The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 41, July 1937 - April, 1938 Page: 99
383 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Free Negro in the Republic of Texas
dignified his agility with the razor as a profession;"" Thomas
Cevallos was "by trade a barber, but by inclination a soldier, and
between expeditions found time to practice his trade in Bexar."9
Henry Tucker acted "in the capacity of a Barber, and as such
gives entire satisfaction to a respectable and numerous patronage"
including George W. Hockley, sometime acting secretary of war;
Ashbel Smith, George Fisher, Henry Foote, J. B. Ransom, and
A. C. Allen, founder of Houston.70 Ingles Oliver to gain a live-
lihood made a rare combination following "his vocation of Baking
and Barbering.""1 In the first capacity he competed with John
Bird's wife, Charity, who supported herself "by baking cakes and
vending them." She sold her cakes in quantities sufficient to defray
the expense of a vacation spent with old friends in the United
States.72
The inability of Negroes to collect debts in the courts at a
time when most business was done on credit constituted a con-
siderable deterrent to increased business activity. Although they
had the right to sue, they could not bear witness against their
white debtors but were forced to hire the services of a white man.
Oftentimes, doubtless, it was more advisable to suffer the loss
than attempt a lawsuit, and the general tendency was to delay
action in the hope that debts would be amiably settled. Andrew
Bell delayed until 1848, his attempts to collect two old debts con-
tracted during the Republic. One was a six months' note for
twenty-eight dollars for a rifle gun sold to Stephen Richards,
overdue since October, 1845; the other a revolutionary war claim
of seventy-five dollars "against the government of Texas for a
horse, saddle and bridle for which I took a Receit from John S.
Roberts, acting quartermaster . . . that I have lost." Bell sent
his claims with his instructions to Dr. James H. Starr who appar-
ently was in the habit of accepting such business. "If you can
"Memorial No. 1, File 52, April 25, 1838.
"Cevallos came to Texas in a company of Mississippi volunteers to
participate in the Revolution but arrived after the battle of San Jacinto.
He took part in several expeditions against the Indians and Mexicans
and was severely wounded at Salado in 1842. He later fought with the
Kentucky volunteers in the Mexican War under General Taylor. Me-
morials No. 7, File S, December 15, [1840], No. 91, File 81, November 7,
1851; Daily Picayune, August 8, 1852.
"'Memorial No. 16, File T, November 15, 1839.
n1Memorial No. 5, File 71, no date.
"Memorial No. 33, File 80, September 25, 1839.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 41, July 1937 - April, 1938, periodical, 1938; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101103/m1/107/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.