Maria Austin to Stephen F. Austin, 01-19-1822


Summary: Settlement of Moses Austin's estate.


Hazel run January the 19—1822

I am happy in meeting with so favourable and Safe an opportunity, to write to my dear abcent Sons—as now presents, by the two Buffys,—and I am truly sorry it tis not in my power to Send on the Certificate of James B Austins Baptism Mr B[ryan] and myself have made the moast diligent search for it amoungst his papers and can not find it. Frances Vally [Vallé] staid with us last night. I requested him to get another coppy he assured me he would attend to it without delay and send it out as soon as possibly, for he thinks as you do, that it tis all Important for your Brother to have it and I still hope he will Send it out in time to Send by Mr B[ruffey]—you wish to know if you was Baptised, in the same church, no my Son, you and your Sister was baptised at Austin Vill by a protestant Clerjyman and a Certificate of the Same is now with your Fathers papers—your letter of the 5 of novr, to your Brother did not reach this place till nearly two weecks after his departure, I should have exerted, myself in fitting him out agreeable to you[r] wishes—Especially in geting him a Suite of buck skin, it greives me when ever I think what a poor outfit he had, so improper for the worck he will find necessary to be done, when I reflect on the difficultys fatigue and danger that my dear Son will have to encounter, it fills my mind with anxiety and a thousand fears for your Safety— let me Intreat you my dear Stephen not to expose yourself, as you did on red river, recollect that your Mother and Brothers, future happyniss and Comfort depend on you, if kind providence preserves your valluable health and life, I can not help Anticipating future pleasurs and pleasing tranquility of mind in the Society of my beloved Children, I well know you will have Innumerable difficultys and dangers to go through before that happy period arrives, when you will have a plain but comfortable home for yourselves and Mother moast ardently do I pray that your health and Constitution may be equal to your Industry and resolution, the latter will eneable my Sons to Surmount every difficulty-—if diprived of the former you can do nothing, may heaven, in mercy, avert this great calamity I hope and trust, your Brother will be of great Service to you in many Instances, you will discover a great Similar[i]ty of disposition and manners to his dear Father, which is a Sattesfaction to me [to] see his Counterpart,—although I fear he prossesses two much of his Sanguine temper and will, licke [like] his unfortunate parent, Anticipate a thousand pleasing projects which he will never realize, god forbid he should meet with as many disappointments and Sevear mortifications as his poor Father experienced in consequence of this, and placeing Confidence in men that deceived and defrauded him, indeed my Son the more I See of the world, the more reason I have to dislike its Inhabitants, Bryan is now Ingaged in Setling what is left of our once Indipendant Estate—and I apprehend he will have trouble for even those who gave notes, trumps up accounts and presents them as of sets to their notes, none has been accepted and theay must prove them before theay will be—he has conversed with J. Austin on the Subject of a Settlement but he puits him of [f] in the same way he did your Father for years— I well know he was anxious for their accounts to be Settled long before he left the mines and numerous periods was set to adjust them and I am convinced it was his fault that their old business was not arranged long since, although he now says it was the fault of your father, their appears a mistory in his conduct, he now Says the Estate Justly owes him 16 hund dollors—now you know the Situattion he has been in for years past and at times much Embariessed and you father has to my knowledge releived him in Several Instances, and my Idea, was that he was Indebtted to us instead of the estate oweing him so large a Sum, however I Shall not multiply words on this Subject—but mearly obse[r]ve that a final Settlement with J A—and E Bates will never be effectd without your aid—Bryan thinks, and not without some cause, the latter has Injurd him to Such a degree, he can never forgive him and their is no Intercoars whatever between the two famalys—as administrator B—must call on him, but I have no Idea that any thing will be Settled, E B account was drawn of [f] before your Father made his last visit to the mines and charged him to have his ready by the time he returnd as he wished to have all his business closed before his departure, during his absence I saw E B, accot in the office and think it amounted to near Six thousand dollars, but the account has never been seen since I left it locked up in the office and as I had the key with me I can not account for its disappearing— I find from your letter to J B A[ustin] we Shall not have the happiness of seeing you for a long time to come. I can not express the disappointment I felt when I read that part of your letter that Speaks of the multiplicity of businiss you have to attend to and no time set for your comeing to Missouri your Sister and myself had flattered ourselves, with the pleasing Anticipation of Embraceing you in the Spring when we found the nature of your Arduous undertaking in forming your new Coloney prevented your Comeing in the fall, great as my desire is to See you, I do not wish you to return, untill you can in a measure, Extricate yourself from difficulty, this I think you can do in the coars of next Summer from the money you will receive from Emigrants, this was the way your dear father expected to rais a fund Sufficient to put all his plans in opperation in Texas and to redeem Lucy and her Children his Credittors had given him three years to pay them, I am very Sertain my dear Son would not be distressed by those you owe provided you write them and give them reason to think you will pay them all as soon as possibly— every Sole within my knowledge has the moast exalted opinion of the enterprise, every mail brings letters from all quarters. Mr B is kept busy in answering letters, in Short nothing is Spoken of but the Texes fever, the times is So hard and the people so dissatfyd, with the country, or rather with those who govorn it, I really think one half of the farmers will move this year, provided no Stop is put to emigration may god in his Infiinite goodniss prosper your exertions and hasten the period when you will have a home for your mother in hur diclineing years, for the remainder of my days I must be dependant upon my Children for Support, ... I can not close this long epistle without making Some observations on a Subject which has deeply interested my mind ever Since I recoverd from my late Illniss and find that Mr Bryan will move next fall, if you Succeed; he will dispose of this property and the Idea of leaveing the body of my dear Husband on the land of Strangers, in an open field, is truly distressing to my feelings I have thought if it was possibly for my dear Son to come to this Country next fall, the body could be taken up and placed in another Coffin, the one he was laid in was of pine and of the roughest worck, the heat of the weather was so Intensely warm, together with the high state of Inflamation the body was in, made it necessary to bury it as Soon as possibly, you will let me know by Mr Bruffy, your opinion and if it coincides with mine and your Sisters it will be Some satisfaction to us, to remove your dear parent from a Country where he had,been So crually persicuted, however the day of retribution is duly arriveing and the greater number of those men that distressed him are now ruined with disgrace attached to it. Price who ownes the mine Estate is in desperate Circumstances and it tis Said it will be sold again ere long— I refer you to our friend B for all news of the day you will find many whome you left roleing in affluence are gown to pot. I find from memorands Dr Cunningham has property in his hands to the amount of 5 or Six hund dollars Mr B has wrote him Several times about it, but as yet have heard nothing from him, perhaps you had better write him by Elliott and if he has disposed of any of the things left him to Sell for money, Such as the, bell, stove, and some other things, request him to Send a few doll or s to me, I expected to have had Some money from Jersey, for the back rents of the farm I Sold, I orderd it to be paid to Cousen E Sharp, but for some unknown cause he has neither transmitted, the money nor answerd the letters I have rote him on the subject, had the money came on it was my intention to redeem part of the things E B, bought in for me, I gave them all up to him when I left Herculm So that he is Safe on that score, may god grant you success and a favourable change in life that you may have it in your power to redeem Lucy, She was bought in for me at five Hund dollors, but at the money co[u]ld never be raised I gave hur up all so to E B—, I have scribled a long letter and my son must think it tis time to conclude, tell my dear James I will write Shortly Scarcely a weeck passes but some Stop here bound for Texas, so that you or him will here from some of the famaly frequently in the coars of the ensuing summer I beg you or your brother will write very often and let us know how you progress, everything will be interesting to us, you know not how ansoious I am for your happyniss and wellfare— persevere, put your trust in god and no doubt you will be amply rewarded for all your tryals, with this hope we must not murmer nor complain at the dispensations of providence and endeavour to hold out to the end and receive the blessing promised, oh that I could be with my dear Sons and have it in my power to contribute to their comfort and happyness. I shall indulge the pleasing Idea of our once more meeting together and being happyly settled at the mouth of the Colorador, your little Nephews Sends their love to you and uncle B, theay are fine loocking boys, but my little Guy is the beauty of the famalyEmily joines me in love to you boath god bless you and preserve you in all things is the Sineear wish of your affectionate Mother till death

Mary Austin

[Addressed:] Stephen F. Austin Esqr Mouth of Colorado Province of Texas Favd Mr Bruffy