San Patricio County, Texas · 1867 voter registration
San Patricio County, Texas: freedmen, slavery and the 1867 voter registration
Slavery in San Patricio County
In 1860 the census counted 95 enslaved people in San Patricio County, 15% of everyone living there. Seven years later 16 freedmen registered to vote there, 16% of the county's voters. Most were born in Texas, Mississippi and Kentucky, and 13 reported reaching Texas before 1865.
- 95
- Enslaved in 1860
- 15%
- Of the county in 1860
- 102
- Registered voters
- 16
- Freedmen
- 16%
- Freedmen
- Texas
- Largest birthplace
- 11 years
- Median time in Texas
- 3
- Register pages
Where San Patricio County's freedmen were born
| Birthplace | Registrants | % |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4 | 25% |
| Mississippi | 3 | 19% |
| Kentucky | 2 | 13% |
| Tennessee | 2 | 13% |
| Virginia | 2 | 13% |
| Maryland | 1 | 6% |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 6% |
| South Carolina | 1 | 6% |
When they arrived in Texas
Decade each registrant reported arriving in Texas, as recorded in San Patricio County.
| Decade | Registrants |
|---|---|
| 1830s | 1 |
| 1840s | 3 |
| 1850s | 8 |
| 1860s | 4 |
Surnames of freedmen in San Patricio County
San Patricio County genealogy: search the register by name
The first 16 names in the San Patricio County register, alphabetically. Each opens a search for that name.
| Name | Birthplace | Arrived | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amos, John | Mississippi | 1858 | 4 |
| Andrews, Edward | Texas | 1857 | |
| Broem, Thomas | Massachusetts | 1866 | |
| Bryant, Alfred | Tennessee | 1857 | |
| Choate, Martin | South Carolina | 1855 | |
| Clay, Henry | Texas | 1845 | 14 |
| Coleman, Richard | Kentucky | 1855 | 2 |
| Georgeton, Samuel | Texas | 1852 | |
| Hatch, Benjm H. | Tennessee | 1846 | 9 |
| Lane, Charles | Texas | 1868 | |
| Lee, Wade | Mississippi | 1837 | 19 |
| Lesley, George | Virginia | 1860 | |
| Reid, Henry | Virginia | 1854 | 11 |
| Reiley, John | Maryland | 1857 | |
| Witchele, George | Mississippi | 1868 | |
| Woodsen, George | Kentucky | 1841 | 14 |
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. San Patricio County's entries fill 3 pages of the handwritten register. Race was recorded for part of the statewide register, so the freedmen count is the number identified.
San Patricio County was formed out of Refugio County by 1850.
Questions about the San Patricio County records
How do I find African American ancestors in San Patricio County, Texas?
Search the San Patricio 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 San Patricio County in 1867?
16 freedmen registered in San Patricio County between 1867 and 1870, 16% of the county's 102 registered voters.
Where were San Patricio County's freedmen born?
Texas (4), Mississippi (3) and Kentucky (2) were the birthplaces reported most often; 4 were born in Texas.
Was slavery widespread in San Patricio County, Texas?
In 1860 the census counted 95 enslaved people in San Patricio County, 15% of everyone living there. In 1867, 16% of San Patricio County's registered voters were freedmen, 16 of 102. 13 of them reported reaching Texas before 1865.
Keep looking
Counties that share a boundary history with San Patricio County: Refugio County, Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Live Oak County, Nueces County, Starr County, Zapata County.
For African American genealogy beyond San Patricio County, browse the register by birthplace, search it by name or follow the migration map.
All countiesBrowse by birthplaceSee the migration mapSearch San Patricio County