George Edward FREENEY Jr. Paternal Genetic Genealogy Report

The Monte Verdi Plantation, located in Rusk County, Texas, was a prominent cotton plantation that relied on enslaved Black labor until their emancipation on June 19, 1865. The plantation was originally owned by Julien Sidney Devereux, Sr., who relocated from Macon, Alabama, to East Texas and acquired land in Rusk County.

Over time, Monte Verdi grew into one of the most productive cotton plantations in Texas, covering an expansive 10,700 acres. It boasted an annual production of 120 bales of cotton, making it one of the state's top 100 most productive plantations. The success of the plantation was largely built upon the labor of over fifty enslaved Africans who resided and worked there.

Julien Sidney Devereux's 1856 will and estate inventory listed 80 enslaved individuals, highlighting their significant presence on Monte Verdi. Among them were Scott and Tabby, born in 1792 and 1787, respectively, along with their son Anderson. Devereux's will also stipulated that the enslaved people should never be sold to settle debts, as they were regarded as "family slaves."

Following the emancipation of enslaved individuals in Texas, some of the freedmen from Monte Verdi continued to live and work in the area, establishing villages and communities on the former plantation lands. In recognition of the enslaved individuals who once resided at Monte Verdi, a Texas Historical Marker was dedicated to the Monte Verdi family slaves in 2018, commemorating the names of some of the enslaved people who lived and labored there.