Primary Sources Unassigned
This section offers a sample of the primary resources available to researchers of slavery in Béxar County. Key primary sources include bills of sale recorded by the Clerk of Bexar County, the Béxar County Tax Assessment records, the U.S. Census Slave Schedules and runaway ads. To show how researchers can compile a rich record of enslavers and recover what little is possible about those they enslaved, this section offers a sample of four prominent enslavers in Béxar County.
The enslavers covered will be Stephen Applewhite, Martha Childress, A.G. Goodloe, and John S. McClellan. Researchers should be cautioned that this is just a few examples of the enslavers that were responsible for settling the Bexar County area. Many more people and stories could and should be included in this research.
Texas State Flag Description. (n.d.). [Governmental]. Texas State Flag Description; Texas State Libraries and Archives Commission. https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/abouttx/flagdes
Last Seen Database - Wesley Torry reunited with his wife after 21 years
This image in the Last Seen Database is a newspaper clipping from the Public Ledger (Memphis,TN). Wesley and his wife were separated before the Civil War when his wife was sold. It took 21 years to find each other again, but they were reconnected in 1882 while Wesley was living in San Antonio, Texas. According to the article, they were not immediately excited to renew their union. The separation felt "too long for his first and only love to again resume," according to Wesley. This happened to a number of couples separated by slavery, if they were ever lucky enough to find their lost loves after suffering the institution.
"Wesley Torry reunited with his wife after 21 years ," Public Ledger (Memphis, TN), June 28, 1882, Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery, accessed August 6, 2025, https://informationwanted.org/items/show/3239
Ann Eliza Tucker searching for her brother George Washington
Ann Eliza Tucker was living in San Antonio, Texas, when she put an advertisement into the Southwestern Christian Advocate searching for her brother George Washington. The ad states that they were owned by a woman named Margaret Loughmax and that she last saw him in 1863 in King George, Virginia. This is an example of how children who were born into slavery were often sold off from their family members.
"Ann Eliza Tucker searching for her brother George Washington," Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA), August 26, 1880, Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery, accessed August 6, 2025, https://informationwanted.org/items/show/4110
Federal Writers' Project: Slave Narrative Project, Vol. 16, Texas, Part 2, Easter-King
"Martin Jackson"
Martin Jackson was noted immediately as being "the most remarkable Negro in San Antonio"(p.187). This can be seen as an example of the racism that was still wrought in the early part of the 20th century, though slavery had been over for 70 years by the time the Federal Writers' Project interviewed Jackson. He had lived a long life at 90 years old when he was interviewed. He had been born into slavery in Victoria County, Texas, in 1847 and had served in both the Civil War and World War I. He questioned why he was being interviewed and why the Federal government would be interested in knowing about his experience as a slave. After those few questions were answered, he spoke of life as a slave and what his feelings were even as he experienced what he deemed "good treatment" in comparison to others. (p.189)
(1936) "Martin Jackson" Federal Writers' Project: Slave Narrative Project, Vol. 16, Texas, Part 2, Easter-King. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/mesn162/.
Federal Writers' Project: Slave Narrative Project, Vol 16, Texas, Part 2, Easer-King
"William Green"
"Reverend Bill," whose real name was William Green, lived in San Antonio for 50 years after being brought there from Mississippi in 1862. When he was interviewed by the Federal Writers' Project, he was 87 years old. He quickly went straight into his story, describing his owner and the plantation he lived on, also describing how they used to think they were lucky to get to Texas, and even sang a song about it --
""Over yonder is de wild-goose nation,
Whar old missus has sugar plantation --
Sugar grows sweet but de plantation's sour,
'cause de nigger jump and run ever hour.
"I has you all to know, you all to know,
Dere's light on de shore,
Says little Bill to big Bill,
There's a li'l nigger to write and cipher."
"I don't know what de song meant, but we thought we'd git free" (William Green, p.96)
(1937) "William Green" Federal Writers' Project: Slave Narrative Project, Vol. 16, Texas, Part 2, Easter-King. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/mesn162/.
Runaway Slave Ad from the "San Antonio Herald" "Bob43"
This runaway slave ad is actually about five freedom seekers being arrested and held in the Bexar County Jail. It is listed as being published in the San Antonio Herald on August 16th, 1862. It directs the owners of the slaves to pay the ransom to get them back, or they will "be dealt with as the law directs". The ad was placed by John Dobbin, Sheriff.
“Bob43.” (1862) East Texas Digital Archives, digital.sfasu.edu/digital/collection/RSP/id/9660/rec/21. Accessed July 2025.
Runaway Slave Ad from the "San Antonio Herald" "Unnamed585-586"
This runaway slave ad describes three freedom seekers passing through a Mr. C.G. Napier settlement, coming from Colorado, heading to Mexico. He said one was "so starved as to decline going any further left the gang, and came into the plantation of one of the settlers (Mr. Houston, we believe) for something to eat"
This runaway slave advertisement highlights the arduous journey enslaved individuals undertook in their pursuit of freedom in Mexico, while also providing evidence that some Mexican citizens and Texans aided them along the way.
Unnamed585-586. (1858). East Texas Digital Archives. https://digital.sfasu.edu/digital/collection/RSP/id/9557/rec/58