Papers relating to Texas land claimed by the Ross Company, 1812-1889

Thirty-six manuscript letters and legal documents. Papers concern formation of the Ross Company and travel by Ross to Mexico, 1825-1828; travel by William Arnold to Mexico to confirm Ross's land grant, 1832-1833; and efforts to establish title to land claimed by Arnold's heirs, including his widow, Martha E. Arnold, later Martha E. Rives, and his granddaughter, Annie Elise Harris Tolleson, 1835-1889. Documents concerning Ross include agreements made between him and the Ross Company, 1825 and 1828; and three ALS, written by Ross to his brother Randolph Ross, 1826; by James C. Hays, who went with Ross to Mexico, to an unidentified recipient, [1827?]; and by Randolph Ross to John Shelby, president of the Ross Company, giving news of Reuben's death, 1828

Documents concerning William Arnold include agreements between him and the Ross Company, 1832; documents recording sale of scrip for Arnold by William K. Hill, 1832; an agreement between Arnold and Nancy Ross, 1833; and a document recording purchase of land by Arnold from James Bowie, 1833. Letters and documents concerning Martha E. Arnold Rives include letters written by family members and legal advisors, 1835, 1853-1854, and undated; and an affidavit made by her giving evidence of land ownership, 1878. A letter from Annie Elise Harris Tolleson to her lawyers, 1889, also gives evidence of her ownership of title. Accompanying the documents are photocopies of brief holograph notes on their contents, written by Thomas W. Streeter, a former owner

Other materials, apparently unrelated to the Ross Company, are two documents concerning ownership of land by William Arnold in Kentucky, 1815, and Texas, 1819; and two manuscript deeds for land purchased in Roane County, Tennessee, from Thomas C. Clark by David Blackwell, 1812, and in Madison County, Tennessee, from Ambrose Branham by Elija McMahan, 1823