Ottr C at/1.olic Heritage in Texas
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Robert A. Abel and Edward McMahan, from Kentucky; and John Timan [sic], of St. Louis. The petition was signed and dated in New Orleans on March 20, 1837, by John McMullen for the Catholics in San Antonio de Bejar; William R. C. Hays, Robert O'Boyle, and Andrew Boyle from San Patricio; Robert Hearn from Mission Refugio; and ohn Linn from Guadalupe Victoria. 15 Another proposal for renewing Cat o 1c activity in Texas was made four months later under very different circumstances. About the middle of July, a distinguished gentleman of courtly manners and cultured accent called on President Sam Houston and presented him a letter of introduction to acquaint him with his business. In the letter John C. Williams from Velasco informed the President that the bearer, Count Charles de Farnese, had come to Texas to offer his "fortune and personal influence to the glorious Texan cause." The Count was a man of high literary attainment, who had "his heart set on the establishment of institutions of learning in this country," Williams wrote. His sponsor added that the visitor's views on the subject and on the opening of correspondence with Rome in regard to the erection of a Texas bishopric independent of the Mexican hierarchy would, if successful, be productive of great benefits to the Republic, and would no doubt induce thousands of Catholics to immigrate to the country. This twofold plan had been presented to Dr. Branch T. Archer, General Thomas J. Green, and other prominent Texans in Velasco and had been thought highly commendable. 16 After a discussion with Houston, Farnese reduced his ideas to writing on July 28 for further consideration by the President. The Count began ISPetition addressed "To the Most Rev. Archbishop and Right Rev'd Bishops in Counsel Assembled in Baltimore," New Orleans, March 20, 1837. Copy secured from University of Notre Dame Archives, in Catholic Archives of Texas, Amarillo, hereafter designated as C. A. T. For a brief summary of the establishment of St. Mary-of-the Barrens and the early work of the Vincentians in Missouri, Ken- tucky, and Louisiana, see Ralph Bayard, Lo11e Star Vanguard: the Catholic Oc- cupation of TeraJ, 8-13. The Third Provincial Council of Baltimore met April 1 6, 183 7. Bishop Blanc could hardly have presented the Texan Memorial, as he had probably left New Orleans prior to the date of the Petition in order to arrive in Baltimore on time for the opening of the Council. 16 John C. Williams to His Excellency President Sam Houston, July 11, 1837. Text reproduced in Yoakum, op. cit., II, 224. This letter makes no mention of any colonization scheme; nor is there any evidence in his proposal to Houston or in Houston's reply that he contemplated a colony. The assumption (see Linn, pg. 331) that he was an empresario who planned a large colony of Catholics in Texas, is unfounded. Cf. Fitzmorris, F()Ur Decades of Catholicism in Texas, 39-40; Bayard, lone Star Va,,guard, 20.
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