James Morgan (1787-1866) was a Texas pioneer, merchant, land speculator and Commander at Galveston during the Texas Revolution (1835-1836). He first came to Texas in 1830. An empire builder and visionary, Morgan recognized the vast potential of Texas and cast his lot with speculators in New York City and Mexico City, who made it their business to wrest Texas from Mexico and annex it to the United States, while simultaneously hoping to realize large profits from the sale of land. In 1834, during the feverish era of speculation just prior to the Texas Revolution, Morgan organized an ambitious land venture called the New Washington Association. Other members of the venture included New Yorkers Samuel Swartwout, James Treat, James Watson Webb, Thomas E. Davis, John B. Austin, John S. Bartlett, Stephen Sicard, and Walter Mead, and from Mexico City, Lorenzo de Zavala.
The collection is comprised of twenty-eight documents and letters. All but two of the documents were written before 1841. Most of the documents are related to Morgan and the establishment of the New Washington Association. Many of the documents bear Morgan’s own notes and docketing; some of them are his drafts or retaining copies.
This unpublished archive contains manuscripts on the Texas Revolution, including signed proclamations issued by President David G. Burnet following the Battle of San Jacinto. Included in this collection are manuscripts relating to Santa Ana’s incarceration in Texas as a prisoner of war. Republic Era manuscripts in include two letters written by Sam Houston to Colonel James Morgan.
The collection is organized into three series: New Washington Association; Other Business Dealings' and Texas Revolution. New Washington Association includes all documents related to the organization and devleopment of the association. Other Business Dealings is comprised of Morgan's other business dealings - incluing hist personal relationship with Sam Houston. Texas Revolution includes historical documents related to the Texas Revolution.
Documents are in chronological order within each series.
This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the
Please contact the University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections for information about permission to publish material from the collection.
[Identification of item], James Morgan Papers, MS 278, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections
The collection was purchased at auction from Dorothy Sloan-Rare Books, Inc., in April 1997. According to its description at auction, the collection has been in private hands since the nineteenth century. A former owner of the manuscripts, J. C. Terrell, Jr., of the Fort Worth area, passed the collections to his heirs, where it remained until it was offered for sale. Terrell is a descendent of Capt. J. C. Terrell, lawyer, business-man, Civil War officer, and author of Reminiscences of the Early Days of Fort Worth (1906).
The collection was processed by Dennis Medina, Special Collections Librarian and Jose Faz, student intern.
None of the manuscripts in the collections are listed in Fragile Empires: The Texas Correspondence of Samuel Swartwout and James Morgan, 1836-1856, edited by Feris A. Bass, Jr., and F. R. Brunson (Austin: Shoal Creek, 1978). Neither of the two letters by Sam Houston are published in The Writings of Sam Houston, 1813-1863 (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1938; Pemberton Press, 1970). Information for this finding aid was taken from the Sloan auction catalog. A copy of the collection description from the catalog is on file in the collection folder.
Materials are arranged in chronological order.
Letter, signed to James Morgan. Brazoria, April 20,l 1835. Wreck and damage of a vessel belonging to the New Washington Association.
Manuscript, entitled, "Articles of Association 1835 NWA." New York, October 23, 1835. Twelve articles with confirmed signatures of all board members.
Manuscript, signed. New York, November 13, 1835. Two extracts from the minutes of meetings held in October by “The Galveston Bay & Morgan Association.”
Manuscript entitled, “Proceedings at a Meeting of the New Washington Assn.” New York, August 30, 1836.
Letter, signed twice, to James Morgan. New York, September 10, 1836, plus long postscript dated September 14. Report of the meeting of the NWA shareholders.
Letter, signed, to James Morgan. Evergreen [Goose Creek, Harris County], January 13, 1840. Baker sends money to Morgan and asks him to look for his wines in the warehouse at New Washington.
Manuscript, signed, to NWA, July 26, 1841. Report on NWA discussing financial problems, assets, loss of the schooner Flash, etc.
Manuscript, with Morgan’s corrections, “List of Lands in Texas Owned by the N. Washington Association for which There are Deeds Obtained by the Agent J. Morgan.”
Manuscript, with Morgan’s corrections,: “List of Lands Secured by Title Bonds, Contracts, etc.”
Letter to M. Rockwell. New Washington, Galveston Bay, April 22, 1850. Regarding organization of materials for substantiating the NWA claim against the Mexican government.
Certified copy of deposition. Harris County, June 26, 1850. Made to substantiate the NWA claim for damages during the Texas Revolution.
Materials are arranged in chronological order.
Four documents in Morgan’s own hand recording business transactions between Morgan and Dr. Nicholas Labadie. All dated at Anahuac, 1833-1837.
Letter, signed, to James Morgan. January 28, 1841. Shelby, a district judge, gives an opinion on what the structure of the government of the Republic of Texas should be, including its proper obligations.
Letter, signed, to James Morgan. May 29, 1841. Houston asks Morgan to collect funds due him from Mr. Lee [Lea?], etc.
Letter, signed, to James Morgan. New York, June 24, 1841. Revealing Morgan’s straits due to financial support rendered Texas during the Revolution and formation of the Republic.
Letter, signed, to James Morgan. July 30, 1841. The letter relates to Houston’s bitter 1841 presidential campaign against David G. Burnet.
Materials are arranged in chronological order.
Letter, to L.H. Young, bookseller. Norfolk, August 26, 1835. Regarding immigration to Texas.
Manuscript muster rolls of troops returned to Camp Travis [Galveston Island]. June 6, 1836.
Manuscript, contemporary translation into English of Santa Anna’s protest to President David Burnet regarding his treatment while a prisoner of war following his capture after the Battle of San Jacinto. [Quintana or Velasco], June 9, 1836.
Manuscript, contemporary copy of Burnet’s reply to Santa Anna’s protest (preceding). Velasco, June 10, 1836.
Manuscript address, signed. Velasco, June 11, 1836. This document relates to the conduct of the New Orleans Volunteers and other citizens who became extremely exasperated with what they perceived to be their government’s temperate treatment of Santa Anna.
Treaty of Velasco. Contemporary copy or draft of the original treaty, misdated June 14 (rather than May 14), 1836.
Manuscript written in the hand of Somervell, signed by both. Velasco, July 14, 1836. Proclamation revoking commissions issued to officers not then in actual service.
Manuscript, contemporary copy of two orders (on reverse sides). Velasco, July 20, 1836, and Quintana, July 26, 1836.