Meshack R. Roberts was enslaved, worked as a blacksmith, became a minister in the Methodist church, and served as state legislator and Republican Party official in Texas. [1]
His slaveowner, O. B. Roberts moved him to Gilmer, Texas in 1844. [1] He was a caretaker of Roberts family during the American Civil War and Roberts gave him and his family some land and materials for a log cabin after the war. [2] Two years later he was attacked and left for dead by the Ku Klux Klan in Gilmer, and moved to Marshall, Texas after recovering. [1]
In Marshall, he worked as a blacksmith and was a Methodist minister. [3] He won a seat in the state legislature in the 1873 election to the Thirteenth Legislature as a representative for the Fifth District including Rusk County, Texas and Harrison County, Texas, succeeding Mitchell Kendall. [1] He won two subsequent terms in office, the last for the Tenth District, representing Harrison County. The Citizen's Party of Harrison County came to power in a disputed 1878 election as Democrats increasingly regained control after the Reconstruction era ended and restored white supremacy. [1] [2]
Illiterate, he was known for his speeches in the "camp meeting" style and being clear, logical and irresistible. [4] He signed documents with an X. [2] He was also a preacher and with his church helped establish Wiley College. [2] [5] He was recorded as having a wife and daughter. [6]
He was honored by the 79th Texas Legislature in 2005, along with other early African-American legislators, for their service to Texas. [5]
- ^ a b c d e "TSHA | Roberts, Meshack". www.tshaonline.org.
- ^ a b c d Craddock, Van. "Craddock: Shack left his mark on East Texas". Longview News-Journal.
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^
"Meshack Roberts thrives after move to Marshall". The Marshall News Messenger. 12 February 2008. p. 3. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
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^
"The colored statesman - Old Shack Roberts". Austin American-Statesman. 15 March 1877. p. 2. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
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a
b
"Shack left his mark on East Texas". Longview News-Journal. 17 August 2014. pp. A2. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Roberts". afrotexan.com.
- Republican Party members of the Texas House of Representatives
- 19th-century American slaves
- Methodists from Texas
- American blacksmiths
- 19th-century American artisans
- People from Rusk County, Texas
- People from Harrison County, Texas
- People from Upshur County, Texas
- African Americans in Texas
- 19th-century African-American politicians
- 19th-century American legislators
- African-American politicians during the Reconstruction Era
Meshack R. Roberts was enslaved, worked as a blacksmith, became a minister in the Methodist church, and served as state legislator and Republican Party official in Texas. [1]
His slaveowner, O. B. Roberts moved him to Gilmer, Texas in 1844. [1] He was a caretaker of Roberts family during the American Civil War and Roberts gave him and his family some land and materials for a log cabin after the war. [2] Two years later he was attacked and left for dead by the Ku Klux Klan in Gilmer, and moved to Marshall, Texas after recovering. [1]
In Marshall, he worked as a blacksmith and was a Methodist minister. [3] He won a seat in the state legislature in the 1873 election to the Thirteenth Legislature as a representative for the Fifth District including Rusk County, Texas and Harrison County, Texas, succeeding Mitchell Kendall. [1] He won two subsequent terms in office, the last for the Tenth District, representing Harrison County. The Citizen's Party of Harrison County came to power in a disputed 1878 election as Democrats increasingly regained control after the Reconstruction era ended and restored white supremacy. [1] [2]
Illiterate, he was known for his speeches in the "camp meeting" style and being clear, logical and irresistible. [4] He signed documents with an X. [2] He was also a preacher and with his church helped establish Wiley College. [2] [5] He was recorded as having a wife and daughter. [6]
He was honored by the 79th Texas Legislature in 2005, along with other early African-American legislators, for their service to Texas. [5]
- ^ a b c d e "TSHA | Roberts, Meshack". www.tshaonline.org.
- ^ a b c d Craddock, Van. "Craddock: Shack left his mark on East Texas". Longview News-Journal.
-
^
"Meshack Roberts thrives after move to Marshall". The Marshall News Messenger. 12 February 2008. p. 3. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
-
^
"The colored statesman - Old Shack Roberts". Austin American-Statesman. 15 March 1877. p. 2. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^
a
b
"Shack left his mark on East Texas". Longview News-Journal. 17 August 2014. pp. A2. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Roberts". afrotexan.com.
- Republican Party members of the Texas House of Representatives
- 19th-century American slaves
- Methodists from Texas
- American blacksmiths
- 19th-century American artisans
- People from Rusk County, Texas
- People from Harrison County, Texas
- People from Upshur County, Texas
- African Americans in Texas
- 19th-century African-American politicians
- 19th-century American legislators
- African-American politicians during the Reconstruction Era