Posted on the Texas Civilian Yahoo list August 2009.
Vicki Betts posted this information on another list and I thought some of this
list might enjoy it as well.
Annette
The paperwork I've found in Footnote.com and elsewhere indicates a larger Unionist group in this part of East Texas than previously thought. This plot pulls together Unionists from Van Zandt, Smith, Rusk, Harrison, and Panola counties. Van Zandt had voted over 40% against secession, and was known as a really rough place ("Free State of Van Zandt") but the other counties, particularly Smith, Rusk, and Harrison, were more secesh. The group wasn't large, but it was there. A list of Unionists meeting in Van Zandt County (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txvzcgs/vzgs5cw.htm )actually lists women Unionists, which I think is interesting. In so many cases women were considered "non persons" but they must have been thought of as a possible threat to make this list. The first name, George Rosenbaum, was a former district attorney residing in the Smith County jail at the beginning of my story.
Vicki Betts posted this information on another list and I thought some of this
list might enjoy it as well.
Annette
The paperwork I've found in Footnote.com and elsewhere indicates a larger Unionist group in this part of East Texas than previously thought. This plot pulls together Unionists from Van Zandt, Smith, Rusk, Harrison, and Panola counties. Van Zandt had voted over 40% against secession, and was known as a really rough place ("Free State of Van Zandt") but the other counties, particularly Smith, Rusk, and Harrison, were more secesh. The group wasn't large, but it was there. A list of Unionists meeting in Van Zandt County (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txvzcgs/vzgs5cw.htm )actually lists women Unionists, which I think is interesting. In so many cases women were considered "non persons" but they must have been thought of as a possible threat to make this list. The first name, George Rosenbaum, was a former district attorney residing in the Smith County jail at the beginning of my story.
