The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 20, July 1916 - April, 1917 Page: 361
426 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Jared Ellison Groce
While some of the negroes were improving the dwelling and
surroundings, others were breaking ground, and making prepara-
tions for the planting of cotton, the first ever raised in Texas.
Below is a clipping from The Houston Chronicle, entitled "Hous-
ton the Leading Inland Cotton Market." There are several errors
in it. Thrall's History of Texas states that Jared E. Groce had
the first cotton gin in Texas, and he and his children were of that
opinion:
The first cotton planter in Texas, according to the Year Book
of the Texas department of agriculture. was Jared E. Groce. He
came to the State with his family in 1821, bringing with him
about 100 negro, slaves. In 1822 he planted the first cotton and
began its culture on a limited scale. In 1825 he began to ship
cotton to New Orleans. The first cotton gin in Texas was owned
by John Cartwright in the "Redlands" of East Texas, while
Groce established the second gin in 1825 on the Brazos River at
the plantation opposite which the army of General Sam Houston
camped for some time on its march to San Jacinto battle ground
in 1836. Colonel Groce soon became the richest planter in Texas
with a vast landed estate, owing to the fact that under the regu-
lations of Stephen F. Austin's first colonial rant, he was en-
titled to eighty acres of land for each slave introduced in addi-
tion to his headright.
The following description of plantation life before the war may
be of interest to the present generation:
The negro quarters were about three-fourths of a mile from the
dwelling house. The cabins were built fronting one side of a
large lake. Nearby was the overseer's house, a large kitchen,
eating hall, and day nursery. To the nursery the mothers brought
their babies and children each morning to be cared for by several
women, trained for the purpose, while they were working. Many
cooks were needed to prepare food for so large a crowd of negroes,
and they were in the kitchen by four in the morning. The first
thing done was to brew steaming pots of strong coffee and, when
the gong sounded at daybreak, all hands came to the "hall," which
joined the kitchen, and each was served a large cup of coffee.
This was done principally by the young boys and girls. It was
the duty of some to feed the mules, which are attended to before
coffee was served, then all hands went to the field, the men to
the plows and the women to the hoes. At 7 o'clock the breakfast361
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 20, July 1916 - April, 1917, periodical, 1917; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101070/m1/367/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.