George Peters - My Cattle Driving Great-Grandfather

(this is not a photo of my great-grandfather)

My great-grandfather George Peters was born in the early 1850s, about 1854.  His parents were born in Africa.  According to the 1870 Census they lived in the Lower Caney section of Matagorda County, Texas.  It is not clear to see who was the last slave owner from this record. He was my mother's paternal grandfather - the father to my grandfather Gillie Peters.

Father - Lemon Peters
Mother - Mary Williams, b. abt 1830

Sisters -

1) Emma, b. abt 1859. She married Charles Munro, but I believe she was married twice; she had two daughters: Thelma & Letha, and they had different maiden names.
2) Martha, b. abt 1857. She does not appear to have been married.
3) Onie, b. 1855. She married Alfred Clark, (they had no children)

A cousin once called George Peters a cowboy; my mother used to tell me what was told to her that he rode a large white horse.  According to the records I have researched he was a cattle driver along with his brother-in-law Alfred Clark, and his brother-in-law's brother, Jerry Clark.  I would love to find out which cattle driver (rancher) they worked for.  I wonder what things he experienced throughout his lifetime as a cattle driver. What trails did he ride on with the herd of cattle? Texas Cattle Trails Map

Death Certificate of George Peters

I can only imagine life must have been rough and rugged. The living conditions probably deplorable - equal to or beneath that of the cattle. I wonder what effect this had on him as a person, husband, father.

My great-grandparents, George Peters and Annie Round were probably together prior to their marriage in 1897.  While it is not known whether George Peters fathered children other than the three sons: Harrison, Marshall, and Gillie - he had with my great-grandmother Annie Round.  I do believe he may have been married prior to marrying my great-grandmother as I am certain that my great-grandmother was married prior to marrying my great-grandfather.

His death certificate shows he died 11 June 1931.  It appears that he was buried in Burr, Texas.  Burr, is also known as Lawson's Corner or Kriegel Switch, which is an unincorporated area of eastern Wharton County.

Tracing My Mother's Paternal Side: ROUNDS of Matagorda County

Introduction

I have always found it easier to trace my father's side of the family even with the few brick walls I have encountered. On the other hand, my mother's ancestry and especially her paternal side has and continues to be full of brick walls.  Recently, I have been determined after I discovered a website that I know my mother's paternal side resided, and prior to this discovery I would avoid researching this side.

I was aware that the family lived in Matagorda County Texas in the town of Matagorda, in the Lower Caney section of town.  I knew my great grandmother, Annie Rounds, lived there with her parents and siblings.

A Mother Lode - The Discovery

The age of computer technology should not be overlooked. I do agree that if something cannot be found online, if possible, these records should be found at the courthouse or university libraries that have numerous collections.  Or if there is a library-sharing program and you do not mind looking through rolls of microfilm, which is what most did before the dawn of technology, by all means do so.

My discovery came from searching online. I found a website after thinking that I'd never find any genealogical information about my family ever online - boy was I wrong! I did a search for Matagorda County Texas.  I found information about what possibly may have been Jesse Rounds, my 2 x great grandfather's, last slave owner on the 1867 Voter's Registration List, I found out who my great-grand uncles and great-grand aunts married. In addition, I found when my great-grandparents married. I was able to find information about my great-grandfather and his sisters.

This discovery made me keenly aware that the ancestors speak to you! I heard about an aunt, Onie Peters, that I never met, but heard her name over and over. I found her on the marriage records list below.  She lead me to find her. I never knew her married name, let alone that she had been married.

Matagorda County Slave Database

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txmatago/slave_database_1.htm

1867 Voter's Registration List

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txmatago/1867_reg_351-400.htm

1870 US Census Matagorda County Texas - African American & Mulatto Families

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txmatago/aa_1870_lowercaney.htm 

Matagorda County Marriage Records

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txmatago/marriages.htm

Newfound Fulfillment

Since those discoveries I have found it enjoyable to doing research on my mother's paternal side.  I have been able to tackle my mother's maternal side, it too fraught with brick walls, and those too have come tumbling down.  It has been so fulfilling to discover my past and to verify and document my mother's paternal ancestry.

Admittedly, I was overjoyed with what I thought might have been my 2 x great grandfather's last slave owner, who I thought was J L Thorp, but I understand now that some online indexes may have errors or that they do not give accurate information. However, I welcome the challenge to locate other owners he may have had.  I look at this as turning lemons into lemonade.

Conclusion

I have thoroughly enjoyed what I thought was something I wanted avoid to an activity that still fascinates me, finding my mother's paternal ancestors. I used the county website for Matagorda County that was full of information from: African American churches, slave database, baptisms, marriages, brands, that verified and documented their existence for me.  Although further research will turn up more I look forward to digging deeper.