LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 December Signature Texana Auction #661  / 

56070

Texas Land Transfer Certificate; 1835

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:440.00 USD Estimated At:750.00 - 1,000.00 USD
Texas Land Transfer Certificate; 1835
<B>Republic of Texas Land Transfer Certificate: Scarce Partly Printed Document Signed.</B></I> 2 pages, 8.25 x 13.25", San Augustine, Nacogdoches District, [Texas], December 20, 1835 being a transfer in which Seth Ward is selling his "League and Labor" of land (4,600 acres), located in Lorenzo de Zavala's emprasario grant of 1829, to David Brown for $100. Little is known about David Brown save for corresponding records in private and public hands indicate that Brown was a significant land speculator (he purchased over 13,000 on this day alone) in a seeming attempt to form a community known as Santa Anna in the area of San Augustine. Brown was likely using the current revolutionary atmosphere to his advantage to acquire as much land as he could before the unknown happened. <BR><BR>This document was executed during the broil of revolution. It had only been two weeks since The Siege of Bexar. The previous week the citizens of San Augustine, at a public meeting, adopted resolutions to elect delegates to the Convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos to declare independence and form a constitution. On December 22, two days after this document, Augustus Hotchkiss, the first judge and chief justice of San Augustine and who was also the Chairman of the Committee of Vigilance and Safety for San Augustine, called a meeting whereby the Committee adopted the resolution that "the Convention should make a Declaration of Independence, and form a Republican Government for Texas."... Hotchkiss conducted these meetings which are the first recorded to come out for a new convention to declare total independence and enact a constitution.<BR><BR>The imprint was produced by David E. Lawhon, a recent arrival from Tennessee in Nacogdoches, began the publication there of the <I>Texean</B></I> [sic]<I> and Emigrant's Guide</B></I>, the first issue of which was dated November 28, 1835. This was printed on the press on which Slocum had begun printing the Mexican Advocate in 1829. Only a few Lawhon imprints have survived, as he ceased operating in March, 1836. It is one of the rarest pre-Revolution Texas presses. Partial separation at folds as well as minor marginal tears and chips, very light and minor dampstain at bottom margin, else very good condition. <I>From the collection of Darrel Brown.</B></I> <BR><B><BR>Reference: </B></I><I>Bibliography of Texas</B></I>, Streeter, No. 74 and No. 78, and Vol 1 'A Brief Sketch of Printing in Texas'; <I>The Handbook of Texas</B></I>; <I>Empressario Contracts in Colonization of Texas</B></I>, Texas A & M University.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Flat Material, Small (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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