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Lot 406
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Very Rare Stephen F. Austin Signed Texian Loan
Very Rare Stephen F. Austin Signed Texian Loan
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Description:

Stephen F. Austin
New Orleans, LA, January 1, 1836
Very Rare Stephen F. Austin Signed Texian Loan
PPDS

A very rare 1p partly printed and partly manuscript document signed by Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836), then in his role as Texas/U.S. loan commissioner, as "S.F. Austin" at lower right. January 11, 1836. New Orleans, Louisiana. Also co-signed by fellow commissioners Branch T. Archer (ca. 1787-1856) as "B.T. Archer"; and by William H. Wharton (1802-1839) as "Wm. H. Wharton." Printed by Benjamin Levy of New Orleans on onion-skin paper with decorative four-sided borders. Texian Loan Certificate No. 235 acknowledged receipt of $32 from Robert Triplett as the first installment of a $320 loan granted to the Government of Texas in exchange for 8% interest for five years, with an option for 640 acres of land. With an X-shaped clerical cancellation mark at center. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, some with minor splits. Minor isolated edge darkening and haloing, with a tiny area of ink erosion affecting the "F" of Stephen F. Austin's signature. Else near fine. 8.625" x 10.325." Provenance: Ex-James Smalldon, 1973.

In our April 23, 2025 auction, an identical Stephen F. Austin signed Texian Loan sold for $6,250 including the buyer's premium.

The provisional government of the Texas Republic appointed Stephen T. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton as commissioners to the United States in December 1835 to secure aid for the Texians in the ongoing Texas Revolution. The commissioners operated primarily in New Orleans, and beginning in January 1836, they issued Texian Loan certificates that were land purchase contracts redeemable at 50 cents per acre. The Texian loans raised more than $250,000 to fund the revolution. The commissioners then traveled up the Mississippi River, generating a great deal of sympathy for the Texas cause and encouraging American immigration to Texas.

This Texian Loan certificate is dated January 11, 1836, just six weeks before the Siege of the Alamo began, and seven weeks before Texas declared its independence on March 2, 1836. Robert Triplett was a prominent Texian landowner and land speculator. We found at least four other examples of Texian Loan certificates issued to Robert Triplett, but these are mostly in institutions. A colorful if probably apocryphal story is that Triplett agreed to prop up the Texian Loan endeavor with ready cash in exchange for land on Galveston Island, and that this contract was signed on a riverboat fleeing before Santa Anna's approaching army!

"TEXIAN LOAN.
THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY DOLLARS.
CERTIFICATE No. 235

Received, of Robert Triplett Thirty-two Dollars, the First Instalment on a Loan of Three Hundred and Twenty Dollars, made by him this day to the government of Texas for five years, bearing Interest at the rate of eight per centum per annum, payable annually. Public Notice to be given, according to contract, when the other Instalments will be required, at which time they may be paid or not, at the option of the said Robert Triplett or his Assignee

For the amount paid, Land in Texas may be taken at fifty cents per Acre, with the guaran[tees and con]ditions of the contract aforesaid.

In Testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands, and affixed our seals, in the City of New-Orleans, this Eleventh day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.

[signed] S. F. Austin {L.S.}
[signed] B. T. Archer {L.S.}
[signed] Wm H. Wharton {L.S.}."

Stephen F. Austin was granted an empresario grant from the newly independent Mexico, and by 1825, he had brought the first 300 Anglo-American families into the territory and introduced slavery into Texas. Believing that Austin was advocating Texas independence, the Mexican government arrested and imprisoned him from January to December 1834 in Mexico City. He was released on bond but had to remain in Mexico City until July 1835, when he was freed. He returned to Texas in August 1835 via New Orleans. As opposition to Mexico increased among the settlers of Texas over slavery, tariffs, and other issues, Austin led Texian forces in the Texas Revolution (1835-1836), most notably in the Siege of Béxar (San Antonio) from October to November 1835. He was appointed one of three commissioners from the new Republic of Texas to the United States. He was a candidate in the September 1836 Texas presidential election but lost when Sam Houston entered the race two weeks before the election. After winning more than 76 percent of the vote, Houston appointed Austin as Secretary of State for the new republic, a position Austin held for only two months before his death in December 1836.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.625" x 10.325"
  • Medium: PPDS

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October 8, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000