James Pinckney Henderson letter, March 10, 1844, page 1 |
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Object Description
| Rating | |
| Title | James Pinckney Henderson letter, March 10, 1844 |
| Subject |
Republic of Texas Annexations Slaves Correspondence Business & finance |
| Description | Correspondence of James Pinckney Henderson, 1844, with William Watts re: mission to negotiate annexation treaty for Texas, financial matters, slaves. |
| Date | 1844-03-10 |
| Identifier | A126, Box1, Folder1 |
| Collection |
Watts Family Papers |
| Biographical Note | John Watts, a son of Arthur Watts, was born about 1752 in Virginia. A participant in the American Revolution, he enlisted in the Virginia Dragoons as a Cornet on June 17, 1776. By the end of the war he had achieved the rank of Captain. Later he served as Lieutenant Colonel in the Light Dragoons, U.S. Army, from January 8, 1799 until June 8, 1800. According to descendant Jessie Watts Roberts, John Watts was a personal friend of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. John Watts was awarded 4,944 acres in Bedford County, Virginia for his military service. John Watts married Elizabeth (Betsy) Roberts and according to John's will, they had two sons and a daughter still living in 1830: Arthur (1809-1866), William W. Watts (d. ca. 1846), and Elizabeth R. Watts Scott. Another daughter, Sarah C., probably died prior to 1830. The William W. Watts family lived in Liberty, Virginia; Delaware Springs, Ohio; and Columbus, Mississippi. William W. Watts traveled frequently to arrange for the collection of debts, in and out of court, for which he received a commission. William W. Watts' son John Leyburn Watts was born about 1824 in Virginia. He married Mary Frances Garner (b. 1837; d. 1896) and they lived the remainder of their lives on a farm in San Augustine. According to census records, they had at least four sons and three daughters. In 1855 John was appointed a Deputy US Marshall by Marshall Ben McCulloch. (Watts Family Papers, East Texas Research Center, Ralph W. Steen Library, Stephen F. Austin State University). |
| Scope and Content Note | The Watts Family Papers contain original correspondence, land documents, legal and financial papers pertaining to several generations of the Watts family. The geographic range of the collection includes Virginia, Ohio, Mississippi, and Texas, with special emphasis on San Augustine County, Texas. Notable items in the collection from an historical perspective are the letters of James Pinckney Henderson, dating from 1843 to 1857. As a lawyer friend residing in San Augustine, Henderson advised William W. Watts about the debt collection business. At least three of the letters relate to Henderson's initially secret mission to negotiate a treaty of annexation between the United States and Texas in 1844. Henderson was inaugurated Governor of Texas in February 1846. The collection also contains teaching certificates authorizing John to teach second grade in San Augustine County in 1881 and 1882. |
| Associated Dates |
1840-1849 |
| Type | Correspondence |
| Language | English |
| Repository | East Texas Research Center |
| Repository Link | http://library.sfasu.edu/etrc/ |
| Transcript | ITEM 1 March, 10, 1844, Secret mission to negotiate annexation. Vicksburg, Miss. March 10th 1844 My Dear Sir, I wrote you from Galveston a few weeks since upon the receipt of your letter by Judge Morris. Since then, urged by the President of Texas as well as his political opponents, I have accepted the appointment to the U.S. on a secret mission to negotiate a Treaty of Annexation, which fact I now communicate to you in the strictest confidence, as it is all important that this matter shall be consummated before the British Ministry in Texas knows that it is on hand. Many Texians suspect that I am going on this business but they do not know it. Keep it to yourself and operate quickly, as annexation may prevent, in some degree, your plans from being executed in getting claims to collect upon good terms. In Austin County, I find on the Tax list the following names with Negroes to the number opposite their names: Wm. Cooper, 20 Negroes - Jas Cochran, 30 - Wm. Childress, 15 - R Cummings, 5 - Lamalk (from about Alexandria La), 18 – Saml. Swearangen, 5 - J. B. and J. O. Whitfield, 15. In Fort Bend County: S. H. Boon, 40 – Wm. Walker, 15 - J. W. Brisco, 12 - R. Foster, 25 - C. Fulcher, 10 - H. McGreel, 15 - Smallwood for R. C. Campbell, 6. In Montgomery Co: J. F. Crawford, 27 - Isaac Baker, 10 - J. W. Devereaux, 15 - Wm. B. Loftin, 15 - M. Manning, 10 - J. T. Sims, 11 - Sarah Shannon, 20 - James Ward, 15 – M. and T. Shannon, 17 - James White (of Alabama), 14 - John Womack, 17 - J. Womack, 9 - G. Pollock, 13 - Jackson, 14. I could not ascertain their former residence in the U.S., but they have all come in lately, or within a few years, under suspicious circumstances. John D. Waters of Alabama lives in Fort Bend Co., has about 50 Negroes, and is indebted as security, etc. in Mobile and other parts of Alabama I have not received the account you mentioned as having purchased on John J. Burton, etc. I place, in Anderson’s and Wheeler’s hands, the demands you left with me on the Talliaferros, and they said they would sue. I shall be back in Texas in July or sooner, as I can finish my mission by that time if it can be accomplished. I have the strongest evidence that I can make the Treaty, and it must be done without delay to prevent England from interfering to prevent it by threats, protests, etc. I am here, and have many letters to answer, and am looking for a Cincinnati or Louisville boat every moment. I will address you from the city of Washington if necessary. Yours very Truly, Henderson P.S. Parson Fields has left Liberty Co and gone to Jasper. I sent Bening’s receipt with Judge Branch and requested him to get the note and enclose it to me. H |
| Rights | This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is available for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the East Texas Research Center at asketrc@sfasu.edu. |
Description
| Title | James Pinckney Henderson letter, March 10, 1844, page 1 |
| Repository | East Texas Research Center |
| Repository Link | http://library.sfasu.edu/etrc/ |
| Rights | This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is available for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the East Texas Research Center at asketrc@sfasu.edu. |
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