This is a very nice piece of correspondence because it shows the Mexican side of the Rio Grande business network that surrounded Charles Stillman. The letter is short but historically valuable because it reveals everyday financial dealings between merchants and ranchers in the Matamoros region.
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📜 Letter from Felipe Peña
Matamoros, September 4, 1853
Approximate transcription (modernized for readability)
Sr. Don Carlos Stillman
Muy Señor mío:
Le digo a V. que Ignacio se encuentra muy malo, por lo que respecta a la enfermedad, y por no esperar su dinero lo he estado aquí dentro de Matamoros, y ello lo harán a su hermano en todo el tiempo que se pueda disponer.
De aquí puede V. recibir de ella la cantidad de 362 pesos con 44 centavos, y quedo muy agradecido.
Mañana voy para el rancho y hoy mismo le escribiré si puedo mandar.
Su amigo que lo aprecia,
Felipe Peña
Plain English Summary
Felipe Peña writes to Charles Stillman from Matamoros explaining that:
A man named Ignacio is seriously ill.
Because of this illness and delays involving money, Peña has remained in Matamoros.
Stillman can collect 362 pesos and 44 centavos owed to him.
Peña plans to leave for his ranch the following day.
He promises to write again if he can arrange the payment.
Historical Value of This Letter
This little note reveals several useful insights about the 1850s Rio Grande economy.
1️⃣ Cross-border business was constant
Stillman in Brownsville was regularly dealing with people in Matamoros ranching networks.
Money, livestock, and credit moved across the river almost daily.
2️⃣ Ranch owners and merchants depended on each other
Peña mentions going “al rancho” (to the ranch), showing he was likely a stockman or rural landholder connected to the trade network supplying Stillman.
3️⃣ Mexican currency was still the working medium
The amount listed:
362 pesos 44 centavos
Mexican silver currency circulated widely on both sides of the Rio Grande.
4️⃣ Business could be delayed by illness or travel
The note shows how fragile frontier business could be.
If one person fell sick or left for the ranch, payments stalled.
Small Detail I Like
The tone is very polite and warm:
“Su amigo que lo aprecia”
Your friend who appreciates you
This shows Stillman had personal relationships with Mexican merchants and ranchers, not just formal business contacts.
Interesting Context
In 1853, the Rio Grande valley economy depended on:
cattle
hides
mule trade
tobacco shipments
imported manufactured goods
Men like Peña were the local ranching suppliers, while Stillman handled credit, shipping, and export networks.
Cast of Characters
The Stillman Papers (1850–1855)
Merchants, ranchers, lawyers, and frontier associates appearing in the correspondence of Charles Stillman
Charles Stillman
Merchant and founder of Brownsville
A Connecticut-born merchant who established himself on the Rio Grande following the Mexican–American War. Stillman became the central commercial figure of Brownsville, coordinating trade between:
New Orleans
Matamoros
Northern Mexico
Interior Texas
His business included freight forwarding, credit extension, cotton export, livestock transactions, and the import of manufactured goods.
Elizabeth Stillman
Wife of Charles Stillman
Elizabeth accompanied her husband during the early years of settlement on the Rio Grande frontier. Though rarely appearing directly in business letters, her presence is occasionally referenced in correspondence concerning travel, health, and domestic life during the early years of Brownsville.
J. H. Phelps
Merchant correspondent — New Orleans
A commercial associate who wrote several letters to Stillman in 1853 describing:
maritime travel to New Orleans
business conditions in the port
speculation about livestock ventures in Texas
Phelps appears to have been exploring the possibility of entering the Texas cattle or mule trade.
Felipe Peña
Rancher or regional associate — Matamoros area
Peña appears in a brief 1853 letter concerning a payment owed to Stillman. His correspondence suggests he operated from or near a ranch outside Matamoros and participated in the livestock or rural supply economy that supported cross-border commerce.
Ignacio (surname uncertain)
Associate mentioned in Peña correspondence
A man described as seriously ill in Peña’s letter of September 4, 1853. His illness delayed financial arrangements involving a payment owed to Stillman.
José Morell
Business associate
Morell appears in several Stillman letters connected to commercial operations and financial arrangements along the Rio Grande. He likely participated in the merchant network linking Brownsville and Matamoros.
Marks
Merchant associate
Referenced in letters dealing with business transactions and accounts. The surname appears in the network of merchants supplying goods and managing credit across the border region.
Avalos
Regional contact or supplier
Appears in correspondence connected with financial accounts and commercial matters in the Matamoros–Brownsville trade network.
Reynolds
Commercial associate
Mentioned in letters discussing trade activity and possibly freight or supply arrangements tied to Rio Grande commerce.
Basse & Hord
Legal or commercial firm
The firm appears in documents connected with litigation related to land claims in the Brownsville area, particularly matters involving the Cavazos family grant.
María Josefa Cavazos
Heir of Spanish land grant claims
A central figure in the complex land disputes surrounding the Cavazos grant, portions of which later overlapped with land occupied by Fort Brown and the emerging town of Brownsville.
Judge John Watrous
United States Federal Judge
Watrous presided over several important land claim cases in Texas during the mid-19th century. His rulings played a role in disputes involving the Cavazos family and other Spanish land grant claims.
The Frontier Network
Together these individuals represent the interlocking systems that created Brownsville’s early economy:
American merchants
Mexican ranchers
Gulf Coast shipping agents
Lawyers handling land claims
Investors speculating in livestock and trade
Through their letters we see a frontier town slowly transforming into a commercial gateway between the United States and Mexico.
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