Sutton County, Texas

Sutton County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, the population was 4,077. Its county seat is Sonora^[1]. Sutton County is named for John S. Sutton, an officer in the Confederate Army.

History Timeline

• 9500 b.c.- ca 1860’s a.d. Paleo-Indians in the county leave behind archealogical remains of a burned-rock midden with mortar and pestle, as well as other tools. Later native inhabitants include Tonkawa, Comanche and Lipan Apache. ^[2]

• 1535 Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca Explorations for Spain.

• 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. ^[3]

• 1736 Lt. Miguel de la Garza Falcón leads100 soldiers along the Devils River ^[4] in pursuit of Apaches.

• 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.

• 1852, February 2 - Camp Terrett, later known as Fort Terrett, established to protect settlers from Comanches. Founded by Lt. Col. Henry Bainbridge and named for Lt. John Terrett, who was killed in the Battle of Monterrey in 1846. ^[7]

• 1861

February 1 - Texas secedes from the Union

March 2 - Texas joins the Confederate States of America

• 1863, January 1 • The Emancipation Proclamation. ^[8]

• 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. ^[9]

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

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

• 1878 Region that will become Sutton County is known as Cattleman's Paradise, later Stockman's Paradise, due to both sheep and cattle ranching. First fence is erected.

• 1881 Wall’s Well discovered by Tim Birtrong and Ed Wall. Town of Wentworth discovered. Birtrong Ranch is the area’s only ranch. ^[10]

• 1885

Charles G. Adams, a merchant and sometime rancher from Fort McKavett, founds Sonora, Texas, named after a family servant from Sonora, Mexico. ^[11]

Eleven ranches in the area.

• 1887

The Texas legislature establishes Sutton County, carved out of eastern Crockett County named for Confederate officer John Schuyler Sutton. ^[12]

Wentworth has 20 families and a Masonic lodge that doubles as a church, schoolhouse. ^[13]

• 1890

Sonora becomes the county seat.

Devils River News founded in Sonora.

• 1915 Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers’ Association organized. ^[14]

• 1928 The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe acquires Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway to connect Sonora with San Angelo, Del Rio, and the outside world by rail.

• 1930 Sonora Wool and Mohair Company established.

• 1936 WPA projects help local economy.

• 1958, August 1 • Sonora Municipal Airport activated ^[15]

• 1960, July 16 • Caverns of Sonora open to the public. ^[16]

• 1965 Caverns of Sonora designated National Natural Landmark. ^[17]

• 1970’s Arab oil embargo causes a spike in county oil and gas exploration.

• 2000 Population 4,077, over half were identified as Hispanic in the census.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,454 square miles (3,767 km²), of which, 1,453 square miles (3,765 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2 km²) of it (0.04%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 10
• U.S. Highway 277

Adjacent counties

• Schleicher County (north)
• Kimble County (east)
• Edwards County (south)
• Val Verde County (southwest)
• Crockett County (west)

Demographics

As of the census^[18] of 2000, there were 4,077 people, 1,515 households, and 1,145 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 1,998 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 45.28% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 2.27% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. 49.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,515 households out of which 38.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.60% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.40% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.80% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,385, and the median income for a family was $38,143. Males had a median income of $31,193 versus $18,587 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,105. About 14.10% of families and 18.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.20% of those under age 18 and 16.10% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

• Fort Terrett
• Owenville
• Sonora

Schools

Sutton County is served by the Sonora Independent School District based in Sonora.

References

1. ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ Handbook of Texas, Sutton County [1]
3. ^ The Six National Flags of Texas [2]
4. ^ Devils River [3]
5. ^ The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero [4]
6. ^ TAMU Chieftans of Mexican Independence [5]
7. ^ Handbook of Texas, Camp Terrett [6]
8. ^ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation [7]
9. ^ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth [8]
10. ^ Texas Historical Markers, Wentworth [9]
11. ^ Handbook of Texas, Sonora Texas [10]
12. ^ Handbook of Texas, John Sutton [11]
13. ^ Handbook of Texas, Wentworth [12]
14. ^ San Angelo Times, Dutch Wardlow [13]
15. ^ Sonora Municipal Airport [14]
16. ^ Caverns of Sonora [15]
17. ^ Natural Park Service, Caverns of Sonora [16]
18. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

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

Coordinates: 30°30′N 100°32′W / 30.50°N 100.54°W

Categories: Texas counties | Sutton County, Texas | United States counties with Hispanic majority populations