The first deed recorded in Book 1 of Upshur County records is: Britton
Smith to Bond J. Bowman, October 2, 1846. Smith sold Bowman 320 acres of
land lying on Little Cypress. William Hart was county clerk. The second
recorded instrument is Mary Ivey, administratrix, to a bill of sale to
Susan Decker:
“Republic of Texas, County of Harrison, know all men by these presents:
that I, Mary Ivey, administratrix of the estate of Isah Ivey, deceased,
doth by these presents, convey all the rights, title claims and interest
that I have to a certain Negro girl, named Nancy, slave for life, unto
Susan Decker during her natural life, and then to her bodily heirs
forever, and I do bind myself to warrant and defend the right, title and
claim of the said Negro unto the said Susan Decker and her heirs from
all persons whomsoever.”
In 1846, three-fourths of the records pertained to slaves. Negroes were
worth from $300 to $1,000 each. On December 28, 1846, B. M. Hampton
mortgaged to A. B. Denton one Negro boy named Grant for $348. The deed
made by Mary Ivey was made while Texas was still a republic, and Upshur
County was a part of Harrison County, but was not recorded until Upshur
became a separate county.
Upshur County had officers from 1846 to 1848, but no record has been
found of them. From the register of county officers, pages 223-24, in
the archives of the state library, is found the following information:
The first regular election held in Upshur County was on August 7, 1848,
and the following men were elected: Thomas D. Brooks, county judge; P.
R. Wilson, district clerk; Robert G. Warren, county clerk (Warren held
this office until in the sixties); C. G. Patille, sheriff; J. W.
Richardson, assessor, and many lesser officers. John McNairy, of Upshur
County, was elected state representative.
Judge Mills, candidate for governor, spoke at Gilmer, Saturday, August
4, 1849. Election returns from Gilmer precinct in the governor’s race,
1849, gave Weed 98 votes, Mills 27, and Bell 2. Bell was elected. Upshur
County had 306 poll tax receipts in 1849 compared to 4,200 in 1946.
Cotton was worth 9-cents to 9½-cents per pound. Mail to Gilmer via
Marshall arrived every Sunday at 6 p.m., and departed every Friday at 6
a.m.