Kent County, Texas

Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 859. Its county seat is Jayton^[1], and the county is named for Andrew Kent, who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Kent County is one of 30^[2] prohibition or entirely dry counties in the state of Texas.

History Timeline

• 8000 b.c. Paleo-Indians first inhabitants. ^[3] Later native American inhabitants include the Wanderers band of Comanche.

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

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

• 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.

• 1872 Ranald S. Mackenzie and his soldiers trounce the Comanches at Treasure Butte, southeast of Clairemont ^[9].

• 1876 The Texas legislature forms Kent County from Young and Bexar districts. The new county is named after Alamo defender Andrew Kent.

• 1888 Cattleman R. L. Rhomberg settles in the new county and names a settlement Clairemont for his daughter, Claire.

• 1890 County census 324 residents.

• 1891 A conflict arises between cattle ranchers and farmers who try to fence their farms against cattle.

• 1892 Kent County is organized. Clairemont is the county seat.

• 1900 County population is 899.

• 1909

The Stamford and Northeastern Railway builds a line across the county's northeast corner. The railroad, which connects Stamford and Spur, later becomes part of the Wichita Valley Railroad.

Jayton community is founded.

• 1930 The county's population peaks at 3,851.

• 1946 Oil is discovered in Kent County in 1946.

• 1991 More than 448,448,000 barrels of oil have been produced in the county since 1946.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 903 square miles (2,339 km²), of which, 902 square miles (2,337 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2 km²) of it (0.06%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 380
• State Highway 70
• State Highway 208

Adjacent counties

• Dickens County (north)
• Stonewall County (east)
• Fisher County (southeast)
• Scurry County (south)
• Garza County (west)

Demographics

As of the census^[10] of 2000, there were 859 people, 353 households, and 247 families residing in the county. The population density was less than 1/km² (1/sq mi). There were 551 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.46% White, 0.23% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 3.73% from other races, and 0.23% from two or more races. 9.08% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 353 households out of which 26.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 5.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out with 20.60% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 21.80% from 25 to 44, 26.80% from 45 to 64, and 25.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,433, and the median income for a family was $35,568. Males had a median income of $23,875 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,626. About 9.20% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.10% of those under age 18 and 6.10% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

• Girard
• Jayton
• Clairemont

See also

• Dry counties
• Double Mountain Fork Brazos River

References

1. ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/local_option_elections/index.asp
3. ^ Handbook of Texas, Kent 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, Ghost Towns [7]
10. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

• Kent County government’s website
• Kent County from the Handbook of Texas Online

Coordinates: 33°11′N 100°46′W / 33.19°N 100.77°W

Categories: Texas counties | Kent County, Texas lpha -->