Stephen F. Austin to Unknown, 08-03-1826


Summary: Deposition concerning character of Peter Ellis Bean.


This day August 3 1826 in the Town of San Felipe de Austin Personally appeared before me Stephen F. Austin Judge interim of this Jurisdiction and commissioned by order of his Excellency the Govr of the State of Quahuila and Texas to enquire as to the marriage and character of E B[ean]

Martin Allen a respectable and honorable inhabitant of this Jurisdiction who being duly Sworn to depose the truth as to what he knows relative to Said Bean makes the following declaration—to wit—that this deponent lived a number of years in the Same Section of Country in the Arkansas Territory with Said Bean and was intimately acquainted with him and his family for Six years and was frequently at his house both in Arkansas and on the river Neches in the district of Nacodoches where he now lives—The Said Bean had a wife when this deponent first saw him in Arkansas, does not know where he was married but believes in the State of Tennessee— The common and universal belief of every one was that the said Bean was legally married to his wife according to the laws of the country where he lived—his Father in law was by the name of Metcalf and was well known to this deponent. He had the character of respectable and honorable man and was a Justice of the Peace in Arkansas territory, and does not believe from the character and standing of said Metcalf that he would have permitted the Said Bean to live with his daughter unless they were legally married.

This deponent thinks Bean to be an honest man he is very fond of boasting and telling large stories about his exploits in the Mexican revolution and said he was a Colonel of the regular army of Mexico.

This deponent cannot positively state how many children Said B. has at this time but believes he has three.