San Felipe May 16, 1830
Dr. Sister,
I was most agreeably surprised indeed by meeting Mr Perry
who hunted me up in the Prairies where I was engaged in surveying
the land which has been granted to him by this Govt. It appears
to be a singular coinsidence, that he found me on the very spot
where I presume we shall spend a large portion of the balance of
our lives— he is delighted with the situation and I think you also
will be it is on the bay, and is a very handsome and I think healthy
one— The boys can have their fill of fishing, and in the winter
wild fowl are numerous tho. he will tell you all about it
I have conversed with him relative to the removal of the bodies
of our dear parents and I highly approve of their removal to a
church yard— I think that the best place will be the church yard
at St Genivieve— They were recognized under the Spanish Govt,
as Catholics and there cannot be any objection to receiving them
there, or should the yard there be thrown open and uninclosed, I
should be in favor of taking them to St Louis, of this you and Mr
P. must be the judges but I am not in favor of taking them to
Potosi for the reason that the burying grounds there are all on
private property and may some day become common Fields— I
wish you would consult Mr Carr and Elias Bates on the subject and
speak to F. Valle relative to their admission into the Catholic
burying ground at St. Genivieve If they are taken to St Louis I should
prefer the Catholic to any other, but will leave that solely to you
and Mr. Carr, to do as you think proper I do not know in
what burying ground Uncle and Aunt Elliott and Mrs Carr were
buried, and if they were taken tó St Louis I should wish if possible
that they be placed by the side or near uncle and aunt Elliott and
Mrs Carr I wish that a plain decent tomb stone be procured, If I
should be in a situation to do it I will some day have a handsome
monument erected over their graves—
I am really happy at the idea of your leaving that cold region,
I look forward to many days of peace and enjoyment in this
country— I hope in a few years to free myself from all my debts and to
close my affairs here so that I may live a quiet and retired life in
the society of my sister and her family— we must provide a teacher
to live in the family and educate them well— by the time they will
be coming on to the Stage, Texas will present a fine field for men of
education and talents— Mr P will get Spanish bookes they all
ought to learn that language
I think that John Perry might pass his life more agreeably in this
country or in Louisiana than in that cold region. I should be happy
to see him here, tho I cannot take on myself the responsibility of
advising him to move for I presume he would wish to bring his
Slaves, and they could not be held as slaves by the laws now in
force here—
If Genl Hammond wishes to come I will befriend him all in my
power and assist him in getting land he would do very well here,
by proper industry and econemy and provide a foundation in land
for the future settlement of his children
Bring all the papers and books of my Father and Bryan's—
Remember me to the children, tell them to be attentive to their
books and obedient to you and Mr Perry and I will give the boys
ponies and a little boat, and something pritty to the Girls—
I have seen your letter by Mr T. Browne and am glad that you
have learned not to attend to reports and rumors if you suffer
yourself to be made uneasy by them you will all the time be unhappy
after you start to this country, for you will hear a great variety of
them on the road and before you start
remember me to Mrs John Perry particularly and also to all my
old friends there— I will visit that place some day
S. F. Austin [Rubric]