Henri Castro Papers: Finding Aid mssCastro

Gayle Richardson

The Huntington Library

November 2020

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Business Number: (626) 405-2191

reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Note

Find aid last updated on April 28, 2023 by Mari Khasmanyan.

Contributing Institution: The Huntington Library

Title: Henri Castro papers

Creator: Castro, Henri, 1786-1865

Identifier/Call Number: mssCastro

Physical Description: 1.25 Linear Feet (1 box)

Date (inclusive): 1825-1934

Date (bulk): 1845-1847

Abstract: A collection, mainly in French, of correspondence related to the work of Henri Castro to establish French colonies in Texas in the 19th century.

Language of Material: Materials are in French, Spanish, and English.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item]. Henri Castro papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Emily W. Donnell, July 1978.

Biographical / Historical

Henri Castro (1786-1865) was born in France of Jewish Portuguese ancestry; in 1813, he married Amelia Mathias and in 1827 they immigrated to the United States. He became an American citizen and a partner in Lafitte and Company. In 1842 he made a contract with the government in Texas to settle a colony in land on the frontier west of San Antonio. Between 1843 and 1847, Castro arranged for 27 ships and brought 485 families and 457 single men to Texas, mainly from the Alsace region in France and Germany. These immigrants helped to establish the earliest permanent European settlements between San Antonio and the Rio Grande. He stayed in Castroville, Texas, until the time of the American Civil War, then died in Monterrey, Mexico, as he was returning to France.

Scope and Contents

A collection of 46 items from 1825 to 1866, which chiefly contains letters from Henri Castro to his directors in Texas, Dr. George Cupples and Louis Huth, concerning the problems and needs of the colony. Because of the questionable mail service of the time, duplicate copies of letters were often sent. These and the many English translations (which were made at a later time) are placed with the original letters but are not counted as separate items. The letters in this collection are primarily in French and Spanish.

Processing Information

Processed by Huntington Library Staff, in April 1983. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.

Existence and Location of Copies

This collection has been digitized in its entirety and the digital reproductions are available in the Huntington Digital Library.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.

General

Individual call numbers included in the collection: mssHM 48816-48858.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

France -- Foreign relations -- Texas

Texas -- Colonization

Texas -- Emigration and immigration

Texas -- History -- 19th century

Texas -- History -- Republic, 1836-1846

Texas -- Foreign relations -- France

Letters (correspondence) -- Texas -- 19th century

Cupples, George, 1815-1895

Huth, Louis

Box 1, Folder 1

H. O. S. Addicks to Henri Castro: receipt for copies of deeds HM 48816 1845 October 3

Scope and Contents

With typewritten copy.

Box 1, Folder 2

T. H. Brown? to George Cupples: receipt HM 48817 1845 February 8

Scope and Contents

Port Lavaca, Texas.

Box 1, Folder 3

Henri Castro to J. Simon Bourgeois HM 48818 1860 June 6

Scope and Contents

With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 4

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48819 1845 February 5

Scope and Contents

Galveston, Texas.

Box 1, Folder 5

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48820 1845 February 9

Scope and Contents

Galveston, Texas.

Box 1, Folder 6

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48821 1845 February 18

Scope and Contents

New Orleans, Louisiana. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 7

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48822 1845 March 2

Scope and Contents

Washington, DC. With press copy and English translation.

Box 1, Folder 8

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48823 1845 April 1

Scope and Contents

Boston, Massachusetts. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 9

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48824 1845 April 15

Scope and Contents

London, England. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 10

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48825 1845 April 25

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 11

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48826 1845 June 15

Scope and Contents

Paris, France. With English translation and copy of letter.

Box 1, Folder 12

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48827 1845 July 1

Scope and Contents

Paris, France. With copy of letter.

Box 1, Folder 13

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48828 1845 July 1

Scope and Contents

Paris, France. With English translation adn copy of letter.

Box 1, Folder 14

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48829 1845 August 15

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium.

Box 1, Folder 15

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48830 1845 September 15

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 16

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48831 1845 September 17

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation and typewritten copy.

Box 1, Folder 17

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48832 1846 March 15

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 18

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48833 1846 November 8

Box 1, Folder 19

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48834 1847 January 31

Scope and Contents

Castroville, Texas. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 20

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48835 1847 April 30

Scope and Contents

With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 21

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48836 1849? June 19

Box 1, Folder 22

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48837 1849? July 20

Box 1, Folder 23

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48838 1849? November 27

Scope and Contents

With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 24

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48839 1850 May 16

Scope and Contents

Castroville, Texas. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 25

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48840 1858 December 31

Scope and Contents

Castroville, Texas. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 26

Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48841 1860? July 8

Scope and Contents

With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 27

Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48842 1845 August 15

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation and copy of letter.

Box 1, Folder 28

Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48843 1845 October 15

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 29

Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48844 1845 November 16

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 30

Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48845 1845 December 1

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. Following the above: note from Henri Castro to George Cupples. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 31

Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48846 1846 January 31

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. with English translation and typewritten copy of translation.

Box 1, Folder 32

Henri Castro to H. Kenny HM 48847 1845 July 1

Scope and Contents

Paris, France. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 33

Henri Castro to unidentified addressee HM 48848 1860 July

Scope and Contents

With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 34

George Cupples to Henri Castro HM 48849 1846 March

Scope and Contents

Castroville, Texas. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 35

George Cupples to Henri Castro HM 48850 1847 January 31

Scope and Contents

Castroville, Texas.

Box 1, Folder 36

George Cupples to Guillaume D'Hanis HM 48851 1846 March 6

Scope and Contents

Castroville, Texas. With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 37

George Cupples: will HM 48852 1866 September 23

Scope and Contents

With English translation and typewritten copy of translation.

Box 1, Folder 38

Guillaume D'Hanis to George Cupples HM 48853 1845 December 1

Scope and Contents

Antwerp, Belgium. Following the above: copy of letter from Guillaume D'Hanis to Louis Huth, 1845 December 1. With English translations.

Box 1, Folder 39

Louis Huth et al: account form for settlement of Castroville, Texas HM 48854 1846?

Scope and Contents

With English translation.

Box 1, Folder 40

A. Maquinay to G. W. Ewing HM 48855 1845 December 17

Scope and Contents

Galveston, Texas. Following the above: letter to G. W. Ewing from E. Martin and C. A. Cobb.

Box 1, Folder 41

Account for Henri Castro HM 48856 1845 January-February

Scope and Contents

With incomplete variant copy and English translation and typewritten copy of translation.

Box 1, Folder 42

Account of expenses for emigrants to Castroville, Texas HM 48857 1846 January

Box 1, Folder 43

Copia de las Cordilleras y de Los Superiores ordines Para la Compania Presidial de Bexar y del Alamo…inventario de los libros y papeles…y Tambien el inventario de la capilla San Antonio Bolero del Alamo HM 48858 1825

Scope and Contents

Also contains records of baptisms, marriages, and burials, 1785 to 1825. Incomplete copy. With partial English translation probably made about 1850. Water damaged.

Box 1, Folder 44

Ephemera 1917-1934

Scope and Contents

Three items.