The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 67, July 1963 - April, 1964 Page: 279

areas CollectioH
H. BAILEY CARROLL
D R. P. I. NIXON OF SAN ANTONIO has come across letters deal-
ing with Medical practices in 1847. The originals are in
the San Jacinto Museum of History. In writing of them,
Dr. Nixon says:
Recently there came to the Bexar County Medical Library a letter'
of considerable interest. The letter was written from San Antonio
by Mrs. Lucilla Brown to her nephew, Dr. John Linn Allen who
had just been graduated in medicine by the University of New
York and was looking for a place to practice.
Nothing further can be found about Mrs. Brown. This present
note may suffice to record her name among those of whom it is said:
the cowards never started and the weaklings never arrived. Some
pertinent facts about Doctor Allen, however, have been uncovered.
First of all, as will be seen, he did not come to Texas for a most
unusual reason: just as he was preparing to leave New Jersey he
became engaged to Charlotte Bell. A strange condition was demanded
by her parents and was accepted by Doctor Allen: he agreed not
to take Charlotte out of Sussex County. Here are the facts concerning
this agreement: Branchville
March 23rd, 1850
Dear Sir:
My object in addressing you is to request your sanction to the
attachment existing between your daughter and myself and your
assent to its confirmation by the sacred and indissoluble ties of
marriage. Yours respectfully
J. Linn Allen
John Bell Esq.
Doc. J. Linn Allen
Dear Sir:
Yours of the 23rd Inst. is received requesting of me my daughter
in marriage. Believing you to be a gentleman of honor and that
you will do all in your power to promote her happiness I freely
1This letter has been presented by Dr. Anna S. Allen, a granddaughter of Dr.
and Mrs. John Linn Allen. Until recently she has lived in the ancestral home at
Branchville, New Jersey. Doctor Allen has also furnished the data about the Allen
family. She has retired from medical practice in New York City and is now living
at El Paso.