The Personal Correspondence of Sam Houston: 1852-1863In the April, 1971, issue of Southwestern Historical Quarterly , historian Llerena Friend wrote that there was a ?need for a new editing of Houston correspondence? to complement the eight-volume collection compiled in the 1930s by Eugene C. Barker and Amelia Williams. When author Madge Roberts began research for her previous book, Star of Destiny: The Private Life of Sam and Margaret Houston, she began to collect just such a file of previously unpublished Houston correspondence, which soon consisted of nearly a thousand letters. Because most of these letters were until recently in the hands of Houston descendants, most of them are ?personal? rather than ?political.? Although a few have been excerpted in various books and historical articles, none have been published in their entirety. In comparing these letters to those published in the Barker and Williams volumes, Roberts found that ?the personal letters often take the historian one step further,? as Houston felt more free to discuss his analyses of people and events than he did in his official correspondence. Houston was an extraordinary writer, in terms of both quantity and quality. His letters to friends and family overflow with lively details about manners, dress, medical practices, farming, transportation, family dynamics, and many other topics of interest to social historians. In her footnotes, Roberts reveals the full names of the people mentioned and the historical events taking place at the time, thus placing the letters into the broader context of Houston's life and times.--Amazon.com. |
Contents
| 1 | |
August 201853August 51854 | 75 |
October 81854May 131855 | 157 |
November 71855August 301856 | 181 |
December 71856March 31857 | 247 |
September 1857June 121858 | 261 |
August 211858April 21859 | 311 |
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Andrew anxious Austin Barker History Center biography blurred brother Cedar Point Charles Power church County Cousin Martin daughter Dear Love Dearest fear February 19 Feby feel following letter friends Galveston Genl Grimes County Handbook of Texas happy hear heard heart hope Houston December Houston is referring Houston to Margaret Huntsville Ibid intend Jany kiss last night look M. M. Houston Maggie Margaret Houston February Margaret Houston January Margaret Houston March morning Mother Nacogdoches Nannie Nashville never pleasure recd received Royston Sam Houston Samson Senate Chamber send love sent sister soon spared speech suppose tell Tennessee Texas State Archives Thine thing Thomas Rusk thought Thy Devoted Houston Thy ever devoted tion told tomorrow torn truly Walker County Washington week William Willie wish wou'd write written yesterday