Josephus Brooks Account of Franklin B. Sublett Plantation
Scope and Contents
Josephus Brooks' plantation account of the Sublett plantation in Trinity County covers the years 1859-1861. The account describes crops of cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and melons, and farm chores such as clearing, ditching, plowing, and fencing. He mentions trips made by persons associated with the plantations, visitors, and shipping of goods by steamship. He keeps a record of the weather and health of the slaves. The account is a typescript copy. Biographical and genealogical materials on Brooks and Sublett have been added to the collection.
One subject in the account book that may be of particular interest to historians and researchers are runaway slaves. Nine slaves that made 21 combined escape attempts between January 1859 and September 1860. The account book records the capture and return of the runaways on 19 occasions.
The record for 1873-1874 is for an undetermined location, though Brooks mentions going to San Augustine and Huntsville. According to his wording, he appears to have been farming his own land by then.
Dates
- Creation: 1859-1891
Language of Materials
The collection is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research.
Biographical or Historical Information
Josephus Brooks, son of Henry and Mary Brooks, was born about 1837 in Tennessee. His family was living in San Augustine County, Texas by 1850. In 1859 he became the overseer of Franklin Boliver Sublett's cotton plantation on the Trinity River in Trinity County, not far from Huntsville. He married Eliza Randall in San Augustine County in 1865. Their place of residence after that time has not been determined.
Franklin Boliver Sublett was born in Texas in 1828, son of Easter Jane Roberts and Philip A. Sublett. He was a lawyer and served in the Civil War as Brigadier General of the 3rd Texas Brigade. He died in 1866.
Extent
0.10 Cubic Feet
Arrangement
This collection is described in two folders and housed with other collections in a clamshell box.
Subject
Cultural context
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Josephus Brooks Account of Franklin B. Sublett Plantations
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the East Texas Research Center Repository
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