1850-1851 Greenwood plantation


  • The Texas Greenwood plantation was established by Green Wood (1792-1866) early in 1850 near the now-vanished town of Danville in Montgomery County. The following records were kept by Green himself in his 1850-1851 plantation daily account book. Transcription by Elsa Vorwerk, with minimal punctuation added to facilitate readability.
    Citation: Wood, Green. Greenwood Plantation, Montgomery County, Texas, 1850-1866. Compiled, digitized and transcribed by E. Vorwerk and W. B. Wood Jr. DVD-ROM. Georgetown, TX: Vorwerk/Wood, 2006.

  • Book 1: 1850-1851, Early 1850 (DVD 1, Folder 2, Image 0015/page 2)
  • Started my waggons under the Care of
    Green M. Wood & Willis B. Wood for Texas on Thursday, the
    6th day of December 1849,  3 large waggons with 6 mules
    each, two waggons with 4 each & one with two mares
  • Lost by cholrea after crossing the Mississippi
    13 Negros in the month of January 1850 viz Little Sam
    Dave, Warren, Toby, Young Bill, Neptune, Turner, Harry, Alesey
    Darcas, Pleasants youngest child Butler, Patseys child Flora &
    Ferabas child Elbert,   had to camp for four weeks
    did not arrive at my place near Dan-
    ville Montgomery County Texas untill the 3rd of February
    1850 & left the three large waggons near Naches river
    & Guilford & his Family 15 in all   did not get
    them home untill the 10th of March,  Got Adams Family
    & Leanty home from Houston on the 20th March
    The White Family got to this place on the
    22nd of Febuary after staying in Houston from the
    15th of January,   we left Montgomery Alabama
    on the 6th January 1850 on the Lowndes Junr
    left Mobile on the California Capt. Renolds & left
    Orleans on the Galveston Capt Place on Friday 11th
    arrived at Galveston 14th, left same day on the Steamer
    Reliance for Houston  arrived the 15th,
  • Expenses by Land                                    $1320
    passage of Family from Montgomery to Mobile including      75
    12 Negros & 3 Horses
    Mobile to Orleans                                         69
    Orleans to Galveston the same as above                     188
                                                           1652
    expences in Houston of Family 5 weeks 80               400
    Galveston to Houston passage                          50

  • Book 1: 1850-1851, February 1850 (DVD 1, Folder 2, Image 0016/page 3)
  • Done very little work in this month, have no tools
    the negros & mules in very bad condition after
    the cholria & the mules Poor, the hair all
    taken off the legs by boging & mud
    The Freight put on the Sanjacinto Pole Boat
    owned by Capt Davis got up to the Landing on the
    24th, one month from Houston, Freight very badly injured
    Hawled with 3 waggons three days & hiered five loads
    at $5 each

  • Book 1: 1850-1851, March 1850 (DVD 1, Folder 2, Image 0017/page 4)
  • 4th (Monday) - Commenced planting corn, Women & Boys
    Willis B. Wood Started to Naches river after Guilford & Family
    & Edmon & Tom with 6 mules
    Men Spliting rails, geting timber to Build
    Some Plowing
  • 5th (Tuesday) - Planting corn with Women & Boys
    Men cuting making rails &c
    Planting corn
  • 16th (Saturday) - Willis B. Wood returned home, rode from
    the Trinity river after 12 o'clock, the Waggon got
    Back the next day at night

  • Book 1: 1850-1851, week of 17 March 1850 (DVD 1, Folder 2, Image 0018/page 5)
  • 17th (Sunday) - Guilford & his family got home
  • 18th (Monday) - Still planting corn
  • 19th (Tuesday) - Still planting corn
  • 20th (Wednesday) - Finished planting corn at the Carothers place
    Very Dry & the land hard to plow, No rain after the
    Flood on the 11th of Febuary at night
    William B. Wood returned from Houston & Edmon & the waggon
    with Adam & Family & Leanty
  • 21st (Thursday) - A very hard rain at night with lightning &
    heavy thunder
  • 22nd (Friday) - rained untill 12 oclock, slow rain
    no work
  • 23rd (Saturday) - very little done, to wet

  • Book 1: 1850-1851, week of 24 March 1850 (DVD 1, Folder 2, Image 0019/page 6)
  • 24th (Sunday) - a fine day, ground very wet
  • 25th (Monday) - Plowing up New Prarie, plowed very well
    planted the Landrum Field in cotton
    a tremendious rain at night with considirable Hail
    Had a visit From Mr Barnes & Lacey, Mr Bates & Colonel Moris Evans
  • 26th (Tuesday) - a tolerable pleasant day but rained at
    night heavily with lightning, Thunder. Blew off
    cold &c
  • Last Edited: 29 Mar 2011