Hawley, Rev. J. L.:

$2,250 · Offered by William Reese Company

[AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED, FROM REVEREND J.L. HAWLEY TO THE SECRETARIES FOR THE AMERICAN HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY, DESCRIBING HIS TRAVELS IN TEXAS IN HOPES OF ESTABLISHING A CHURCH, AND ALSO DISCUSSING ... Rich in historic detail, this letter sent to the Secretaries of Correspondence for the American Home Missionary Society (AHMS), provides a glimpse into the secular and religious lives of early settlers in Southeastern Texas just 3 years after Texas became a state. The present letter is a first year report to the Rev. Milton Badger and Charles Hall, the correspondence secretaries for the AHMS, from the Reverend J. L. Hawley, a "New School" Presbyterian, on his efforts to establish a church in what he termed "Western Texas", i.e., Southeastern Texas, outside of San Antonio. Hawley's report includes a description of his family's voyage to Port Lavaca, and their stop at Indian Point, where he first encountered the hostility of missionaries from other denominations: "We arrived at Port Lavaca about the last [sic] of Nov. 4. The voyage was tedious - ten days - and dangerous. At one time our main anchor was lost, & we were beating on the bar, in a 'Norther'. The Lord delivered us. On our way [to Port Lavaca] we called at Indian Point, a small but flourishing town on Matagorda Bay. I called to see Rev. Mr. Blair, Old Schl. Presbyterian. What I shall say of him will be strictly confidential. He asked where I was going, &c. &c. I have thought of stopping at Victoria. To this he replied

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.