Randolph (Uncle Ran) Vesey
Decatur, Wise County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(1832-1908) Born a slave near Savannah, GA., Randolph Vesey was body servant to Confederate General William Lewis Cabell during the Civil War. In 1868, while living on the Montague-Wise County line, Vesey was captured by Indians and taken to Kansas. Black scout Brit Johnson ransomed Vesey with horses contributed by friends in Texas. A natural musician, Vesey often played the violin at dances in this area. He married Missouri (Zoe) Light and had two children. Recorded - 1979
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Born into slavery near Savannah, Georgia, in 1832, Randolph Vesey served as body servant to Confederate General William Lewis Cabell during the Civil War. In 1868, living on the Montague-Wise County line, he was captured by Indians and taken to Kansas, then ransomed by the Black frontier scout Brit Johnson with horses donated by Texas friends. A gifted violinist, Vesey played at local dances, married Missouri 'Zoe' Light, and raised two children.
Why it matters
His life braids together slavery, the Civil War, and frontier captivity, and honors Brit Johnson, one of the most storied Black figures of the Texas frontier.
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Related people
- · Randolph Vesey
- · William Lewis Cabell
- · Brit Johnson
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Randolph Vesey
Decatur, TX
Randolph Vesey (1832–1908) was a Black Texan, born in Georgia, known across Wise County as a champion pioneer fiddler who played the frontier forts and was once ransomed from Indian captivity in Kansas. The marker records that he accompanied Confederate general W. L. Cabell to war as a body servant, and it uses his life to frame a broader, contested claim about enslaved and free Black people who labored for the Confederacy. Vesey lived out his years as a respected homeowner and is buried in Decatur's Oaklawn cemetery.
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