Texas pioneer, noted for his 1820s diary of early Texas life and for being the first American to have remarked upon Chili or Chili con carne. According to Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach in The Whole Chile Pepper Book (1990), a dish that sounded identical to what came to be called chili was described by J.C. Clopper, who visited San Antonio in 1828, and commented on how poor people would cut the little meat they could afford “into a kind of hash with nearly as many peppers as there are pieces of meat--this is all stewed together.” ALS, two pages both sides, 8 x 9.75, May 28, 1854. Letter to Dr. Kirkpatrick, written from Beechwood, Texas. In part, the letter reads, “the surpassing excellencies of climate & soil & beauties of scenery pertaining to that ‘El Dorado’ of ours - the delicious bacon & greens - the ducks so fat and superabundant, & above all the glorious cat-fish from the ‘dark unfathomed depths’ of the world-renowned ‘Sank-and-Sink’ - the flowers of the prairies so variant in hue and form-the horned frogs and horned cattle, horned goats and horned owls and all that sort o’thing, Alligators, rattlesnakes, ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, & RED BUGS, and other ‘varmints’ too innumerable to mention but all harmless and utterly insignificant, the three last named perhaps expected…every man being a King, his wife a Queen, his son a Prince & daughter a Princess - the Dutch & Irish and other vile Democrats only excepted & who, if something is not done speedily will be the ruin of the Country…its general healthfulness, great diversity of climate & soil, & consequent adaptation to the successful culture of the various staple commodities of the Union seem to me to proclaim its future prosperity equal if not superior to any portion of our Republic…I love the country - the climate suits me at that season [winter] - its recreations as enjoyed by us, are congenial to my tastes…[she] (Clopper’s wife) seems to think that we Texans may perhaps be seated together some day holding forth on the pleasure & joys of a winter in Texas.” In fine condition, with light show-through from text on reverse and some scattered toning to signed page. R&R COA.
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