) 33 pp., blank leaf. 12mo. Printed paper wrappers. Full title: The Life of the celebrated Munroe [sic] Edwards, convicted in New-York, before the Court of Oyer and Terminer, June 6, 1842, for Forgery and Swindling, to the Amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars. By a Texian. "I knew him well, Horatio." Copyright notice, dated 1842, on verso of title, in name of Wm. White and H.P. Lewis.

COLONEL EDWARDS HAD ONE TINY FLAW TO HIS CHARACTER: HE WAS DOMINATED BY A COMPULSION TO STEAL

Monroe Edwards (ca. 1808-1847) was an early Texas slave smuggler and forger. Son of a once wealthy plantation owner, Moses Edwards, Monroe was born in Danville, Kentucky, about 1808 and moved to the Galveston Bay area of Texas about 1825, working as a clerk for a prosperous merchant, James Morgan. Soon after his arrival, Monroe found more lucrative, if less respectable, pursuits. He became involved in smuggling slaves to Brazil from Africa and soon made a profit of $50,000. Through his mistress's husband, a Mexican official, he obtained a large land grant in Brazoria County. He called his property Chenango Plantation and used it as a base for continued slave smuggling to Texas from Cuba. His only claim to favorable historical recognition was his arrest and brief imprisonment, with others, by the Mexican garrison at Anahuac in 1832. Ultimately, Edwards landed in Sing Sing, where he died in 1847 after an escape attempt.

George Wilkes, who in 1846 was one of the editors of the National Police Gazette, probably authored this work. The name Monroe Edwards does not appear in the index to Texas History Theses, edited by H. Bailey Carroll and Milton R. Gutsch, or in Theses on History, edited by Claude Elliott, both published by the Texas State Historical Association at Austin in 1955. Contemporary half leather case, gilt lettering. Minor repair to title page and binding, else very fine. A wonderful read and a delightful addition to any collection of notable Texas characters. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1411. Sabin 95142.

[David Crockett]: Vol. I. "Go Ahead!" No. 3. "Davy Crockett's 1837 Almanack, of Wild Sports in the West, Life in the Backwoods, & Sketches of Texas. (Nashville: Published by the heirs of Col. Crockett. [1836]). 46 [2] pp. 17 engravings. 12mo. Heavy age toning and foxing throughout. Contemporary red half-leather case with gilt lettering.

Davy Crockett's Almanacks were extremely popular when originally printed (1835-1857), and they continue to be so, today. The precursor to modern adventure comic books, Crockett's Almanacks featured numerous engravings accompanied by tales of his exciting and generally unbelievable escapades, greatly contributing to his fame and enduring reputation as "The King of the Wild Frontier."

Including such dramatic stories as Method of Catching Wild Horses on the Prairies of Texas, Perilous Adventure with a Black Bear, Two Panthers Killed during a Deer Hunt, A Tongariferous Fight with an Alligator, Fatal Bear Fight on the Banks of the Arkansaw and Hunting a Wild Hog in the Forests of Tennessee, this particular issue is among the most desirable in the Go Ahead! collection, as it contains an account of Crockett's death at the Alamo. It has the added cachet of being Texas-oriented, a bonus for Texana collectors.

Although printed after his death, the Explanatory Preface on page 3 states: "Col. Crockett had prepared the matter for this year's Almanac before he went to Texas. And the last year's one having such an immense sale, he was induced to prepare matter and illustrations for several Almanacs. So that his absence for two or three years should not prevent the Almanac's being published, so that his family might have the benefit of it. From a careful perusal of his manuscript writings, there is enough to make six almanacs after the present one, and they will continue to be published until 1843."

As enjoyable a read today as it was when published!

Reference: Streeter 1194. Drake 13411. Rourke, p. 252.

[Davy Crockett]: The Crockett Almanac, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Nashville: Ben Harding, [1839]), 12mo., 36 pp., comic woodcut illustrations throughout (including full page ones), pictorial self-wrappers, sewn. These almanacs were the medium that elevated Crockett and made his exploits (however mythologized) a part of American folklore. They were inexpensively printed, and not meant to endure; these popular almanacs were read multiple times and likely frequently changed hands. With wear and soiling, some toning and an old ink stain at top right corner of cover. Much sought after, it is near impossible to find one in fine condition.

[Brazos and Galveston Railroad]. Newspaper article entitled: "An Act to incorporate the Brazos and Galveston Rail Road Company" in Telegraph and Texas Register, Supplement to No. 135, May 1838. 4 pp., double folio. Moderate age toning. Left margin a bit rough where disbound, else a fine copy. Preserved in a half green morocco folding box with marbled boards.

The Brazos and Galveston Railroad Company, chartered May 24, 1838, was one of four railroads chartered by the Republic of Texas and one of the earliest railroad ventures west of the Mississippi. By decree the company was given the right to build turnpikes and railroads from the main channel of Galveston Bay to the Brazos River.

As part of its charter, the Railroad had permission to use boats, vehicles, wagons, or carriages of any nature, and to improve bays, rivers, and harbors as part of its construction effort. Congress reserved the right to regulate the rates charged, being a maximum freight rate of 2½ cents a mile per 100 pounds. Men and munitions for the army and navy were to be transported free.

In subsequent years, the company changed the originally planned route, and by September 1841, it had ceased work on a 1,260-foot span connecting San Luis Island to the mainland in favor of digging a canal that would connect the Bastrop and Buffalo bayous. Unfortunately, the project failed shortly thereafter.

This item is important not only for transportation history and railroads in Texas, but also for the history of Texas printing. Issues of this historic newspaper are exceedingly rare and highly desirable.

TEXAS (Republic). LAWS. "Rules and regulations of the different departments of government, and of the Army and navy, promulgated by the President", a series of articles in Telegraph and Texas Register (III:26, whole no. 130, May 12, 1838; III:27, whole no. 131, May 16, 1838; and III:27, whole no. 132, May 19, 1838). Houston: Three issues, each 4 pp., double folio. Moderate foxing and age toning. Preserved in a maroon half-leather folding box with cloth boards.

Because of their important content, these issues of the Telegraph and Texas Register are considered extremely rare and desirable by Texana collectors.

The second permanent newspaper in Texas, the Telegraph and Texas Register was a faithful mirror of the events, the thoughts, and the attitudes of people. Eventually, it became the official organ of the Republic of Texas and an influential molder of public opinion, ultimately acting as the unofficial link between the young government and the people it served.

The paper's premier issue was published on October 10, 1835, just nine days after the first shot of the Texas Revolution, and chronicled the momentous events of that conflict for its subscribers. Its pages were filled with news of murders, fatal encounters with Indians and Mexicans, deaths, marriages, and perhaps most importantly, the paper served as the official publisher of important laws and decrees passed by the fledgling government. For this reason, the Register has become an essential source to the understanding of the early history of Texas and the identity of the people who lived there.

Offered here are three early issues, containing the rules and regulations relating to the Republic of Texas Army and Navy - fundamental to any study of Texas military history.

1830 The Texas Gazette, Vol. 1, No. 22, four pages, 8.5" x 11.75", Austin, May 8, 1830. The first continuing Texas newspaper, The Texas Gazette was first published by Godwin B. Cotton in Austin in 1829 and folded in Brazoria in 1832. Most issues were published in English, although a few were in Spanish. Stephen F. Austin was a frequent contributor, and his articles have given historians a means of examining his policies toward the Mexican government. This May 8, 1830, issue features a reprint from the American Quarterly Review titled "Considerations on the propriety and necessity of annexing the Province of Texas to the United States: by a Revolutionary Officer." The paper is in good condition with usual folds, minor spotting and foxing; small chip at the center fold. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Reference: Streeter 1163

1835 The Texas Republican , four pages, 7.75" x 12.25". Brazoria, July 25, 1835. Vol. 1 No. 47. Printed and published by Franklin C. Gray. According to some sources, Gray and his wife were suspected of trying to effect the escape of Antonio López de Santa Anna after San Jacinto and this accusation destroyed the paper's influence. The weekly newspaper, which began publication on July 5, 1834, ceased to exist in August 1836. This issue contains: (1) Samuel M Williams "To The People Of Texas" address defending his part in the "400 League Grant" scandal; the broadside of this was printed by F.C. Gray, Streeter 110, showing only two copies of the broadside; (2) Address of Domingo de Ugartechea re tranquility in Coahuila y Texas; (3) Small card ad from W. Barrett Travis requesting "a suspension of public opinion in regard the Capture of the Fort of Anuhuac, until he can appear before the public with all the facts" [See Barker's Mexico and Texas, p. 155 re this card printed by Travis]; (4) Notice from Dr. Anson Jones who "has associated his Cousin Dr Ira Jones with himself in the Practice of his profession." This particular issue is included in the MB Lamar Papers, Vol I, pp. 213-220; No.s 206, 208, 210 and 212 (the issue itself). Sheets partially separated, three horizontal folds. In fine condition. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

1836 Telegraph and Texas Register, Vol 1, No. 28, four pages, 13.75" x 20.25", Columbia, September 6, 1836. The Telegraph and Texas Register was published weekly by Gail and Thomas H. Borden at San Felipe de Austin, beginning in 1835. The official organ of the Republic of Texas, the paper boasted a circulation of 500 by the end of the year. On March 24, 1836, the advance of Santa Anna's troops forced the publishers to move to Harrisburg. Three weeks later, on April 14, the Mexicans plundered the printing office and dumped the press in Buffalo Bayou. That summer, the Telegraph was resurrected at Columbia, where the Constitution of the Republic of Texas was published in the first new issue. This September 6 issue features a front-page article by David G. Burnet addressed to "The People of Texas" and focusing on the attack on the press by the Mexican forces. The paper is in near fine condition; with light foxing and browning, and minor chipping at the margins. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

1836 Telegraph and Texas Register, Vol 1, No. 29, four pages, 13.75" x 20.25", Columbia, September 13, 1836. This issue of the Telegraph and Texas Register features a front-page article by David G. Burnet addressed to "The People of Texas" and focusing on negotiations with Santa Anna. The paper is in very good condition, minor foxing and browning commensurate with age, and chipping at the margins. From the collection of Darrel Brown.

Archive of Manuscripts of Articles Written for the Newspaper The Headlight A total of 37 manuscript drafts, most 3 to 4 pp. in length, 8" x 12.5", n.p., n.d., but likely late 19th Century, comprising a series of articles submitted to a newspaper recounting the story of the Texas War for Independence. Great content giving detail and insight to both sides (Texan and Mexican) as well as providing a primary source for how events were perceived and honored at the time of publishing. There are a total of 37 transcripts, meaning that there was great interest in the story. We have been unable to identify the specific newspaper these stories have been published in, but have located two possibilities for small local Texas papers that were established in the 1890's: The Kenedy Headlight, and The Eagle Lake Headlight. The paper used is lined, with a small embossed imprint at the top left corner, stationery commonly used during that time.

The transcripts read, in very small part: "No. 36... It was believed by many of the leading men in Texas that if Texas continued to... the war for her rights under the constitution of 1824, the people of the adjoining Mexican states would soon unite with her together, and form a republic independent of Mexico. On his journey west, General Houston received a letter from General Bowie informing him that Dr. Grant with part of the volunteers left at Bexar, arrived at Goliad, and would leave on the 11th January for Matamoras. 'The delay of Dr. Grant,' says Yoakam, 'appears to have been caused by the absence of Colonel F. W. Johnson, who had come by way of San Felipe, to have the expedition [?]... No. 43 Santa Anna, after hs success at Bexar, seems to have considered teh war at an end, and determined to return to the Capitol. Colonel Almonte seems to have been of the same opinion... Having refreshed his troops... Santa Anna, on the 11th of March, ordered Generals Sesina and Woll, with six hundred and seventy five infantry, fifty dragoons, two six-pounders, and eight days rations, towards to San Felipe, and thence to Anahuac [established as the capitol of Texas by the Mexican government] by way of Harrisburg. Colonel Juan Morales, with two battalions, some four hundred men, one mortar, one eight and one twelve-pounder, and a months rations, was ordered to Goliad. Before making further dospostions of his forces, he was informed by Urrea tjat Fannin was at Goliad and would defend the place. Sesina informed him that the Texans were on the left bank..." The serial unfolds much like a historical novel, with gripping content throughout. With dampstaining, wear along the folds, and chipping at margins; overall condition is good. All sheets remain easily legible.

Texan Indemnity 5 Per Cent Stock. $1000.00 Coupon Bond. (Philadelphia & New York: Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co., 1850) 16" x 13.25". Fourteen years, 5% Interest, payable on a semi-annual basis. Unissued face Specimen, with all coupons intact. Hessler X120 Unlisted Denomination. Issued by the United States as part of the Texas and New Mexico Act of September 9, 1850. A total of $10,000,000 was authorized for this Texan Loan in return for agreeing to maintaining boundaries, ceding claim to territories outside her boundaries, and relinquishing all liability of the debts of Texas, "and for compensation or indemnity for the surrender to the United States of her ships, forts, arsenals, custom houses, custom-house revenue, arms and munitions of war, and public buildings with their sites, which became the property of the United States at the time of the annexation." Ultimately, only $5,000,000 was issued. Although the final principal and interest was payable in 1865, it is likely that the majority of the loan was retired by the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.

Beautifully adorned with engravings of Liberty at top center, posed with her shield. Portraits of then President Zachary Taylor and Vice President Millard Fillmore. Sailor and Plenty are featured on the left, and at the right is the allegory of the Arts. Coupons are also ornate, and bearing thirteen state seals and portraits of Washington and Jefferson. The protector is a red "1000" at bottom. A superb example of vignette artistry at its finest. Silked on the verso and in near fine condition. An exceptional bond, ideal for display. Ex. John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. From the Darrel Brown Collection.

Texan Indemnity 5 Per Cent Stock $500.00 Coupon Bond. (Philadelphia & New York: Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co., 1850) 10.75" x 6.5". Fourteen years, 5% Interest, payable on a semi-annual basis. Proof on card, face and back together, without the coupons. Hessler X120 Unlisted Denomination. Beautifully adorned with engravings of Liberty at top center, posed with her shield. Other Texian themed portraits include a young Sam Houston and Mirabeau Lamar, as well as a woodsman and a farmer. The protector is a red "500" at bottom. Verso is a creamy color, and contains transfer text, stub, vignettes, and counters. A superb example of vignette artistry at its finest. An important Texan Loan Certificate with a fine presentation save a few mounting remnants on verso. Ex. John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. From the Darrel Brown Collection.

Texan Indemnity 5 Per Cent Stock, $100.00 Coupon Bond. (Philadelphia & New York: Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co., 1850) 10.75" x 6.5". Fourteen years, 5% Interest, payable on a semi-annual basis. Proof on card, face and back together, without the coupons. Hessler X120 Unlisted Denomination. Beautifully adorned with Allegory of War and Commerce seated with Fasces at top center. Other Texian themed portraits include a young Mirabeau Lamar and William Barrett Travis, as well as a woodsman and a Liberty seated with shield. The protector is a red "100" at bottom. Verso is a creamy color, and contains transfer text, stub, vignettes, and counters. A superb example of vignette artistry at its finest. An important Texan Loan Certificate with a fine presentation save a few mounting remnants on verso. Ex. John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. From the Darrel Brown Collection.

Port Arthur Land Company 10 Shares 1901. This rare certificate was printed in blue ink by Buxton & Skinner Lithograhers of St. Louis. The central vignette is of idyllic pasture land. In 1895 Dutch investors formed the Port Arthur Land Company. They purchased 66,000 acres of land in southeastern Texas and it was offered for sale in Holland at $8 an acre. The land was advertised as a paradise, but most of the favorable land had already been taken. What remained for sale was low lying marsh. This colony made moderate progress until the discovery of oil in 1901 and then fortunes changed. This certificate displays a moisture spot, a few pinholes in the upper left corner, and two 10 cent revenue stamps. Very Fine.

Henderson and Overton Branch Railway Company 7% Gold Bond 1876.
This company laid 16 miles of track in Rusk County, Texas. In 1880 it was gobbled up by larger railroad concerns. This bond was printed by R. Studley Company of St. Louis. It has a nice train vignette that is a copy of the ABNCo vignette "The Crossing." Thirty-two coupons remain. The top edge shows aging and small edge splits. Very Fine.

Texas Ranger Badge Presented to Edwin Dunlap Aten The Texas Ranger Badge offered here was presented to Edwin Dunlap Aten (1870-1953) upon joining the Texas Ranger in 1892 and is cut from a circulated Mexican 8 Reale dated 1890. It was struck at the mint in Hermosillo Mexico. The overall condition of the badge would be considered excellent with normal wear. There are several areas of the enamel missing in the letters and a small cut to the top point in the star. In addition the back pin is missing. This is a fantastic opportunity to obtain a true historical piece of Texas history.

Edwin Dunlap Aten was born in 1870 in Abingdo, Illinois and after developing a mean streak his parents sent him away to be watched over by his brother, Ira down in the Texas Panhandle. Ira, a former Texas Ranger (Texas Ranger Hall of Famer) was the foreman of the Escarbada Division of the XIT Ranch. Edwin was employed as a cowhand at the XIT Ranch, where after a short while he soon got into trouble over cards in various saloons, climaxing with him shooting a man in a quarrel. Ira wrote to his former commander, Frank Jones, hoping to have Edwin enlist in his old company of the Frontier Battalion. Edwin was not thrilled about joining, but on September 16, 1892 his service with his brother's old company began. His first assignment had him stationed in Alpine, Texas. After an uneventful year with the Rangers he was part of a four-man posse that went with Captain Jones seeking out outlaws near San Elizario. In the resulting gunfight on June 30 at Pirates' Island Captain Jones was killed. Jones was replaced by Captain John R. Hughes and Edwin served under him in Company D. Afterwards he married Elena Benavidez, who came from a prominent family from Ysleta but the marriage ended in a divorce after the death of his daughter.

Edwin served in several towns over the next couple of years including, Marathon, Alpine and Pecos. During 1894 he helped settle the railroad strike in Temple and did guard service on the Southern Pacific line between El Paso and Del Rio due to the amount of train robberies. In 1896, citing poor health, he submitted his resignation on July 6th with the rank of sergeant. He continued periodic undercover work in Texas and Mexico for the Rangers.
After leaving the Rangers, he ran a saloon and gambling hall in El Paso. He then moved on to Shafter, where he ran a faro game and tended the bar at Ike Herrin's saloon, he later purchased the saloon. During 1906 he went back to El Paso to work for Southern Pacific Railroad as a special officer. After nine years with the railroad he met and married Gertrude Bacus Aiello a widow from Las Cruces, New Mexico. Ed Aten stayed with the railroad until 1947 and was, like his brother Ira, a well respected member of the Texas Rangers. Edwin Dunlap Aten passed away on January 31, 1953 is buried in Rest Lawn Cemetery, El Paso Texas.

Pat Garrett: Signed Court Document Partially printed DS "P. F. Garrett", 2 pages, 8" x 14", Uvalde County, January 2, 1892. Garrett was working as a customs collector in El Paso when he signed this court document, which attached him in the sum of $500 to appear as a witness in the case of The State of Texas versus F. H. Mendenhall, to be heard at the Reeves County Courthouse on March 1, 1892. The document is in fine condition with original folds.

Sheriff Pat Garrett (1850-1908) is best known for gunning down Henry McCarthy, aka "Billy the Kid," in cold blood in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. In turn, Garrett himself was gunned down during a livestock dispute near Las Cruces, New Mexico.

John King Fisher: Signed Arrest Warrant, 1884 Partially printed document signed "King Fisher" as Deputy of Uvalde County, 2pp., 6.75" x 8.5", dated February 23, 1884, an arrest warrant for one B.F. Wilson. Sheriff J.B . Boatright has engrossed the Sheriff's Return portion of the document giving an account of the arrest. Warmly toned, with a blind embossed seal of Uvalde County. In near fine condition, this document boasts the most desirable variant signature by Fisher. A notorious gunslinger John King Fisher (1854-1884) was a cowboy, horse thief, cattle rustler, dandy, Mexican border raider, and a cold-blooded killer. He would meet his grisly end less than three weeks later, after being shot an unlucky 13 times in a gunfight. Apparently, he was unable to fire off a single shot in his defense.

Captain John R. Hughes, Texas Rangers: Signed Criminal Complaint Partially printed DS "J. R. Hughes", 2 pages, this 8.5" x 13.75", El Paso County, August 14, 1895. A signed affidavit by Hughes attesting that Andres Molina unlawfully carried a pistol on his person "against the peace and dignity of the State." Fine condition.

Tintype - Two Armed Cowboys Sixth plate tintype of two cowboys dressed in full gear including chaps, bandannas, hats and holsters with guns. A few surface scratches mar image, but do not detract from from the hardened expressions visible on the men's faces. They stand perfectly posed as if reaching for their sidearms, in front of a painted setting. Contrast and detail remain excellent.

Tintype - Two Cowboys With Drawn Weapons A sixth plate tintype of two cowboys seated, and posed identically with right arms across their chests holding their revolvers, and left hands resting in their laps. A very light red tint has been applied to their cheeks. A few photographic stains and surface scratches; however the image has retained great detail and contrast. Trimmed at corners.

Gustav C. Rhine Cabinet Card of Cowboys Dressed as Gentlemen Wonderful image, circa 1890's, of two likely ranch hands dressed in matching suits and elegantly posed in front of a faux setting that includes a mantle, flowers and decorative frame. The seated gentleman even sports a cigar held casually in his left hand. However, despite the great efforts to clean up, the hats and five-o'clock shadow are a giveaway to their true station. The image retains crisp contrast and detail, with a "Rhine, Fort Worth Texas" photographic stamp on the mount. In fine condition.

Chief Wild Horse Cabinet Card Wild Horse is posed standing with a buffalo skin. He is dressed in an eclectic blend of native and western wear: Indian weaved blanket, and moccasins, with shirtsleeves, vest and pants. Wild Horse (Kobay-o-burra) became chief of the Comanches upon the death of Chief Parra-o-coom in 1874. He would eventually be superceded as Chief by Quonah Parker. Very clean image with excellent detail, in fine condition. "W.P. Bliss, Fort Sill, Indian Territory" backstamp.

Chief Horseback of the Comanches Cabinet Card. A beautiful mounted albumen of Chief Horseback in his later years. He earned his name for his legendary grace an agility as a horseman. Although he became a peaceful Indian, and is best remembered as a signer of the Medicine Lodge Treaty, his younger days were filled with terrorizing white settlers. An earlier collector has penciled on the verso: "Has been a big raider. he led a great raid into Texas in 64, penetrating as far as Gainesville, murdering & pillaging towns & villages". With a "W.S. Soule, Fort Sill, I.T." backstamp.

Stereocard of Alamo Plaza Circa 1880's View includes the post office in the foreground and the Menger Hotel is just visible behind trees with a stagecoach parked in front. "H.A. Doerr, San Antonio, Tex." photographic backstamp. Images are very clean, with soft wear to the mount; in fine condition.

John Swartz Cabinet Card of Gamblers, Circa 1889-1892 Fine image of three "gentlemen" gamblers posed seated at a gaming table playing cards. They are elegantly dressed and the man in the center has casually drawn his revolver. Swartz of Denison, Texas photographic stamp on mount. Soiling to mount on verso and recto. Image retains excellent contrast; overall condition is near fine.

"Soiled Dove" Carte de Visite A hand-tinted image of a woman, likely a madame, provocatively dressed in skirts reaching just beneath her knees. Her name, "Lady McCook" is written beneath her image on the mount. She is posed standing on a patterned floor leaning on a finely upholstered chair. Her vest and skirts have been hand-colored in bright red and yellow, perhaps to further accent her less than decorous lifestyle. A fine albumen, with excellent contrast. The mount has rounded corners, otherwise near fine condition.

"Soiled Doves" - Small Mounted Albumen Small CDV sized albumen of two likely prostitutes, provocatively posed and dressed in skirts just barely covering their knees. The women are boldly posed in front of a store; one sits with her legs crossed almost temptingly offering her exposed legs. This picture is likely circa 1880's, a time when 'decency' demanded demure dress from all women. The albumen boasts great detail, including the wooden walks, and the brick facade of the storefront. Mounted to an overall size of 4" x 5", in near fine condition.

Mother Hubbard Style Vintage Saddle. Though not as easily recognized as the classic Western cowboy saddle, the Mother Hubbard style saddle was used extensively by Texas cowboys after 1866. This beautiful example is lightly adorned with double-rule embossing and small tooled rosettes with four pewter ornaments at each corner of the skirt. Large wooden stirrups are suspended from modestly adorned fenders and four leather conchos with tassels are arranged along the side of the skirt. Though the saddle's maker is unknown, the quality of craftsmanship is evident in the material and construction of this simple, yet elegant saddle. The condition is superb with only honest wear, a small portion of one of the pewter ornaments missing and a short split on the left stirrup.

S. D. Myres Sweetwater Texas Manufactured Western Saddle. An early example of the work of famed saddle maker Sam Myres manufactured at his original shop in Sweetwater Texas. The example on offer features a fully tooled pommel, back housing, skirt, and fenders that support copper reinforced wooden stirrups. The back of the cantle features an intricate basket-weave tooling and the seat is pin-point tooled with an intricate floral pattern. Four leather conchos with tassels adorn each side of the saddle. Brass front and rear rigging dees are mounted at each side. The Myres maker mark is present on the right fender and a sterling horn beautifully crowns this most recognizable of all Western icons. The condition, while showing honest use, is very good with a few scrapes and a gouge in the pommel.

S. D. Myres Sweetwater Texas Vintage Chaps. An early pair of chaps from Sam Myres's Sweetwater Texas company circa 1898-1920. The leather chaps measure 35" in length and about 13" wide. Small flag pockets adorn each leg. Large brass studs form a border along the edge of each leg and smaller brass studs in heart and star shapes add to the decoration. Five white metal rondelles each supporting leather tassels run vertically on each leg. The Myres maker stamp appears twice on the supporting leather belt. The white metal buckle is still present. There is a 3" tear present at the top of the left leg where it attaches to the supporting belt and a smaller 1" tear in the same location on the right leg. The chaps have been liberally treated with lanolin or a similar leather preservative and as such are still supple and in very good condition. A cowboy has crudely tooled the initials "TXT" and "UT" on the belt. An attractive pair of vintage chaps from the premier Texas saddle maker.

S. D. Myres, El Paso Classic Western Saddle. A splendid example of the Myres artistry in saddle making. Made in the classic western style with floral patterns tooled on the pommel, cantle, back housing, skirt and fenders with the "S. D. Myres Saddle Co. El Paso Texas" maker mark on the seat rise. The initials "E. W. C." are tooled on the back of the cantle. Tooled tapaderas ornamented with leather conchos are affixed to the wooden stirrups. Four leather conchos with tassels adorn each side of the saddle. Leather covered front and rear rigging dees are mounted to each side. A sterling horn beautifully crowns this icon of the working cowboy. The saddle is complete and shows signs of use that speak to a past of honest ranch work.

S. D. Myres El Paso Vintage Chaps. An attractive pair of leather chaps produced by the S. D. Myres Company in El Paso Texas. The leg measures 37.5" long and 15.5" wide. The chaps are adorned along the side and bottom edges with small brass studs, at one point forming a star pattern. White metal heart shaped conchos sprouting leather tassels adorn the belt and run vertically along each leg. Leather stitching flows along the top of each leg and the Myres El Paso maker mark is stamped at the end of the belt. The condition is excellent with some crazing to the leather. A fine example of the work from the legendary S. D. Myres Saddle Company.

P.M. Kelly Brothers Spurs "No. 90". Magnificently crafted spurs, circa 1920s, by P.M. Kelly, featuring a crescent moon shank design married with the basic heel band pattern used in the more popular "Hollywood Special". These spurs originally listed for $14.00 in their catalog, a luxury available only to a few, during a time when most Kelly spurs sold for $5.00. The very rare "Devil River" sold for $10.00, making it likely that an even fewer number of the "No. 90" model were manufactured. With "Kelly Bros." hallmark visible on each spur beneath the strap pin. With large, 20-point rowels.
P.M. Kelly manufactured spurs using both the "Kelly Bros." and "KB&P" brand between 1910 and 1939 in Dalhart and El Paso, Texas. He is widely recognized as one of the most talented and important of a handful of early pioneers who developed what became known as the Texas Style spur.

P.M. Kelly Brothers "Gal Legs" Spurs. Beautifully crafted spurs featuring a decorative shank fashioned much like the name suggests: shapely legs. With brass highlights and a diamond and heart design along the heel band. Small rowels, 1.5 inch in diameter, with 9 points.
"Kelly Bros." hallmark on each spur beneath pin.