SOME BRAZOS COUNTY BANKRUPTCY CASES: 1867-68, 1871-73 Compiled by Bill PAGE, copyright 2002 Few Americans in the nineteenth century had any dealings in the federal courts. However, even an unexceptional citizen might become involved in a bankruptcy case. In 1867 Congress pased a new law regulating bankruptcies, after which cases for several counties, including Brazos County, were to be filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, in Austin. Brazos Co. bankruptcies were identified using three sources. First, notices of many of these bankruptcies were published in the Austin Republican or other Austin newspapers. Reel four of the National Archives microfilm collection Letters Received by the Department of Justice from Texas, 1870?1884 contains two more sources: Synopsis of Cases in Bankruptcy Filed in the U.S. District Court, Sitting at Austin, Texas, 1869 (appearing on the reel starting with frame 462 and cited below as Synopsis) and Statement of Fees Earned and Expenses Incurred in All Bankrupt Cases Instituted in the District Court of the United States, Western District of Texas (beginning on frame 492 and cited as Statement). Although the latter work covers the years from 1867 to 1873, it does not indicate county of residence, so only those bankruptcies listed in one of the other sources as being related to Brazos County have been included. Exact forms of these entries vary, but the following is typical: In the District Court of the United States for the Western District of Texas. In the matter of Alexander McKEE vs. Creditors, bankrupt. In Bankruptcy. United States District Court Clerk's Office, at Austin, Texas on the day of A.D. 18 . Please to take notice hereby, that a petition has been, to wit: on the 21st day of April, A.D. 1868, filed in said District Court by Alexander McKEE, of Bryan, in said District, who has been heretofore duly declared bankrupt, under the act of Congress entitled "An act to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States," approved March 2, 1867, for a discharge, and certificate thereof, from all his debts and other claims provable under said act, and that the 6th day of June, A.D. 1868, at 3 o'clock p.m. at Austin, Texas, before W.D. PRICE, Register in Bankruptcy, the time and place assigned for the hearing of the same; when and where you may attend, and show cause, if any you have, why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted. Matthew HOPKINS Clerk of the U.S. District Court for said District Several possible reasons exist as to why so many bankruptcies were filed during this period. First, the laws regarding bankruptcies had just been changed. It may have been easier, or more advantageous, to declare bankruptcy than had previously been the case. Second, some of these individuals may have been in debt because of the Civil War, or may have had large parts of their assets tied up in slaves or Confederate bonds. A few of these may have been merchants in Millican whose businesses failed when the terminus of the railroad moved on to Bryan, or merchants in Boonville whose businesses did not survive the relocating of the county seat to Bryan. And, of course, a few of these must have been individuals who simply mismanaged their businesses. Whatever the causes, the bankruptcies in this area were not limited to Brazos County. There are many cases from Grimes, Leon and Washington Counties, as well as a few cases from Burleson and Robertson Counties. I only recorded the cases from Brazos County and the one case I found from Madison County. Actual case files for these bankruptcies apparently no longer exist. Docket books and some related lists are available in the Federal Records Center in Fort Worth. ________________________________________________________________________________ BRAZOS COUNTY CASES BATTLE, Daniel E., Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 21, 1868. His attorney was W.L. ROBARDS. (See Synopsis). His name also appears as BATTE. (See Statement). BATTLE, James E., of Brazos Co., Weekly Austin Republican, June 24, 1868, p. 3. His case was filed on May 28, 1868. His attorneys were HANCOCK and WEST; his assignee was W.H. RANDOLPH. His case was discharged on Feb. 10, 1869; see Synopsis. BROWN, Geo. E., Brazos Co., (Daily) Austin Republican, Jan. 5, 1869, p. 3. His name is also listed as George R. BROWN. His case was filed on Oct. 31, 1868. He was a Bryan resident. His attorneys were HANCOCK and WEST; his assignee was W. ROWAND. See Synopsis. CHEW, F.F., Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 30, 1868. PERRY and HENDERSON were his attorneys; see Synopsis. DANIEL, E.A., Brazos Co., Weekly Austin Republican, Aug. 19, 1868, p. 3. His case was filed May 30, 1868. His attorneys were MOORE and SHELLEY; his assignee was W. ROWAND. See Synopsis. DRISKELL, J.L., and W.Z. DRISKELL, Bryan, Weekly Austin Republican, July 1, 1868, p. 3. Their case was filed on Feb. 19, 1868. Their attorney was J.P. NEAL; their assignee was P. DeCORDOVA. Their case was discharged Feb. 5, 1869; see Synopsis. J.L. DRISKELL is listed as owning a Bryan city lot on the 1869 Brazos Co. tax roll. J.L. DRISKILL is the subject of a sketch in the Handbook of Texas; he moved to Austin in 1871 where he built the DRISKILL Hotel. DUNLAP, Wm., Brazos Co. His case was filed on Apr. 4, 1872. (Austin) Daily State Journal, Apr. 5, 1872, p. 2. ERWIN, Lycurgus, Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 30, 1868. PERRY and HENDERSON were his attorneys; see Synopsis. ERWIN was elected mayor of Bryan in 1876; see Galveston Daily News, Jan. 11, 1876, p. 2. ERWIN was murdered in 1881; see Galveston Daily News, Jan. 20, 1881, p. 1. FLETCHER, R.R., of Brazos Co., (Daily) Austin Republican, Dec. 7, 1868, p. 4. His case was filed May 7, 1868. His attorney was W.L. ROBARDS; his assignee was W.H. RANDOLPH. His case was discharged Jan. 8, 1869; see Synopsis. The 1868 Brazos Co. tax roll shows FLETCHER owned a town lot in Bryan. HALL, H.W., Bryan. His case was filed on July 19, 1871. (Austin) Daily State Journal, July 28, 1871, p. 3. HALL was a charter member of the Texas Odd Fellow's University and Orphan's Home. HALL, W.N. Residence is not clear; HALL's assets include a judgement against Jno. P. COLLINS et al. in Brazos Co. and judgement against H.W. & H.H. HALL in Freestone Co.; Jno. W. ROBINSON was his assignee. (Austin) Daily State Journal, July 9, 1872, p. 2. This may be the William N. HALL, of Limestone Co., who filed for bankruptcy on 15 March 1873; see (Austin) Daily Democratic Statesman, Mar. 19, 1873, p. 2. HANKS, F.M., Brazos Co., (Daily) Austin Republican, Oct. 16, 1868, p. 4. HANKS was a Bryan resident; his case was filed Feb. 27, 1868. W. L. ROBARDS was his attorney; W.H. RANDOLPH was his assignee. His case was discharged Mar. 10, 1869; see Synopsis. HILL, A.C.L., Brazos Co., (Daily) Austin Republican, Nov. 11, 1868, p. 4. His case was filed Apr. 1, 1868. BOWERS and WALKER were his attorneys; W.H. RANDOLPH was his assignee. His case was discharged on Dec. 28, 1868. In 1865 HILL was a Millican resident; see hotel register in the Galveston Daily News, Nov. 21, 1865, p. 3. In 1869 he offered over 400 bales of cotton for sale; see the Galveston Daily News, Mar. 19, 1869, p. 3. HOLLAND, William C., Bryan. His case was filed Dec. 25, 1868; see Synopsis. HUNT, Richard B., Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 29, 1868. CUNNINGHAM and ROBARDS were his attorneys. (See Synopsis). HUTCHINSON, George, Brazos Co., Weekly Austin Republican, Sept. 2, 1868, p. 3. HUTCHINSON was a Bryan resident; his case was filed June 1, 1868. BOWERS and WALKER were his attorneys; W. ROWAND was his assignee. His case was discharged Jan. 26, 1869; see Synopsis. The 1868 Brazos Co. tax roll shows HUTCHINSON owned a town lot in Bryan. IGLEHART, D.T., Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 25, 1868. ROBERTSON, HOLLAND and ROBARDS were his attorneys; see Synopsis. IGLEHART's name also appears as Daniel T.; see Statement. IGLEHART, E.J., and J.H. IGLEHART, Brazos Co. Their case was filed Dec. 30, 1868. W.L. ROBARDS was their attorney; see Synopsis. E.J. IGLEHART was a Millican resident; see Galveston Daily News, Nov. 16, 1865, p. 3. J.H. IGLEHART was a merchant in Millican; see his ad in the Galveston Daily News on Feb. 3, 1866, p. 3. KING, J.P., Bryan City. His case was filed Feb. 21, 1868. RUSSEL, BOWERS and WALKER were his attorneys; W.H. RANDOLPH was his assignee. His case was discharged Jan. 28, 1869; see Synopsis. KING's name also appears as James P.; see Statement. LITTLEFIELD, James H., Bryan, Weekly Austin Republican, May 13, 1868, p. 3. His case was filed on May 4, 1868. McADOO and UPSHAW were his attorneys; W.H. RANDOLPH was his assignee. His case was discharged Mar. 12, 1869; see Synopsis. The 1866 Brazos Co. tax rolls shows that a John H. LITTLEFIELD owned a town lot in Millican. The 1868 roll shows J.H. LITTLEFIELD with a city lot in Bryan. A J.H. LITTLEFIELD took the amnesty oath at Boonville. This may have been the J.H. LITTLEFIELD who was one of the founding members of the Texas Banking and Insurance Corporation, which was incorporated in 1870; see Special Laws of the Twelfth Legislature of the State of Texas, 1870, p. 10. LONG, R.F., of Brazos Co., Weekly Austin Republican, Aug. 26, 1868, p. 3. His case was filed on Apr. 18, 1868. HANCOCK and WEST were his attorneys; W. ROWAND was his assignee. His case was discharged Oct. 29, 1868. MARCHBANKS, H.D., Bryan, Weekly Austin Republican, May 20, 1868, p. 3. His case was filed on May 7, 1868. W.L. ROBARDS was his attorney; J.C. WEST was his assignee. His case was discharged on Feb. 2, 1869. In 1866 MARCHBANKS, THOMPSON & Co. were in business at Millican as "receiving, forwarding and general commission merchants;" see their ad in the Dallas Herald, Feb. 3, 1866, p. 3. MARCHBANKS closed out the business of the late firm of MARCHBANKS and Co. in the fall of 1867. At that time he could be found at the office of HANNA & ORR in Bryan; see the Dallas Herald, Oct. 5, 1867, p. 2. McCONNELL, Calvin, Brazos Co., Weekly Austin Republican, Oct. 20, 1869, p. 3. His case was filed on Dec. 11, 1868. HANCOCK and WEST were his attorneys. W.H. RANDOLPH was his assignee; see Synopsis. McKEE, Alexander, Bryan, Tri-Weekly Austin Republican, May 12, 1868, p. 3. McKEE is also referred to as Alex. His case was filed on Oct. 4, 1867. HANCOCK and WEST were his attorneys; J.H. HUTCHINS was his assignee. His case was discharged on Aug. 17, 1868; see Synopsis. McKEE (1812-1879) is buried in the Boonville cemetary; see Margaret Lipps VAN BAVEL's Birth and Death of Boonville, p. 103. McKEE was one of the founders of the Texas Odd Fellow's University and Orphans Home in Bryan in 1870; see Special Laws of the Twelfth Legislature of the State of Texas, 1870, p. 50. MORRISON, A. D., Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 30, 1868. (See Synopsis). MORRISON is also listed as A.A. (See Statement). MOSELY, Thomas R., Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 31, 1868; see Synopsis. His last name also appears as MOSELEY; see Statement. MOSELEY signed the amnesty oath at Boonville. PAUL, James L., Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 31, 1868. BURNS and WALKER were his attorneys. (See Synopsis). RANKIN, Jno. T., of Brazos Co., Weekly Austin Republican, Sept. 2, 1868, p. 3. His case was filed on June 1, 1868. HANCOCK and WEST were his attorneys; Weston ROWAND was his assignee. See Synopsis. SCHNEIDER, J., Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 17, 1868. MANN, BAKER and MORRIS were his attorneys; W. ROWAND was his assignee. See Synopsis. His last name also appears as SCHNEIDLER; see Statement. SHELTON & DAVIDSON, Brazos Co. Their case was filed Sept. 9, 1873. (Austin) Daily Democratic Statesman, Sept. 10, 1873, p. 2. SHIELDS, Jno., Bryan, Weekly Austin Republican, July 29, 1868, p. 3. SHIELDS name is also shown as John. His case was filed on Feb. 27, 1868. W. L. ROBARDS was his attorney. W. H. RANDOLPH was his assignee. His case was discharged on Dec. 4, 1868; see Synopsis. John SHIELDS is shown as owning a town lot in Bryan on the 1869 Brazos Co. tax rolls. SMITH, Charles, Brazos Co., (Daily) Austin Republican, Sept. 5, 1868, p. 2. His case was filed on Feb. 27, 1868. HANCOCK and WEST were his attorneys. W.H. RANDOLPH was his assignee. His case was discharged Oct. 22, 1868. This may be the same Charles SMITH who took the amnesty oath in Boonville on Oct. 30, 1865. SMITH, Paschal R., Brazos Co. His case was filed on Oct. 15, 1868. HOLLINGSWORTH, HANCOCK and WEST were his attorneys. W.H. RANDOLPH was his assignee. See Synopsis. P. R. SMITH was a charter member of the Bryan Bridge Company and the Bryan Male and Female Seminary. And, P. R. SMITH was involved in a lawsuit which was settled by the Texas Supreme Court in 1875. SMOTHERS, Thos. T., Brazos Co. His case was filed May 18, 1871. (Austin) Daily State Journal, May 20, 1871, p. 4. SMOTHERS was a charter member of the Bryan Bridge Company, the Bryan Horticultural Society, the Bryan Real Estate and Building Association, the Odd Fellow's Hall Association of Bryan, Texas and the Texas Odd Fellow's University and Orphan's Home. STOCKTON, James M., Brazos Co., (Daily) Austin Republican, Oct. 17, 1868, p. 4. His case was filed Feb. 24, 1868. PERRY and HENDERSON were his attorneys; W.H. RANDOLPH was his assignee. His case was discharged Nov. 30, 1868; see Synopsis. STOCKTON was in business with B.H. PEVERLY in Millican as commission and forwarding merchants; see their ad in the Dallas Herald, Feb. 3, 1866, p. 3. STOCKTON signed the amnesty oath at Boonville. TEMPLE, W.B., Bryan. His case was filed Dec. 14, 1868. W.L. ROBARDS was his attorney; W. ROWAND was his assignee. See Synopsis. WHEAT, G.A., Brazos Co. His case was filed Dec. 30, 1868; see Synopsis. WHEAT was a merchant in Millican; see the Galveston Daily News, Aug. 25, 1866, p. 2. WHITED, John K., Brazos Co. His case was filed on Dec. 28, 1868; see Synopsis. His last name is also listed as WHITE; see Statement. ZADAK, Adolph, of Brazos Co., Weekly Austin Republican, July 29, 1868, p. 3. His name is also spelled ZADOK. His case was filed Apr. 1, 1868. One record indicates that he lived in Navasota. W. ROWAND was his assignee. His case was discharged Jan. 16, 1869; see Synopsis. His last name also appears as ZADICK; see Statement. The 1869 Brazos Co. tax roll lists an Adolph ZADECK, Jr. and an Adolph ZADECK, Sr. MADISON COUNTY CASE McMILLAN, Neill, of Madison Co., (Daily) Austin Republican, Jan. 5, 1869, p. 3. McMILLAN is also shown as Neill, Jr. His case was filed on Oct. 14, 1868. A.H. WEIR was his attorney. W. ROWAND was his assignee. (See Synopsis). His first name also appears as Neil. (See Statement).