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 ii 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. iii 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 iv 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 v 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 vi 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 vii 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 viii 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 ix