Starr County, Texas · 1867 voter registration
Starr County, Texas: freedmen, slavery and the 1867 voter registration
Slavery in Starr County
In 1860 the census counted 6 enslaved people in Starr County, under 1% of everyone living there. Seven years later 7 freedmen registered to vote there, 5% of the county's voters. Most were born in Louisiana, Texas and South Carolina, and 3 reported reaching Texas before 1865.
- 6
- Enslaved in 1860
- under 1%
- Of the county in 1860
- 131
- Registered voters
- 7
- Freedmen
- 5%
- Freedmen
- Louisiana
- Largest birthplace
- 4 years
- Median time in Texas
- 4
- Register pages
Where Starr County's freedmen were born
| Birthplace | Registrants | % |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 4 | 50% |
| Texas | 2 | 25% |
| South Carolina | 1 | 13% |
| Virginia | 1 | 13% |
When they arrived in Texas
Decade each registrant reported arriving in Texas, as recorded in Starr County.
| Decade | Registrants |
|---|---|
| 1840s | 2 |
| 1850s | 0 |
| 1860s | 7 |
Surnames of freedmen in Starr County
Starr County genealogy: search the register by name
The first 9 names in the Starr County register, alphabetically. Each opens a search for that name.
| Name | Birthplace | Arrived | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris, James | Virginia | 1865 | 4 |
| Lafayette, General | Texas | 1845 | 19 |
| Richards, Amo | Louisiana | 1866 | |
| Rogers, Henry | South Carolina | 1864 | |
| Romain, Louis | Louisiana | 1867 | 2 |
| Romam, Louis | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1867 | 2 |
| Stafford, Albert | Texas | 1845 | 21 |
| Washington, George | Louisiana | 1865 | 3 |
| Wilson, Andrew J. | Louisiana | 1865 | 4 |
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. Starr County's entries fill 4 pages of the handwritten register. Race was recorded for part of the statewide register, so the freedmen count is the number identified.
Starr County was formed out of San Patricio County by 1850.
Questions about the Starr County records
How do I find African American ancestors in Starr County, Texas?
Search the Starr 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 Starr County in 1867?
7 freedmen registered in Starr County between 1867 and 1870, 5% of the county's 131 registered voters.
Where were Starr County's freedmen born?
Louisiana (4), Texas (2) and South Carolina (1) were the birthplaces reported most often; 2 were born in Texas.
Was slavery widespread in Starr County, Texas?
In 1860 the census counted 6 enslaved people in Starr County, under 1% of everyone living there. In 1867, 5% of Starr County's registered voters were freedmen, 7 of 131. 3 of them reported reaching Texas before 1865.
Keep looking
Counties that share a boundary history with Starr County: San Patricio County, Zapata County.
For African American genealogy beyond Starr County, browse the register by birthplace, search it by name or follow the migration map.
All countiesBrowse by birthplaceSee the migration mapSearch Starr County