Henry Matthews (1799-18?) was a Methodist circuit rider, schoolteacher, and practicing physician from Ohio, who made his way from Ohio, through the Illinois Territory, to Texas. Primarily a circuit-riding preacher and schoolteacher in his early days in Ohio, Matthews practiced medicine more formally in the 1830s and 1840s in San Felipe, Texas, where Matthews and his wife Miranda eventually settled. The latter two-thirds are a private diary, but many of the entries are made over printed finance notes, for which the book was originally printed. The initial third have some edits made to the printed sections but do not appear to be used as intended. Entries range from weather reports to crop and garden reports to mentions of Matthews’ medical practice in San Felipe. There are some loose papers in this volume, including one signed, “Miranda Matthews,” regarding a girl named Mary.

Honorable discharge dated 1836 June 15 for Jesse Burditt from Capt. William Kimbro's (Kimbrough) volunteer company

Copy of a letter from Galveston, discussing Thomas Falconer's affairs and reassuring the recipient that Falconer's silence in response to six letters is because he has been captured with the Santa Fe Expedition. It also discusses the terms of a sum of money Falconer drew and a term set by Messrs. Meyer & Co. (written as "& Sons" earlier in document) and gives a brief summary of how he joined the expedition. There are notes on cities and dates on the back page.