Rosalie Hart Priour Autobiography "Adventures of a Family of Emigrants" with notes and commentary by historian Frank Wagner (indicated in green).
Chapter 15 (one page missing from original manuscript) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 Father Miguel Muro was officially missioner of Refugio Mission. He was under the Diocese of Linares but was located at La Bahia (then generally called Laberdee, now Goliad) when the McGloin-McMullen colonists arrived in October, 1829. Father Muro made an inventory of the Refugio Mission, witnessed by Jose Miguel Aldrete, alcalde of La Bahia, for purposes of secularization.
Apparently, Father Henry Doyle was an Irish priest who accompanied the McGloin-McMullen colony, from April 21, 1830. Who, then, was the Mexican priest with the two children? No evidence has come to light as to his identity. The Bexar Archives note that the Bishop of Nuevo Leon was sought on criminal charges by the civil authorities, and that he was believed to have fled into Texas, but there is no reason to believe this priest was the Bishop. Installation of a life-size image accompanied by rattling chains and firing guns, suggests re-sanctification celebrations for the Mission. No records are known to clarify the matter.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One Sunday morning, William put some meat on the fire to boil, the children were very hungry and John went to get some meat from the pot. His father still dressed him like a girl, and his dress caught on fire, and he ran into the street. I saw him and gave the alarm, but before anyone could get to him, he was so badly burned that everyone thought he would die. Mother sent for the doctor, and then wet raw cotton with linseed oil, and kept him wrapped in it for several days.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 It is surprising a 15-year old boy would be dressed as a girl. More plausibly, William James wore a kilt.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - By the time his father came back, he was nearly well, but there remained dreadful scars on his neck and arms.
There was a servant girl in the place named Betty Burns. A rich Mexican persuaded her to consent to marry him. They went to Laberdee where there was a Mexican priest, accompanied by some friends of the bride, but the marriage was a failure. She told mother that when he was performing the ceremony, the priest asked her if she wished to marry for a month, or a year, or for life. She told him if that was the way he married people, she did not wish to get married. When we had to run away from the Mexicans and Indians, she went to Mobile with us, and married a carpenter named John Riles.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - As Betty Burns appears to have been an indentured servant, i.e. the Mexican priest may have taken a relaxed view of her marriage.
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Chapter 14 - Chapter 16 (to come)