Austin, Jan. 8, 1831

Dear Sir,

Your seeming unwillingness to converse on the subject I named to you this morning, prevented my saying to you all I had intended on the subject of my petition to Govt for an augmentation of land. My reasons for my intended petition is not a mere idle whim, it is because I was amongst the first who emigrated to the country, It will shortly be eight years since I made the country my home. At that time, and nearly ever since, I have been engaged in a business, altogether profitable to the community, and for many reasons well known to yourself, it has been quite the contrary to myself. I lost all my property that was of value to me at my first landing, to the amt. of upwards of $500.

The business I have followed could not be profitable to me, until the country should flourish, in consequence of which my last seven years has been spent in a labour, that is hard and rough, living in the woods, during all of which time, I have been saving and economical, and at this moment find myself not only poor, but largely in debt.

I have therefore thought, that as the country has been proffitted by the business I have followed, and has been of public utility, that it might entitle me to a claim on the country, for a remuneration of the losses I have sustained in her services. I wish no extra acquisition of lands unless I merit them, and whether I do or not, depends on the reasons above stated, all of which, comes within your knowledge.

Seth Ingram [Rubric]

Col. Stephen F. Austin.