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Stephenson's Colony School in Sutherland Springs

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  This photo was taken around 1946-1948 in front of the Black School in Sutherland Springs. The teacher is Bernice McIntyre (1910-1982). She was born in Guadalupe County. She had at least 3 years of college education, possibly at Guadalupe College in Seguin. According to the Lincoln Ball High School website, she also taught at Lincoln Ball High School. In the 1940s she was teaching at the Sutherland Springs Black School. She is actually listed on two U. S. Census Records for 1940. In the 1930 and 1940 U. S. Census for Guadalupe County she is listed with  her husband, L. R. McIntyre, living in Guadalupe County with the occupation of a public school teacher. In the 1940 U. S. Census for Wilson County (April) she was lodging in the home of Walter and Isabelle Fields, at the corner of 8th and 13th Streets in Sutherland Springs, also with the occupation of public school teacher. She and her husband are buried in the Old Zion Hill Cemetery in Seguin, Texas.  I was able to acces...
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Juneteenth in Sutherland Springs, Texas

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    Courtesy of the grand daughter of Henrietta Noble       The Diary of J. L. Tiner       This story began with a photograph and a diary.   The diary was written by J. L. Tiner in 1886-1889.       J. L. Tiner moved from La Vernia to Sutherland Springs with his wife, Connie, the grand daughter of J. H.  and Mary Polley, buying a piece of land with a house and some outbuildings. In 1886 he began building a new house that would be attached to the older house.  The diary gives us detailed accounts of the materials he bought to construct the house, the people that he employed to help him build it, and much more. In fact, the diary gives us a glimpse into the political and social life of Wilson County for those three years, a survey of the weather and agriculture, and a personal history of the Tiner family and their neighbors in Sutherland Springs. It's a delightful read.     Sadly, the house has deteriorated and...
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The Enslaved People of the J. H. Polley Plantation, Whitehall, Sutherland Springs, Texas, 1836-1865--Burrell Montgomery

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  Burrell Montgomery (1817-ca. 1890)   Burrell Montgomery, born into slavery in Virginia in 1817, was brought to Texas in 1822. At some point he became an enslaved person of J. H. Polley. J. B. Polley mentioned in his “Historical Reminiscences” that Burrell was a grown slave in 1858.    According to J. B. Polley’s “Historical Reminisces” of in the San Antonio Express of 16 December 1906, Burrell Montgomery could translate Spanish. Describing an encounter with Native Americans in 1848, J. B. Polley writes:   “They were Lipans, and though denying that they spoke or understood English, talked Spanish well enough to make themselves understood by Burrel, one of my father’s negroes whom he called upon to do the interpreting.”   J. H. Polley made a legal agreement with James Bailey, Reuben Robinson, Cato Morgan, Burrell Montgomery, Theodore Henderson, and Albert Nious to employ them as servants until December 1865. Those six men a...
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The Enslaved People of the J. H. Polley Plantation, Whitehall, Sutherland Springs, Texas, 1836-1865--Theresa McCloud Moore

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  Theresa McCloud Moore (1837-1887)   Josephine Golson in Bailey’s Light records that Theresa McCloud was one of the slaves that g ained their freedom from J. H. Polley. I have not been able to determine when or how J. H. Polley acquired Theresa McCloud. We do know, according to Census Records that she was born in Texas.   Possibly she is one of the persons referred to in this excerpt from J. H. Polley’s estate:“Whereas my daughters Mary A. Baylor and Susan R. Henderson having each one negro girl slave in their possession belonging to my Estate, it is my will and desire that each of my said daughters retain the possession of the negro girl now in her custody…Should either of my daughters who are now single marry before the first distribution of my estate…it is my will and I direct that she or they…shall receive three hundred head of stock cattle and ten head   of horses…and further direct..she shall be entitled to receive into her possession...
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The Enslaved People of the J. H. Polley Polley Plantation, Whitehall, Sutherland Springs, Texas--Cato Morgan

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    Cato Morgan (1812?-1887?)   Cato Morgan, born in North or South Carolina around 1812, was purchased by J. H. Polley on 22 September 1836 from James Reed. Morgan and Reed were slave traders that bought slaves in New Orleans at the St. Louis Hotel. Morgan and Reed brought the enslaved people by ship to Velasco, and then shipped them up the Brazos to Brazoria to be sold to Austin’s Colony (1) .       Cato was a trusted servant of the Polleys. J. B. Polley in his “Historical Reminiscences” writes that Cato “was recognized among his fellow darkeys as ‘Ole Marster’s favorright.’” Cato was an authority around the plantation. He was privileged to carry a shotgun and was considered a fairly good marksman. Cato accompanied Polley on many of his cattle drives. J. B. Polley recorded an episode of Cato picking mustang grapes for Mrs. Polley to make preserves and being attacked by Indians. He also mentioned that Cato was a grown slave in 1858 in on...
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