The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 99, July 1995 - April, 1996 Page: 11
626 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
1995 The Partnership of Stephen F. Austin and Joseph H. Hawkins 11
"It is time therefor[e] for us to have some return," he stated candidly.24
On October 1, 1823, shortly after Austin had returned to Texas from
Mexico, Joseph Hawkins died in Madisonville, Louisiana.25 Austin seems
to have taken the loss of his friend and partner hard. "My good friend J.
H. Hawkins is dead," he wrote to one of his closest friends among the
colonists. "I have met with some things to vex me and fear my best
friends will sometimes think my temper a little unruly-but they must
bear with me and in the end they will find that my heart is right."26
Hawkins's widow was left to administer the estate, but feeling herself
incapable of the task she appointed Nathaniel Cox to act in her behalf.
Cox, a New Orleans businessman who was close to Austin as well as to
Hawkins, soon wrote to Austin informing him of the status of the estate
and of Hawkins's family. The story was a grim one. There were not
enough assets in the estate to pay legal fees, much less satisfy the many
creditors. It was agreed that if Austin were to settle his debt now with the
Hawkins estate, all of the proceeds would go into the hands of the credi-
tors, leaving nothing for the widow and five young children. It was clear
by this point that the only significant asset Austin would eventually real-
ize from his Texas project would be land, although he had not yet re-
ceived title to any of his lands from the Mexican government. Austin
and Cox simultaneously proposed to one another that for the time be-
ing all the titles be put in Austin's name. Later, after all the affairs of the
Hawkins estate had been settled, Austin would then divide the lands as
proposed in the original contract, thus securing a legacy for the
Hawkins heirs. This maneuver would no doubt leave many of Hawkins's
creditors out in the cold, but Austin and Cox were determined to see to
the interests of the family. Destitute and grieving, the widowed George
Anne Hawkins agreed to this arrangement and, borrowing money for
the journey, moved with her children to Kentucky to live with relatives.27
About four months after learning of Hawkins's death, Austin wrote a
long letter of condolence to George Anne Hawkins. The delay in writing
seems inexcusable given the closeness of the Austin-Hawkins relation-
ship and the debt that Austin owed his late friend. In partial explana-
tion, if not defense, of Austin's actions, it must be remembered that the
demands on Austin's time were absolutely enormous during this period.
24Joseph H. Hawkins to Mrs. Maria Austin, Mar. 29, 1823, Austin Papers, I, pt. 1, p. 628 (quo-
tation). See also Nathaniel Cox to Stephen F. Austin, June 3, 1824, ibid., 807-808.
25 New Orleans Louisiana Gazette, Oct. 3, 1823; Victor, Life and Events, 149.
26 Stephen F. Austin to Josiah H. Bell,Jan. 8, 1824, Austin Papers, I, pt. 1, p. 722.
2' Nathaniel Cox to Stephen F. Austin, Mar. 2o, 1824, Austin Papers, I, pt. 1, pp. 754-755. Also
see Cox to Stephen F. Austin, June 3, 1824, ibid., 807-808; and Cox to Stephen F. Austin, Aug.
8, 1824, ibid., 872-873.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 99, July 1995 - April, 1996, periodical, 1996; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101217/m1/39/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.