Matagorda County Slave Database

Slave Database
Matagorda County, Texas

PART 1

In memory of those who were forcibly taken from their homelands, enslaved, primarily known only by a single name, buried in unmarked graves and forgotten.

Matagorda County was a land of plantations prior to the War Between the States. In the 1850 Federal Census, 1157 Matagorda County residents were enumerated by name as well as 916 slaves. By 1860 there were 2144 residents plus 1348 slaves. Few records exist from that era, but some probate records included names of slaves. The slave names in the probate records were listed by first name only.

Due to the length of the list, you will need to search four pages. The first includes records from plantations, probates, brands, cemeteries and baptisms from Christ Church in Matagorda. The second page contains names from the Matagorda County 1867 Voters' Registration in which only men were able to register to vote. The third page contains the names of black and mulatto residents of Matagorda County enumerated on the 1870 Federal Census--the first census in which they were listed by name.

There was only one freedman in Matagorda County until the end of the war. Persons with birth dates previous to the end of the war were included in the index with the assumption that all were slaves until freed.

If you have additions or corrections, please email.

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4

Matagorda County Slaves Known to Have Been Born in Africa
Amaree	Gabos	Omo Ambree	Ishtaka Duncan	Flora Harrison	Otto Sheppard, Sr.	Joseph Warren
Bato	Henry	Malaka Ambree	Jna Duncan	Jackaway Jackson	Hannah Starks	Gilley Wilkerson
Byoman	Jaqua	Barney Duncan	Joseph Duncan	Segubee Jackson	Mahaly Stewart	Mary Williams
Bion	Joe	Batta Duncan	Kiffee Duncan	John Kaloda	Joseph Surrell	Squire Williams
Bob	John	Byaa Duncan	Malaka Duncan	Saba Kaloda	Fanny Taylor	Robert Wocho
Bodo	Lacallee	Cladda Duncan	Mayfaa Duncan	Dalfhine Law	Margaret Taylor
Caley	Lemon	Coley Duncan	Oliver Duncan	Effer Law	John Tone
Caley	Mogode	Dada Duncan	Parto Duncan	Coley Lewis	Fadooma Vann
Darda	Shade [Duncan]	Frimaka/Fymaka Duncan	Rose Duncan	Amalia Pee	Udoo Vann
Fadra	Walowa	Henry Duncan	Surry Duncan	Annie Pee	Milley Warren

References

The number at the end of each indexed name is the reference from which the name was obtained. A link associated with the reference indicates there is more information in that database elsewhere on the Matagorda County site.

001 - Slaves willed to Alexander Irvin Rugeley by his father John Rugeley, *p 32
002 - Matagorda County Brand Book Volume 1
003 - Probate inventory (24 Feb 1837) of Bailey Hardeman (died 24 Sep 1836), Matagorda County Clerk's office, *p 33
004 - Will of John Henry Jones, Jr., May 5, 1862 (probated March 18, 1864), Matagorda County Clerk's office, *p 29
005 - December 10, 1846 shipping manifest for the ship St. Paul from New Orleans to Matagorda County, James W. Stewart-Shipper, Owner, Agency; *pp 42 - 46
006 - Will of Mary Ann Pledger, November 10, 1856 (rendered December 16 1856), Matagorda County Clerk's office, Book C, page 335, *pp 26-27
007 - James William Stewart's will (1850), Matagorda County Clerk's office, probate records, Inventory and Appraisements, Book B, pp 172-177, *pp 43-46
008 - Will of Captain Richard Stewart (02 Apr 1837), Greensville County wills, Volume 5, p. 167, *p 46
009 - James William Stewart final inventory (31 Jan 1853) Matagorda County Clerk's office - four infants born on the plantation after will was written, *p 47
010 - Inventoried in the estate of Lewis Thorp in charge of John L. Thorp, *p 49
011 - Slaves of William Gray Warren from records of Dr. James R. Thompson of Matagorda who served Mr. Warren's plantation, *pp 52-53
012 - Inventory of Elbert A. Thompson (died 1852). Filed 17 Sep 1852 and recorded in the Matagorda County Clerk's office, Book B, pp 216-221. His wife, Ann Taliferro Thompson married Dr. R. H. Chinn in 1856 and the plantation became known as Chinn-Thompson Plantation., *pp 54-55
013 - Inventory and Appraisement of the estate of George John Bowie filed in the Matagorda County Clerk's office, 16 October 1861, Inventory Book C, pp 91-93. Willed to his wife Frances S. Bowie., *p 60
014 - Will of Henry Gibson 18 Aug 1860 and estate inventory 15 Aug 1862., *p 65
015 - John D. Hawkins, Jr. and James B. Hawkins owned a plantation together and the lists are dated 1852. The slaves of John D. Hawkins, Jr. were moved from Swan Lake Plantation in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. Some of the slave originally came from the John D. Hawkins, Sr. Spring Grove Estate in Franklin County, North Carolina., *pp 68-70
016 - Slaves of Mrs. S. M. Alston in possession of James D. Hawkins in 1852., *p 70
017 - Records of John S. Sanborn. Daily Record of Passing Events June 23-29, 1861 and Daily Record of Cotton Picked October 4-9, 1858, *pp 71-72
018 - Peter Walter Herbert probate records filed Matagorda County Clerk's office passed in Matagorda Commissioners' Court 3 August 1849, *p 73
019 - Inventory and Appraisement of Roberta A. Ewing's Estate, filed in the Matagorda County Clerk's office on 23 August 1862, *pp 74-75
020 - Baptism Records of Christ Episcopal Church, Matagorda, Texas
021 - 1867 Voters' Registration
022 - Bethlehem Christian Church Cemetery
023 - Deadrick Cemetery
024 - Gatson Cemetery
025 - Grove Hill Cemetery
026 - Hudgins Cemetery
027 - East View Cemetery
028 - Jones-Jackson Cemetery
029 - Live Oak Cemetery
030 - Norman Family Cemetery
031 - Union Baptist Church Cemetery - Ashwood
032 - Union Baptist Church Cemetery - Pledger
033 - Wilson Creek Cemetery
034 - Matagorda Cemetery
035 - Matagorda County Tribune, October 29, 1915
036 - Matagorda County death certificate #1930-29681
037 - 1870 Federal Census
038 - Slaves of John Duncan, *p 31
039 - Eastview Cemetery
040 - Matagorda Cemetery
041 - Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery
042 - Thelma Brown Smith Biography
043 - Hilda Bouldin Francis Biography
044 - Christ Church Marriages 1840
045 - Mystic Sails and Texas Trails by Robert Davant
046 - September 11, 1843 - Bill of sale that records the sale of 31 named enslaved individuals for $13,920 from Henry Gibson to Reading S. Blount - Courtesy of Danielle Linn

*Canebrake Settlements 1822 - 1870: Colonists, Plantations, Churches by Mary McAllister Ingram, c 2006, printed by Lyle Printing.

Copyright 2012 - Present by Carol Sue Gibbs All rights reserved
Created Oct. 21, 2012	Updated Oct. 21, 2012

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LAST NAME	FIRST NAME	BIRTH	DEATH	PLANTATION/OWNER	INFORMATION	DATE OF INFO	REF
	[illegible] [female]	age 55		James William Stewart	5' 10", dark	10 Dec 1846	005
	Aaron	age 30		James B. Hawkins	exchange with J. D. Hawkins, Jr. for Horace	1852	015
	Abrams	age c 20		Henry Gibson	Black Man	11 Sep 1843	046
	Adam	age 4		Mrs. M.? Thompson		02 Mar 1852	020
	Adam	child		Mills & Warren		08 Dec 1861	020
	Adeline	small girl		Bailey Hardeman		28 Feb 1837	003
	Adeline			John S. Sanborn		1847	017
	Adolphus	child		Mills & Warren		08 Dec 1861	020
	Afaziah			John S. Sanborn		1847	017
	Aggy	infant		James William Stewart		31 Jan 1853	009
	Alabama	1845		Nancy, Darwin & Elbert Thompson		04 Jan 1846	020
	Alay			John S. Sanborn		1847	017
	Albert	age 12		James William Stewart	5', light	10 Dec 1846	005
	Albert	age 3		James William Stewart		1850	007
	Albert	age 38		James B. Hawkins		1852	015
	Albert	age 30		Roberta A. Ewing		23 Aug 1862	019
	Alcy	infant		Bailey Hardeman		28 Feb 1837	003
	Aleck	age 3		James William Stewart		1850	007
	Aleck	age c 15		Elbert E. & Ann Thompson		06 Apr 1850	020
	Alex	age 24		Roberta A. Ewing		23 Aug 1862	019
	Alexander			Alexander Irvin Rugeley			001
	Alexander	age 27		George John Bowie		16 Oct 1861	013
	Alexander			Peter Walter Herbert	son of Iris	03 Aug 1849	018
	Alford			John S. Sanborn		Oct 1858	017
	Alford	age 3		Peter Walter Herbert	son of Caroliine	03 Aug 1849	018
	Alfred	age c 20		Henry Gibson		15 Aug 1862	014
	Alfred	child		Mills & Warren		08 Dec 1861	020
	Alice			William Gray Warren		09 May 1864	011
	Alice	child		Mills & Warren		08 Dec 1861	020
	Alice Lee	age 5		Mrs. M.? Thompson		02 Mar 1852	020
	Alick			Chinn-Thompson		17 Sep 1852	012
	Allen	age 3		Roberta A. Ewing		23 Aug 1862	019
	Alsy			John S. Sanborn		1847	017
	Amanda			Chinn-Thompson		17 Sep 1852	012
	Amanda	child		Mills & Warren		08 Dec 1861	020
	Amelia	age 18		George John Bowie		16 Oct 1861	013
	Amelia	age 7			d/o Catharine	03 Apr 1844	020
	Amory			John S. Sanborn		1847	017
	Amos			Alexander Irvin Rugeley			001