In 1837, the Allen brothers convinced the prominent Connecticut scientist Elijah Burritt to come to Houston with a contingent of craftsmen and associates in order to establish the Texas Steam Mill Company. Burritt and his companions arrived in Galveston September 29, 1837 and were caught up in the Racer's Storm, a category four (or possibly five) hurricane that struck Galveston on October 5, 1837.

In three letters written to his wife Ann in New Britain, Connecticut, Burritt describes his journey to Texas, the devastation of the storm and his first visit to Houston to inspect the site he had been allotted for the new company.

Burritt's letters of October 8, 1837 and October 12, 1837 (and a portion of the letter of August 30, 1837) have been transcribed from copies of the original letters. The originals are in very poor condition and parts of the letters are missing dues to voids caused by folds, holes and tears. However, the letters provide a vivid account of the fledgling Town of Houston and the destruction in Galveston caused by the storm. The letters have been transcribed by Linda Gorski and Louis F. Aulbach. Any errors and omissions are solely our own.

Copies of the original letters have been generously provided by the Burritt Collection at the Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, Connecticut.


August 30th 1837
New Haven Boat, Wednesday morning, 3 A. M.

My dear Wife,
The commencement of this Texas Expedition has been full of toil and sacrifice. It has pressed upon my spirits, not to say upon my frame, with the weight of many mountains. My energies, mental and feeling sound, have grappled with the great duties and consignments involved in it, for the last month or two, with so ever present consequences that I am dealing with the elements of my own destiny and those of my family. There is nothing of sport or of pastime in it, to me. ...


Houston, October 8th, 1837

My time, since I arrived in this country, has been so occupied, and so much confused with care and curiosity and hardships that I have not before had a leisure moment to write you, since I left New Orleans. We did not sail from New Orleans until Saturday night 23rd September. This Tuesday morning following, we were in sight of Velasco, and bore into that port, through mistake, believing it to be Galveston. We there had to beat our way back to Galveston against a strong current and a headwind. This took us until Friday afternoon, being the 29th of September, and just one month from the day I left home. Not venturing to sail into the unknown harbour amidst shoals and breakers without a pilot, we waited. Sometime, when who should come onboard of us but Mr. Hitchcock of Southington! The first salutation he offered up, that “there were a heap of folks at Galveston who would be mighty glad to see us.”
For the truth was, our people had only arrived the day before. They were all well, and had had one of the most pleasant voyages. [Sentence on crease ___________ ]  experienced, for so long or finished together before making the harbour, however, and getting into port, they experienced some nervousness and dangers. They struck on a shoal and lay at the mercy of the waves for a about an hour and a half. But He, at whose bidding even the winds, water and waves are still, released them from their perilous situation and the vessel again floated safely upon the water. From that time on they stood and it ceased being encountered by contrary winds and currents. Since twelve days before, they found themselves safely moored in the forever __________ vessel (in which Ezekial and myself sailed from New Orleans), nearer the harbor, I could hardly distinguish the Brig Elbe and the persons upon deck.  Apparently, however I was gazing at Sister Emily and Isabel Parker gazing intently at us. At about the same time, I saw that Edwin Belden (??) had ____________ us through a spyglass and at that next instant handkerchiefs and hats were seen waving on board which were immediately returned by us in a similar manner, then making a general shout that could have been heard for miles, ____ the air, and was returned and prolonged by both parties alternately, until we anchored alongside and mingled our embraces onboard the Elbe! The meeting cannot easily be described nor is it necessary. Suffice to say, we met each other in good health – with devout thanksgiving to that good Providence which first ______ us. The only ingredient of sorrow in our cup was the melancholy intelligence of the death of Nathan H. Andrews which took place about two weeks previous to our arrival, the particulars of which you will have received in this from Mr. Pease of this place, son of J. Pease of Hartford who informs that he wrote me a letter communication all the circumstances of his death and directing the same to Nathan. It has been very sickly. Since during the past summer, owing in part I should think, to the exposed and unprotected manner of living in Houston, which to us at the north, would seem intolerable. There are several thousand persons hanging about the place, said accommodations only for about 500. The daily arrival of Emigrants from the States averages from 50 to 100 – all hungry – all worn out with the fatigues of their journey. There is nothing to be had here to eat, except fresh meat and bread.  One of our fellow passengers had about a ½ a bushel of potatoes left from his stores, which he sold for $3. — and another gentleman has just informed me that he paid $10 a bushel yesterday! Sweet potatoes bring $3 and $4 a bushel. Common bar soap is $1.00 per pound, milk $1.00 a gallon, eggs $1.00 - $1.50 a dozen. Flour was 30 cents a barrel the day before our arrival, but so much was brought in by our vessel that the price fell to 15 cents. I bought a barrel of sugar yesterday at 15 cents and a barrel of pork for $28. Rice is 12 ½ cents. Molasses $1.12 cents a gallon.  Lamp oil is $2.50. Spinner Candles $1.00 a pound. Thick Cowhide boots $10.00. Shoes (men’s) and clothing in proportion. If Mr. Ward could come over here immediately with the articles I have named, say even but $1000 worth, he could not fail to realize $3,000 clear profits.  The best single article which could be brought is Irish potatoes. They are just as certain to fetch $2 a bushel here as they are 20 cents there! There is no mistake in this. There is no danger of their freezing here in the winter. Good cider will wholesale for $10, and retail for $50 per barrel. Or $1 the bottle. Tell John Mills of this. Tell everybody who has had a thought of coming to this country not to bring any spare money in their pockets, but to lay it all out in potatoes or some of the other things I have mentioned. If I could leave here, I would start tomorrow for Connecticut and freight a vessel with them.
But to return to our ______ and family here – We arrived at Galveston as I have already stated on the 29th September. It was agreed that I should take the first boat to Houston, and review the promised land. This I have accomplished, and since now (October 9th) on my return down to Galveston again for at Boat which is the reason that my writing is so bad. If we get into deeper water, I must desist altogether by manner of the agitation of the waves.  Galveston Bay is a much larger expanse of water than is represented on the map. Were it not for certain islands scattered thinly here and there they eye could not _____ the land from the center in any direction. The story that one of these islands (called Pelican Island) is literally covered with the eggs of sea fowl, seems to be pretty well founded. Those, who have thought the story to be much like that of “Sinbad” to be credited, have actually gone and bought many several boatloads of eggs and it has been found, on cleaning off ½ acre or so, that it would again be covered in a few days, and that in this way they are certain of getting fresh eggs. The distance from Galveston to Houston, by water, is not less than 80 miles. The shores of the Bay. farther in port, are low. Col. Morgan’s place at New Washington is on an elevated bluff and is certainly a handsome location. H. [Harrisburg] stands nearly at the head of the bay, and the prospect of land formation is beautiful. Between this and Houston, there are dwellings, homes and houses, all along the shores of the bays and streams. Harrisburg is such a place as Cobham and ________ [Tuckburgh?]  is, still less. Houston is 15 miles above Harrisburg and is just this distance too far up the bay for the seat of Government, so far as navigation is concerned, the head of which is properly at Harrisburg.  Steam Boats ascend beyond that with difficulty. The grounds  at Houston are  however, decidedly, preferable. They rise about 40 feet above the water and they maintain an unbroken level for many miles. I think the ground opposite Houston is handsomer than Houston itself, and would have been chosen for the site of the city had it been prairie instead of a dense forest. The other instrumentality of that interested Nathan A. The owners of the city lots in Houston and vicinity have donated all the timber upon a 1,000 acres immediately opposite the city (as here represented) with a fee simple of 2 acres for our buildings and garden together with the privilege of cultivating as much other ground in the neighbourhood as we please.  Brother William Cornwall Smith (our engineer) and two _______ men went with me to ____ out the country.  We staid [sic] in Houston 2 days. Selected a location for our buildings, and the 2nd night slept under a rude shelter constructed with our own hands in the wild Forests of Texas, and there ate our first meal by the light of the fire which cooked it. An Indian brought along a fine deer for the hind quarter of which I paid him 50 cents. Besides this, I left a barrel of pork and a barrel of sugar and 5 barrels of wheat flour in their tent and started on my return to Galveston for our folks yesterday noon. Before I get down and back again to Houston, Cornwall will have a frame ready which will be put up and covered within two days after we get there. During all this time our people have lived (if they have found anything to eat) on board the Brig, the captain of which (Taylor) went to Houston with us to find markets for his cargo. I think the Brig will remain at Galveston for several weeks to come. A part of my business to H. was to petition the Government to remit the duties upon the Machinery, which amounted to nearly $2000. I succeeded in obtaining an order to that effect. The troubled labor and expense of getting our Machinery and effects from G. to H. will be very great. I dread the undertaking more then anything that I have yet encountered. I presume our folks will have a tale of suffering to relate when I see them for want of wherewith to eat. Not withstanding they must have fared better than I have, who for one day and night, lived upon an ear of corn and a wine glass of rain water. The day before I left them, Alfred Stanley and two or three of our party took the long boat –wagons, some 3 or 4 horses and brought in 3  __ sacks of corn ______
Set down to the ____ and discussed them ___________________ hours longer! Natural consequences____________
… then were sick “as get out” when I left. They said_______
in for four hours without stopping to speak! _____________
eaten; if well cooked and ___ temperately, will suffice ___________
They also shot at some deer about Thursday -- but ______________
Frighten them so but that they will come back ____
Trust they wont starve ___  But the motion of the Boat _________ my writing more at present.


Galveston, October 12th, 1837

My dear,
Six hours after the above was written the captain and myself arrived again at Galveston and found our people and affects all safe, but of better changes! In one instance the island experienced one of the most awful desolating and destructive tornadoes or hurricanes which swept the earth and sea with its beam[??] of destruction. Out of 13 vessels in the harbour only one was left.  The rest were either lost or destroyed!  Some were driven by the fury of the tempest four to six miles over the island! Some bottoms upended -- some on their beams and others a perfect wreck! The Elbe will be a total loss! She was driven high and dry for yards upon land and can never be got off. The captain will convert her into boarding house. But the ____ terror of that awful night which drove her ships all that they contain cannot be intimated by any power of words in sober truth, this there are no words, for _______ of the ______ made thing[?] to portray the scene, but one house upon the Island stood the tempest. On board the Brig Elbe, the Captain’s Mate had left and about ½ of the crew. Our people were therefore left alone to buffet the elements as they might. The strongest sailor was too impotent to stand out upon the deck during the tornado; he could only creep amidst the crumbling wreck while one mast and spar fell after another. Our ladies in the meantime were cool and collected and nothing moved – no loud noises – no vain exclamations. Several lives were lost upon the island and a vast deal of property, but our people and affects with all our property escaped unimpaired!  We leave for Houston this eve and this letter for N.O. [New Orleans] tomorrow. In my next, I will write you fortnightly. All are well. Give my remembrances to all. In great haste, and affections, yours ever
E. H. Burritt


Mrs. A. W. Burritt