Talk:Sam Houston and slavery/background

This is a draft document for a background section for Sam Houston and slavery

Background
Houston descended from John Houston, Scottish-Irish immigrant, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1730, and then settled in Virginia. John acquired indentured servants and was among the first plantation owners to own slaves in the mountains of Virginia. John and his son Robert were successful planters and left a large inheritance for Houston's father, Samuel. Focused on his military career, Samuel lost his and his wife's inheritances, and land and enslaved people were sold periodically to cover his debts.

As a baby, Houston was cared for by a black girl named Peggy. By 1806, Timber Ridge was bankrupt. After his father's death, two women and three boys were sold as part of an estate sale. His widowed mother brought her family to Tennessee, and after achieving some success, she purchased bondspeople to work for the family.