Louisa Mangrum-Yoos
Louisa was born enslaved in Texas in 1846 to Caroline Pressley and sold away from her mother at the age of 12 years. Within two years of emancipation, Louisa bought her first piece of property for $75—a lot in Camptown. She would continue to buy property to manage every couple of years. Over her life, she owned over 500 acres of land, two city blocks, an event hall, and a lodge. She eventually purchased property in Oakland and Fairplay, California. She had to fight for her property rights as Texas and California were the only two states that allowed married women to hold property in their names. She was described as a well-to-do woman of Brenham whose movements were reported by the local newspaper.
In 1867, Louisa married a freedman named Smith Mangrum. Together they had a son named John. They also adopted a daughter named Mary and helped raise a niece named Rebecca and a nephew named Earl. When she moved to California, she met a German immigrant named Frederick Yoos. She illegally married Fred—both because she was already married to Smith, but also because interracial marriages were illegal in California. She had two children with Frederick. A son named Fred and a daughter named Lillian. Louisa maintained both marriages and traveled between California and Texas every couple of years.
Louisa was almost shot when she protected a battered woman from her abusive husband. She also cared for people she found on the street and was part of the first social settlement in California. She lodged General Charles Kelley of the Industrial Army and likely knew Jack London before he became the famous American writer. She lived a remarkable life and eventually passed away at the Rusk state hospital in Texas on January 4th, 1927. She was brought back to Brenham and buried in an unknown grave in Camptown Cemetery which is located next to her property and on the street that bears her name.
Her three-times great granddaughter is currently fundraising for a memorial in Louisa's honor.
Louisa was almost shot when she protected a battered woman from her abusive husband. She also cared for people she found on the street and was part of the first social settlement in California. She lodged General Charles Kelley of the Industrial Army and likely knew Jack London before he became the famous American writer. She lived a remarkable life and eventually passed away at the Rusk state hospital in Texas on January 4th, 1927. She was brought back to Brenham and buried in an unknown grave in Camptown Cemetery which is located next to her property and on the street that bears her name.
Her three-times great granddaughter is currently fundraising for a memorial in Louisa's honor.