Feb 3 1824

Dr. Sir,

The interest of the colony requires that there should be a recorders office established in it for recording marks and brands of Hogs and Cattle, and Tittle Deeds to lands, Bills of Sales and such other instruments of writing of importance that ought to be recorded, I therefore wish that you would have the goodness to represent the subject to the most Excellent Deputation and procure from them a Decree authorising me to establish at this place a recorders office for this Colony for the above purposes—It has become necessary that this Colony should have a name to disignate it in Judicial proceedings as well as in authenticating instruments of writing of all kinds, at this time it has by common habbit taken the name of Austin's Colony and if there should be no objection made by the Deputation I should wish that the establishing the Recorders office should be in the following form—

The most Excellent Deputation of the Province of Texas taking into consideration the inportance and necessity of establishing an office in Austins Colony in this Province for the purpose of registering and recording the Marks and Brands of hogs and Cattle and titles and sales of land or other property amongst the Inhabitants of said Colony, have thought proper to decree and do hereby decree that Stephen F. Austin Judge of said Colony is hereby fully authorized to establish in said Colony a Recorders or Registers office for the purpose of recording and registering in Books to be kept for that purpose all Marks and Brands of Hogs Horses cattle or other stock and all titles for landed property and real estate and all sales or other transactions between the inhabitants of said colony proper to be recorded.

You know that in the United States there is a recorders office of this kind in every County and the inhabitants here are therefore accustomed to it and will not be satisfied unless one is properly established by the highest authority of the Province It is a subject of great importance and is, so just and approachable a request that I think it cannot be refused.

[Estevan F. Austin.]