The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 34, July 1930 - April, 1931 Page: 294
359 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Yet, if Matagorda was the Jamestown of the Episcopal Church
in Texas, there had also been a Roanoke. Early in 1836, the Rev.
Richard Salmon, with fifteen families of his parishioners and their
friends, left Syracuse, New York, "to found a Church colony in
Texas."2 They reached New Orleans in April, and there learned
of the beginning of the Texas Revolution. At first the news from
Texas was so discouraging that they remained in New Orleans;
but in August, 1836, they settled near Brazoria. Unfortunately,
Mr. Salmon and his family suffered from so much sickness that
it was impossible for him to hold regular Church services, al-
though he performed a few marriages and many burials during
the winter of 1836-1837. On November 17, 1836, he and the
Rev. W. W. Hall were invited to officiate alternately as Chaplains
to the Senate of the First Congress of the Republic, which was
then in session at Columbia.' In May, 1838, Mr. Salmon began
to hold regular Sunday services, but after three Sundays he
had to give up on account of illness. In July, 1838, he was
planning to move to a more healthful locality; but in the mate-
rial which I have examined there is no further mention of him
or of his colony, and his single letter to the Board of Missions
left untold many things which we should like to know.4
We must now return to the story of Christ Church, Matagorda.
After Mr. Ives took up his residence in Texas, his duties were
numerous and varied. He and his wife founded Matagorda
Academy, which lasted until they returned North in 1849, and
became known as "one of the best academies in the State."" Dur-
January 10, 1839, in Ibid., March, 1839, pp. 88-89; February 20, 1839,
in Ibid., May, 1839, pp. 147-149. The Spirit of Missions is a monthly
periodical, published by the Board of Missions of the Protestant Episco-
pal Church, New York, N. Y. The first number appeared in January,
1836. Many of the reports of missionaries in the field were published
in its news section; and it is therefore the most valuable source for in-
formation concerning the work of the Church in Texas prior to the or-
ganization of the Diocese of Texas in 1849.
'McConnell, S. D., History of the American Episcopal Church, 10th
edition (Milwaukee, 1916), p. 328.
'Journal of the Senate of the Republio of To ws, First Congress, first
session, p. 56.
4"A Letter from Texas" (author's name not published), dated July 6,
1838, in The Spirit of Missions, October, 1838, p. 330. The letter states
explicitly that the writer had served as Chaplain to the Senate; and the
Journal of the Senate and McConnell's History make it evident that the
Rev. Mr. Salmon was the author of the letter.
'Eby, Frederick, The Development of Education in Texas (New York,
1925), p. 99.294
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 34, July 1930 - April, 1931, periodical, 1931; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101091/m1/316/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.