The Greer Way West, the web page of the Nathaniel Hunt Greer Family Organization — This page was last updated on May 27, 2008.

Letter from Jane Stamps to James Lane — 16 JUL 1867

Before it was discarded and lost, this document was procured in 2007 by Mr Ron Carlisle from a Matthew Simeon Greer descendant who cared little for genealogy or family history. We are deeply indebted to Ron Carlisle for saving this document and sharing it with us.

To view an image of page 1 of this letter, click here.

To view an image of page 2 of this letter, click here.

[transcription by William N Greer who added the footnotes that follow]

[page 1]

Brenham,¹ July, 16th 1867
Judge Lane²
my husband³ reseived a letter a few days ago from you excepting the offer we made you, in regard to my land, the Steele Survey⁴. your letter satisfies us on your excepting our propisition. we will look for you down about christmas or the first of Janary 68. the Judge is not well therefore I write to let you know we have reseived your letter June 17^th 1867, excepting the trade.
there is quite an number of emergrents coming into the country down here. three hundred families arived last week (Bohemians we hear of a greate many more coming. old M^r Gee's⁵ son John⁶ shot two of the regesters⁷ in washington⁸ last week. the men shot are not dead, we hope will not die. the sheriff is after Gee. John Watson⁹ & Faulkers son¹⁰, were also accessery. the militery have Watson and Faulker prisoners. things of this kind will keep our country

[page 2]

in constant trouble.
we have had three weeks rain it has rained evry day until to day. during that time, crops are generaly fine. let us hear when you expect to come down.
very respectfuly,

M^rs Jane A. Stamps¹¹

to Judge Lane,
B. I have not mentioned in this letter but I think the Judge did in the letter before this, when we said ~~one dollar & a quater~~ twelve hundred & fifty dollars, of course we mean specie¹² or its equivalent.
J.A.S.

¹ Brenham Brenham had been named Hickory Grove until 1843 when the name was changed to honor Dr Richard Fox Brenham. In FEB 1843, the seat of Washington Co, TX, was relocated from Mount Vernon to Brenham, since the latter was near the geographical center of the county.

² James Addison Lane (4 OCT 1814 – 14 MAR 1883) No record has been found to explain why in this letter he was addressed as "judge". It appears to have been a casual honorific that Jane also ascribed to her husband.

³ John Stamps (1798 – 24 SEP 1867) He moved with his first wife Henrietta Bunch from MS to the Austin Colony — eventually settling in Washington Co, TX. He became a wealthy planter and land speculator who wielded enough influence to have the seat of Washington Co, TX, moved from Washington-on-the-Brazos to Mount Vernon. He later served in the House of the Republic of TX. Henrietta died in AUG 1857 and John wed Jane Gorman next spring. In 1859, he became a commissioner and contractor for the East Texas Railroad at Sabine City in Jefferson Co, TX. There, in 1862, yellow fever caused many to evacuate, probably including the Stamps who would likely have fled to Washington Co, leaving their palatial home to be burned in OCT 1862 by Union forces. When he died, he was a director of Baylor University and Baylor Female College. It is unknown if he died from the yellow fever epidemic that was raging in his vicinity.

⁴ James S Steele (Dates and identity unknown) On 7 AUG 1835, he was granted land at the mouth of the Bosque County creek that still bears his name.

⁵ Alfred Gee (ca 1803 – after 1870) A resident of Independence, Washington Co, TX, whose identification is tentative.

⁶ Jonathan W Gee (ca 1840 – after 1870) He was a son of the above. His identification as the shooter is tentative.

⁷ Freedmen's Bureau agents (in TX, SEP 1865 – JUL 1870) were to assure blacks' right to register and vote. After passage of the Reconstruction acts (MAR 1867), the US Army took charge of reconstructing TX and often bureau agents identified eligible voters, polling places, and men who could serve as registrars and election judges. A powder-keg situation caused the Brenham Fire Department creation JUN 1867 — ostensibly to protect against fire but really as a military unit to protect against occupying Union soldiers that were prone to mischief, having already burned part of the city.

⁸ Washington-on-the-Brazos.

⁹ John Watson (ca 1837 - ???). An 1860 Brenham resident whose identification is tentative.

¹⁰ He has not been identified.

¹¹ Jane Ann Pickard (abt 1807 – between 1870 & 1880) Born in NC, she came to Washington Co, TX, where she wed Oliver Gorman in 1838. In 1858 she wed a 2nd time to John Stamps. The 1870 census of Washington Co, TX, listed Jane with real estate worth $15,000 — placing her among the wealthiest people in the county. She is not on the 1880 census, so apparently she died before it was taken. Her undated tombstone is near that of John Stamps in Brenham's Prairie Lea Cemetery, Range 2, Section 2.

¹² Paper currency had a poor reputation at this time and was apparently unacceptable to the Stamps.

¹	Brenham	Brenham had been named Hickory Grove until 1843 when the name was changed to honor Dr Richard Fox Brenham. In FEB 1843, the seat of Washington Co, TX, was relocated from Mount Vernon to Brenham, since the latter was near the geographical center of the county.
²	James Addison Lane	(4 OCT 1814 – 14 MAR 1883) No record has been found to explain why in this letter he was addressed as "judge". It appears to have been a casual honorific that Jane also ascribed to her husband.
³	John Stamps	(1798 – 24 SEP 1867) He moved with his first wife Henrietta Bunch from MS to the Austin Colony — eventually settling in Washington Co, TX. He became a wealthy planter and land speculator who wielded enough influence to have the seat of Washington Co, TX, moved from Washington-on-the-Brazos to Mount Vernon. He later served in the House of the Republic of TX. Henrietta died in AUG 1857 and John wed Jane Gorman next spring. In 1859, he became a commissioner and contractor for the East Texas Railroad at Sabine City in Jefferson Co, TX. There, in 1862, yellow fever caused many to evacuate, probably including the Stamps who would likely have fled to Washington Co, leaving their palatial home to be burned in OCT 1862 by Union forces. When he died, he was a director of Baylor University and Baylor Female College. It is unknown if he died from the yellow fever epidemic that was raging in his vicinity.
⁴	James S Steele	(Dates and identity unknown) On 7 AUG 1835, he was granted land at the mouth of the Bosque County creek that still bears his name.
⁵	Alfred Gee	(ca 1803 – after 1870) A resident of Independence, Washington Co, TX, whose identification is tentative.
⁶	Jonathan W Gee	(ca 1840 – after 1870) He was a son of the above. His identification as the shooter is tentative.
⁷	Freedmen's Bureau agents (in TX, SEP 1865 – JUL 1870) were to assure blacks' right to register and vote. After passage of the Reconstruction acts (MAR 1867), the US Army took charge of reconstructing TX and often bureau agents identified eligible voters, polling places, and men who could serve as registrars and election judges. A powder-keg situation caused the Brenham Fire Department creation JUN 1867 — ostensibly to protect against fire but really as a military unit to protect against occupying Union soldiers that were prone to mischief, having already burned part of the city.
⁸	Washington-on-the-Brazos.
⁹	John Watson	(ca 1837 - ???). An 1860 Brenham resident whose identification is tentative.
¹⁰	He has not been identified.
¹¹	Jane Ann Pickard	(abt 1807 – between 1870 & 1880) Born in NC, she came to Washington Co, TX, where she wed Oliver Gorman in 1838. In 1858 she wed a 2nd time to John Stamps. The 1870 census of Washington Co, TX, listed Jane with real estate worth $15,000 — placing her among the wealthiest people in the county. She is not on the 1880 census, so apparently she died before it was taken. Her undated tombstone is near that of John Stamps in Brenham's Prairie Lea Cemetery, Range 2, Section 2.
¹²	Paper currency had a poor reputation at this time and was apparently unacceptable to the Stamps.