Fisher County, Texas

Fisher County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 4,344. It is named for Samuel R. Fisher, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and a Secretary of the Navy of the Republic of Texas. Fisher County is one of 30^[1] prohibition, or entirely dry, counties in the state of Texas. The seat of the county is Roby^[2].

History Timeline

• 10000 b.c. Paleo-Indians first inhabitants. ^[3] Later native American inhabitants include the Pawnee, Wichita and Waco, Lipan Apache, Kiowa and Comanche.

• 1519-1685 Hernando Cortez and Alonso Álvarez de Pineda claim Texas for Spain.

• 1541 Spanish explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado traverses the general region

• 1685-1690 France plants its flag on Texas soil, but departs after only five years. ^[4].

• 1788 José Mares crosses the area while searching for a more direct route from Santa Fe to San Antonio.

• 1821 Mexico claims its independence from Spain. Anglos from the north settle in Texas and claim Mexican citizenship.

• 1829, September 15 - Mexican President Vicente Ramon Guerrero, himself an ex-slave of Spanish, African and Native American descent, emancipates all slaves within the Republic of Mexico: ^{[5] [6]}

1st - Slavery is abolished in the republic.

2nd - Consequently, those who have been until now considered slaves are free.

3rd - When the circumstances of the treasury may permit, the owners of the slaves will be indemnified in the mode that the laws may provide. And in order that every part of this decree may be fully complied with, let it be printed, published, and circulated.

Given at the Federal Palace of Mexico, the 15th of September, 1829.

Vicente Guerrero To José María Bocanegra

• 1836

March 2 - Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico establishes the Republic of Texas.

March 6 - The Alamo falls.

April 21-22 - Battle of San Jacinto, Antonio López de Santa Anna captured.

May 14 - Santa Anna signs the Treaties of Velasco.

• 1845, December 29 -Texas Annexation by the United States

• 1846, May 13 - The United States Congress officially declares war on Mexico.

• 1847 Robert B. Marcy travels along the Old Indian Trail on his way to El Paso.

• 1848, February 2 - Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ends the Mexican-American War.

• 1856 Robert E. Lee explores the county.

• 1861

February 1 - Texas secedes from the Union

March 2 - Texas joins the Confederate States of America

• 1863, January 1 • The Emancipation Proclamation. ^[7]

• 1865

April 9 • Robert E. Lee formally surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House.

April 15 • President Abraham Lincoln dies of a head wound inflicted by assassin John Wilkes Booth.

June 19 • Major General Gordon Granger arrives in Galveston to enforce the emancipation of all slaves. It is the first time African Americans in Texas know of the Emancipation. The date becomes celebrated annually in Texas as Juneteenth, and later as an official state holiday known as Emancipation Day. ^[8]

December 6 • The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits slavery.

• 1870, March 30 - The United States Congress readmits Texas into the Union.

• 1876 The Texas legislature forms Fisher County from Bexar districts. The new county is named after Samuel Rhoads Fisher.

• 1880 The census reports 136 inhabitants, 24,164.

• 1881 The Texas and Pacific Railway routes an east-west branch through Eskota. ^[9]

• 1885

November 11 • Town of Fisher is registered.

Swedish immigrants found the community of Swedonia. ^[10]

• 1886, April 16 • Town of North Roby ^[11] is registered. Roby eventually wins the county seat election over Fisher, but it is later discovered that one of the voters, a Mr. Bill Purp, is actually a dog whose owner lives near Roby.

• 1920 Fisher County is among Texas leaders in wheat production.

• 1926 Cotton becomes king, as 48,000 bales are ginned in the county.

• 1928 Oil is discovered in the county.

• 1970 The county's average annual farm income is evenly divided between livestock and crops.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 902 square miles (2,336 km²), of which, 901 square miles (2,334 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2 km²) of it (0.06%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 180
• State Highway 70
• State Highway 92

Adjacent counties

• Stonewall County (north)
• Jones County (east)
• Nolan County (south)
• Scurry County (west)
• Kent County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census^[12] of 2000, there were 4,344 people, 1,785 households, and 1,244 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 2,277 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 83.75% White, 2.76% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 11.58% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. 21.36% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,785 households out of which 27.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.90% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 23.00% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 22.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 92.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,659, and the median income for a family was $34,907. Males had a median income of $25,071 versus $20,536 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,120. About 13.50% of families and 17.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.40% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Hamlin (mostly in Jones County)
• Roby
• Rotan

Unincorporated places

• McCaulley
• North Roby
• Sylvester

See also

• Dry counties
• Double Mountain Fork Brazos River

References

1. ^ http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/local_option_elections/index.asp
2. ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
3. ^ Handbook of Texas, Fisher County [1]
4. ^ The Six National Flags of Texas [2]
5. ^ The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero [3]
6. ^ TAMU Chieftans of Mexican Independence [4]
7. ^ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation [5]
8. ^ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth [6]
9. ^ Texas Escapes, Eskota [7]
10. ^ Texas Escapes, Swedonia [8]
11. ^ Texas Escapes, Roby [9]
12. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

• Fisher County government's website
• Fisher County from the Handbook of Texas Online

Coordinates: 32°44′N 100°24′W / 32.74°N 100.40°W

Categories: Texas counties | Fisher County, Texas