Maria Austin to Stephen F. Austin, 04-26-1822


Summary: Family news. Reports of Indian outrages. Religious toleration.


Herculaneum Aprill the 26 1822

I have a good opportunity of droping a few hasty lines to my beloved Sons—by Mr Honey, he arrived in the Dolphen last night from St Louis, has Purchased a Share in hur and Starts in two hours for New OrleinsMary sent for me to Stay with hur during his abcence. I have promisd to remain with hur till the last weeck in may, when I must attend your Sister as She expects to be confined in June— I am well pleased to find your cousin Mary so happy and pleasantly Situated, She has every Convenience and comfort that is requisite to render the marriage quite happy and blessed with a very lovely and healthy boy Six months old I wrote my dear Sons not long Since by the two Alleys and Expressed in that letter my great anxiety to hear from you and your brother and Since my arrival here my fealing had been greatly agitated by a report that the Indians had Commenced on your Infant Colony and had carried of[f] all the horses and Stock theay could find—this unwellcome news was brought by some travallers from Texas—but I still flatter myself the report is not true, Since nothing of the kind is mentioned in the papers on the contrary the papers Speaks—of very favourable changes taken place da[i]ly in the Spanish provinces, boath in politicks and religeon, I am very willing my dear Son to view the bright side of the prospect at the same time I cannot divest my mind of a thousand Apprehentions for your Safety, as I well know your dear Father Anticipated trouble from the Savages and he intended to erect a fort, I have often heard him Say that the first worck that was don[e] Should be the building of a kind of fort where he and his Compannions would be Safe in case of an attack from the hostile Indians—pray write me the particulars of every thing for though I could do you no Servise I Still wish to know the truth of every thing and shall be unhappy in mind till I have letters from you and Brown—I had the Satisfaction of Spending part of a day with your amiable Cousin N Carr—She has gown to St Geneveive to mack a visit to hur poor Brother A Eliot he is in a miserable State of health, brought on in a great measure by his on Imprudence I am told he drinks hard and is hardly ever Sober unhappy young man, I fear by all accounts, he is not [long] for this world— I have directed Mr Honey in case he does not meet you in New Orleins, to inquire what is the price of buck horns for handels for knives and if theay will bring any thing I will send them down to your friend Mr H[awkins]—when Mr Honey takes another trip also the plough shars and I wish you to let me know if you wish me to send down any of my things, if you and Brown go to houskeeping I could send several articles that you will want, I wish my dear Son to let me know what time he thinks we had better go down, your Sister and myself will not wish to spend another winter in this unfriendly climate we are sitting [a] round a large fire and can Scarcely keep ourselves warm, the frost, notwithstanding the Sceason is so far advanced is So sevear that all the fruit is killed and in the place of the gay verdure of Spring - the face of nature assums the appearance of Autum, I care not how Soon I leave So unpleasant Climate and so very unfriendly to my Constitution— Mr Bryan is now in St Louis, he left your Sister and famaly all well, your old friends in this place are all well except Nancy Bates She has been Sick all winter as well as my self, but has not recruted so fast as I have, She is I think in a low state of health, tell Brown his poor Cousin Maria has been gilied by Mr W a gentleman he had formd a high opinion of—he was to have been back in October last and in the coars of the winter he was to be maried to M B he has not wrote hur for a long time and it tis reported he is married to a lady of large fortune in Virginia, this may be So, and it may not— I wish my dear Son to be particular on the Subject of religious toloration, Some Says every permanent Settler must become roman Catholicks—I can not think or beleive that so arbitory a Sistem will be adopted if it Should, it will put a Stop to Emigration, if you Should happen to meet with Honey in Orleins I will thank my Son to send me Some good Snuf and the Journal your dear father wrote many years ago—he always kept it in his writing desk—Mr Schoolcraft wishes to pubblish the Biography of his life, and wished me to Send him a memorandum of the dates . . . and when he came to this Country with a variety of particulars two tedious to mention in a letter, I thought if ... he feels himself under many obligations to my dear departed Husband for the friendship and hospatality shone him when he came to this country, he is now in New york preparing to publish an account of his late travels. He wished me to send a Short account of the life of your father from the time he left Virginia till his death, I must bid you farewell Mr H has arrived to bid adieu to his wife and childMary Joines me in affectionate love to you and dear Brown may god bless you boath and take you into his holy keeping is the constant prayer of your anxious mother

Mary Austin

[Addressed:] Stepehen F. Austin Austintino Colerado Texas politness of Capn John W. Honey