The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 69, July 1965 - April, 1966 Page: 523
591 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Notes and Documents
me as an old acquaintance much less a Brother Say to them that
I cannot think of imposing any more Scribbling upon them until
I here Something from them Say to Mother that I will write her
as soon as I have any thing to write about Give my love and
affection to my kind old Mother Esqr Poter and all the family
and also offer my sincere love and esteem to all of my Brothers
and say that A.S.T. is no disgrace to the family. Give my esteem to
your Mother Brothers and Sisters and Receive the same to your
self with the wish that you may live long be Prosperous and
when you come to die that Happiness may accompany you to
Eternity If any of [you] writes to me Direct as follows A. S.
Thurmond Castle of Perote Mexico care of Francis Diamond
U. S. Consul in Vera Cruz
A. S. Thurmond
Mrs. Mary A. Willis
On the back of this July 7, 1844, letter by Thurmond is the
following endorsement by Captain William Ryon:"3
By permission of Mr. A. S. Thurmond I write you a short note-
Mr. O. R. Willis poor fellow was a member of my company. for the
satisfaction of his family he died without any of being present-
but he had considerable to say to me prior to his Lamented death--
he acted Gallantly and heroic in the action of the Mier Battle-
and won a Good name among the men Generally. he was ill
for some time before his death-if there should be anything coming
for his services I will have it audited and placed in a proper con-
dition to be collected should you hear of our Release if ever
you can address me at Richmond Texas or any other services I
can render his distressed family I will do with the Greatest pleasure.
Col. Fisher will aid me in so doing.
Yours Respectfully
William Ryon
Eight years later Mary A. Willis married Thomas W. Bell,
who did survive the rigors of servitude in Perote. To establish her
rights to such payment as O. R. Willis was due for his services
in the Texas volunteers she made the following deposition con-
cerning her former husband.
33For a biographical sketch of William M. Ryon, see A. J. Sowell, History of
Fort Bend County (Houston, 1904), 20o8-209. "Men of Mier," L. W. Kemp Col-
lection (Archives, University of Texas Library), includes a typescript of a letter
from Perote written by Ryon to Abner Harris of Brazoria on June 27, 1844. Both
Green and Trueheart spell this name Ryan.523
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 69, July 1965 - April, 1966, periodical, 1966; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117144/m1/601/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.