Azeline Hearne facts for kids
Azeline Hearne (1825-1890?) was an American woman who was enslaved for most of her life. She became known for the many lawsuits filed against her during the Reconstruction era, a time after the American Civil War. For a short period, Azeline was one of the richest landowners in Texas. However, she lost her wealth and became poor because of these lawsuits, which many historians today believe were unfair.
Her Life and Challenges
While she was enslaved, Azeline Hearne had four children with Samuel R. Hearne, who was her owner. In 1853, Azeline and Samuel moved to Robertson County, Texas.
When Samuel Hearne died in 1866, he left his property to their twenty-year-old son. He also asked his son to take care of Azeline. Sadly, their son died two years later in 1868, during a yellow fever outbreak. Because her son had no other heirs, Azeline inherited his entire property. This made her one of the richest landowners in Robertson County.
However, after Samuel Hearne died, white members of his family immediately claimed the land. Azeline Hearne faced many lawsuits over the property in the years that followed. Even her own lawyer sued her at one point. Azeline Hearne became the first formerly enslaved woman to be part of three different civil lawsuits that went all the way to the Texas Supreme Court. She was also the first formerly enslaved person in Robertson County, Texas to be accused of lying under oath in court.
Azeline Hearne's story is often used as an example of the unfair treatment that formerly enslaved people faced in the southern United States after the Civil War. By the end of her life, she had lost most of her land and lived in poverty. Her last court case was lost in 1884, and she depended on help from her neighbors to survive.
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