479
THE AUSTIN PAPERS
ELIAS WrGHTMAN's DEPOSITION-AUSTIN'S Lum TITLES
~ Elias R Wightman on my oath say and declare that I became ac- quainted with Stephen F Austin and James B Austin in 1825 and that in 1826 I entered into a contract with· Stephen F Austin to give him one fo~rth of the matagorda Town League N° 11 for and in consideration of the like quantity of lands, else where That in 1827 I obtained title to said league N° 11. When I requested to know what lands the sd Austin would point out that we might lift our bonds, and take title when he offer~d a fourth of the Crownover League ' N° 6 west of Rio Colorado, for which he executed to me his bond for title, and I made title to James B. Austin to one fourth of said L. N°· 11. ancl so it remained till 1830 (as I think) when in compliance with said bond and other considerations, he agreed to give me one fourth of the James Jones tract mtmber not recollected which he considered worth double the Crownover quarter, (as he said to me in a letter still in my possession) in all this James B Austin was unknown in the stipulations and agreements or in the consideration of the fourth of N° 11. L. other then receiving the title that I recollect, and when in 1827 I tliink we the proprietors met to form regulations for the advancement of the projected Town of Matagorda, out of compliment to James B Austin invited him to attend, He did so and was one of the four signers of the first Constitution for the regulation and transactions of the said Town, which Constitution is still in my pos• session with the signature of H. H. League Owner of one fourth James B. Austin owner of one fourth Duke and Selkirk, by T. M. Duke owners of one fourth and E R Wightman owner of one fourth, which was the prin- cipal act of ownership he ever exercised over it I wrote to him, at Bra- zoria or Velasco once, in 30-or 31 I think on the subject of offering a portion of it at sale in N. Orleans which he answered and much approved hut refered me however to Col Austin S. F. for his opinion as he said his Brother's approval would be necessary, as he knew more about those things or something to that amount (which letter I still have among my papers) Col Austin discouraged for this time the project of the sale of Town property saying it was too soon to push Matagorda He was doing more for Matagorda than all we could do by premature sale He was settling the country up the Colorado with Kentucs and Tennesseans who would, go down and make a frolic throwing the raft out etc. and I went home and waited for the Kentuc frolic All other matters before and after the demise of J. B. Austin Col S. F. Austin had the whole control of the 4 th of Matagorda, and when the present Constitution was formed he acted as the representative of J B. Austin at the same time avering that He was the true and real owner which in due time he would show, and made such declaration a matter· of record in the Alcaldes office in the Town of San
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