Sometimes loads of history are in a name. According to Bexar County archives, the slave catchers for Bexar County after 1846 consisted of a captain and three to five privates. The members of these patrols consisted of slave owners or their agents (usually it was representatives if from a large plantation in Bexar County). These scoundrels had to serve in an enforced arrangement, but this would not have been troublesome since it was a paid job and their egos satisfied in feeling superior under the sway of white supremacy.
Bexar County slave catchers had the authority to search without a warrant, arrest and whip slaves, and to arrest whites in helping runaways in any way. These vigilantes received individual monetary payments from the rewards posted for runaways. These racists were employed to brutalize human beings. Notice that some of the names listed below are associated with famous people who may have been political leaders and had streets named after them. Others, with Hispanic last names, were pro-slavery Hispanics or Canary Islanders who thought themselves “white.” These Hispanics were called traitors by many Bexar County Tejano residents for their support of the slave owners dating back to the Battle of the Alamo. The appointments were the result of the Texas Legislature passing the slave catcher law on May 9, 1846. This gave the Bexar County Commissioners the power to appoint these men.
These records dispel the myth that San Antonio was not like the rest of the slave holding states. San Antonio was just as bad in one way or another. We had lynching killers and slave catchers, but most often the law, as meted out by racist judges, was used to enforce white supremacy. The infamous appointments were: Captain: James Vance, C. Denman, F. Gilbeau (a street is named after this racist or one of his relatives), John G. Miller, Jas, R. Sweet, Sam Hall, Captain: H. A. Alsbury, Privates: R. E. Clements, F. L. Paschal, Asa Mitchell (Mitchell Lake?), O. Evans, James Fisk, Captain George M. Martin, Privates: S. G. Newton, J. H. Beck, C. D. Lytle, John S. McClellan, S. C. Childress, Captain: J. A. Rodgers, Privates: James Comlin, Robert Davis, John L. Connor, Joseph Beitle, Captain: C. G. Napier, Privates: H. Butler, Peter Mullen, John Bize, Jose Maria Chavez, Casper Herber, Captain: J. J. Hankerson, Privates: Scallions, Leander Peacock, Wm D. Mays, Phil. Goodbread, Quinn Sutherland.
In addition, there was Captain: John M. McAlister Privates: …Douglas, Russel Houston, J. McLeod, Jas. P. Rector, W. G. Samuels, Captain: J. B. Sharp. Privates: E. Mercer, O. D. Wyche, Robert C. Andrews, T. Y. Parrot, W. A. Haile, Captain: Robert Weir, Privates: Wm Davenport, Robert Evans, J. M. Hill, John B. Davis, J. B. Sprowl, Captain: Nepomucino Flores, Privates: Lorenzo Trevino, Jose Tejeda, Melchor Ximines, Mariano Trevino, Captain: Miguel Cantu, Privates: Severo Losoya, Jose L. De la Garza, Manuel Tarin, Clemente Delgado, Captain: Robert W. McRae, Privates: A. N. Dauchey, R. L. Higgenbotham, Otto Bombach, Margil Salinas, Canuto Diaz, Captain: Jas. L. Trueheart, Privates: A. L. Thompson, D. C. Ogdin (a street maybe), Wm G. Jett, Wm J. Mitchell, T. O. Scott, Captain: J. S. Woodward, Privates: W. D. Johnson, Sam Lytle, E. A. Briggs, Francis Wurzbach (sound Familiar?), C. C. Gove, Captain: Jas. B. Davenport, Privates: R. M. Ware (wonder if this Ware is related to conservative Wares today) Joel Finley, L. C. Kelley, H. M. Robinson, Hardin Steele, Captain: W. W. Arnett, Privates: J. D. Black, M. Sanders, H. Brown, Samuel Miller, George All, and others.
