Copy of a land Grant file for land issued to the Houston & Texas Central Railway Company in the Bexar Land District. Includes a folder jacket with table of contents and notes about the land grant (filed July 12, 1928); field notes by M.J. Doyle, Deputy Surveyor, Bexar Land District for Section 21 Block 20 (January 13, 1873); the affidavit of ownership of S.N. Allen (July 12, 1928); and a note by Land Commissioner J.H. Walker indicating that the file has no relation to the O. Henry story of the same name (December 4, 1933). O. Henry’s story tells the tale of a Railroad baron taking a poor homesteader’s land by stealing this file. Walker notes that although the file was missing for a period, due to office procedures the land fraud could not have occurred.

Pine drafting table. It has a slant top with hinges and no drawers. This drafting table was used at the Texas General Land Office around 1890, when O. Henry worked in the department.

Pine drafting table. It has a slant top, straight legs and three drawers. This drafting table was used at the Texas General Land Office around 1890, when O. Henry worked in the department.

Pine drafting table. It has a slant top with two drawers and wood pulls. This drafting table was used at the Texas General Land Office around 1890, when O. Henry worked in the department.

Ledger contains lists of General Land Office employees, their job titles, and monthly earnings. Excerpted here are 98 pages covering January 1887-January 1891, which are the dates O. Henry was employed at the land office. W.S. Porter, later known as the writer O. Henry, is listed as draftsman, compiling draftsman and assistant draftsman, earning $100 per month. Porter's name appears on roughly half of the pages.

Autograph album belonging to Effie Roach Hofer. It includes page a 10-line verse poem entitled "Poetry," with drawing of fiddle and pointing finger and hand, signed "W.S. Porter/Secretary Jolly Brothers."

Autograph album belonging to Athol Estes, includes 10-line two stanza poem. First letters of first five lines acrostically spell Athol (first letters of lines) and Estes (last letters of lines). Signed "W.S.P."

Cancelled checks written by Maddox Bros. & Anderson all made out to W. S. Porter. Some are endorsed on the back by Porter.

Letter detailing programme for a musical event to be held on October 1, 1886, in which Belle Palm is on the program and O. Henry is the Musical Director.

These two pages are exerpts from a 141-page Receivers Memorandum dated 1887-1888. Pages appear to show payroll advances to O. Henry, here identified by his given name William S. Porter or W.S. Porter, for the months of June 1887 through December 1887. These pages are written in O. Henry's hand, and show his signature several times.

Cadastral map of Webb County, Texas in the South Texas Plains region. Some features are marked in color and some sketched illustrations around the title. Scale ca. 1:133,334 (4000 varas per inch). Authorship is attributed to W.S. Porter, later known as the short story writer O. Henry.

Cadastral map of Kent County, Texas in the Panhandle Plains region. Scale ca. 1:133,334 (4000 varas per inch). Shows boundaries and ownership of land, including that of several railroad companies. Compiled and drawn by William S. Porter, later known as the short story writer O. Henry. Map is notable for its landscape drawings near the top.

Photograph of the lobby of First National Bank, including the bank teller window behind a grill. William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) is the teller. Another man stands behind the front counter, one is seated in back, and a customer is at the teller window. The man behind the open counter is listed as Brackenridge.

Oak flat files stacked vertically. There are eight drawers with metal pulls. These files were used to store documents and maps at the Texas General Land Office around 1900.

Oak flat files in two sections, stacked vertically. There are 10 drawers with metal pulls. These files were used to store documents and maps at the Texas General Land Office around 1900.

Oak flat files in three sections, stacked vertically. There are 15 drawers with metal pulls. These files were used to store documents maps at the Texas General Land Office around 1900.

Oak flat files in four sections, stacked vertically. The base has four legs and there are 12 drawers with metal pulls. These files were used to store maps at the General Land Office around 1900.

A short story set in Texas.

Short story set in New Orleans.

Article excerpted from a literature magazine providing a description of the places in New York that O. Henry used as settings for many of his short stories. The article is illustrated with photographs.

Drafting table with a single metal pedestal. This drafting table was used at the Texas General Land Office around 1915.

Drafting table with a single metal pedestal. This drafting table was used at the Texas General Land Office around 1915.

Oak flat files in four sections, stacked vertically. The base has four legs and there is a box top as well as 14 drawers with metal pulls. These files were used to store documents and maps at the Texas General Land Office around 1915.

Oak flat files in two sections, stacked vertically. There are paneled sides with 10 drawers and brass nameplates. These files were used to store documents and at the Texas General Land Office around 1915.