Freestone County, Texas
Tax Assessments/Tax Lists/Land Records/Property Taxes of 1851
1851 Tax Roll for Freestone County, Texas
[signed off on 19 May 1851]
[This listing will be *FCT51* for my indexes.
Images are available at https://www.familysearch.org under records under
"Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910"]
[
Notes about the Tax Collector: Not much is known about Mr. F. M. Truitt who does
not seem to be listed in the 1850 Limestone County census. So he must have
arrived in 1851 for the first time. Truitt is in the 1852 tax census as a
resident, but leaves in 1853.
WARNING - There were a number of overlooked taxable parcels in 1851 that appear in
later tax assessments. However, remember this is the first tax assessment so
there is no prior list to look at. Also remember that this is the era of stage
coaches and horse travel, so it would have been hard to go to the various areas
of Freestone County or for the taxpayers to come to the county seat of Fairfield.
Handwriting Notes: TERRIBLE 3s. They look like 5s.
County Notes:
Freestone County was created from Limestone County on Sept 6, 1850.
Freestone County was organized January 6, 1851.
Document Notes:
The original is in cursive writing with ink pen.
The original has faint lines that has faded after time. This makes it very hard to
match up entries on the second page.
I have replaced double tick marks and the word "Ditto" with the repeating value.
The assessor commonly abbreviated Headright as "Head".
The number is not a formal column in the original, but an informal column
that the assessor used. I am not certain of its purpose, but it seems to be
a count of landowners.
Seems that the tax assessor has a list of all the people he is working with.
So I assume that the people with blanks under property are renters.
Streams:
"Trinity" means Trinity River (which is in the east);
Tihuaccana is Tehuacana Creek (in northeast)
Caney cr[eek]
Cottonwood cr[eek] .
All column headings are handwritten on a sheet not designed for this.
The number of town lots is tracked, but not which town.
I have re-focused my transcription on the first page (which covers the land
and names). The second page is focused on personal property.
Document Notes:
No partnerships yet in 1851.
No town lots in 1851. The closest thing to a town would be "Troy" or "Cotton Gin"
but at this point, they are just a few families living next to each other.
I suggest reading about "Preemption" in regard to land.
Tax Assessment Notes:
Think of the tax assessment as an annual census. The tax list is a great
tool for finding deceased individuals from 1851-1889 (until our oldest existing
Freestone County newspapers become plentiful enough to track things).
Index Number Notes:
Index numbers were added ahead of people's entries and "for" entries to track
position in document. The focus was on tracking of people skipping partnerships.
My document references are *FCT51* 90. For overlooked entries feel free to add
0.5 to the end (like 90.5).
ABBREVIATIONS:
"Do." or tick marks = Ditto
"agt. for" = agent for
"guar. for" = guardian for (so X is child that person has guardianship over)
"admin. of"/"executor"/"exr" = executor of estate of person X (so X has recently died)
"adminix."/"executrix" = usually female executor of estate (usually the wife)
"Grantee" = who first started as the land owner
"cont." = continued [on "the next" or "from the prior" page]
"dec." = deceased
"heirs" = people that benefit from the estate (usually based on will, but could
be probated)
]
FIRST PAGE
Original Columns My Abbrevations
By Whom Redressed => Whom
No of Acres => Acres
Value => Value
Original Grantee => Grantee
From What Tract Taken => Tract
Class of Claims => Claim
And What Stream => Stream
Town Lots No. => Lot#
Town Lots Val. => Lot$
Implied Columns
Number => #
]
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[PAGE 1A]
Assessment made for the year 1851 by F.M. Truitt Assessor
thereof and cituated [situated?] therein
Land Land
Whom # Acres Value Grantee Tract Claim Stream Lot# Lot$
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Adams, William L. 1 320 $160 J. E. Clapp Headright Trinity R.
[2] Adams, William L. as agent
for Alfred Battle 2 4428 $2214 Peter S. Elliott 4428 Head Trinity
[3] Alagree[Allegree], William R. 3 100 $100 Head Caney cr
[4] Acock, N. D. 4 100 $160 Mary R. Alston 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[5] Acock, N. D. 50 $25 F.P. Coblers? 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[6] Archabold [sic, Archibald], T. W. 5 320 $320 W.H. Elliot 640 Head Pattons creek
[8] Armstrong, B. M. [* No acreage *]
[9] Allen, Mrs. Mary [* No acreage *]
[10] Ayers, Moses S. [* No acreage *]
[William Anglin appears in 1850 LC census and 1852 tax list, but appears skipped here]
[11] Babb, William [* No acreage *]
[12] Baty, Isaak 6 160 $160 Hammett Caney creek
[13] Bashinger, John [* No acreage *]
[14] Barbee, Joseph [* No acreage *]
[15] Bennett, S. J? 7 287 $287 P.L. Bennett 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[16] Bennett, S. J? as administrator on the estate of
J. L. Bennett 8 1028 $1028 P.L. Bennett 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[17] Bennett, Mrs. Elizabeth 9 287 $287 P.L. Bennett 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[18] Bankhead, W.C. [* No acreage *]
[19] Bateman, Micajah [* No acreage *]
[20] Black, P. S. [* No acreage *]
[21] Black, C. C. [marked out property entries] [* No acreage *]
[22] Brown?, William [* No acreage *]
[24] Burleson, James [* No acreage *]
[25] Burleson, Hopson 10 4228 $2114 Hopson Burleson 4428 Head Caney creek
[26] Burleson, Young [* No acreage *]
[27] Burleson, M. W. [* No acreage *]
[28] Burleson, John [* No acreage *]
[29] Conelin? Samuel [* No acreage *]
[30] Chapman, Joseph [* No acreage *]
[31] Clements, Emanuel [* No acreage *]
[32] Clements, William [* No acreage *]
[33] Claypool, S. J. 11 640 $800 S. J. Claypool 640 Head Cottonwood cr
[34] Claypool, John N. 12 640 $800 John N. Claypool 640 Head Cottonwood cr
[35] Claypool, John N. 640 $800 William Bankhead 640 Head Cottonwood cr
[36] Claypool, John N. 80 $100 A. Haystons 1280 Bounty Cottonwood cr
[37] Claypool, J. S. 13 640 $640 J. S. Claypool 640 Head Cottonwood cr
[38] Clapp, J. E. [* No acreage *]
[39] Clapp, Joel [* No acreage *]
[40] Claridge, James [* No acreage *]
[headwritten totals] 14008 $9995
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[PAGE 2A]
Land Orignal
Whom # Acres Value Grantee Tract Claim Stream Town Lots
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[41] Crist, Zebedee 14 60 $60 James P. Golsby 640 Head Trinity no ????
[42] Cockran[Cochran], John 15 555 $277 B. G. Cockrans 4428 Head Richland cr
[43] Cheek, Alexander 16 640 $500 R.B. King 640 Head Caney creek
[44] Campbell, Ellis 17 100 $100 Mary R. Alston 1800 Head Tihuaccana
[45] Campbell, Ellis 25 $25 F.P. Coblers? 2700 Head Tihuaccana
[46] Casper, Joseph [* No acreage *]
[47] Couchman, B. S. 18 533 $275 G. W. Price 1007 Head Tihuaccana
[48] Davis, J. B. [* No acreage *]
[49] Davis, Andrew [* No acreage *]
[50] Daniel, W. F. [* No acreage *]
[51] Dunn, James 19 200 $200 James Shanks 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[52] Dunn, James 220 $220 Sidney Sweet 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[53] Dunagan, George 20 250 $320 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[54] Dunagan, Mrs. Lucy 21 298 $298 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[55] Dunagan, Charles 22 200 $200 James Shanks 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[56] Drennan, Thomas H.? [* No acreage *]
[57] Dixon, W. W. [* No acreage *]
[58] Downs, Absalom [* No acreage *]
[59] Epps, R. C. 23 320 $320 Ezekiel Green [smeared] Head Cottonwood cr
[60] Epps, R. C. 640 $640 R.C. Epps 640 Head Cottonwood cr
[61] Echols, C. T. [Rev. Champness Terry] 24 2200 $2200 Hugh Shepperd 4428 Head Cottonwood cr
[62] Edwards, B. F. 25 640 $320 B. F. Edwards 640 Head Trinity R.
[63] Edwards, B. F. 320 $320 Hiram Lotts 320 Head Trinity R.
[64] Edwards, B. F. 320 $160 Mortin D. Taylor 320 Head Trinity R.
[65] Edward, P. M. [* No acreage *]
[66] Evans[Eavans], Henry 26 100 $100 James J. Golsby 640 Head Trinity
[67] Evans[Eavans], T. T. [* No acreage *]
[68] Epps, D. J. [* No acreage *]
[69] Evans, J. H. [* No acreage *]
[70] Epps, H. B. 27 200 $200 J. L. Bennett 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[71] Epps, H. B. as agent for
[72] P.C. Cenk? 28 277 $277 J. L. Bennett 4428 Head Tihuaccana
[73] Friend, Joseph
[74] Greene, G. N. [* No acreage *]
[75] Grey, V. R. B. [* No acreage *]
[76] Glenn, William [* No acreage *]
[77] Greene, Thomas [* No acreage *]
[78] Greene, Balen[Bolen] [* No acreage *]
[79] Graham, Duncan [* No acreage *]
[80] Goens, Jeramiah 29 328 $164 William Van 4428 Head Keechi cr.
[81] Goens, Henry [* No acreage *]
[Totals] 8416? $7230
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[PAGE 3A]
Land
Whom # Acres Value Grantee Tract Claim Stream Lot# Lot$
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[82] Greene, Benjamin [* No acreage *]
[82] Hale, Jefferson [ink faded] [* No acreage * *No property listed* *Looks like blank line, but done below Gordon*]
[83] Gordon, R. W. 30 640 $760 R.B. Crist 640 Browns Creek
[84] Hale, Jefferson [* No acreage *]
[85] Hobbs, Elisha 31 500 $600 S. W. Lamar 1280 Bounty Caney Cr.
[86] Harper T. S. [* No acreage *]
[87] Henderson, J. M. [* No acreage *] [James Madison Henderson]
[88] Holsclaw, Eli [* No acreage *]
[89] Harris, William G. [* No acreage *]
[90] Hammett, B. P. [* No acreage *]
[91] Harris, W. J. [* No acreage *]
[92] Hester, John 32 160 $80 James P. Golsby 640 Head Trinity
[93] Higden, Mrs. Mary [* No acreage *]
[94] Higden, Ezekiel [* No acreage *]
[95] Hendee, F. B. [* No acreage *]
[96] Hansen, J. B. [* No acreage *]
[97] Hatcher, Mary [* No acreage *]
[98] Hoket, E. W. 33 640 $640 William Schaften 1280 Head Caney cr.
[99] Hunt, Robert [* No acreage *]
[100] Hunter, J. M. [* No acreage *]
[101] Huckaby, John F. [* No acreage *]
[102] Jourdan, J. D. 34 428 $428 F.P. Cableso? 4428 Head Tihuaecana
[103] Jourdan, Young [* No acreage *]
[104] James, G. J. [* No acreage *]
[105] Jester, Andrew [* No acreage *]
[106] Kolb, P. M. [* No acreage *]
[107] Kilgore[Killgore], Charles 35 520 $160 Durham Avant 4428 Head Buffalo cr.
[108] Kolb, William S. [* No acreage *]
[109] Luttrell, J. S. 36 520 $520 F.P. Cableso? 4428 Head Tihuaecana
[110] Lucas, F. M. [* No acreage *]
[111] Lewen/Lewis?, C. M. [* No acreage *]
[112] Lynn, B. F. [* No acreage *]
[113] Lamb, Thomas 37 1614 $807 James Shanke 4428 Head Tihuaecana
ditto 900 $450 Thomas Lamb 1280 Head Beeclay?
[114] Long, William C. [* No acreage *]
[115] Manning, Reuben 38 1149 $1149 F.P. Cableso? 4428 Head
ditto 2879 $2879 P.F. McGriffin 3178 Head Tihuaecana
[116] Martin, James [* No acreage *]
[117] Mayes, Thomas G. [* No acreage *]
[118] Malone, Isaac 39 404 $404 Isaac Malone 640 Head Trinity
[119] Malone, Thomas 40 428 $428 Thomas Malone 640 Head Trinity
[120] Montgomery, J. W. 41 175 $225 640 Head Caney cr.
10057 $7490
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[PAGE 4A]
[121] Miller, F[redrick] H[aro] [* No acreage *]
[122] McMillan, Frank 42 200 $200 James Sparks?/Shanks? 4428 Head Tihuaecana
[123] McMillan, James [* No acreage *]
[124] Magow, Benjamin 43 300 $300 J F McGriffin 2079 Head Tihuaecana
[125] McFall, H. E. [* No acreage *]
[126] McDonel, W. J. [* No acreage *]
[127] Nix, James [* No acreage *]
[128] Olover[sic, Oliver] Rodrick 44 1200 $1200 W Pates 1200 Head Brown cr
[129] Osborn, Henry [* No acreage *]
[130] Patton, E. L. R. 45 320 $320 T. S. Flint 320 Head Lake Cr.
Ditto 80 $40 Mary A. Hotons? 4428 Head Lake Cr.
Ditto 80 $40 G. W. Smith 520 Head Lake Cr.
[131] Patton, George K. 46 320 $320 Pagan Brigan 320 Head Lake Cr.
Ditto 100 $100 James McGabee 320 Head Lake Cr.
Ditto 320 $160 Campbells 320 Head Lake Cr.
Ditto 320 $160 William Whittey 320 Head Lake Cr.
Ditto 80 $40 G. W. Smith 320 Head Lake Cr.
Ditto 200 $100 Mariah Decanter? 4428 Head Lake Cr.
[132] Patton, William M. [* No acreage *]
Ditto as agent for P. Means 47 200 $100 Mary R. Alston 4428 Head Lake Cr.
[133] Patton, T. M. 48 160 $160 George W. Sevier 320 Head Lake Cr.
Ditto as agent for John Douglas 49 200 $200 Mary R Alston 4428 Head Lake Cr.
Ditto as agent for Jacob Douglas [* No acreage *]
[134] Pride, John [* No acreage *]
[135] Potter, David 50 640 $900 Daniel Potter 640 Head Cottonwood
[136] Powel[Powell], Johnson 51 1476 $738 Tobias Da brand Head Trinity
[137] Pattison, John 52 640 $640 John Pattison 640 Head Pin Oak Cr.
Ditto 1280 $960 Daniel Wrath 1280 Bounty Claim
[138] Perry, William [* No acreage *]
[139] Perry, Aaron 53 530 $530 Mary R Alston 4428 Head Tihuaecana
Ditto 25 $25 T P Coblens 2700 Head Tihuaecana
[140] Powell, Nathan 54 549 $275 G. W. Price 1107
[141] Pitt, J. M. [* No acreage *]
[142] Riggs, Charles [* No acreage *]
[143] Roland, Riley 55 540 $680 Mary R. Alstons 4428 Head Navasoto
[144] Ramsay, Solomon [* No acreage *]
[145] Roberts, Edward [* No acreage *]
[146] Rutherford, Richard [* No acreage *] [*LC50* 20/20]
[147] Scarbrough, Mrs. Mary 56 1000 $1000 Mary R. Alstons 4428 Head Navasoto
[148] Scarbrough, D. B. [* No acreage *]
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[PAGE 5A]
[149] Self, Joseph [* No acreage *]
[150] Steele, Edward [* No acreage *]
[151] Savere, Enoch [* No acreage *]
[152] Shelton, Charles [* No acreage *]
[153] Simmons, James 57 320 $160 William Vans 1476 Head Keechie
[154] Smith, Thomas [* No acreage *]
[155] Self, Telford [* No acreage *]
[156] Self, John [* No acreage *]
[157] Snailum, Thomas C. 58 320 $320 Granville Arnett 640 Head Cedar cr
[158] Stubbs, P. L. [* No acreage *]
[159] Teague, James 59 1149 $574 Mary R. Alstons 4428 Head Tihuaecana
Ditto 15 $8 William R. Bloodworth 640 Head Tihuaecana
Ditto 320 $160 R H Dunn 520 Head Tihuaecana
Ditto 175 $88 F P Cablero 4428 Head Tihuaecana
[160] Teague, John [* No acreage *]
[161] Tyus, R. M. 60 215 $106 Martin Walker 640 Head Trinity
Ditto 640 $320 H. P. England 644 Bounty Trinity
Ditto 160 $80 John A Culbreath 520 Head Trinity
Ditto 320 $320 William C. Gray 640 Head Tihuaecana
[162] Turner, David R. [* No acreage *]
[163] Tarver, Nelson [* No acreage *]
[164] Truitt, F. M. [* No acreage *]
[165] Vanpelt, A. J. [* No acreage *]
[166] Vest, R. B. [* No acreage *]
[167] Williams, Mrs Parthenia [* No acreage *]
[168] Wims, G. W. [* No acreage *]
[169] West, C. B. [* No acreage *]
[170] Wilson, L. F. [* No acreage *]
[171] Walker, H. B. [* No acreage *]
[172] Walker, Joseph A. [* No acreage *]
[173] Wells, S. G. [* No acreage *]
[174] Wells, Moses 61 1008 $850 B F Cokrans 4428 Head Richland Cr.
[175] Weaver, Ezekiel 62 640 $640 Ezekiel Weaver 640 Head Browns Cr.
Ditto 640 $640 Ezekiel Weaver 640 Head Browns Cr.
Ditto 213 $213 Thomas Sanford 320 Head Browns Cr.
[176] Wills, S. H. 63 500 $500 Mariah Decantry 4428 Head Tihuaecana
[177] Wills, J[ames] S. 64 1514 $1514 Mariah Decantry 4428 Head Lake Cr.
[178] Yourie[Youree], James [* No acreage *]
[179] House, Armisted [* No acreage *]
[180] McCreight, James [* No acreage *]
[181] Lott, Hiram [* No acreage *]
The last three persons not received in time for alphabethical
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[PAGE 6A]
Original Grantee Stream
[182] Snailum, Thomas C. 65 1510 $755 Mark Copeland 4428 Head Caney C.
Ditto 1108 $554 Thomas C. Snailing 1109 Head Rio Deaner
[183] Bennett, S. J. 66 320 $320 Edward Sullivan 320 Head Sandae
[184] Tyrus, R. M. [Tyus?] 67 1255 $627 Hiram Bush Head Trinity
Ditto 640 $320 Matthew Anderson Bounty Trinity
Ditto 1280 $1280 John Shed Head Trinity
[185] Crist, Zebidee 68 505 $252 Reason Crist 4428 Head East Ti?
Ditto 146 $109 Reason Crist 4428 Head Sechese
[186] Hester, John 69 505 $252 Reason Crist 4428 Head East
Ditto 146 $78 Reason Crist 4428 Head Noches
[187] Black, H. C. 70 640 $320 Sarah Ford 640 Head Pecan Bayo
[188] Hardin, J. B. 71 2012 $1000 Amon Cresswell 2222 Head [blank]
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[PAGE 8]
In the County
51,377 acres valued at $42,135
15 Town Lots valued at $275
290 Negroes valued at $120,730
420 Horses valued at $17,870
3802 Cattel valued at $12,140
2 Money Lenders $350
1 Store $685
Miscellaneous Property $12,070
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[PAGE 9]
I, Emanuel Clements, Clerk of
the County Court do here by certify
that the foregoing is a true copy of
Book filed with me in my office
Given under my hand
using a scroll in way of seal having
no seal the the 19th day of May
A.D. 1851
[189] Emanuel Clements
Clerk of the County
for Freestone County
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