St. Paul

Goliad County, TX

Status: Located

Year Established: Unknown

Council of Governments: GCRPC

Public History: From “Black Cowboys of Texas”: George McDow (1855/60 – 1942) was born in Goliad County, Texas. He lived in St. Paul, one of the small rural settlements formed by ex-slaves, some of whom worked as cowboys after the Civil War. Goliad was the center for the cattle industry at the time…George McDow was born into slavery in Texas. His mother, Harriet, and stepfather, John Shelton, were born in Mississippi. The Sheltons and George, along with the Perrymans, Duncans, Taylors, and other families, lived for many years in a settlement located where the Dry Creek and Manahuilla Creek converge in Goliad County. In 1858, Manahuilla Creek was a stream of good size surrounded with post-oak and mesquite trees. According to Joe Duncan, who was born in the St. Paul settlement, the settlers farmed their own land and were responsible for all community affairs. South of the cluster of homes was a one-room frame church that was also used as a school. A community cemetery was in the same area. Duncan remembered gardens with sweet potatoes, peanuts, watermelons, and other vegetables. There were cotton patches where the women chopped, thinned, and picked cotton. The people also worked on neighboring farms and ranches, sometimes earning $1.00 a day. Duncan’s father and six uncles worked as cowboys for the Pettus, Lott, and O’Connor families….McDow reached manhood in the St. Paul settlement and was married to his first wife, Alice, until her death prior to 1900. The 1900 U.S. census indicates George McDow was a widower, and there were four sons in the home. Alice’s death and the place of her burial are unknown, but the most likely place is the cemetery where the St. Paul community was located. The entire area is now farmland that has been chained and root plowed.” from “Chapter 9: George McDow, A Black Cowboy” by Ira V. Lott, from “Black Cowboys of Texas” Texas A&M University Press, 2004, pages 125-126.

In the vicinity of the convergence of the Manahuilla and Dry creeks is the historic Black congregation Minnehulla Baptist Church and the Sapenter (Sepenter) Cemetery, an African American cemetery where members of the Shelton, Perryman, and Taylor families are buried.

Community History: There are no current community descriptions of St. Paul. Please consider sharing your own knowledge of the community with us.