Novr 25 1831
T. H. Benton
About eighteen months since I had the pleasure of receiving your
friendly letters introducing Col Woodbery who visited this country
with a view to a permanent Settlement and removal of his family
I afforded Col. W. all the assistance and gave him all the
information in my power, as it will always give me pleasure to do to any of
your friends who may visit this country.
The particular object of this letter (after acknowledgeing the
recept of yours by Col. W. and assuring you that our former
acquaintance, in Missouri is still fresh on my memory,) is to
recommend to you the bearer Mr. W. B. Travis, who probably will apply
for the appointment of U. S. consul for the Harbor and Bay of
Galveston in Texas—
My personal acquaintance with Mr T. is very short and limited,
he has been recommended to me by persons of respectability and I
can with full confidence say that he has acquired the esteem and
respect of the better part of the people in the section of country
where he resides which is on the Trinity river near the head of
Galveston bay, and I have my self no hesitation in recommending him
as a suitable person for the appointment of Consul—
Texas when thickly settled will no doubt require four consuls or
vice consuls on its sea board—one for Galveston, one for Brazoria at
the mouth of the Brazos river, one for Matagorda bay, and one for
Aransao and the Neucis bay—At this time I think the location of a
consul at some point on Galveston bay, with authority to appoint
vice consuls for the Brazos and Matagorda, would do—or consuls
might very properly I think be appointed now for the Brazos and
Matagorda—The most of the business of Texas is now done through
Brazoria near the mouth of the Brazos river—
I directed my friend in Phia to send you a copy of the map which
I compiled of Texas, published by Mr Tanner which I hope you recd,
and which will give you a correct general idea of the points I speak
of and of all Texas, it is not of course topografically correct, but
I think is as much so as the first maps of unsurveyed countries
generally are, and perhaps more so—
[Stephen F. Austin]