Wilson County, Texas
Encyclopedia
Wilson County is a county located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

. In 2000, its population was 32,408. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 is Floresville
Floresville, Texas
Floresville is a city in Wilson County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,868 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wilson County. The city is also part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area....

. The county is named after James Charles Wilson
James Charles Wilson
James Charles Wilson was an early settler of Texas and later a state legislator.Wilson was born in Yorkshire, England on August 24, 1816. He emigrated to the Republic of Texas in 1837....

.

The Connallys -- John Connally
John Connally
John Bowden Connally, Jr. , was an influential American politician, serving as the 39th governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy, and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard M. Nixon. While he was Governor in 1963, Connally was a passenger in the car in...

, a Texas governor
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...

 and U.S. Secretary of the Navy and U.S. Treasury Secretary; Wayne Connally
Wayne Connally
Wayne Wright Connally was a Texas rancher, a Democratic member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature, and a brother of both former Governor and United States Treasury Secretary John Bowden Connally, Jr., and Merrill Lee Connally, Sr., an actor and a former county judge.-Early years,...

, a member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature, and Merrill Connally
Merrill Connally
Merrill Lee Connally, Sr. , was an American film actor, a county administrative judge, a rancher, and a brother of both Governor John B. Connally, Jr. , and Texas State Senator Wayne Connally ....

, an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

 and a county judge -- were all born and reared in Wilson County. Another native of Wilson County was the famed Texas Ranger
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...

 Frank Hamer
Frank Hamer
Francis Augustus Hamer was a Texas Ranger, known in popular culture for his involvement in tracking down and killing the criminal duo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in 1934...

.

Wilson County is part of the San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...

 Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the county has a total area of 809 square miles (2,094 km²), of which 807 square miles (2,090 km²) is land and 2 square miles (4 km²) (0.20%) is water.

Major highways

  • U.S. Highway 87
  • U.S. Highway 181
  • State Highway 97
    State Highway 97 (Texas)
    State Highway 97 or SH 97 is a state highway running from Cotulla to Waelder in the U.S. state of Texas.-History:In 1926, SH 97 was originally planned as a route from Rio Grande City via Hebbronville and Tilden to end at Pleasanton,...


Adjacent counties

  • Guadalupe County
    Guadalupe County, Texas
    Guadalupe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 89,023. It is named for the Guadalupe River. The seat of the county is Seguin. It was founded in 1846....

      (north)
  • Gonzales County
    Gonzales County, Texas
    Gonzales County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 18,628. It is named for its seat, the city of Gonzales.-History Timeline:* Paleo-Indians Hunter-gatherers, and later Coahuiltecan, Tonkawa, Karankawa...

      (northeast)
  • Karnes County
    Karnes County, Texas
    Karnes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 15,446. Its county seat is Karnes City. Karnes County is named for Henry Karnes, a soldier in the Texas Revolution.-Geography:...

      (southeast)
  • Atascosa County  (southwest)
  • Bexar County
    Bexar County, Texas
    As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...

      (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 32,408 people, 11,038 households, and 8,830 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 40 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 12,110 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.19% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 1.21% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.58% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.30% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.04% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 14.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 2.43% from two or more races. 36.52% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race.

There were 11,038 households out of which 40.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.50% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.00% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the county, the population was spread out with 29.20% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,006, and the median income for a family was $45,681. Males had a median income of $31,716 versus $23,582 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $17,253. About 9.20% of families and 11.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.40% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.

Native Americans

Archeological evidence in the Wilson County area reveals early habitation from the Paleo-Indians Hunter-gatherers period. Later, the area was a hunting range for Tonkawa
Tonkawa
The Tickanwa•tic Tribe , better known as the Tonkawa , are a Native American people indigenous to present-day Oklahoma and Texas. They once spoke the now-extinct Tonkawa language believed to have been a language isolate not related to any other indigenous tongues...

, Aranamas, Tamiques, Karankawa
Karankawa
Karankawa were a group of Native American peoples, now extinct as a tribal group, who played a pivotal part in early Texas history....

. Tawakoni, Lipan Apache and Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...

 lived and hunted in the county.

Explorations and county established

In September 1718 Martín de Alarcón
Martín de Alarcón
Martín de Alarcón was the governor of Spanish Texas from 1705 until 1708, and again from 1716 until 1719. He founded San Antonio, the first civilian settlement in Texas.-First term:...

 crossed the area on his way to explore the bay of Espíritu Santo. Pedro de Rivera y Villalón crossed the county in 1727 as part of an expedition to inspect the frontier defenses of New Spain.
In 1766–67 the Marqués de Rubí included the area in his inspection of the Spanish frontier, and the 1798 explorations of the coast by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado skirted the area.

The first two land grants in the area were to Luis Menchaca and Andrés Hernández, who established ranches circa 1832-1833.

Anglos began arriving in the 1840's, and Southern planters in 1850 and 1860, followed by German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....

 and Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...

 immigrants from other counties.

Wilson County was formed in 1860 from Bexar
Bexar County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...

 and Karnes
Karnes County, Texas
Karnes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 15,446. Its county seat is Karnes City. Karnes County is named for Henry Karnes, a soldier in the Texas Revolution.-Geography:...

. Sutherland Springs
Sutherland Springs, Texas
Sutherland Springs is an unincorporated community located on the old Spanish land grant of Manuel Tarin in northern Wilson County, Texas, United States. It is on U.S. Highway 87 at the intersection with Farm Road 539, about twenty-one miles east of San Antonio...

 was designated the county seat.

Wilson County voted in favor of secession from the Union, and sent several military units to serve. Wartime hardships were compounded by a 3-year drought.

Following the civil war, the county seat was moved to Floresville
Floresville, Texas
Floresville is a city in Wilson County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,868 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wilson County. The city is also part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area....

. The 1872 courthouse was destroyed by fire and replaced in 1884 with a new building designed by Alfred Giles
Alfred Giles (architect)
Alfred Giles was a British architect who emigrated to Texas in the 19th Century. Many of the private homes and public buildings designed by Giles are on the National Register of Historic Places and have been designated Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks. A number of his designs can be found in San...

.

Fence Cutting War
Fence Cutting War
The Fence Cutting War occurred at the end of the 19th century and was a dispute between advocates of the open range, and ranchers who wished to fence off their property, all taking place in Texas.-War:...

s in Texas lasted for approximately five years, 1883-1888. The 40000 acres (161.9 km²) ranch of Houston and Dilworth became the focal point in Wilson County. As farmers and ranchers began to compete for precious land and water, cattlemen found it more difficult to feed their herds, prompting cowboys to cut through fences. Texas Governor John Ireland
John Ireland (politician)
John Ireland was the 18th Governor of Texas from 1883 to 1887. During Ireland's term, the University of Texas was established, and construction on the Texas State Capitol began...

 prodded a special assembly to order the fence cutters to cease. In response, the legislature made fence-cutting and pasture-burning crimes punishable with prison time, while at the same time regulating fencing. The practice abated with sporadic incidents of related violence 1888.

The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway reached Floresville in 1886. In 1898 the San Antonio and Gulf Railroad was extended to Stockdale,

Cities and towns

  • Carpenter
    Carpenter, Texas
    Carpenter is a small unincorporated community in western Wilson County, Texas, United States. It lies between the towns of La Vernia and St. Hedwig on Farm to Market Road 1346. The community is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

  • Floresville
    Floresville, Texas
    Floresville is a city in Wilson County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,868 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wilson County. The city is also part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area....

  • La Vernia
    La Vernia, Texas
    La Vernia is a city in Wilson County, Texas, United States. The population was 931 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

  • Nixon
    Nixon, Texas
    Nixon is a city in Gonzales and Wilson Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,186 at the 2000 census.The Wilson County portion of Nixon is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

     (mostly in Gonzales County)
  • Pandora
    Pandora, Texas
    Pandora is an unincorporated community in Wilson County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 125 in 2000. Pandora is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area....

  • Poth
    Poth, Texas
    Poth is a town in Wilson County, Texas, United States, located Southeast of the city of San Antonio. The population was 1,850 at the 2000 census...

  • Saspamco
  • Stockdale
    Stockdale, Texas
    Stockdale is a city in Wilson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,398 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Stockdale is located at ....

  • Sutherland Springs
    Sutherland Springs, Texas
    Sutherland Springs is an unincorporated community located on the old Spanish land grant of Manuel Tarin in northern Wilson County, Texas, United States. It is on U.S. Highway 87 at the intersection with Farm Road 539, about twenty-one miles east of San Antonio...

  • Grass Pond Colony
    Grass Pond Colony, Texas
    Grass Pond Colony was located at the site of several large natural ponds which remain filled by water year-round due to natural springs, it is located in the northern part of Wilson County, Texas, U.S.A. about five miles south of Sutherland Springs.-History:...

  • Kicaster
    Kicaster, Texas
    Kicaster is an unincorporated community in northwestern Wilson County, Texas, United States. It lies along Farm to Market Road 3432 twelve miles northwest of Floresville. The community was founded near the Kicaster Creek soon after the Civil War. A one room school was in operation by 1896 with an...

  • Doseido Colony
    Doseido Colony, Texas
    Doseido Colony was a small historic settlement which was located in western Wilson County, Texas one mile north of FM 775, at the intersection of county roads 321 and 361.-History:...

  • Sandy Hills
    Sandy Hills, Texas
    Sandy Hills was a small historic settlement which was located in western Wilson County, Texas , five miles west of La Vernia at the intersection of county roads 321 and 361.-History:...


See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Wilson County, Texas
  • Wilson County Courthouse and Jail
    Wilson County Courthouse and Jail (Floresville, Texas)
    The Wilson County Courthouse and Jail are located in Floresville, Texas. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas in 1978 and as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1984....


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK