Upshur County, Texas · 1867 voter registration
Upshur County, Texas: freedmen, slavery and the 1867 voter registration
Slavery in Upshur County
In 1860 the census counted 3,794 enslaved people in Upshur County, 36% of everyone living there. Seven years later 764 freedmen registered to vote there, 36% of the county's voters. Most were born in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, and 3 reported reaching Texas before 1865.
- 3,794
- Enslaved in 1860
- 36%
- Of the county in 1860
- 2,151
- Registered voters
- 764
- Freedmen
- 36%
- Freedmen
- Alabama
- Largest birthplace
- 16 years
- Median time in Texas
- 54
- Register pages
Help finish Upshur County. 760 freedmen registered here in 1867 and their records are still waiting to be added.
Become a reviewerWhere Upshur County's freedmen were born
| Birthplace | Registrants | % |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 | 33% |
| Georgia | 1 | 33% |
| Mississippi | 1 | 33% |
When they arrived in Texas
Decade each registrant reported arriving in Texas, as recorded in Upshur County.
| Decade | Registrants |
|---|---|
| 1840s | 1 |
| 1850s | 2 |
| 1860s | 1 |
Surnames of freedmen in Upshur County
Upshur County genealogy: search the register by name
The first 4 names in the Upshur County register, alphabetically. Each opens a search for that name.
| Name | Birthplace | Arrived | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beasely, Jack | 1865 | 1 | |
| Jackson, Isaiah | Georgia | 1844 | 8 |
| Roberts, Shack | Alabama | 1851 | |
| Strand, Frank H. | Mississippi | 1852 | 5 |
Every freedman who registered in Upshur CountySearch Upshur County freedmen records by 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. Upshur County's entries fill 54 pages of the handwritten register. Race was recorded for part of the statewide register, so the freedmen count is the number identified.
Upshur County was formed out of Harrison County by 1850.
Questions about the Upshur County records
How do I find African American ancestors in Upshur County, Texas?
Search the Upshur 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 Upshur County in 1867?
764 freedmen registered in Upshur County between 1867 and 1870, 36% of the county's 2,151 registered voters.
Where were Upshur County's freedmen born?
Alabama (1), Georgia (1) and Mississippi (1) were the birthplaces reported most often.
Was slavery widespread in Upshur County, Texas?
In 1860 the census counted 3,794 enslaved people in Upshur County, 36% of everyone living there. In 1867, 36% of Upshur County's registered voters were freedmen, 764 of 2,151. 3 of them reported reaching Texas before 1865.
Keep looking
Counties that share a boundary history with Upshur County: Harrison County.
For African American genealogy beyond Upshur County, browse the register by birthplace, search it by name or follow the migration map.
All countiesBrowse by birthplaceSee the migration mapSearch Upshur County