Hidalgo County, Texas · 1867 voter registration
Hidalgo County, Texas: freedmen, slavery and the 1867 voter registration
Slavery in Hidalgo County
In 1860 the census counted 1 enslaved person in Hidalgo County, under 1% of everyone living there. Seven years later 11 freedmen registered to vote there, 11% of the county's voters. Most were born in Alabama, Tennessee and Texas, and 10 reported reaching Texas before 1865.
- 1
- Enslaved in 1860
- under 1%
- Of the county in 1860
- 104
- Registered voters
- 11
- Freedmen
- 11%
- Freedmen
- Alabama
- Largest birthplace
- 10 years
- Median time in Texas
- 3
- Register pages
Where Hidalgo County's freedmen were born
When they arrived in Texas
Decade each registrant reported arriving in Texas, as recorded in Hidalgo County.
| Decade | Registrants |
|---|---|
| 1840s | 2 |
| 1850s | 7 |
| 1860s | 2 |
Surnames of freedmen in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County genealogy: search the register by name
The first 11 names in the Hidalgo County register, alphabetically. Each opens a search for that name.
| Name | Birthplace | Arrived | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross, James | Unknown | 1863 | |
| Graves, Edward | Tennessee | 1847 | 20 |
| Jackson, Brown | Alabama | 1857 | |
| Jackson, Columbus | Alabama | 1857 | |
| Jackson, Elie | Alabama | 1857 | |
| Jackson, John | Alabama | 1857 | |
| Jackson, Martin | Alabama | 1857 | |
| Maglove, John | Tennessee | 1866 | |
| Rutledge, Mayless | Alabama | 1857 | |
| Singletery, Samuel | Alabama | 1855 | |
| Webber, James M. | Texas | 1840 | 13 |
Sources and county history
Figures come from the 1867 to 1870 Texas voter registration held by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The 1860 population figures come from Population of the United States in 1860, printed by the Census Office in 1864. Hidalgo County's entries fill 3 pages of the handwritten register.
Hidalgo County was formed out of Cameron County by 1855.
Questions about the Hidalgo County records
How do I find African American ancestors in Hidalgo County, Texas?
Search the Hidalgo County records by surname, then open the entry to read the original handwritten register page. Each entry gives the man's name, his birthplace and the year he reached Texas. Spellings vary, so try the sound of a name as well as its spelling, and names appear in the order men came to register, so a family can sit pages apart.
How many freedmen registered to vote in Hidalgo County in 1867?
11 freedmen registered in Hidalgo County between 1867 and 1870, 11% of the county's 104 registered voters.
Where were Hidalgo County's freedmen born?
Alabama (7), Tennessee (2) and Texas (1) were the birthplaces reported most often; 1 was born in Texas.
Was slavery widespread in Hidalgo County, Texas?
In 1860 the census counted 1 enslaved person in Hidalgo County, under 1% of everyone living there. In 1867, 11% of Hidalgo County's registered voters were freedmen, 11 of 104. 10 of them reported reaching Texas before 1865.
Keep looking
Counties that share a boundary history with Hidalgo County: Cameron County.
For African American genealogy beyond Hidalgo County, browse the register by birthplace, search it by name or follow the migration map.
All countiesBrowse by birthplaceSee the migration mapSearch Hidalgo County