The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 68, July 1964 - April, 1965 Page: 482
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Southwestern Historical Quarterly and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Texas State Historical Association.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Southwestern Historical Quarterly
meeting, Allen was appointed to a committee of twelve to prepare
a declaration "setting forth to the world the causes that 'impel us
to take up arms, and the objects for which we fight.' "4
Sometime after 1834, Allen married a widow, Matilda T.
(Roberts) Connell, with two children." By that marriage, he
had two offspring. A son, Thomas, who later became a successful
lawyer in Galveston, was born on April 13, 1836, as the couple
fled before Santa Anna's advancing army. The second child, a
daughter named Eunice, arrived two months before Allen's
death. He was one of the unfortunate members of a surveying par-
ty killed by Kickapoos near Dawson in southern Navarro County
in October, 1838.6
The two letters which follow were written by Allen to his
brothers Caleb and Thomas who were still living in Connecticut.
The letters clearly illustrate their author's vigorous frontier faith
in the economic possibilities awaiting those daring spirits who
might decide that their fortunes "depended on a bold push [toj
Texas." There is optimism and urgency driving Allen's pen
as he encourages Caleb to hurry to the new land without delay
before "someone steps in his place." As far as it is known, how-
ever, neither brother ever ventured into Texas.
The letters are ambiguous and often erroneous in their nar-
ration of the highlights of the Texas Revolution, reflecting the
confusion and chaos of those times when a citizen's only source
of information and news was hearsay or wild rumor. Allen's words
give some insight into the thoughts and fears of a typical Texan
after the Battle of San Jacinto, for he believed the war would
continue and Santa Anna would surely be executed.
San Jacinto Augt 25th 1830
Dear Brother
This will inform you of my safe arrival in the province of Texas
in good health and spirits--I arrived on the 2 ist of July after a long
tedious & rather dangerous passage of eleven days from New Orleans-
'Brown, History of Texas, II, 385.
'Matilda Connell had been the wife of John Connell, a successful merchant who
died in 1834, leaving her considerable property. Memorial and Biographical His-
tory of McLennan, Falls, Bell, and Coryell Counties (Chicago, 1893), 785.
Harry McCorry Henderson, "The Surveyors Fight," Southwestern Historical
Quarterly, LVI, 34.482
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 68, July 1964 - April, 1965, periodical, 1965; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101198/m1/567/?rotate=270: accessed April 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.