Odin, Bishop John Mary, Galveston, Texas, to Archbishop Anthony Blanc, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1856 November 27

Odin has been back in Galveston since of 20th. During the summer he visited a good part of the Rio Grande Valley. However the flood prevented him from going everywhere. The number of Catholics is growing considerably. The Mexican revolutions have forced many families to take refuge in Texas. At Laredo, Odin lost his mule. The only carriage horse he could find was a little mettlesome; he overturned the carriage while crossing a deep brook. Odin came out of it with a black eye. From Brownsville to Powder Horn the roads were so bad he had to change to a saddle horse at Arransas. The Sisters of the Incarnate Word are succeeding very well at Brownsville; they have a flourshing school. the Ursulines at San Antonio are doing much good. They have over 150 students but too few teachers. This is also the case at Galveston. Odin received a letter from Father Joseph Kindekens telling of a plan to establish a seminary at Louvain. Father Ferdinand Zeller should be back from his trip to Europe. Odin would like to recall Father J. Anstaett as he must send the priest who is replacing him to Nacogdoches where Father J. Neras is too isolated. Can Blanc dispense with Anstaett? :: VI-1-k A.L.S. French 3pp. 12mo.