1880 Partly-Printed Texas Land Grant to Railroad – Governor Oran M. Roberts

Description

1880 Partly-Printed Texas Land Grant to Railroad – Governor Oran M. Roberts
Offered for your consideration is a partly-printed document granting a parcel of land to a Texas railroad, signed at the conclusion by Governor Oran M. Roberts and William C. Walsh. Headlined “
IN THE NAME OF THE STATE OF TEXAS
”, with the Lone Star in a wreath at the center, this document begins “
To all to whom these Presents shall come, know ye I
O M Roberts
GOVERNOR of the STATE aforesaid by virtue of the power vested in me by LAW and in accordance with the LAWS of SAID STATE in such case made, and provided do by these presents GRANT to
The Houston and Texas Central Rail Road Company
or assigns FOREVER,
Six Hundred and Forty (640) Acres
, of LAND, situated and described as follows.
In Eastland County
…
”. This lengthy introduction is followed by a detailed description of the land, with all appropriate boundary markers and distances noted. After this description is a clause, referring to the governor, stating that he is “
… Hereby relinquishing to ___ the said Houston & Texas Central R. R. Co. or assigns FOREVER all the right and title in and to said LAND, heretofore held and possessed by the said STATE, and I do hereby issue this Letter Patent for the same …
”. This transaction was “
… DONE at the City of Austin on the Nineteenth day of January in the Year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and Eighty
”, with the signatures of “
W. C. Walsh
” in his capacity as “
Commissioner of the Gl. Ld. Office
” and “
O M Roberts
” in his capacity as “
Governor
” added at the conclusion. All of the foregoing elements are enclosed in a decorative, rectangular frame, with pencil notations appearing in the selvage. The back was originally blank, though it now bears a penned recapitulation of the document, as well as additional pencil notations. While Texas land grants are not extremely rare (Texas had a lot of land it could give away), they are becoming more difficult to locate on the market. This piece would make a great addition to any Texas governor’s autograph collection, or as an adjunct to a state railroad stock and bond set.
William C. Walsh
was born on September 23, 1836 in Dayton, Ohio. He moved to Texas with his family in 1840, though he attended Georgetown University in Washington D. C. He became a clerk in the Texas General Land Office in 1857, remaining in that position until April 30, 1861, after which he became a first lieutenant in the 4
th
Texas Infantry, which later became part of Hood’s Texas Brigade. Promoted to captain by the battle of Gaines Mill, Walsh was so severely wounded in that action that he used a crutch for the remainder of his life. In November, 1862, Walsh was assigned to command in Austin, and in December, 1864, was named quartermaster general of Texas. After the close of the war, Walsh worked at odd jobs, including farming, until he was elected chief clerk of the House of Representatives, serving until 1878. He was appointed commissioner of the General Land Office in 1878, serving until 1886. He was responsible for many changes and advances within the state, among them the development of a highly respected system of higher education. William C. Walsh died on August 30, 1924 and was buried in Austin’s Oakwood Cemetery.
Oran Milo Roberts
was born on July 9, 1815 in the Laurens District of South Carolina. He entered the University of Alabama in 1832, graduated in 1836, and was admitted to the bar a year later. After serving a term in the Alabama legislature, he relocated to San Augustine, Texas in 1841, where he opened a successful law practice. He was appointed district attorney by President Sam Houston in 1844, and two years later, following statehood, he was appointed district judge. In 1856, Roberts won a position on the Texas Supreme Court. Becoming a fervent advocate of states’ rights, he was unanimously elected president of the Texas Secession Convention in Austin, and was instrumental in the passage of the ordinance to remove the state from the Union. In 1862, Roberts helped raise the 11
th
Texas Infantry of Walker’s Texas Division, though after a brief military career (and a failure to be promoted general), he returned to Austin as chief justice of the Supreme Court in 1864. He remained in that position until removed by Federal authorities. During Reconstruction, Roberts was elected to the United States Senate, though due to circumstances, he was barred taking his seat. He opened a law school in Gilmer in 1868, and in 1874, he returned to the Texas Supreme Court as chief justice. Roberts was elected governor of the state in 1878, serving admirably for two terms. Upon his retirement from the governorship, he was immediately appointed professor of law at the newly opened University of Texas, remaining there for ten years. In 1895, Roberts, along with several other influential Texans, formed the Texas State Historical Association. Oran M. Roberts died in Austin on May 19, 1898 and was buried in that city’s Oakwood Cemetery.
The presently offered document exhibits signs of moderate period use, with less than ideal long term storage. Toning is present across the entire surface (the paper appears beige or light tan), somewhat more pronounced at the edges and along the folds (this is most obvious at the center and upper left). Several of these folds are deep, though due to the type of paper used there are no separations noted at this time. Numerous foxing spots are scattered throughout the piece, though many of these are in the selvage and could easily be covered with a mat if the document was framed. The contrast is slightly below average, with the manuscript additions seeming to be experiencing ink spreading or migration. Ink show through is visible when the document is viewed from the back, though due to the thickness of the stock, no paper loss is noted. Measuring approximately 14 x 17 inches, this piece would make an impressive display by itself, or paired with portraits of the signers or a period locomotive.
A charge of .95 will be added to the winning bid for postage and insurance.
If you have any questions concerning this item, please ask before purchasing.
Buy or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie Self has worked 6 years as a paper money grader/authenticator. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of “The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2
nd
Edition” with Douglas B. Ball, Ph.D., Henry F. Simmons, M.D., Ph.D. and James R. Desabaye. Mr. Self is a life member of the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, as well as numerous regional numismatic associations. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows.
American Coins and Collectibles
Shreveport, LA