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.]