Schleicher County, Texas

Schleicher County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 2,935. Its county seat is Eldorado^[1]. The county is named for Gustav Schleicher, a German immigrant who became a surveyor and politician.^[2]

Schleicher County is home to the YFZ Ranch, the reported new headquarters of the FLDS movement headed by Warren Jeffs.

Historical timeline

• 8000 B.C.E. First inhabitants probably Jumano Indians. Later inhabitants are Lipan Apache and Comanche. ^[3]

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

• 1535 Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca Explorations for Spain.

• 1632 Fray Juan de Salas and Father Juan de Ortega does missionary work among the Jumanos. ^[4]
• 1685-1690 France plants its flag on Texas soil, but departs after only five years.^[5]

• 1808 Soldier Francisco Amangual leads an expedition across the area. ^[6]

• 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: ^{[7] [8]}

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. ^[9]

• 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. ^[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.

• 1882 Christopher Colombus Doty becomes the first permanent citizen of Schleicher County. ^[11]

• 1887, April - The Texas legislature establishes Schleicher County from Crockett County and named it in honor of Gustav Schleicher.

• 1890 Population 155, of whom 134 were listed as white, four black, and seventeen as American Indian.

• 1894 County’s first public school opens at Verand, later moved to Eldorado.

• 1895 W. B. Silliman founds Eldorado community and names it after the mythical city. In order to populate it, he offers free town lots to residents of nearby Verand. ^{[12] [13]}

• 1900 More than half the county's population are rural farmers and ranchers.

• 1930 The Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway Company resumes work on a previous railroad, making access possible to San Angelo and Sonora.

• 1941, February 27 - Grand opening of West Texas Woolen Mills plant in Eldorado, with a parade and BBQ lunch. 5000 people are in attendance. Governor "Pappy" W. Lee O'Daniel is the guest speaker. ^{[14] [15]}

• 1950’s Oilfield discoveries on school lands enable Schleicher County to build new library and gymnasium facilities for its students.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,311 square miles (3,395 km²). 1,311 square miles (3,394 km²) of it is land and about 1 km² (0 sq mi) of it is water.

Major Highways

• U.S. Highway 190
• U.S. Highway 277

Adjacent counties

• Tom Green County (north)
• Menard County (east)
• Sutton County (south)
• Crockett County (west)
• Irion County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census^[16] of 2000, there were 2,935 people, 1,115 households, and 817 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 1,371 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.59% White, 1.53% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 18.98% from other races, and 2.62% from two or more races. 43.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,115 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.60% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county, the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,746, and the median income for a family was $37,813. Males had a median income of $28,412 versus $22,250 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,969. About 16.00% of families and 21.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.00% of those under age 18 and 19.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Eldorado

Unincorporated areas

• Adams
• Hulldale

References

1. ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ Lyman Wight's Mormon Colony in Texas excerpt from "Mormon Trails" chapter in Hill Country travel guide by Richard Zelade. Accessed August 6, 2007.
3. ^ Handbook of Texas, Schleicher County [1]
4. ^ Texas Handbook Online, Fray Juan de Salas [2]
5. ^ The Six National Flags of Texas [3]
6. ^ Handbook of Texas, Francisco Amangual [4]
7. ^ The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero [5]
8. ^ TAMU Chieftans of Mexican Independence [6]
9. ^ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation [7]
10. ^ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth [8]
11. ^ Texas Historical Marker, Chris Doty [9]
12. ^ Texas Escapes, Eldorado, Texas [10]
13. ^ Picture America, Eldorado [11]
14. ^ Texas Historical Marker, West Texas Woolen Mills [12]
15. ^ El Dorado, Texas [13]
16. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

• Schleicher County government's website
• Schleicher County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Inventory of county records, Schleicher County Courthouse, Eldorado, Texas, hosted by the Portal to Texas History

Coordinates: 30°54′N 100°32′W / 30.90°N 100.54°W

Categories: Texas counties | Schleicher County, Texas | 1887 establishments