Irion County, Texas

Irion County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. It is included in the San Angelo, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Irion County's population was 1,771 as of the 2000 census, Its county seat is Mertzon.^[1] The county is named for Robert Anderson Irion, a secretary of state of the Republic of Texas.

History Timeline

• First inhabitants Tonkawa and Kickapoo. ^[2]

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

• 1650 Captains Hernán Martín and Diego del Castillo explore the region.

• 1684 Juan Domínguez de Mendoza and Nicolás López report on local Indians.

• 1685-1690 France plants its flag on Texas soil, but departs after only five years.^[3]

• 1761 Spanish soldier Felipe Rábago y Terán passes through the area.^[4]

• 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.

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

• 1858 -1861 Butterfield Overland Mail crosses the region.

• 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

January 8 • Confederate troops and Texas militiamen engage 1,400 Kickapoo Indians at Dove Creek near Mertzon. The Kickapoos repel the military forces. ^{[8] [9]}

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. ^[10]

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

John Arden brings the first flock of sheep from California

Billy Childress establishes the longhorn 7D Ranch.

• 1889 The Texas legislature forms Irion County from Tom Green County. Sherwood becomes the county seat. ^[11]

• 1928 Oil is discovered in Irion County.

• 1936 Mertzon becomes county seat. ^[12]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,052 square miles (2,724 km²), virtually all of which is land. The Spraberry Trend, the third-largest oil field in the United States by remaining reserves, underlies much of the county.^[13]

Major Highways

• U.S. Highway 67
• State Highway 163

Adjacent counties

• Tom Green County (north and east)
• Schleicher County (southeast)
• Crockett County (southwest)
• Reagan County (west)

Demographics

As of the census^[14] of 2000, there were 1,771 people, 694 households, and 523 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 914 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.68% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 0.79% Native American, 6.55% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 24.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 694 households out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% were married couples living together, 6.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out with 26.70% under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,500, and the median income for a family was $45,458. Males had a median income of $35,642 versus $20,395 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,515. About 8.30% of families and 8.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.20% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

• Barnhart (unincorporated)
• Mertzon
• Sherwood (unincorporated)

Notable natives

• Laura Bullion, female Old West outlaw, born in Knickerbocker.^[15]

References

1. ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ Handbook of Texas, Irion County [1]
3. ^ The Six National Flags of Texas [2]
4. ^ Handbook Of Texas, Felipe Rábago y Terán [3]
5. ^ The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero [4]
6. ^ TAMU Chieftans of Mexican Independence [5]
7. ^ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation [6]
8. ^ Texas Historical Markers, Battle of Dove Creek [7]
9. ^ Handbook of Texas, Battle of Dove Creek [8]
10. ^ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth [9]
11. ^ Texas Escapes, Sherwood [10]
12. ^ Texas Escapes, Mertzon [11]
13. ^ Top 100 Oil and Gas Fields
14. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
15. ^ Magness, Perre, Cohort of Butch, Sundance 'retired' here, Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Jan. 12, 1995, page EC2

External links

• Irion County government website
• Irion County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Inventory of county records, Irion County courthouse, Mertzon, Texas, hosted by the Portal to Texas History

Coordinates: 31°18′N 100°59′W / 31.30°N 100.98°W

Categories: Texas counties | Irion County, Texas