W. W. Shepperd Sells the Town of Montgomery to James McCown for Slaves
In 1839, W. W. Shepperd sold his interest in the town of Montgomery, Texas to
James McCown. The sale was unusual because James McCown paid W. W. Shepperd for the town by transferring the
ownership of seven slaves (five adults and two children) from McCown to Shepperd. The slaves were Carter,
Syphax, Abner, Caroline, Betsy, Bill and one unnamed child. The sale also included the original Montgomery County
courthouse. The document is titled Release of Mortgages William W. Shepperd to James McCown. To read
the original legal document that concluded the sale of the town of Montgomery, click on the links below for
pdfs.
Sale of the Town of Montgomery for Slaves Page
1
Sale of the Town of Montgomery for Slaves Page
2
Sale of the Town of Montgomery for Slaves Page
3
This document is located in the deed records of Montgomery County Clerk's Office
in Book F, pages 1-3. There are two volumes designated as Book F. One is the earlier original
and the other is a later handwritten transcription. I will transcribe these pages later.
Release of Mortgages William W. Shepperd to James
McCown
Transcription of First Page
DR.
F
1
Release of Mortgages William W. Shepperd to James McCown
Republic of Texas
County of Montgomery
Know all persons by these presents that I William W. Shepperd of the
county aforesaid did on the twenty first day of October A.D. 1839 sell and convey unto James McCown of the
same county for the sum of Four Thousand Dollars to be paid to me on the first day of February Eighteen
hundred and forty all that parcel of land lying and being in the county of Montgomery bought by me from
William C. Clark and containing Two hundred acres more or less together with all the buildings improvements
and appurtenances to the same belonging saving and excepting a certain tract of Two and a half acres
of land more or less which I had previously granted and conveyed with certain privileges and uses to my
daughter Julia T. Stewart as per deed to her bearing date of M[unreadable] 1, 1839 and also saving and
excepting the improvements and lot of ground of Joseph L. Bennett all of which will more particularly
appear by Title deed to said James McCown from the said W. W. Shepperd and Mary Shepperd my wife executed
on the above date of sale Oct. 22, 1839 and also all the right title possession claim and interest which I
had and owned on the said day of sale the twenty first of October aforesaid in the Two hundred acre town tract of the Town of Montgomery together with the Court
House on said Town tract and whereas by special agreement by me the said William W. Shepperd with
the said James McCown made and entered into on the fourteenth day of January A.D. 1840 it was agreed
between us that I should extend the time of payment of the said sum of Four thousand dollars from the
[blank] to the first day of January 1841 conditioned that he the said James McCown should give to me as the
consideration therefore the use service and possession of four negro slaves to Carter, Abner, Caroline and
Moses unto and up to the time of payment and further secure to me the payment of the said sum of money by
mortgages on the lands and tenements sold to him as aforesaid and the said negroes above named all of which
agreement has been duly complyed with by the said James McCown by the use possession of the said
negroes and by the execution of the said mortgages to me aforesaid bearing the date of Jany 16 1840 each of
them...
Note: The Montgomery County courthouse which W. W. Shepperd owned was conveyed to
James McCown along with Shepperd's interest in the town.
Transcription of Second Page
2
...and of record in the County of Montgomery in Book E 278, 9 and 80 and on page
281 and 282 and whereas the said James McCown having thus paid to
me the said W. W. Shepperd for the lands and tenements &c in the County of Montgomery sold to him as
aforesaid and delivered into my possession as the full consideration therefore in place and stead of the
sum of Four Thousand dollars purchase money aforesaid some certain negro slaves to wit Carter Syphax and
Abner negro men Caroline and Betsy negro women and Bill and [blank] children of said Caroline and
Betsy for which and for whom he executed to me a good and sufficient title bearing even date with
the present and which said negroes by title and bill of sale I have taken received and accepted in full for
the sum of Four thousand dollars was due and payable as aforesaid I the said William W. Shepperd do hereby
for myself heirs and successors release and forever aquit against the said James McCown his heirs &c of
all the obligations and trusts rights claims and actions which I have in and upon the said two several
mortgages hereinabove mentioned declaring them to be each and severally null and void by the payment and
bill of sale of the said seven negro slaves and as will be seen by the endorsements by me made on each of
the said mortgages bearing date this day [blank] myself Hereunto binding myself heirs
successors executors and administrators signed sealed and delivered these presents this twentieth day of
November A. D. (1840) Eighteen hundred forty
W. W. Shepperd [seal]
Signed, Sealed and
delivered in presence
of Charles B. Stewart
C.M. Conrow
Before me Gwyn Morrison Clerk and recorder in and for the County of
Montgomery came personally William W. Shepperd and acknowledged that he signed sealed and delivered the
foregoing instrument [sic] of James McCown for the purpose therein mentioned and enumerated to which I
certify with my private seal for want of a seal of office this nineteenth day of November A. D.
1840
[Seal]
Gwyn Morrison Clerk and
Recorder Montgomery County
Note: The original price of the town was $4,000. For whatever reason, James
McCown did not pay cash for the W. W. Shepperd's interest in the Town of Montgomery, Texas. This document
proves that the payment was made instead with the transfer of ownership of seven slaves from James McCown to W.
W. Shepperd.
Transcription of Third Page
3
Filed the 19th day of November 1840
Recorded on the 21st day of November 1840
[Seal]
Gwyn Morrison
Clerk & Recorder
Montgomery County
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