Texas State Library
AUSTIN
V
1
February 1, 1921.
llr. Harral B. Ayres, Ban Antonio, Texas.
Dear Llr. Ayres:
I am at last returning your blue print of an early Texas map, and regret to say that I have been unable to locate the author or the exact date it was made. It is very difficult to locate it by..the towns, as most of the towns on the map date back very early. As closely as I can approximate it, it must have ueen made between 1831 or 1832 and 1836. I base this on the information given in the enclosed extracts from various uistories. The town of liberty, which appears on your map, was created aoout 1831, and Houston, which does not appear on ^our map,and which came ipto almost immediate importance, was established in 1836. I think that the map, which seams to be unusually accurate for such an early one, would certainly have shown the town of Houston, if it had been made as late, as say, 1837. Of course, this is only a guess, and I realize that just locating the date between 1831 and 1836 is very indefinite, but it is the best I can do at present. I may run across some data later which will establish its date more accurately, and I will keep the matter in mind.
I have compared ,/our print with all,of our old maps and with those in thejuniversity archives, out it does not correspond with any ox them. I have also asked the best history authorities here, namely, Drs. Barker and Hamsdell, about it, but they were unaole to tell me the author-.or the approximate date of it.
I am enclosing a list of maps which show thejbld Ban Antonio road ana the names of the towns through which~Tt'passed.
I received the Old opanish Trail Magazine, read it through and enjoyed it very much, and then placed it on the magazine stand in our Library for the use of tne general public.
Trusting that the above infer nation may be of some use to
^ou, I am
Binceraly yours,