Mason County, Texas
Mason County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 3,738. Its county seat is Mason[1]. Mason County is named for Fort Mason, which was located in the county.
The late Governor Coke Stevenson was born in Mason County but resided in Kimble County, where he served as district attorney.
J. Marvin Hunter, historian, journalist, and printer of the American West and founder of Frontier Times magazine and Frontier Times Museum in Bandera, was born in Mason County in 1880.
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History Timeline
- Original inhabitants Lipan Apache, Comanches [2]
- 1519-1685 Hernando Cortez and Alonso Álvarez de Pineda claim Texas for Spain.
- 1690-1821 Spanish missions and settlements flourish in Texas.
- 1700’s Spanish grants along the Llano River, but no permanent settlements
- 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:[4][5]
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 -, 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.
- April 21•22 - Battle of San Jacinto, Antonio López de Santa Anna captured.
- March -, The Alamo falls.
- 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.
- 1851, July 6 - Fort Mason is established [7], encouraging settlers from Germany, Ireland and England
- 1854 May 14•15, San Antonio - The Texas State Convention of Germans adopt a political, social and religious platform, including: 1) Equal pay for equal work; 2) Direct election of the President of the United States; 3) Abolition of capital punishment; 4)“Slavery is an evil, the abolition of which is a requirement of democratic principles..”; 5) Free schools • including universities - supported by the state, free of religious influence; and 6) Total separation of church and state.[8]
- 1858, January 22 - Mason County, named for Fort Mason, is established by an act of Texas state legislature [9]. First post offices are established.
- 1860 Population of 630 includes 18 slaves
- 1861
- February - County, spurred in part by anti-slavery sentiments of German residents, overwhelmingly votes against secession from the Union.
- February 1, Texas secedes from the Union
- March 2, Texas joins the Confederate States of America
- March - Fort Mason surrendered to the Confederacy, who leave it mostly vacant and thereby cause an uptick in Indian attacks on the area.
- May 20 - Voters select town of Mason as County Seat.
- March - Fort Mason surrendered to the Confederacy, who leave it mostly vacant and thereby cause an uptick in Indian attacks on the area.
- March 2, Texas joins the Confederate States of America
- February 1, Texas secedes from the Union
- 1863, January 1 • The Emancipation Proclamation.[10]
- 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.[11]
- December 6 • The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits slavery.
- 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.[11]
- April 15 • President Abraham Lincoln dies of a head wound inflicted by assassin John Wilkes Booth.
- 1866-1868 Federal troops occupy Fort Mason, only to eventually abandon it.
- 1869 Courthouse and jail are erected.[12]
- 1870
- March 30 - The United States Congress readmits Texas into the Union
- May 16 - Herman Lehmann and brother Willie are captured by Apaches, but Willie escapes within days.
- 1870-1898 The county had four women homesteaders: Louisa J. Hendryx, Mahala Hunnicutt, Sarah E. Morris and Priscilla Sparks [13]
- 1875-1877
- County’s first newspaper begins publication.
- Hoo Doo War over cattle rustling, evolves into an ethnic feud between German immigrants and non-Germans.
- Most famous participant in the war is Johnny Ringo [14], who on September 25, 1875, kills James Cheyney.
- Courthouse fire destroys all records.
- 1878, May 12 - Herman Lehmann, escorted by soldiers, finally returns to his family.
- 1880’s Manganese is discovered. Wakefield Company opens Spiller mines. Iron ore is discovered. Prospecting begins for gold, silver and coal.
- 1882-83 Hereford cattle are introduced into the county. Provisions made for county wide road work.
- 1887 The county petitions for state aid for needy residents.
- 1897, May 27 - John O. Meusebach dies at his farm at Loyal Valley in Mason County, Texas|Mason County, is buried in the Marschall Meusebach Cemetery at Cherry Spring.[15]
- 1890’s County places a bounty on wolves, wildcats and mountain lions.
- 1893 Economic Depression Panic causes severe hardships.
- 1902 Mason installs its first telephone in the county judge's office.
- 1913 County hires an agricultural agent.
- 1918 October 3 - Eighteen months after United States Congress declares war on Germany, the Mason County Council of Defense draws up resolution to abandon the use of the German language in the county. The majority of County residents are of German heritage.
- 1919 First oil and gas lease in the county. Construction begins on the Mason County section of the Puget Sound-to-the-Gulf Highway.
- 1920’s Radios come to Mason County.
- 1932 WPA projects aid highway development.
- 1938 Pedernales Electric Cooperative is formed to provide rural electrification [16]. Mason County joins in June.
- 1946 Local soil-conservation board organized. County schools consolidated.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 932 square miles (2,414 km²), virtually all of which is land.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- McCulloch County (north)
- San Saba County (northeast)
- Llano County (east)
- Gillespie County (south)
- Kimble County (southwest)
- Menard County (west)
Demographics
As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 3,738 people, 1,607 households, and 1,110 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 2,372 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.60% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.75% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 20.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,607 households out of which 25.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 29.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.40% under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 20.70% from 25 to 44, 28.80% from 45 to 64, and 23.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,921, and the median income for a family was $39,360. Males had a median income of $28,125 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,931. About 10.10% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.50% of those under age 18 and 13.30% of those age 65 or over.
Localities
City
Unincorporated places
See also
References
- ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Handbook of Texas, Mason
- ^ The Six National Flags of Texas
- ^ The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero
- ^ TAMU Chieftans of Mexican Independence
- ^ Texas Historical Marker, Meusebach-Comanche Treaty
- ^ Texas Historical Markers Fort Mason
- ^ TSHA online, Texas State Convention of Germans
- ^ Texas Historical Markers Creation of Mason County
- ^ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation
- ^ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth
- ^ Nostalgiaville, Mason
- ^ TxGenWeb, Mason County , Women Homesteaders
- ^ Johnny Ringo
- ^ Find A Grave, John O. Meusebach
- ^ Handbook of Texas, Pedernales Electric Cooperative
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links
- Mason County government's website
- Mason County from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Texas Beyond History, Honey Creek
| McCulloch County | San Saba County | |||
| Menard County | Llano County | |||
| Mason County, Texas | ||||
| Kimble County | Gillespie County |
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Coordinates: 30°43′N 99°13′W / 30.72°N 99.22°W
Categories: Texas counties | 1858 establishments | Mason County, Texas | German-American history
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