USA > Texas > A pictorial history of Texas, from the earliest visits of European adventurers, to A.D. 1879. Embracing the periods of missions, colonization, the revolution the republic, and the state; also, a topographical description of the country together with its Indian tribes and their wars, and biographical sketches of hundreds of its leading historical characters. Also, a list of the countries, with historical and topical notes, and descriptions of the public institutions of the state > Part 51
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88. LIMESTONE-Created from Robertson and Navarro in 1846. Groes- beck is the county seat. Bounded north by Hill and Navarro, east by Freestone, south by Robertson, and west by Falls and McLennan. This is a beautiful, undulating, agricultural and stock-raising county. It is proba- ble that the block house, erected by Philip Nolan in 1801, was urar the Tehuacana hills, in this county. Parker's fort was established in 1835, and broken up by the Indians May 9th, 1836. Two years later, on Battle creek, a party of surveyors were attacked. and seventeen killed by the Indians. Groesbeck is on the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, 170 miles north
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COUNTY SKETCHES.
of Houston. Population of the county in 1870, 8,591; assessed value of property in 1876, $2,660,873.
89. LIVE OAK-Created from San Patricio and Nueces in 1856. Oakville is the county seat. Bounded north by Atascosa, east by Karnes and Bee, south by San Patricio and Nueces, and west by McMullen .. It is a stock- raising county, watered by the Atascosa and Nueces rivers. Oakville is seventy-five miles south of San Antonio and the same distance north of Corpus Christi. Population in 1870, 852; assessed value of property in 1876, $735,735. The surface is level, in parts undulating; about one-fifth part supplied with post oak and mesquite. The soil is a deep, sandy loam, very productive. Water is scarce, but good. Health is very good.
90. LLANO .- Named for a river of the same name; Llano is the county seat. Bounded north by San Saba, east by Burnet, south by Blanco and Gillespie and west by Mason. It is a stock-raising county, the surface roll- ing and somewhat mountainous; watered by the Llano and its numerous branches. Among the more conspicuous mountain peaks are the Enchanted Rock and Pack-saddle mountain. . This is a mineral region, possessing an inexhaustible supply of iron ores and granite; silver mines are being operated with a fair prospect of success. The county was originally included in Fisher and Miller's colony ; was created in 1856. Population in 1870, 1,379 ; assessed value of property in 1876, $427,324.
91. MADISON .- Created in 1853 from Grimes, Walker and Leon; named for James Madison; Madisonville is the county seat. Bounded north by Leon, east by Houston, south by Walker and Grimes, and west by Brazos; watered by the Trinity on the east and the Navasota on the west; surface undulating, and well supplied with timber. Population in 1870, 4,061; assessed value of property in 1876, $613,579.
92. MARION .- Created from Cass in 1860; named for Francis Marion; Jefferson, the county seat, was laid out in 1845. Bounded north by Cass, east by Louisiana, south by Harrison and west by Upshur. It is a fine cotton-producing county, with a great abundance of the best of timber. Jefferson is at the head of navigation on the Big Cypress bayou, 500 miles by water from New Orleans; and on the trans-continental branch of the Texas and Pacific railroad, sixteen miles north of Marshall, and fifty-nine miles south-west of Texarkana. Population of county in 1870, 8,562; assessed value of property in 1876, $1,889,118. The soil of this county is not as rich generally as many others. The bayou, creek bottoms, and lands upon the lakes, are equal to any other lands in the State, producing, on an average, from 1,000 to 1,500 lbs. cotton to the acre, and the uplands from 600 to 800 lbs. to the acre. Tobacco grows well in this county. The planters gen- erally raise an abundance of corn, the average crop being from twenty to twenty-five bushels to the acre. The lands are not well adapted to wheat, and the average is not more than ten to twelve bushels per acre. Other small grains, such as rye, oats and barley, yield plentiful crops to the farmer.
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
The farmers generally raise their own hogs, and have no difficulty in making as good bacon as was ever put up in Ohio or Kentucky. As to cheapness and comfort of living, we have butter, milk, eggs and poultry in abundance. This county has a great variety of timber, such as pine, oak, ash, walnut, hickory, mulberry, cedar, cypress and other forest-trees. Our best building material is pine and cypress. Grape and mulberry abound here; they are indigenous to the soil, and grow luxuriantly, indicating that wine and silk, as well as cotton and tobacco, will one day become staples of the county. Iron ore is found in this county in great abundance; the ore will yield upward of 75 per cent. One foundry, known as Nash's Iron Works, has been worked with great success. Leeds, and other iron men of New Orleans, have worked and tested this iron, and pronounce it equal to any in the world for toughness and malleability. The quantity is equal to all the demands of Texas for hundreds of years to come. The hills in which this ore abounds are covered with dense forests of pine and other timber, useful as fuel in the furnaces. Lead, copperas and copper are also found in considerable quantities. Many other sources of wealth and enjoyment are found here, and will, in all good time, be realized by her citizens. Fruits of all kinds grow well here, and of the rarest and richest kinds; the peach is unrivaled, and nowhere is it of larger growth or richer flavor; the nec- tarine, quince and grape are equally luxuriant; the fig, a delicious fruit, is very common, and may be raised in the greatest abundance. A great variety of berries, such as the mulberry, dewberry, whortleberry, straw- berry and gooseberry, grow wild in the greatest profusion. The chincapin, walnut and hickory nuts are very abundant. The deer are still very plen- tiful, hence venison is very common and very cheap. Besides deer, wild turkeys are very numerous, and generally fat. Large and almost innumer- able flocks of wild geese, brants, mallard and common ducks, and other water-fowl, frequent the bayous and lakes, and are so plentiful that a hunter can always furnish himself with as many of them as he desires. Partridges, pigeons, snipes and rice-birds are very plentiful. Fish of almost every character are in great abundance in the lakes and bayous. There are many mineral springs, some of which are places of much resort, and are highly appreciated for their medicinal virtues.
93. MASON .- Created in 1858; named for Captain Mason, of the United States Army; Mason is the county seat. Bounded on the north by M'Cul- loch and San Saba, east by Llano, south by Gillespie and Kimble, and west by Kimble and Menard. A military post was established at Fort Mason in 1845. When the late Civil War broke out, Robert E. Lee was in command of the fort with the 2d Dragoons. It is a stock-raising county; partially timbered, with an undulating surface; watered by the Llano and San Saba rivers and their tributaries. Population in 1870, 678; assessed value of property in 1876, $367,514.
94. MATAGORDA .- An Indian name; one of the original municipalities of Texas. Bounded north by Wharton, east by Brazoria, south by the Gulf of Mexico and west by Calhoun and Jackson; Matagorda is the county seat.
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COUNTY SKETCHES.
It is a coast county, admirably adapted to stock-raising, and possessing some of the finest cotton and sugar lands in the State. The coast was explored by La Salle in 1686; occupied by the French under Belisle, in 1721; and by the Spaniards in 1722. The schooner " Only Son," with a number of Austin's colonists, landed on the banks of the Colorado river in 1821, and again in 1822; the last time bringing the Kincheloe family, H. Chriesman, Messrs. Rawls and Prewett. A few days later, another vessel landed, bringing Mrs. Peyton, S. M. Williams, Nicholas Clopper and others. 'The supplies of these colonists were left in charge of four young men, while the families ascended the river to Wharton. The young men left in charge of the provisions were killed by the Indians, and the pro- visions, etc., stolen and destroyed. In 1828, the Only Son brought another company of colonists, including Abram Clare, James Morgan and others. Matagorda was then under the jurisdiction of the Ayuntamiento of San Felipe, and Robert H. Williams was Alcalde. The town of Matagorda was settled in 1829, by Phillip Dimitt, S. Rhoades Fisher, H. Wooldridge, R. R. Royall, the Wards, etc. The precinct of Matagorda was formed by the Ayuntamiento of Brazoria in 1833. Decree No. 265, March 6th, 1834, created the municipality; Thomas M. Duke and Seth Ingram were Alcaldes. In 1836, Silas Dinsmore was Chief Justice. Population of the county in 1870, 3,379 ; assessed value of property in 1876, $1,156,497.
95. MAVERICK .- Created in 1856; organized in 1871; named for S. A. Maverick ; Eagle Pass is the county scat. Bounded north by Kinney, east by Zavalla and Dimitt, south by Webb and west by Mexico. The old San Antonio road to Presidio passes through this county; it is a stock- raising county. The International railroad has located large bodies of land in this county. Population in 1870, 1,951; assessed value of property in 1876, $205,323.
96. M'CULLOCH .- Created in 1856; organized in 1876; named for Ben. M'Culloch; Brady City is the county seat. Bounded north by Coleman, east by San Saba, south by Mason and west by Concho. It is an agricul- tural and stock-raising county. It has an elevation of about 1,800 fect; Brady City is 140 miles from Austin and 150 miles from San Antonio. Pop- ulation in 1870, 173; assessed value of property in 1876, $19,840. Brady's creek, a bold mountain stream, runs centrally through it from west to east; the San Saba through its southern limits, with numerous small creeks and bold springs in all sections. A large portion of the county is divided into highlands (so-called mountains), and beautiful valleys. The whole is covered with mesquite grass, and it has an abundance of short timber. No better county for stock, and its valleys are fine for farming.
97. M'LENNAN .- Created from Milam, Limestone and Navarro, in 1850; named for Neil M'Lennan, an old settler. Bounded north by Bosque and Hill, east by Hill and Limestone, south by Falls and west by Bell and Coryell; Waco is the county seat. A village of the Waco Indians formerly occupied the site of the present city. In 1830, that village was captured and
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
burnt by the Texans, under Abner Kuykendall. In 1834, A. M. Stroud' was authorized by President Houston to open a trading house at the vil- lage. About the time of annexation, the Messrs. Torry established a trading house there. The town was laid out by George B. Erath, in 1849. Lots then sold for $5 each; but raised the next year to $10. Captain Ross established a ferry across the Brazos, and settlers began to flock to the place. The county was created in 1850. By railroad, Waco is 187 miles from Houston. This is a splendid county of land, producing corn, cotton and wheat in the greatest abundance. It is healthy, well watered, and has a fair supply of timber. Population in 1870, 13,500; assessed value of pro -- perty in 1876, $4,829,991.
98. M'MULLEN .- Created 1858; named for John M'Mullen, Empresario ; Tilden (formerly Colfax and Dogtown), is the county seat. Bounded north by Atascosa, east by Live Oak, south by Duval, and west by La Salle. It is. watered by the San Miguel, the Frio, and Nueces rivers. It is a stock- raising county, but sparsely settled, and recently organized.
99. MEDINA .- Created from Bexar, in 1848; named for the river of the same name; Castroville, for Henry Castro, is the county seat. Bounded north by Bandera, east by Bexar and Atascosa, south by Frio and west by Uvalde. It is a farming and stock-raising county. In February, 1842, Henry Castro entered into a contract to introduce 2,000 colonists into the Republic. On the first of March, 1844, several hundred of them arrived at Castroville. Three days later the corner-stone of a Catholic church was laid by Bishop Odin. Population of the county in 1870, 2,078; assessed value of property in 1876, $855,679. Castroville is thirty miles west of San Antonio.
ยท 100. MENARD .- Created in 1858; named for M. B. Menard, one of the founders of Galveston; Menardville is the county seat. Bounded north by Concho, east by M'Culloch and Mason, south by Kimble, and west by Crockett. This, at present, is a sparsely-settled county of small farmers. and stock-raisers. It was on the San Saba river in this county, that the old San Saba Mission and silver mine existed. The mission was founded in 1734, by missionaries from Santa Fe, and broken up by the Indians in 1758. The bottom lands in the county are very rich, and capable of irrigation. Popu- lation in 1870, 667; assessed value of property in 1876, $85,500.
It is located upon the San Saba river, which stream flows throughout the county from west to east, whilst other streams, as Otter creek, Bowie, Camp, Crawford's, Elm, Howard's, and numerous smaller creeks, tributaries of the San Saba, and in the northern portion branches of Brady's creek, afford plenty of pure water. The surface of the country is hilly, and in places quite rocky ; there are fine valleys along the banks of the San Saba river, but they are not very extensive, and altogether this county is more favora" ble to the stock-raiser than the farmer. It presents an excellent range for horses, sheep and cattle generally. The county is well supplied with tim- ber of the same kind as found in Kimble county.
VIEW OF SAN ANTONIO IN 1878.
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COUNTY SKETCHES.
The ruins of the old Spanish fort, " San Saba," are near the center of this county ; on the north bank of the river bearing the same name, the tra- ditional old silver-mine was located in this neighborhood.
Fort McKavitt is situated in the western portion of this county, on the south bank of the San Saba.
101. MILAM .- One of the original municipalities ; named for B. R. Milam ; Cameron, for John Cameron, is the county seat. Bounded north by Bell . and Falls, east by Robertson, south by Burleson and Lee, and west by Wil- liamson. This was in the Leftwich, afterward the Robertson grant. During the Colonial period, the town of Viesca, with a four-league grant, was laid out at a point on the Brazos river where the old Comanche trail crosses that stream. The place was afterward called Nashville, and occupied by the. family of Mr. William Thomson. It is near where the International Rail- road crosses the river. December 27th, 1835, the Executive Council at San Felipe created the Municipality of Milam. In 1836, Massilon Farley was Chief Justice. The town of Cameron was laid out in 1840. The county is rich in soil, well watered, has an abundance of timber. Rockdale, on the railroad, is thirty miles southwest of Hearne, and fifty-eight northeast of Austin. Population in 1870, 8,984; assessed value of property in 1876, $1,936,661.
It is watered by a number of creeks, of large size, which unite and form Little river. The surface is rolling, and in many places black, hilly and broken ; timber consists of a variety of oak, cedar, ash, and other species, being principally confined to the bottom lands; there is, however, an abundance for ordinary purposes. A large portion of the soil is dark, rich and productive ; corn and cotton are the chief productions ; wheat and other small grains are raised successfully. Water, more or less impregnated with minerals, and frequently hard to obtain by digging; health generally good.
102. MONTAGUE .- Created in 1857 ; named for Daniel Montague, a pioneer surveyor; Montague is the county seat. Bounded north by Indian Territory, east by Cooke, south by Wise, and west by Clay. It is in the mineral region, but has some good arable land on Red river. A silver mine is said to have been found a few miles northwest of the town. Victoria Peak is a prominent feature in the landscape. Population in 1870, 890; assessed value of property in 1876, $541,562.
103. MONTGOMERY .- Created from Washington and Nacogdoches, in 1837; named for General Montgomery. Montgomery is the county seat. Bounded north by Walker, east by San Jacinto and Liberty, south by Harris, and west by Grimes. This is well watered by the San Jacinto river and its trib- utaries ; has an inexhaustible supply of timber; and is an excellent agricul- tural county. The Houston and Great Northern Railroad passes through the county. Willis is forty-eight miles north of Houston. Population of county in 1870, 6,483; assessed value of property in 1876, $1,477,744.
104. MORRISS .- Created from Titus in 1875; named for W. W. Morriss;
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Dangerfield, named for Henry Dangerfield, Secretary of War under Hous- ton's second administration, is the county scat. Bounded north by Red river and Bowie, east by Cass, south by Marion and Upshur, and west by Camp and Titus. Dangerfield is on the East Line Railroad, thirty miles northwest of Jefferson. Assessed value of property in 1876, $411,776. Its characteristics similar to those of Cass and Upshur.
105. NACOGDOCHES. - From Naugdoches, an extinct tribe of Indians. Bounded north by Rusk, east by Shelby and San Augustine, south by An- gelina, and west by Cherokee. A Franciscan mission, for the Naugdoches Indians, was projected by Ramon in 1715, but perhaps it was a year later before it was actually commenced. The old stone house was built for a fort- ress in 1778. In 1800 the first Americans settled in the neighborhood. They were Captain Dill and his son-in-law, Joseph Darst, Samuel Davenport, Robert Barr, etc. In July, 1812, the place was occupied by the Republicans under Magee ; and again in June, 1819, Long took possession of the town and organized an Executive Council, consisting of Horatio Bigelow, Hamlin Cook, John Sibley, S. Davenport, Stephen Barker, John C. Burnett, J. Child, Pedro Procillo and Bernardo Gutierres; and for a short time a news paper was published. The region around Nacogdoches was granted to Hayden Edwards to colonize, but this was broken up by the Fredonian out- break, and the contract given to David C. Burnett. In 1833, Decree No. 240 gave the town four sitios of land. In 1831, the District of Nacogdoches was formed, including all the territory between the San Jacinto and Sabine rivers. Henry Ruig was Political Chief. This was the headquarters of East Texas, and in 1835 a Committee of Safety was formel, consisting of Frost Thorn, Sam Houston and T. J. Rusk. Redford Berry was the last Alcalde. In 1836, Charles S. Taylor was Chief Justice. During the Repub- lic, a law firm in Nacogdoches was formed by Pinckney Henderson, T. J. Rusk and K. L. Anderson. Population of the county in 1870, 9,614; assessed value of property in 1876, $1, 060,099.
The agricultural products are corn, cotton, every variety of grain, potatoes, peas, pumpkins, etc. ; the climate, mild and temperate; the soil in the bot- toms various, from the black stiff to sandy alluvial Of the uplands, one- fourth is a deep red soil, and the remainder a sandy soil. The seasons, very regular. There is timber of all kinds-oaks, hickory, black-jack, pine, walnut, lime, gum, sassafras, dog-wood. The rivers are the Angelina and Atoyac, which are the western and eastern boundaries of the county. Cot- ton is very productive, and from 1,000 pounds to a bale of seed cotton can be raised to the acre; corn, from 20 to 40 bushels per acre, and wheat from 10 to 20 bushels per acre. Rice and tobacco grow luxuriantly. Wood, for fuel and fencing, is abundant. The building material is pine. Butter, milk, cheese, eggs and poultry are very cheap. Hogs are very easily raised, with- out any expense, and bacon is saved without difficulty.
106. NAVARRO .- Created from Robertson in 1846; named for Jose Anto- nio Navarro. Corsicana is the county-seat. Bounded north by Ellis, east by Henderson, south by Freestone and Limestone, and west by Hill. This is a fine agricultural and stock-raising county; well watered, and with a
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COUNTY SKETCHES.
moderate supply of timber. Corsicana is two hundred and ten miles north of Houston, on the Houston and Texas Central Railway. Population in 1870, 8,879 ; assessed value of property in 1876, $3,770,761. Climate mild; soil fertile ; seasons often too dry, and sometimes too wet. Those farmers who practice deep plowing, or sub-soiling, always secure good crops. There is a great deal of fine timber, and fine cedar-brakes of the red variety. The Trinity washes the north-eastern border of the county. Richland, one of its largest tributaries, with branches, waters nearly every part. Pastur- age good, and all kinds of stock do well. Wheat, rye, oats, barley, and tobacco are all cultivated here; the two latter articles especially yield well. In many localities, wood for fuel and fencing is abundant; a good many farms altogether in the timber land. In some localities there is no timber, and the settlers in the prairies haul a considerable distance. As to building material, the people differ. They have good clay for bricks, and some good brick buildings ; in some localities, plenty of limestone rock; thousands of long, tall oaks, of half a dozen kinds; the elm, pecan, hickory, hackberry, walnut, sycamore, and various other forest trees common to this latitude and to calcareous soil; no pine nearer than the sandy lands, fifty miles east or seventy-five miles south-east. Butter, milk, cheese, eggs, and poultry abundant. Hogs are easily raised by those living on the borders of the timber, and near the rivers and creeks. Away from the timber land, the corn-cribs and the barley-stacks have to make liberal contributions, or the bacon hams will be small. Here bacon hams are as good as need be, and are saved sweet and kept for two and three years.
107. NEWTON .- Created in 1846, from Jasper; named for Sergeant New- ton of the American Revolution. Bounded north by Sabine, east by Louis- iana, south by Orange, and west by Jasper. This is one of the finely tim- bered counties bordering on the Sabine river. Population in 1870, 2,187; assessed value of property in 1876, $254,259.
108. NUECES .- Created in 1846; named from the river of the same name. Corpus Christi is the county-seat. Bounded north by Live Oak and San Patricio, east by the Gulf of Mexico, south by Cameron, and west by Hidalgo. This is a large coast county, principally devoted to stock-raising. Corpus Christi is one hundred miles from Galveston by water, and is regularly visited by steamships. It has a railroad twenty-five miles to Banquetta. P. Dimitt was one of the first Americans to settle in this county. This was in 1841, fifteen miles below the present town. In 1842, Kinney & Aubry commenced business at Corpus Christi; and this was General Taylor's headquarters in 1846, before he removed to the Rio Grande. Lipantitlan, on the Nueces river, was occupied by Mexican troops in 1835, and captured by Lieutenant Westover. Population of the county in 1870, 3,975 ; assessed value of property in 1876, $3,535,493. A number of streams flow through it into the Nueces river. The surface is undulating and sometimes level ; one-tenth part supplied with scrubby mesquite. The soil is of rich sandy loam, very productive when there is a sufficiency of rain, and with early planting and deep cultivation very little rain is required; and the same
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
remark applies to nearly all the western coast counties. The bay bordering this county is a most beautiful sheet of water, and furnishes a great abund- ance of fish, oysters, etc., of the finest kind. Both health and water are good.
109. ORANGE .- Created in 1852; Orange is the county-seat. Bounded north by Jasper and Newton, East by Louisiana, south by Sabine, Saba and Jefferson, and west by Jefferson. This is a heavily timbered county of South-eastern Texas; watered by the Sabine and Neches rivers and their tributaries. Sabine Pass is its shipping point. Orange is one lun- dred and five miles east of Houston, on the line of the Houston and New Orleans Railroad. Population of the county in 1870, 1,255; assessed value of property in 1876, $395,376. This county has the rather rare advantages of navigation, as the Sabine and Neches are both navigable all the year to the full extent of this county, and every inhabitant is within fifteen miles of one or the other of these streams. The county is about equally divided between wood-land and prairie. Cotton and corn are the chief products, and are grown chiefly on farms in the timbered part of the county. Tobacco and rice are also considerable products, the latter being grown on the low hammock lands. All kinds of vegetables, and peaches and grapes, are abundant. The prairies are covered with cattle, and some sheep and horses are raised. Oranges are also among the fruits raised in gardens.
110. PALO PINTO .- Created in 1856 ; Palo Pinto is the county-seat ; named for the river of the same name. Bounded north by Jack, east by Parker, south by Erath, and west by Stephens. This is a mountainous, stock-rais- ing county, watered by the Palo Pinto and Brazos rivers, and their tribu- taries. Fox and Wolf peaks are about two thousand feet above the sea level. Palo Pinto is about sixty miles west of Fort Worth. Assessed value of property in 1876, $371,736. The surface is undulating, often mountain- ous. The supply of timber consists in post-oak, live oak, and cedar, found in the bottoms. The soil is red loam, rich and productive everywhere, except upon the mountain ranges. Health and water remarkably good.
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