The Jefferson Clark family of Leon County, Texas: an online case study (part six)

In this continuing case study, we have explored the use of online resources to research the family of a former slave, Jefferson Clark, of Leon County, Texas. Having learned quite a bit of information about this family using vital and census records, and the 1867 Texas voter registration lists, we then outlined a plan of action for identifying his final slaveowner before being freed, the most important part of researching former slaves. This plan consists of six steps:

1. Search the 1870 federal census of Precinct 3, Leon Co., Texas, for any landowners born in Virginia and Alabama, who are old enough to have owned land in 1858.

2. Search the 1867 voter registration of Precinct 3, Leon Co., Texas, for all men native to Alabama or Virginia, who had also lived in the state, county, and precinct for nine years; and all men identified in Step One.

3. Compare these two lists to the 1860 population schedule for Precinct 3, Leon Co., Texas, to identify which of these men also owned slaves. Identify any other slave owners living in Precinct 3 who were born in Alabama.

4. Search the 1860 slave schedule for each of the slave owners on the list to identify which owned males of the age of Jefferson Clark, and possibly his wife and two children.

5. Search the 1850 population schedule in Alabama, for each of the remaining possibilities.

6. Search the 1850 slave schedule for any of the possibilities to identify which owned males of the age of Jefferson Clark, and possibly his wife and two children.

In the third part of this series, we were able to identify several men living in Leon County, in the vicinity of Jefferson Clark, who were also born in either Alabama or Virginia. We were able to obtain additional information about these men from the 1870 federal census, and the 1867 Texas voter registration lists. In the fourth part of the series, we explored which of these men from Alabama were slaveowners, using information from the 1860 federal census population and slave schedules. Most recently, we identified the final two potential slaveowners in the 1850 federal census, living in Noxubee County, Mississippi, where they apparently lived after moving from Alabama.

This part will review what we know about Jefferson Clark, and determine what evidence we may have located to help identify his former slaveowner. We noted the following known (or implied) facts about Jefferson Clark in the second part of this case study:

· Jefferson Clark was born in either Virginia or Alabama, around 1826.

· Jefferson Clark lived in Alabama until about 1858.

· Jefferson’s son Jeff was also reportedly born in Alabama, around ca. 1845-1850.

While noted above, Jefferson’s family group, as inferred from the available records, also constitutes known facts:

Jefferson “Jeff” Clark, b. ca. 1826, Alabama (as reported in 1867 voter registration, 1870 federal census, and “father’s place of birth” in son’s 1880 and 1920 federal census records) or Virginia (as “father’s place of birth” reported in son’s 1900 and 1910 federal census records)

Mary, b. ca. 1832-1838, (as reported in 1870 and 1880 federal censuses), Louisiana (as reported in 1870 federal census)

Jeff Clark, b. ca. 1845-1847 (as reported in 1900-1920 federal censuses) or ca. 1850-1851 (as reported in 1870-1880 federal censuses), Louisiana (as reported in 1870 federal census) or Alabama (as reported in all other identified census records and as “father’s place of birth” on death certificates of all children).

Tisia[?] Clark, b. ca. 1856, Texas (as reported in 1870 federal census)

Using the dates of birth outlined above, we can estimate how this family would have likely appeared in the 1860 slave schedule, which did not include the names of slaves:

Jefferson “Jeff” Clark, b. ca. 1826	age ca. 34 years in 1860
Mary, b. ca. 1832-1838	age ca. 22-28 years in 1860
Jeff Clark, b. ca. 1845-1851	age ca. 9-15 years in 1860
Tisia[?] Clark, b. ca. 1856	age ca. 4 years in 1860

Do either of the slaveowners we have identified own slaves of these approximate ages in 1860?

When researching slaves, one must remember that slaveowners did not always know (or even care about) the exact ages of their slaves. One can therefore find even more discrepancies in the ages of slaves listed in the federal census slave schedules than in the ages of free people in the federal census otherwise.

George W. Tubb owned the following slaves in that year, with potential matches in bold:[1]

Age	Sex	Race
60	F	B
42	F	M
33	F	B
29	M	B
30	M	B
25	M	B
22	F	B
20	F	B
20	M	B
16	M	B
15	M	B
12	F	B
12	F	M
12	F	B
12	F	B
8	M	B
6	M	B
4	M	B
2	F	B

Unfortunately, the slaves are organized roughly in descending age order rather than in family groups, as one does occasionally witness. Comparing this list of slaves with the Jefferson Clark family, we find,

There is a thirty year old male who is closest in age to what we would expect from Jefferson Clark.
There is a twenty-two year old female, which is at the low end of the age range we would expect from Mary Clark, and would be too young to be the mother of even an eight year old Jeff Clark. However, the thirty-three year old female seems more likely to be the mother of Jeff, whether he was actually eight or fifteen years old at this time (see #3).
There is an eight year old male and a fifteen year old male, bookmarking the age range we would expect from Jeff Clark.
There is a two year old female, just a few years younger than Tisia Clark’s expected age.

C. C. Colbert owned the following slaves in 1860:[2]

Age	Sex	Race
55	F	B
40	M	B
38	F	B
26	F	B
26	M	B
25	M	B
25	F	B
23	F	B
14	M	B
14	M	B
12	M	B
12	M	B
15	M	B
10	F	B
2	M	B
8	M	B

While there are several females in the age range one would expect for Mary Clark, and several young males in the age range one would expect for the younger Jeff Clark, the only two possible matches for Jefferson Clark are the forty year old male or the twenty-six year old male. Neither of these seems probable as an identification of Jefferson. Furthermore, there is no young female of the age of Tisia. It does not seem likely that Colbert owned the Jefferson Clark family.

In the next part, we will review what we know about George W. Tubb(s), in order to determine if there is any other evidence to suggest that he was indeed the former slave owner of Jefferson Clark.

[1] 1860 U. S. Census, Leon Co., Texas, slave schedule, Leon Division, page 21, stamped page 78, column 2, lines 40; and page 22, column 2, lines 1-18; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Mar 2010); NARA microfilm publication M653, roll not stated.

[2] 1860 U. S. Census, Leon Co., Texas, slave schedule, Leon Division, page 21, stamped page 78, column 2, lines 24-39; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Mar 2010); NARA microfilm publication M653, roll not stated.