Boston, April 20th 1835
Respected Sir.
Please to accept my most sincere thanks for your kind attention to my
enquirey, relative to my beloved husband, and I have two much reason
to fear lost one, lost to me in the most cruel way. I cannot be reconciled
to the thought that I must all ways be in suspence about his fate, and that
I must think myself a widow so young with two little fatherless children
at my side, "they say why dont Father come home?" I can only answer
with my tears, the thought is heart rending. I will not intrude my grief
upon you. May I presume on your goodness so much, as to request that
you will make all the enquirey in your power, and use your influence to
gain all the information that can be got relative to Mr Maxwell, the same
you would wish to have done for a Brother or Dear Friend, admitting you
had one similarly situated. And I trust it will be in my power to
recompence you for your trouble. I was sick and commissioned Dr Maxwell
to write you in my name. There was a mistake in it saying Mr Ms last
Letter was dated at Sanantonia he had not arrived there I will write
you all I know of him, as it may be of use to you in the enquire about him.
Mr. Maxwell last letter to me was "dated July 17th 1833 Gonzallas State
of Texas in Mexico, within 75 of San Antonia. He stated he was waiteing
a few days for company, as it was not considered safe to travel alone, and
boarded 1 mile out of the village at a Mr Floyd— Perhaps you could
learn of him if Mr Maxwell ever left there and the company he was in
and if he left any papers or any thing at any place except with Mr Somevill
as it is of great importance to me in settling up his business to have all his
papers as I have lost considerable property since his absence by not haveing
all the necessary papers, and am still likely to lose more, as you know
there are enough to take advantage of a woman ['s] ignorance in business.
If it is to be that I am to hear he is dead, it would be a meloncholy
satisfaction to know how he was taken care of, and how he enjoyed his mind in
that last trieing sceine, but I will still hope he has not had that trial yet,
and that he may yet be restored to his family. But if on the contrary
there may be some papers found or property that may do soome good
and serve to find out his fate. Mr Maxwell thought of staying with a
Mr Hood in San Antonia untill he had a letter from Saltillo relative to
some land he talk of purchasing on the Colorado river and did not know
but he should have to go there. In your letter it seams he was seen at
Saltillo and in your letter to my brother at Menclover. Could you learn
by those that se him his reserdence, there and if he ever left there. I have
more hopes of heareing what has become of him, if I am doomed never
to se him since I received your letters. Mr M left home on the 17 of Feb
1833 and between that time and the 7 of July I received 27 letters from
him, in his last he wrote he should be at home in December and then
remove his family to Texas. He said he must se Col Austin before his
return and that might detain him longer. About that time I saw by the
papers Col Austin was in prison at Saltillo and since been in prison at
Mexico. I think if you will call on that Gentleman if he is in San Felepe
he will be likely to know if he was taken prison, as at the time Mr M was
to return home your Country was in arms, I presume a great many were
taken prisoners on suspision that was innocent. Do you think it possable
that might be his case? I could not bear the thought that my Husband
was in a foreign prison and I do nothing to redeem or release him. I know
that he is innocent of any crime and he is not a milatary or political
charicter so the Mexicans can have nothing to fear or hope for from him.
If you have not heard any more from him and should think it best to
advertise him in that country I wish you would— Mr M wrote he should
leave some things with Mr David Ayers of Mountville I have wrote to
him and Col Austin and some others but as yet have not got an answer
We in the U S. find it difficult to get a letter from the interor of Texas
or to send one there. If I should write you again, I should like your
address, allso Mr. Somervill I wish to know if you know any thing of
a young man that was with Mr Maxwell by the name of Squire Damen.
Mr M left him at San Felepe—his Mother wrote me that he had not
return home and was very anxious about him.
Mr Maxwell wrote he should leave 6 trunks with you rather than to have
the things sold for less than there value and if it would not burden Mr
Somervill two much and he goes to N Y by water the expence will not be
much and should like to have them all brought that is worth bringing
particularly all his papers and some valueable watches and rings he had
when he left home. I presume he has had letters come to you[r] care since
he left and should like them two and after deducting a sufficient sum for
yourself and Mr Somervell for your attention to the business I should like
to have the ballance delivered over to my Cousen Mr Edmund Willard,
he will be at the store of C. B. Granniss and Co 127 maiden lane New York
City. Pleas to write soon Address to S. W. Maxwell care of A. Willard—
179 Washington St Boston Mass. I presume you will excuse my
minuteness and repetition and all other blunders, when you remember this is
from a anxious wife enquireing for a lost husband. Your immediate
attention to the above will greately oblige an unfortunate wife whose greatest
misfortune is the absence of the husband of her youth—and what can be
more tryeing than this anxeious suspence
Susan. W. Maxwell
Mr J. F. Perry
[Addressed:] Mr. James. F. Perry, or Mr Alexander Somervill San
Felepe Austin Colony Texas