| William B. Harper II was appointed postmaster
of Henderson, April 30, 1866, and later elected county clerk of Rusk
County sometime prior to 1870. His appointment as Postmaster in
Henderson after the war, as well as his election to the office of
County Clerk of Rusk County, were most likely political rewards.
Appointments to the job of postmaster were highly political during
the 19th century and it is improbable that William B. II
was given one without some politically significant reason, for
instance, as a reward for his service to the Union during the war.
The same sort of case can be made for his election as county clerk.
Only former slaves and white men who had not fought for the
Confederacy were able to vote or hold office in reconstruction
Texas. Being a Republican candidate for public office, particularly
a successful one, must have been a political prize. To the victors
go the spoils, etc.
Family tradition
says that he was appointed postmaster by Abraham Lincoln, but he was
likely appointed by President Andrew Johnson since Lincoln was
assassinated a year before his appointment, on April 15, 1865.
Andrew Johnson was unpopular so perhaps Abraham Lincoln fit the
family's pride better. Enfranchised men were also not very popular
after the Civil War, since they had "betrayed" the Confederacy. A
history of Rusk County, written in the 1930's left William B. Harper
II off the list of postmasters, probably because his Confederate
bonifides did not pass muster. He is on the official U.S. Government
records however.
Deed records show
that William B. II bought a lot from John B. Harper in Henderson,
Texas for two $500.00 notes on December 21, 1869. I have no
indication that John B. Harper was related to our family.
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