Alleged Election Outrages in Texas

On the eve of one of America’s most historic elections, you may have thought that the title of this blog post had something to do with current events.  Many political pundits are outraged by the level of vitriol between the two candidates vying in tomorrow’s election.  The Reconstruction Era of American history provides documentation of many election events that will make the 2016 election seem tame by comparison.

The old Texas Capitol (1853-1881) was the setting for historic drama when African-Americans, most of them recently freed from slavery, took office as leaders of the Lone Star State. All images of the legislators and delegates, State Preservation Board. Capitol photo from the Prints and Photographs Collection, Texas State Library and Archives. https://www.tsl.texas.gov/exhibits/forever/index.html

I was inspired to “drill deeper” in my Texas Research by a presentation by Tim Pinnick at the Annual Conference of the Texas StateGenealogical Society in Dallas, Texas on Friday, October 28, 2016.  Mr. Pinnick gave a talk entitled “Maximizing Your Reach: African American Research in University Libraries.”  I had been thinking about visiting the local university libraries for years but finally got around to it this last week.  I spent several days at Texas State University (TSU) visiting their Main Library, the Law Library and the History Department.  The Houston chapter of the Afro- American Historical and Genealogical Society has a page which describes the resources of these libraries at their research link.

In 1889, Congress published a book entitled Testimony on the Alleged Election Outrages in Texas that summarized the investigation of alleged violence and harassment of certain citizens which accompanied the 1886 election in Washington County, Texas.[1]  The Congressional publication includes testimony taken in Federal District Court, Austin, Texas, in August 1887 in U.S. v. Lafayette Kirk et al. (p. 691-769).  My research has been focused on the “et al” portion of the case.  The other man that was charged in this case is the “Mysterious Bob Sloan” who is the subject of one of my top ten blog posts featured in the right hand column of this blog.  Much of the testimony focuses on Bob Sloan and his actions and motivations for turning his allegiance from the Republicans to the Democrats.  The TSU Law Library staff provided me with an index to the witnesses in the testimony from their Proquest Congressional documents database.

The entire book has been made accessible digitally on the Portal to Texas History and is keyword searchable.  The current state of Optical Character Recognition software being what it is you may also find an index helpful.  The list of witnesses includes a variety of actors in the tragic drama that occurred in Washington County in 1886.  If you are interested in Washington County history, you will see a “Who’s Who Listing” of many well known names and some that are more obscure like Bob Sloan. Unfortunately, even though Bob Sloan’s name appears in the testimony on numerous pages he did not provide any direct testimony.

The petitioners in the Congressional investigation were Stephen A. Hackworth, James L. Moore, and Carl Schutze.  Their petition referred to intimidation and lynchings that created a reign of terror in Washington county:

Alfred Jones, Shadrach Felder, and Stewart Jones, three colored Republicans, were arrested upon pretended and malicious charges of crime, and, while in the custody of the civil authorities of said county, were, on the 2d day of December ultimo[1886], surrendered by said civil authorities into the hands of large numbers of armed and disguised men—known as Ku-Klux—who wantonly and cruelly hung them to death; that this outrage was committed while the friends of these men were preparing to have their cases fully heard and investigated by habeas corpus proceedings, and the civil authorities of said county, together with their leading political friends, well knowing that reasonable and adequate evidence would be obtained at such trial which would expose and make public their political crimes and outrages, ordered and instigated, as your petitioners verily believe, the death of said Alfred Jones, Shadrach Felder, and Stewart Jones; that John Ireland, governor of said State, has failed and refused to make any effort whatever to have arrested and brought to trial the lawless men who committed this outrage, although the facts were made known to him and he was earnestly requested to take prompt action therein.

There is currently no known historical marker devoted to the lives of Alfred Jones, Shadrach Felder and Stewart Jones.  By using the keyword functionality of the Portal to Texas History, you can find dozens of references to the surname “Felder” in the Election Outrages book. I chose the name “Felder” as it would have fewer matches than “Jones.” Here is a description of what happened to Shadrach Felder and eight other men from page 38-40 in the testimony of Felix Kinlaw, an African American who worked as an election official in 1886.  Mr. Kinlaw was one of the eight African American men who were arrested on election day, November 2, 1886:

Q. How many of you were arrested and put in jail ?-A. Eight of us. Q. Who were they?-A. Shad Felder, John Glass, Stephen Jackson, Ephraim Jones, Felix Kinlaw [the witness], Andy Hayes, and William Davis. Q. All colored men?—A. Yes, sir; all colored. Q. What were they charged with? A. I could not tell you what they put us in there for. Q. You had not done anything, had you?—A. Hadn’t done a thing, sir. Q. How long did you stay there in jail?—A. We staid there four weeks and two days, I think it was. Q. What became of Shad Felder ?-A. They killed him...Q. Who else did they take out and hang?--A. They took out Alfred Jones...Q. Was he related to Stewart Jones?--A. No, sir; he was my father-in-law. Q. This Alfred Jones, was?--A. Yes, sir.

The FindaGrave Memorial for Shad Felder cites a Dallas Morning News article about his death:

In the early morning hours, a mob of 20-60 men overpowered the jailer and took three prisoners from the jail: Shed [sic] Felder, 45; Alfred Jones, 60; and T.H. Jones, 40. The men had been charged with the shooting murder of D. Bolton in November. The bodies of the men were found later that morning hanging from a pecan tree about a mile from the jail on Independence Road. ("Three Negros Hanged at Brenham", The Dallas Morning News, December 03, 1886)

Burial place: Unknown; Virtual Cemetery info created by: M. L.;  Record added: Sep 05, 2006; Find A Grave Memorial# 15629719

The 1880 census provides us a little more information on a young man named Shadrack Felder who may be related to the Shadrack Felder aged 45 described in the newspaper article:

Shadrack Felder  in the 1880 United States Federal Census[2]:
Name:                                   Shadrack Felder
Age:                                       15
Birth Year:                           abt 1865
Birthplace:                          Texas
Home in 1880:                   Precinct 1, Washington, Texas
Race:                                     Black
Gender:                               Male
Relation to Head of House:          Son
Marital Status:                   NA
Father's name:                  Guy Felder
Father's Birthplace:         South Carolina
Mother's name:                               Harrite Felder
Mother's Birthplace:       Georgia
Occupation:        Laborer
 Household Members:
Name    Age
Guy Felder                        55
Harrite Felder                   38
Patience Felder                 22
Mary Felder                      17
Shadrack Felder                15
Martha Felder                     8
Wiley Felder                       7
Julia Felder                         6
Lucy Felder                        4
Sharlotte Felder                  2
Jack Pink                           18
Clara Pink                         16

If these folks are related to Shadrack Felder, it appears that Mr. Felder would have many survivors and those survivors may have descendants that might be interested in his story.

The following persons that provided “Testimony on the Alleged Election Outrages in Texas” in August 1887 were indexed by Congressional Proquest as witnesses in order of appearance. I hope this information is helpful to Washington County researchers.  The testimony includes many personal details about these individuals.  Even though the subject of the report is a very sensitive subject, the genealogical facts that it contains may open the door to reconciliation and reunion with the ancestors and the descendants of everyone involved in the case.

Certainly we can look at the facts of this case and realize that the politicians of the 21^st century are “trustworthy, loyal, courteous and kind” when compared to Texas politicians of the 19^th century.

WITNESSES IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:

BOOKER, Marshal, farmer, Washington County, Texas, p. 4.

SPANN, C. P., former election official, Washington County, Texas, p. 7.

JONES, T. M., teacher and election official, Brenham, Texas, p. 14.

NICHOLSON, J. M., planter and election official, Washington County, Texas, p. 22.

PENNINGTON, Lewis P., former election official, Washington County, Texas, p. 31.

KINLAW, Felix, former election official, Washington County, Texas, p. 39.

HAYS, Andy, farmer, Washington County, Texas, p. 47.

SHAW, William M., farmer, Washington County, Texas, p. 50.

BROWN, E. B., former election official, Washington County, Texas, p. 56.

MAYO, G. A., farmer, Washington County, Texas, p. 63.

WILLIAMS, W. L., farmer, Washington County, Texas, p. 66.

SCOTT, A. G., minister, Washington County, Texas, p. 69, 109.

BUSTER, W. S., resident, Brenham, Texas, p. 77, 607.

BROWN, G. W., Republican candidate for County commissioner, Washington County, Texas, p. 86, 108.

NEWMAN, Frank M., Democratic voter, Washington County, Texas, p. 90, 97, 610.

BAUER, Charles, former election official, Washington County, Texas, p. 100, 627.

POTTER, O. B., resident, Brenham, Texas; native of Ohio, p. 110, 612.

BLOUNT, W. H., farmer, Washington County, Texas; former candidate for Texas legislature, p. 126.

HOFFMAN, Joseph, assessor, Washington County, Texas, p. 130, 144, 615.

HACKWORTH, William W., resident, Brenham, Texas, p. 143.

HACKWORTH, Riggs P., justice of peace, Brenham, Texas, p. 145, 190, 608.

FRICKE, Paul, former candidate for sheriff, Washington County, Texas, p. 156,621.

JODON, Florent D., attorney, Brenham, Texas, p. 167, 635, 681.

SCHUTZE, Carl, attorney and journalist, Brenham, Texas; editor, Texas Staats Zeitung, p. 195.

HACKWORTH Stephen A., presiding judge, Washington County, Texas, p. 215, 658.

KIRK, Lafayette, judge, Washington County, Texas, p. 246.

CAWSE, William, former election official, Washington County, Texas, p. 303.

WRIGHT, Robert, former election official, Washington County, Texas, p. 310.

VERNON, John A., justice of peace, Washington County, Texas, p. 317, 604.

AWBREY, Benjamin Y., former election official, Washington County, Texas, p. 329.

IRELAND, John, Governor, Texas, p. 335.

ROBERTS, J. H., secretary, citizens group opposed to Republicans, Washington County, Texas, p. 348.

LEWIS, Hugh M., County clerk, Washington County, Texas, p. 362.

MULLER. Henry bookstore proprietor; editor. Texas Volksbote. p. 380.657.

SEARCY, W. W., attorney; chairman, Washington County Democratic Executive Committee, p. 391.

ENGELKE, F. A., president, First National Bank, Brenham, Texas, p. 402.

REICHARDT, E., proprietor, furniture store, Brenham, Texas, p. 405.

HAYNES, Harry, farmer, Washington County, Texas, p. 409.

FISCHER, Frederick, farmer and butcher, Brenham, Texas, p. 427.

PERRY, William, superintendent, cotton press, Brenham, Texas, p. 433.

ELDRIDGE, Boling, resident, Brenham, Texas, p. 440.

FISHER, Hermann, merchant and saloon proprietor, Brenham, Texas, p. 447.

TRISTRAM, Joseph, druggist, Brenham, Texas, p. 455.

HOFFMAN, Rinehardt, merchant, Brenham, Texas, p. 465.

LEHMANN, Bernhardt, saloon proprietor, Brenham, Texas, p. 468.

CURRY, E. P., attorney, Brenham, Texas; former People's Party candidate for magistrate, p. 471.

HODDE, Henry, merchant, Brenham, Texas, p. 486.

THOMPSON, William, cotton dealer, Brenham, Texas, p. 489, 555.

HOPKINS, Gus, cartman, Brenham, Texas, p. 492.

HUNT, Algie, farmer, Washington County, Texas, p. 499.

LEVIN, John, editor and publisher, Brenham Banner, p. 502

MOORE, James L., merchant, Brenham, Texas, p. 506.

ROBERTSON, B. F., planter, Washington County, Texas, p. 528.

ROUSE, E., mechanic, Brenham, Texas, p. 541.

WESSON, J. M., attorney; captain, militia, Grimes County, Texas, p. 545.

ROGERS, B. S., County attorney, Washington County, Texas, p. 548.

BRYAN, Lewis R., attorney, Brenham, Texas, p. 558.

GIDDINGS, De Witt C., former U.S. Representative, Texas, p. 582.

DEVER, N. E., sheriff, Washington County, Texas, p. 623.

SLATER, James E., telegraph operator, Brenham, Texas, p. 628,657.

HART, D. H., Clerk, Federal District and Federal Circuit Courts, Western Texas, p. 641.

DURFEE, Edward D., Railroad agent, Burton, Texas, p. 649.

WILSON, Robert, resident, Washington County, Texas, p. 651.

TOLAND, Elijah J resident, Washington County, Texas, p. 658.

MOORE, Robert J., member, Texas legislature, p. 668.

SWEARINGEN, J. T., p. 687.

To learn more about reasons for the congressional hearing on the “Alleged Election Outrages in Texas,” I recommend that you read the full text of the petition:

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.

February 4, 1889.—Ordered to lie on the table and be printed.

ALLEGED ELECTION OUTRAGES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, TEX.

Mr. Evarts, from the Committee on Privileges and Elections, sub-

[To accompany Senate resolutions of January 26, 1887, and February 2d, 1888.]

The Committee on Privileges and Elections respectfully reports that it has inquired into the circumstances and events referred to in the resolutions of the Senate passed January 26, 1887, and presents to the Senate the testimony taken before the committee and the conclusions upon such testimony to which it has come. The resolutions referred to the committee are as follows:

Whereas Stephen A. Hackworth, a native citizen of the United States and of the State of Texas ; James L. Moore, a native of Alabama, and now for twenty years a citizen of Texas; and Carl Schutze, a native of Germany, for thirty years a resident of the United States and now a naturalized citizen thereof, have presented their petition to the Senate, wherein they allege that they have been driven from their homes in Washington County, Texas, and compelled to abandon their property at a great sacrifice, and that armed and lawless bands of ruffians have taken possession of and destroyed certain ballot-boxes in said county at a late election therein for county officers and member of Congress, and have murdered three citizens of said county, and overthrown republican government therein, and committed other outrages and crimes, all of which have been done in order that the majority of the voters therein may be deprived of their lawful and constitutional right of suffrage, and that the minority may unlawfully usurp and exercise control in said county, and that the constituted authorities of said county and State refuse all remedy for said outrages and crimes: 

Be it Resolved, That the Committee on Privileges and Elections be, and it is hereby, instructed to inquire into all the circumstances of, and connected with, the said alleged events, and that it report as soon as may be; and that said committee have power to send for persons and papers, to employ a stenographer, and to act by any subcommittee, and that any such subcommittee shall, for the purposes of such investigation, be a committee of the Senate to all intents and purposes. Resolved, That the necessary expenses of said committee in said investigation be paid out of the appropriation for the miscellaneous items of the contingent fund of the Senate, upon vouchers to be approved by the chairman thereof.

The petition to Congress upon which the resolutions of the Senate were based states with perspicuity and conciseness the history of the transactions in Washington County, Tex., out of which the grievances of which the petitioners complain arose, and which constitute the public grounds upon which their appeal is made to Congress to investigate these transactions, and take such action as in its wisdom may seem appropriate to its jurisdiction and duty in the premises.

RESOLUTION.

 ALLEGED ELECTION OUTRAGES IN TEXAS.

The petition reads as follows:

PETITION.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States :

Your petitioners, Stephen A. Hackworth, James L. Moore, and Carl Schutze, respectfully state—

That they are citizens of Brenham, Washington County, Texas, but that they are now refugees from their homes in consequence of political persecutions.

That they are law-abiding citizens and are not charged with the commission of any crime whatever against the laws of said State, and they possess the confidence and esteem of all law-abiding citizens who know them.

That, having in vain appealed for protection for their lives and property and for the security and property of their families to the local and State authorities of said county and State, they have now no other recourse except to appeal to yon in the earnest hope that there may somewhere exist sufficient power to protect a citizen of the United States in his own country.

Your petitioner, Stephen A. Hackworth, is a native-born citizen of said Washington County, Texas; has resided a greater part of his life in said city of Brenham ; is now forty-seven years of age; is by occupation a dealer in real estate ; and from 1870 to 1882 held several civil positions in said county; owned real citato and personal property in said city of Brenham to the value of $4,000; was comfortably situated, the income from his business securing an assured support for himself and family.

Your petitioner, James L. Moore, is a native of the State of Alabama, but has been a citizen of said Washington County, Tex., since 1866; is now forty-five years of age, and by occupation a merchant ; and from 1876 to 1882, held the office of district clerk, and from 1882 to 1884 held the office of sheriff of said county; owned real and personal property in said city of Brenham to the value of $6,000 ; was comfortably situated and earning a comfortable living for himself and family.

Your petitioner, Carl Schutze, was born in Germany, but was many years ago naturalized, and has resided in the United States during the past thirty years, and has been a citizen of said Washington County since 1871; is now thirty-five years of age and un-married ; is by profession a lawyer, and from 1877 to 1880 hold the office of district attorney of said county and State; was, until recently, editor of a German Republican newspaper, published at the said city of Brenham, known as the Staats Zeitung ; was comfortably situated, owning personal property to the value of $3,000 ; the income from his profession and paper earning him a competent support.

Your petitioners are white citizens of the United States, and dared to believe and maintain the right to be Republicans in politics. For this, their only crime, your petitioners are now exiles from their homes, having been compelled to leave under serious threats of assassination, and abandon their property or accept for it such prices as were proffered them.

Your petitioner, S. A. Hackworth, was obliged to sell his homestead for $1,150, being less than one-half its real value. Your petitioner, James L. Moore, was obliged to sell his homestead for $2,000, being less than one-half its real value.

Your petitioner, Carl Schutze, was compelled to remove his paper to Galveston, Tex., thereby destroying its patronage and support, and preventing him from obtaining even one-tenth of its real value.

Your petitioners would further state, that at an election held on the 2d day of November last, for the election of county and State officers and member of Congress from the ninth Congressional district of Texas (of which said Congressional district said Washington county forms a part), a perfect reign of terror existed in said county caused by armed bands of white ruffians, who, by violence and by the destruction of ballot-boxes at Graball, Flewellens, and Lott's Store election precincts, prevented the free and fair expression of suffrage by the citizens of said county, whereby men in whose interest these crimes were committed were declared elected who were not in fact elected, and by the most shameless and unblushing frauds the election was made a farce. That every effort made by your petitioners and by other peaceable, law-abiding citizens to obtain lawful and peaceable redress for wrongs, and security for their lives and property, by appeal to the local and State authorities of said county and State, has been prevented by the wanton and cruel murder of important witnesses, and by the further fact that a body of State troops, ostensibly ordered to said county by the State authorities to preserve law and order, in fact acted in open concert with the lawless men who had committed the election outrages, and were then actually engaged in terrorizing the county preparatory to the commission of other outrages, afterwards perpetrated by them.

Your petitioners further state that, since the said 2d day of November last, no protection has existed in said county for the lives and property of citizens who are Republicans in politics; that one-half or more of the white citizens of said county are Republicans in politics, and, together with the colored citizens who are Republicans, have at least 2,000 majority votes over and above the citizens of said county who are Democrats in politics, and also own more than one-half of the real estate and personal property of said county; that said citizens are peaceable and law-abiding, and have never resorted to unlawful acts or measures to secure political ascendancy or to re dress their many grievances; that if said citizens should collect in sufficient numbers to secure protection to the lives of proscribed Republicans, such an assemblage would be declared to be a "negro insurrection " by the civil authorities, and would furnish a desirable pretext to said civil authorities and their armed bands of ruffians to call for and obtain from the State authorities sufficient re-enforcement of State troops to suppress the so-called "negro insurrection."

Your petitioners further declare that in pursuance of such repressive policy, and to prevent Republicans from securing their political rights and privileges in said county, Alfred Jones, Shadrach Felder, and Stewart Jones, three colored Republicans, were arrested upon pretended and malicious charges of crime, and, while in the custody of the civil authorities of said county, were, on the 2d day of December ultimo, surrendered by said civil authorities into the hands of large numbers of armed and disguised men—known as Ku-Klux—who wantonly and cruelly hung them to death; that this outrage was committed while the friends of these men were preparing to have their cases fully heard and investigated by habeas corpus proceedings, and the civil authorities of said county, together with their leading political friends, well knowing that reasonable and adequate evidence would be obtained at such trial which would expose and make public their political crimes and outrages, ordered and instigated, as your petitioners verily believe, the death of said Alfred Jones, Shadrach Felder, and Stewart Jones; that John Ireland, governor of said State, has failed and refused to make any effort whatever to have arrested and brought to trial the lawless men who committed this outrage, although the facts were made known to him and he was earnestly requested to take prompt action therein.

And your petitioners further declare that prompt action upon the part of the civil authorities of said county and State, together with the earnest protest of Democratic political leaders of said county and State, against the lawless acts of said bands of armed ruffians would have, at any time since the said 2d day of November last, restored the supremacy of law and order and secured ample protection to the lives and property of all citizens of said county and State; but, as already stated, no effort or protest has been made by either the said civil authorities or the leading Democratic politicians to prevent the commission of such crimes by said lawless bands of armed ruffians. 

And your petitioners further declare that there exists no republican government in said Washington County ; that large numbers of citizens who are Republicans in politics have been terrorized and compelled to leave said county, through open threats of runnier and violence made by said lawless bands of armed ruffians, who are acting under orders of said civil authorities and loading Democratic politicians of said county and State ; that the lives and property of other citizens of said county, who are unable and unwilling to leave said county, are now in great peril, and in their behalf your petitioners humbly and earnestly appeal to you for their relief and protection. 

And your petitioners further declare that the commission of such crimes and outrages is resorted to in other sections of said State, to prevent citizens who are Republicans in politics from making organized efforts to secure representation in the local and State and Federal governments, and the dangers attending such organized efforts is so well known and understood that in many sections of said State Republicans have disbanded their political organizations and abandoned all hope of securing such representation.

And your petitioners further state that, on the 4th day of December ultimo they were informed by a prominent member of the Democratic executive committee of said county, who was acting for, and in behalf, and with the full knowledge and consent of said Democratic executive committee and civil authorities, that if they would leave the county at once their lives would be spared, but if they refused to do so their lives would be sacrificed; and your petitioners being without hope, worn out by persecutions, and at the complete mercy of armed ruffians who were then collecting and preparing to murder them, and well knowing that their lives would be sacrificed unless they did not comply with the demands of leading Democrats, had thus to abandon their homes and become exiles.

And your petitioner Stephen A. Hackworth was, on the 16th day of December ultimo, escorted to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway depot at said city of Brenham by members of the Democratic executive committee of said county, also by a number of friends who went with him to protect him from being murdered by armed bands of ruffians who had collected in said city of Brenham, on the 5th and 6th of December ultimo, for the purpose of murdering him if he refused to obey the demands of the said Democratic executive committee requiring him to leave said county, and as the train bore him away from the depot said lawless bands of armed ruffians rent the air with several prolonged and exultant yells of triumph.

And your petitioner S. A. Hackworth further states that no time was given him to remove his family from said city of Brenham ; and knowing it to be unsafe for him to remain in Texas, he came to Washington, D. C., where he is now temporarily residing.

Your petitioner James L. Moore was permitted to remain until the 12th of December ultimo, to enable him to dispose of his property, and on said date he, with his family, left Brenham for Los Angeles, Cal., where he and his family now reside.

Your petitioner, Carl Schutze, was compelled to leave Brenham on said 6th of December ultimo, but returned to Brenham on the 13th of December ultimo, for the purpose of removing his paper, the Staats Zeitung, to Galveston, Tex., and on said 13th day of December was, while leaving the depot at Brenham for Galveston, attacked by armed ruffians, who fired two pistol shots, and also threw a heavy stone at him through the car window, but he escaped unhurt, and is now in Galveston, Tex.

And your petitioners further say that they are unable within the limits of this petition to state all the facts and set forth the long lists of cruel crimes committed upon helpless citizens of said county because they dared to exercise their political rights as Republicans to obtain representation in the local, Stare, and Federal governments of the country ; and your petitioners are prepared, and stand ready when called upon to do so, to establish by conclusive evidence the truth of all facts herein sot forth and submitted.

And your petitioners hereby respectfully submit all matters herein stated and complained of to your honorable body for your careful consideration, and such action as you may deem necessary to cure the evils herein stated, and thereby secure to all citizens of the United States their rights under a republican form of government in fact as well as in name. As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Stephen A. Hackworth.

James L. Moore.

Carl Schutze.

By the written authority and request of Messrs. James L. Moore and Carl Schutze, I have signed their names to the above and foregoing petition, this the 6th day of January, 1887.

---

[1] United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Privileges and Elections. Testimony on the alleged election outrages in Texas, book, 1889; Washington D.C.. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth33012/m1/2/?q=sloan: accessed November 7, 2016), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Star of the Republic Museum.

[2] Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Precinct 1, Washington, Texas; Roll: 1331; Family History Film: 1255331; Page: 48D; Enumeration District: 141; Ancestry.com and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line].

William C. Eggert, Pilot and Ship Captain Galveston and Brazos River

The importance of collaborating with other genealogists researching your ancestors cannot be overemphasized.  You will find that you have many distant cousins that share your interest in family history.  Don't be afraid to contact people that connect with you and ask them for information.

Recently I have entered into a very successful collaboration with a group of cousins who are researching the Eggert family that hails from Steimke, Saxony, Germany.  My thanks to Kathi Appelt, Ellen Dinges and other members of the family who have helped me compile the following information.

One particularly interesting member of the Eggert Family is Captain William C. Eggert AKA Christian William Eggert who was a pilot and a ship's captain in Galveston and on the Brazos River in Texas.  The obituary of Captain Eggert gives us an overview of his life.

Captain Eggert's early life is still somewhat shrouded in mystery.  The obituary states that he was "born in Germany in December 1841 and was brought to this country when he was but 6 months old." It is more likely that he arrived in this country in 1847 when he was five or six years old.  The 1900 census states that he immigrated in 1845 and the 1910 census states that he arrived in 1846.  We believe that his actual arrival was on the Brig Helen and Elise in Galveston on 7 December 1847. There were two families named Eggert that sailed on that ship as shown in the following image:

This record is from an online database at Ancestry.com. The original data was from Ethel Hander Geue. A New Land Beckoned: German Immigration to Texas, 1847-1861. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1982. Ms. Geue transcribed data from passenger lists into her book.

In the family of Jac. and Soph. Eggert you see there is a five year old boy named Wm. presumably an abbreviation for William or Wilhelm.  We believe that this is Captain Eggert.  Jac. could be an abbreviation for Jacob.  Some genealogists have his name as Joachim.  Soph. is presumably an abbreviation for Sophia.

Several transcriptions have been made of the passenger list of the Brig Helen and Elise but I particularly like the one that was done at the following website:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kohl/Helen&elise18471207.html

When Judie Cale Nelson made this transcription back in 2000, her reading of the passenger list led her to assume that all of the passengers were going to Texas.  Ms. Nelson paid particular attention to the names of the villages that were listed as the place of origin for these immigrants.  This is very rare to find the names of the hometowns on a passenger list. The transcription by Ms. Nelson is very helpful because it provides geographic context for the location of the villages of this group of German immigrants.

The two Eggert families on the passenger list came from Brome and Steimke.  According to Ms. Nelson, the villages of Brome, Steimke, Parsau, Apenburg, Ahnebeck, Jübar and Germenau are all near each other and located NE of Braunschweig also known as Brunswick.  These places are also close to a place named Wolfsburg which you may recognize as the location of the Volkswagen headquarters and the largest car plant in the world.  There is another village named Steimke NW of Brome.

The names on this passenger list bear further scrutiny as they become part of the FAN club [Friends, associates, neighbors] for the Eggert family.

The mention of Confederate service in the obituary is supported by the following two citations:

(Clayton Library), Under Three Flags, Register of Veterans of All Wars, 1839-1889, pg. 48, #315. copyright 1996, George Washington Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, c/o Mrs. Rose Mary Fritz, 5001 Casa Grande, Dickinson, TX 77539-7504.

C.W. Eggert, Pilot
Born Dec. 4, 1841 Prussia
Residence: Galveston, Texas
Came to Texas 1846
Service: Confederate, Gen. Bates Marine Dept., Brazos River

The Houston Post, Sunday, December 30, 1962, by Gayle McNutt, page 9, Section I, "Battle of Galveston."
"...Magruder decided to move up the attack to the night of Dec. 31. Still it was to come as no surprise to the Union forces.
Sharpshooters were needed to man the cotton-clad Confederate steamboats and Magruder issued a call for volunteers that was answered by members of Sibley's and Green's Regiments, who were promptly dubbed "horse marines."
Col Tom Green led the sharpshooters, who volunteered with the understanding that it was a mission from which they were not likely to return..."
(NOTE in Margin: "Mom's Uncle Capt: C.W. EGGERT was in this battle on cotton laden gunboat. He was very young at time. After a few years, became pilot, and was for many years a captain.") 

The following chronology from the Galveston City Directories for Eggert from 1866-1912 shows that Captain Eggert first appears in Galveston in 1874.  This would mean that he resided in Galveston for 37 years until his death in 1911. The obituary states that he resided in Galveston for forty years.

1866 Galveston City Directory

No listing for Captain Eggert in 1866.

1868 Galveston City Directory

No listing for Captain Eggert in 1868.

1870 Galveston City Directory

No listing for Captain Eggert in 1870.

1872 Galveston City Directory

No listing for Captain Eggert in 1872.

1874 Galveston City Directory

1874 Shows the first listing for William Eggert as a pilot residing on Avenue K between 26th and 27th Street.

1877 Galveston City Directory

Again he is listed in 1877.

1880 Galveston City Directory

For some unknown reason he was not listed in 1880.

1882 Galveston City Directory

He shows up again in the directory for 1882 at the same address where he was found in 1874 and 1877.

1886 Galveston City Directory

He arrives at his 30th street address in 1886.

1890 Galveston City Directory

He shows up again on 30th street in 1890.  The 1890 Tax List of Galveston Precinct No. 1 shows that C.W. Eggert owned Lot 7, Block 150 valued at $1300. Based on Galveston Appraisal District records that description is consistent with an address of 1007 30th street.  There is a current property listing in Appraisal District records for 1011 30th street which is described as Lot 8 of Block 150.  Lot 7 appears to have been merged into a commercial property on the corner of Broadway and 30th Street. The house of Captain Eggert was apparently razed for a fast food restaurant which is now serving as a title loan business.

SOURCE: "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-13738-34687-41?cc=1827575 : 22 May 2014), Galveston county, Precinct no. 1 > 1890 > image 103 of 386; State Archives, Austin.

1893 Galveston City Directory

There were two pages of Eggerts in 1893.

1893 Galveston City Directory

But William Eggert, the captain and pilot did not appear.

1895 Galveston City Directory

In 1895, Captain Eggert resided at 1007 30th Street and as you will see he continued to reside there for the rest of his life.

1901 Galveston City Directory

In 1901 he is listed as the pilot of the tug "Hygeia."

1905 Galveston City Directory

In 1905 he is the captain of the tug "Hygeia."

1911 Galveston City Directory

1911 he is again listed as a tug captain.

1912 Galveston City Directory

The information on the death certificate for William C. Eggert was provided by a Mr. J. Singer of 2126 Strand in Galveston.  Captain Eggert died on November 30, 1911 and was buried in the Old City Cemetery.  The doctor that attended Captain Eggert in his last hours was Dr. Brooks Stafford.  Mr. Singer gave the first name as William E. rather William C.  He also stated that he was born December 4, 1841 in Germany and that he was a "Sea Captain."  The length of his residence in Galveston was 40 years.

The church burial record provides some other interesting information on Captain Eggert:

This record gives his birthplace as what appears to be Letzinger, Saxony.  His address matches with the city directory.  It is also noted that he had no direct issue.  There is a place called Letzlingen in Saxony which is in the vicinity of Steimke and Brome.  Letzlingen is a village and a former municipality in the district Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since January 1, 2011, it is part of the town Gardelegen per Wikipedia.  Here is a map of the route from Steimke to Gardelegen.

When you page back using the filmstrip view on Ancestry.com, you can view the title page for the burial record which is conveniently written in both English and German:

These were the burial records of the First Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Galveston, Texas which are now available on Ancestry.com in a database entitled U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940.

To trace the story back further, we will need to consult some of the German parish records in this part of Saxony.  Parish register transcripts of baptisms, marriages and deaths for Steimke, Sachsen, Preußen, Germany for the period 1823-1860 are available on Family Search microfilm number 1190638.  This parish also includes Brome, Cunrau, Germenau, Fahrstedt, Bökevitz, Nettgau, and Wendisch Brome.

Another lead for further research comes from the following article from the Galveston Daily News:

Captain Eggert filed an intervention in the case of Walker, Fowler & Co. vs. the steamer Brazos, suit for debt.  C.W. Eggert filed for the sum of $1198 alleged to be due him for services as a pilot. Perhaps if a court case file can be located, it will describe the nature of his services in greater detail.

SOURCE: The Galveston Daily News. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 92, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 27, 1887, newspaper, July 27, 1887;
(https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth467806/m1/8/: accessed October 15, 2016), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; .

In summary, it is always helpful to collaborate with others in your genealogical pursuits.

Historic Adventures in Brenham, TX

Bird's Eye View of Brenham, 1873

Brenham is a Texas town that has fascinated me since I first arrived in the Lone Star State in 2010. My wife and I stayed in a bed and breakfast inn in Brenham prior to moving to Texas and we were impressed with the historic charm of the town.  I was quite delighted to conduct genealogical research on the family of Robert S. Sloan who lived in Brenham and was buried in the Camptown cemetery there.  Mr. Sloan continues to be a source of great fascination for me.

Robert S. Sloan 1858-1916 seated with his wife, Mattie Knox Sloan born about 1861.
Their son, Ketchum Sloan 1881-1958 is standing behind his parents.

When we arrived in Brenham last Monday, I visited the Washington County Courthouse and met with the Washington County District Clerk, Tammy Brauner. Ms. Brauner had already provided copies through the mail of 44 pages of the case file #7312 regarding R.S. Sloan and wife vs. the Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company. When I told Ms. Brauner that I was headed to Brenham on October 3, she graciously offered to hold the case file in her office so I could examine the rest of the pages. I sincerely appreciate Ms. Brauner's assistance in obtaining the information from this court case.

Robert S. Sloan and his wife Mattie sued for damages associated with the death of their son, Samuel R. Sloan subsequent to injuries he received in a train accident on September 24, 1893. The District Court Case included poignant testimony from Robert Sloan about his son, Sammy and offered a picturesque window into the lives of the Sloan family in 1893. To view the entire case file and some related documents use this link.

My visit to Brenham also gave me the opportunity to visit with retired Judge Eddie Harrison.  Judge Harrison is very active in historical preservation efforts in Brenham and throughout Texas related to Buffalo Soldiers, Camptown Cemetery and the Brenham Normal School.  He told me that Bob Sloan had attended Brenham Normal School so I am looking forward to perusing those records.

On September 21, 2016, Judge Harrison gave a keynote address at the dedication of a statue at Veterans Park, 3103 Harvey Road in College Station. The statue depicts a Buffalo Soldier from the 9th Cavalry Regiment of the U.S. Army and a Native American scout from the Tonkawa Tribe. Judge Harrison was selected by the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial Board as the model for the Buffalo Soldier.  The 9th Cavalry was a segregated African American regiment that served with distinction and valor in combat during the Indian and Spanish American Wars.

Invitation for the Brazos Valley Buffalo Soldier Statue Dedication that was held on September 21, 2016

Judge Harrison is on the left and Don Patterson of the Tonkawa tribe is on the right.
Artist J. Payne Lara used the likenesses of these two gentlemen to create the statue seen in the center.
The curious little girl gazing at the Buffalo soldier is Mr. Patterson's grand niece.

Buffalo Soldiers at the Camptown Cemetery Historical Marker Dedication

The other aspect of Brenham history that is quite intriguing is the number of German immigrants that settled in Brenham and Washington County.  I had the pleasure of presenting to the Washington County Genealogical Society (WCGS) on Monday night, October 3, 2016 at Blinn College on the topic: "By Land and Sea- Tracing the Routes of Our Immigrant Ancestors."  I was amazed that close to 90% of the attendees at WCGS had German ancestry.  My thanks to Jan Kelm and Geraldine Johnson for inviting me to speak in Brenham.

Here are a few of my slides from that presentation:

Here is the text of Robert Sloan's testimony:

No. 7312.R.S. Sloan and wife,Vs.H. & T. C. R. R. CompanyStatement of Facts

September Term, 1894. 

Filed Oct. 3^rd 1894  Be it remembered that upon the trial of the above numbered and entitled cause, before jury, on this 12^th  day of September 1894, in the District Court of Washington County, Texas , the following evidence was adduced on trial : R. S. SLOAN sworn as a witness in his own behalf testified as follows :
 My name is Robert S. Sloan; I am married and my wife’s name is Mattie Sloan. I am plaintiff in this case. This is a suit brought by myself to recover damages for the death of my son, Sammie Sloan caused by injuries received by an accident on the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. At the time of the death of Sammie he was eleven years and thirteen days old; the accident occurred on the 24th day of September 1893, it occurred in the City of Brenham on Market street, it runs south and north in front of Lockett’s livery s t a b l e and in the rear of the Levy Hotel and crosses the Houston and Texas Central Track; the crossing where the accident occurred is east of the freight depot, it is the first street east of the depot. It was about half past five o'clock when the accident occurred, between five and six o' clock in the evening. The boy was going from Mrs. Blooman’s to the jail to carry Mr. Blooman his supper; Blooman lived on Market street south of the crossing four or five hundred yards. The jail is located on Sandy street north of the railroad and Sam had to cross the railroad track to take Mr. Blooman his supper; this was between five and six o'clock when the accident occurred.
 I did not witness the accident myself, I heard of it ten or fifteen minutes after it happened, he had been carried to the saloon, he was carried from where he was hurt to my saloon. This leg, the left leg, was split down to the ankle, from the knee to the ankle and the calf of the right leg was smashed, fractured. It was ten or fifteen minutes after the accident that I saw him.  His left knee was knocked out of place.  Sam was the ordinary size for a boy of eleven years of age, he was well developed and good size, he was healthy and in good condition.  I suppose he was about four feet tall and would weigh about sixty-five or seventy pounds; he was healthy and robust.  He was in the habit of working after school hours, he was well acquainted with the white ladies and gentlemen and would go on errands for them; he would earn from four to five dollars per month, he would make from one and a half to tow dollars per week by waiting on families, he would hitch up the buggy and wash up dishes in dining room, he would hire himself out frequently to do that work and always gave satisfaction and was in demand in that class of work, he was manerable [sic] and smart and confidential; at one time he helped his mother at the church, would sweep out and open up the church; she was sexton at that time.[1] At the time of the accident Mrs. Blooman was paying $1.50 per week to carry meals morning and night.  After he was through with his work he was at liberty to go where he pleased.  He was not an idle thriftless kind of a boy.  He always wanted to work and save his money.  He was an obedient child to myself and wife and was very attentive about home.  He would carry the clothes for his mother and bring back the money.  He would make fires and assist my wife.  My wife took in washing.  He would bring the clothes, carry back the money, make fires and empty tubs for her.  He would assist me.  He would feed the stock and attend to them.  I had been paying a man $10.00 per month to look after my animal and he took him and he improved under his treatment.
 I know that his death was caused from injuries received on the 24^th day of September 1893.  After being injured, he lived until the next Sunday morning about two o’clock.  It was on a Sunday evening that he was hurt and he died the next Saturday night or Sunday morning about two o’clock.  He died from the injuries received.
 Outside of assisting me and my wife, he would earn on an average about $5.00 per month, taking into consideration the work that he did for my wife and me and others, I should think his services were worth at least fifteen or twenty dollars per month.  I paid a man $10.00 for the work he did for me and he attended to the work after turning the man off. The accident occurred at the crossing at Market Street, east of the Central depot.  That is a public street and generally used by the public and is within the corporate limits.  It is about four blocks from the Court-house square. 

Here is an image of a newspaper advertisement for the saloon that Robert Sloan was operating in 1893:

I hope to be back to Brenham soon to find more of the forgotten stories and make more friends!

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[1] Sam Sloan's funeral was conducted by Elder Carmichael of the A.M.E. church. This may be the same church where Mattie Sloan worked as sexton.

Clayton Library Open House, Sat. Oct. 8, 2016

Please encourage your neighbors, friends and family to attend the Clayton Library Open House on Saturday, October 8, 2016.

I will be there offering information about genealogical research on behalf of the Lonestar Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.  Please stop in and say hello.

What are the stories of my ancestors?
Get answers at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research
OPEN HOUSE, Saturday, October 8, 2016, 11pm - 3pm

• Getting Started classes
• Genealogical societies
• Kid's scavenger hunt
• Costumed historical reenactors
• Refreshments

5300 Caroline
Houston, TX 77004
832-393-2600