Refugio County, Texas · 1867 voter registration
Refugio County, Texas: freedmen, slavery and the 1867 voter registration
Slavery in Refugio County
In 1860 the census counted 234 enslaved people in Refugio County, 15% of everyone living there. Seven years later 39 freedmen registered to vote there, 18% of the county's voters. Most were born in Alabama, and 5 reported reaching Texas before 1865.
- 234
- Enslaved in 1860
- 15%
- Of the county in 1860
- 218
- Registered voters
- 39
- Freedmen
- 18%
- Freedmen
- Alabama
- Largest birthplace
- 23 years
- Median time in Texas
- 6
- Register pages
Where Refugio County's freedmen were born
| Birthplace | Registrants | % |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 | 100% |
When they arrived in Texas
Decade each registrant reported arriving in Texas, as recorded in Refugio County.
| Decade | Registrants |
|---|---|
| 1840s | 4 |
| 1850s | 1 |
Surnames of freedmen in Refugio County
Refugio County genealogy: search the register by name
The first 41 names in the Refugio County register, alphabetically. Each opens a search for that name.
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. Refugio County's entries fill 6 pages of the handwritten register. Race was recorded for part of the statewide register, so the freedmen count is the number identified.
Questions about the Refugio County records
How do I find African American ancestors in Refugio County, Texas?
Search the Refugio 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 Refugio County in 1867?
39 freedmen registered in Refugio County between 1867 and 1870, 18% of the county's 218 registered voters.
Where were Refugio County's freedmen born?
Alabama (1) was the birthplace reported most often.
Was slavery widespread in Refugio County, Texas?
In 1860 the census counted 234 enslaved people in Refugio County, 15% of everyone living there. In 1867, 18% of Refugio County's registered voters were freedmen, 39 of 218. 5 of them reported reaching Texas before 1865.
Keep looking
Counties that share a boundary history with Refugio County: Bee County, San Patricio County.
For African American genealogy beyond Refugio County, browse the register by birthplace, search it by name or follow the migration map.
All countiesBrowse by birthplaceSee the migration mapSearch Refugio County