Stephen F Austin to Elias R Wightman, 08-28-1830
Summary: Instructions for surveying
San Felipe
Dr Sir. Mr Seth Ingram is interested in a league which is to be laid off back of his brothers league, or in case of a vacancy below the tracts that are taken on the west side of Prairie Creek
You must use your own discretion and exercise your own judgement in laying off these, and all the tracts in that quarter, as I wrote you the other day— the main object is not to leave vacancies, and also to run the tracts so as to make them as nearly equal as possible in point of local advantages—.
Mr Nelson writes me that his location was on the East side of Prairie Creek and not on the west side— I understood you that his selection was on the west— but if a mistake has been made you can rectify it, for it is quite immaterial which side Nelson takes his land— you will however be particular to try and make Fishers a good league, which is the first one below Peyton on the East side of Prairie Creek, as I wrote you in my last—
My Dear Sir I must rely entirely on you to do as near equal justice to all as possible, for it is impossible for me to say how the tracts ought to run, because this will depend on the shape of the Bay Shore and the direction of the creeks, which can only be asertained by actual measurement
S. F. Austin [Rubric]
A Mexican who lives at Buckners is to have a quarter on Cany after the quarters for Maria, and your sister, are taken out— See Buckner on the subject—so as to have it all fully understood.
Dr Sir
Mr. Jaques goes down to attend to the surveying of his tract- he is to get the first tract west of Prarie creek below Peyton as I wrote you the other day—¦ Mr. Nelson wrote me that his choice was on the east side below Fishers— I am particularly anxious that Jaques and Fishers tracts should be laid off to the best advantage