Masters No More: Abolition and Texas Planters, 1860-1890

267 Pages·2010·2.48 MB·English

by  Ivan, Adrien D.

MASTERS NO MORE: ABOLITION AND TEXAS PLANTERS, 1860-1890

Adrien D. Ivan, B. A., M. A.

Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

Decemb er 2010

APPROVED:

Richard G. Lowe, Major Professor
John Todd, Minor Professor
Elizabeth H. Turner, Committee Member
Christopher J. Fuhrmann, Committee Member
Richard B. McCaslin, Committee Member and
Chair of the Department of History
James D. Meernik, Acting Dean of the Robert
B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies
Ivan, Adrien D. Masters No More: Abolition and Texas Planters, 1860-1890. Doctor of
Philosophy (History), December 2010, 256 pp., 90 tables, 7 maps, bibliography, 213 titles.
This dissertation is a study of the effects of the abolition of slavery on the economic and
political elite of six Texas counties between 1860 and 1890. It focuses on Austin, Brazoria,
Colorado, Fort Bend, Matagorda, and Wharton Counties. These areas contain the overwhelming
majority of Stephen F. Austin’s “Old Three Hundred,” the original American settlers of Texas.
In addition to being the oldest settled region, these counties contained many of the wealthiest
slaveholders within the state. This section of the state, along with the northeast along the
Louisiana border, includes the highest concentration of Texas’ antebellum plantations. This
study asks two central questions. First, what were the effects of abolition on the fortunes of the
planter class within these six counties? Did a new elite emerge as a result of the end of slavery,
or, despite the liquidation of a substantial portion of their estates, did members of the former

planter class sustain their economic dominance over the counties? Second, what were
abolition’s effects on the counties’ prewar political elite, defined as the county judge? Who were
in power before the war and who were in power after it? Did abolition contribute to a new kind
of politician?
Copyright 2010
by
Adrien D. Ivan
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Writing history is not a task done by individuals. It requires the support of numerous
people. Major advisers, committee members, and family all contribute to the ultimate completion
of major research projects. I am thankful to all of these groups of people for their guidance
towards this dissertation. I am grateful to my adviser, Dr. Richard G. Lowe, for his supervision
and support throughout my years at the University of North Texas. My committee members, Drs.
Richard McCaslin, Elizabeth Turner, John Todd, and Christopher Fuhrmann, also provided me
with valuable advice and support in my development as a student of history.
I would like to take the final space of this page to thank my family. I am grateful to my
parents for their constant love and support throughout this long journey. I would also like to
thank my wife’s family for their encouragement. I am greatly appreciative of my extended
family in New Jersey, who, during my years in Philadelphia, welcomed me into their homes
whenever I needed respite throughout the years of my master’s degree. Last, but not certainly not
least, I owe a debt of gratitude to my wife, Cecilia. She had borne the sacrifices that go along
with this venture with such grace. She was my inspiration to push through the hardest days of my
doctorate. She has allowed me to enjoy a happiness I never could have imagined.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii
LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................................v
LIST OF MAPS ...............................................................................................................................x
Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1
2. TEXAS BETWEEN RECONSTRUCTION AND REDEMPTION .....................15
3. THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ELITE OF AUSTIN COUNTY, 1860-
1890........................................................................................................................41
4. THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ELITE OF BRAZORIA COUNTY, 1860-
1890........................................................................................................................78
5. THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ELITE OF COLORADO COUNTY, 1860-
1890......................................................................................................................114
6. THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ELITE OF FORT BEND COUNTY, 1860-
1890......................................................................................................................143
7. THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ELITE OF MATAGORDA COUNTY,
1860-1890 ............................................................................................................171
8. THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ELITE OF WHARTON COUNTY, 1860-
1890......................................................................................................................200
9. CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................227
BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................242
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LIST OF TABLES

1. Landowning Members of the Old Three Hundred in Austin County, 1824-1827 .................42

2. Austin County Planters, 1860 ................................................................................................50

3. Percentage of the Value of Slaves within Planters’ Estates, 1860 .........................................52

4. Antebellum and Civil War-era Austin County Judges, 1837-1866 .......................................54

5. Total Estates of 1860 Planters as Listed in the 1870 Tax Rolls.............................................58

6. Gains/Losses in Acres Owned and Land Values of Antebellum Planters .............................60

7. Austin County Presidential Pardons ......................................................................................63

8. Austin County Officials Appointed by Provisional Governor Andrew Jackson Hamilton ...67

9. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Austin County, 1860 ................................68

10. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Austin County, 1870 ................................69

11. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Austin County, 1880 ................................71

12. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Austin County, 1890 ................................73

13. Percentage of Antebellum Planters within Residents Possessing $10,000 or More in
Taxable Property, 1860-1890.................................................................................................74

14. Austin County Judges, 1866-1890 .........................................................................................76

15. Landowning Members of the Old Three Hundred in Brazoria County, 1824-1827 ..............79

16. Brazoria County Planters, 1860 .............................................................................................89

17. Percentage of the Value of Slaves within Planters’ Estates, 1860 .........................................91

18. Antebellum and Civil War-era Brazoria County Judges, 1837-1866 ....................................93

19. Total Estates of 1860 Planters as Listed in the 1870 Tax Rolls.............................................95

20. Gains/Losses in Acres Owned and Land Values of Antebellum Planters, 1870 ...................98

21. Brazoria County Presidential Pardons ...................................................................................99

22. Brazoria County Officials Appointed by Provisional Governor Andrew Jackson Hamilton 103
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23. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Brazoria County, 1860 .............................105

24. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Brazoria County, 1870 .............................106

25. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Brazoria County, 1880 .............................107

26. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Brazoria County, 1890 .............................110

27. Percentage of Antebellum Planters within Residents Possessing $10,000 or More in
Taxable Property, 1860-1890.................................................................................................111

28. Brazoria County Judges, 1866-1890 ......................................................................................112

29. Landowning Members of the Old Three Hundred in Colorado County, 1824-1827.............115

30. Colorado County Planters, 1860 ............................................................................................122

31. Percentage of the Value of Slaves within Planters’ Estates, 1860 .........................................123

32. Antebellum and Civil War-era Colorado County Judges, 1839-1865 ...................................124

33. Total Estates of 1860 Planters as Listed in the 1870 Tax Rolls.............................................126

34. Gains/Losses in Acres Owned and Land Values of Antebellum Planters, 1870 ...................128

35. Colorado County Presidential Pardons ..................................................................................130

36. Colorado County Officials Appointed by Provisional Governor Andrew Jackson
Hamilton ................................................................................................................................132

37. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Colorado County, 1860 ............................134

38. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Colorado County, 1870 ............................135

39. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Colorado County, 1880 ............................137

40. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Colorado County, 1890 ............................139

41. Percentage of Antebellum Planters within Residents Possessing $10,000 or More in
Taxable Property, 1860-1890.................................................................................................140

42. Colorado County Judges, 1866-1890 .....................................................................................141

43. Landowning Members of the Old Three Hundred in Fort Bend County, 1824-1827 ...........144

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44. Fort Bend County Planters, 1860 ...........................................................................................150

45. Percentage of the Value of Slaves within Planters’ Estates, 1860 .........................................152

46. Antebellum and Civil War-era Fort Bend County Judges, 1838-1865 ..................................153

47. Total Estates of 1860 Planters as Listed in the 1870 Tax Rolls.............................................154

48. Gains/Losses in Acres Owned and Land Values of Antebellum Planters .............................156

49. Fort Bend County Presidential Pardons .................................................................................158

50. Fort Bend County Officials Appointed by Provisional Governor Andrew Jackson
Hamilton ................................................................................................................................160

51. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Fort Bend County, 1860 ..........................162

52. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Fort Bend County, 1870 ..........................163

53. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Fort Bend County, 1880 ..........................166

54. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Fort Bend County, 1890 ..........................167

55. Percentage of Antebellum Planters within Residents Possessing $10,000 or More in
Taxable Property, 1860-1890.................................................................................................168

56. Fort Bend County Judges, 1866-1890 ...................................................................................169

57. Landowning Members of the Old Three Hundred in Matagorda County, 1824-1827 ..........172

58. Matagorda County Planters, 1860..........................................................................................178

59. Percentage of the Value of Slaves within Planters’ Estates, 1860 .........................................180

60. Antebellum and Civil War-era Matagorda County Judges, 1837-1865 ................................181

61. Total Estates of 1860 Planters as Listed in the 1870 Tax Rolls.............................................183

62. Gains/Losses in Acres Owned and Land Values of Antebellum Planters, 1870 ...................185

63. Matagorda County Presidential Pardons ................................................................................186

64. Matagorda County Officials Appointed by Provisional Governor Andrew Jackson
Hamilton ................................................................................................................................189

65. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Matagorda County, 1860 .........................190
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66. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Matagorda County, 1870 .........................191

67. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Matagorda County, 1880 .........................193

68. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Matagorda County, 1890 .........................195

69. Percentage of Antebellum Planters within Residents Possessing $10,000 or More in
Taxable Property, 1860-1890.................................................................................................196

70. Matagorda County Judges, 1865-1896 ..................................................................................198

71. Landowning Members of the Old Three Hundred in Wharton County, 1824-1827 .............201

72. Wharton County Planters, 1860 .............................................................................................207

73. Percentage of the Value of Slaves within Planters’ Estates, 1860 .........................................208

74. Antebellum and Civil War-era Wharton County Judges, 1837-1866 ....................................210

75. Total Estates of 1860 Planters as Listed in the 1870 Tax Rolls.............................................211

76. Gains/Losses in Acres Owned and Land Values of Antebellum Planters .............................213

77. Wharton County Presidential Pardons ...................................................................................215

78. Wharton County Officials Appointed by Provisional Governor Andrew Jackson Hamilton 217

79. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Wharton County, 1860.............................219

80. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Wharton County, 1870.............................220

81. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Wharton County, 1880.............................221

82. Owners of $10,000 or More in Total Property in Wharton County, 1890.............................223

83. Percentage of Antebellum Planters within Residents Possessing $10,000 or More in
Taxable Property, 1860-1890.................................................................................................224

84. Wharton County Judges, 1867-1890......................................................................................225

85. County Judges, 1845-1865.....................................................................................................230

86. Provisional Governor Andrew Jackson Hamilton’s Appointees, 1865 .................................231

87. County Judges, 1865-1890.....................................................................................................234
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88. Occupation Breakdown of County Judges, 1865-1890 .........................................................236

89. Number of Planters/Family Members of Planters within Elites, 1860-1890 .........................239

90. Average Values of Estates of Each County’s Economic Elite, 1860-1890 ...........................240

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