Anderson County, Texas: Difference between revisions
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Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county Anderson County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. Located within East Texas, its county seat is Palestine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of the 2020 United States census, the population of Anderson County was 57,922.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Anderson County comprises the Palestine micropolitan statistical area. Anderson County was organized in 1846, and was named after Kenneth Lewis Anderson (1805–1845), the last vice president of the Republic of Texas.
History
[edit]Native Americans
[edit]Native Americans friendly to the settlers resided in East Texas<ref>Template:Cite web R. E. Moore and Texarch Associates</ref> before the Kiowa, Kickapoo, Kichai, Apache, and Comanche relocated to the territory.<ref>Template:Cite web Texas Beyond History</ref> These tribes hunted, farmed the land, and were adept traders. By 1772, they had settled on the Brazos at Waco and on the Trinity upstream from present Palestine. The Tawakoni branch of Wichita Indians originated north of Texas,<ref>Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association</ref> but migrated south into East Texas. From 1843 onward, the Tawakoni were part of treaties made by both the Republic of Texas and the United States.
On May 19, 1836, an alliance of Comanche, Kiowa, Caddo, and Wichita attacked Fort Parker (Limestone County), killing and taking settlers captive. The survivors escaped to Fort Houston, which had been erected in Anderson County in 1835 as protection against Indians.<ref>Template:Cite web Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.</ref><ref>Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical
Association</ref> Some early residents of Anderson County were related to Cynthia Ann Parker, who was among the captives.<ref name= Exley>Template:Cite book</ref>
In October 1838, Gen. Thomas Jefferson Rusk conducted a raid against hostile Indians at Kickapoo, near Frankston.<ref>Template:Cite web Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.</ref> This ended the engagements with the Indians in East Texas for that year.
Anglo settlement
[edit]In 1826, empresario David G. Burnet received a grant from the Coahuila y Tejas legislature to settle 300 families in what is now Anderson County.<ref>Template:Cite web Wallace L. McKeehan,</ref> Most of the settlers came from the southern states and Missouri.
Baptist leader Daniel Parker<ref name="Bowman">Template:Cite web Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.</ref> and eight other men organized the Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church in Lamotte, Illinois in 1833. This entire group migrated to the Texas frontier, arriving in Austins Colony in November 1833,<ref name="Bowman"/> and establishing Fort Parker (Limestone County) in 1834. In October 1834, in consequence of "their members were becoming scattered in a wilderness," the Church agreed to adjourn until the majority of their members settled.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
After the Texas Revolution and the attack on Fort Parker, Daniel Parker and some of the survivors moved to Fort Houston (Anderson County).<ref name="Caraway">Template:Cite web</ref> They established a new community south of the fort.
Incorporation
[edit]The First Legislature of the State of Texas formed Anderson County from Houston County on March 24, 1846. The county was named for Kenneth Lewis Anderson. Palestine was named the county seat.<ref>Template:Cite web Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.</ref>
Anderson County voted for secession from the Union.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> When the American Civil War began, former Palestine district judge Judge John H. Reagan<ref>Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association</ref> served in the cabinet of the Confederate government as postmaster general, being captured at the end of the war and spending 22 months in solitary confinement. During Reconstruction, District Nine Court Judge Reuben A. Reeves,<ref>Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association</ref> a resident of Palestine, was removed from office as "an obstruction to Reconstruction" in part because of his refusal to allow blacks to participate as jurors in the judicial process.
In 1875, the International – Great Northern Railroad<ref>Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association</ref> placed its machine and repair shops and general offices in Palestine, causing the community to double in size over the next 5 years. For a time, it was a rough railroad town, dominated by male workers.
White violence against blacks occurred in the county, most frequently by lynchings of black men. But in July 1910, at least 22 blacks were killed in white rioting near Slocum, a majority-black community, in what is called the Slocum Massacre. Racial and economic tensions had been high in the post-Reconstruction era and southern states had disenfranchised blacks and imposed Jim Crow in furtherance of white supremacy.<ref>Lynching in America, Third Edition: Supplement by County Template:Webarchive, p. 9, Equal Justice Initiative, Mobile AL (2017)</ref> Anderson County tied for 13th place in a list of the 25 American counties with the highest number of lynchings between 1877 and 1950 (all were located in the South).<ref>Josh Marshall, "The History of Lynching and Racial Terror", Talking Points Memo, February 10, 2015; accessed May 15, 2018</ref>
Oral tradition in the African-American community holds that as many as 200 blacks may have been killed in the massacre. An estimated 200 whites rioted and attacked blacks on the roads, in the fields, and in Slocum on July 29–30, 1910. Many black homes were burned, and black families fled for their lives, having to abandon their property and assets. This town is about 20 miles east of the county seat at Palestine.<ref name=davies/>
At the time, as was usual, white newspapers described such events as a "race riot" by blacks. Texas newspapers had contributed to problems by reporting false rumors that 200 blacks were arming. Afterward, 11 men were arrested and seven were indicted, including James Spurger, said by many to be the instigator, but no prosecution resulted. The massacre had been preceded by racial tensions, rumors, and, for 6 months, at least one lynching per month of Blacks in East Texas.<ref name=davies>David Martin Davies, "Should Texas Remember Or Forget The Slocum Massacre?", Texas Public Radio, January 16, 2015; accessed May 15, 2018</ref>
In January 2016, the state installed a highway historical marker in Slocum to recognize this unprovoked white attack on the black community.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was part of a history of white violence against blacks.
In 1926, the Humble Oil and Refining Company, in partnership with the Rio Bravo Company, started an exploration drilling program along Boggy Creek, in what turned our to be the Boggy Creek salt dome. On March 19, 1927, the Elliott and Clark No. 1 encountered the Woodbine Formation at a depth of Template:Convert and produced 62 barrels of oil per hour, but showed salt water after producing only 15,000 barrels. On November 10, 1927, the Elliott and Clark No. 2, 150 feet to the west, was completed as a gas well. On February 4, 1928, the first oil-producing well in Anderson County, the Humble-Lizzie Smith No. 1, was completed, producing 80 BOPD. By May 1931, 80 wells had been drilled in the Boggy Creek Oil Field, 6 of which produced gas, 33 oil, and 41 were dry holes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association</ref>
The Fairway Oil Field was discovered in 1960, and straddles the border of Anderson and Henderson Counties. Oil is produced from the Lower Cretaceous James Limestone member of the Pearsall formation.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area was purchased by the state between 1950 and 1960,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> much of it formerly owned by Milze L. Derden. The area was renamed in 1952 for Gus A. Engeling, the first state biologist assigned to the area who was killed by a poacher on December 13, 1951.
Geography
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Anderson County is situated at the threshold of two ecoregions, the piney woods to the east, and the East Central Texas forests, also referred to as post oak savanna to the west. The terrain of Anderson County consists of hills carved by drainages and gullies, with numerous lakes and ponds. The Trinity River flows southward along the west boundary line of the county; the Neches River flows southward along its east boundary line, and Brushy Creek flows southeastward through the central portion of the county.<ref name=ACTX>Anderson County TX Google Maps (accessed 12 February 2019)</ref> The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest points along the midpoint of its northern boundary line at Template:Convert ASL.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert are land and Template:Convert (1.4%) are covered by water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The county is wholly located within area codes 430 and 903.<ref>Texas Area Codes - Cities & Prefixes - Area Code 430, Public Utility Commission of Texas website, retrieved July 30, 2015.</ref><ref>Texas Area Codes - Cities & Prefixes - Area Code 903, Public Utility Commission of Texas website, retrieved July 30, 2015.</ref>
Major highways
[edit]- File:US 79.svg U.S. Highway 79
- File:US 84.svg U.S. Highway 84
- File:US 175.svg U.S. Highway 175
- File:US 287.svg U.S. Highway 287
- File:Texas 19.svg State Highway 19
- File:Texas 155.svg State Highway 155
- File:Texas 294.svg State Highway 294
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Henderson County (north)
- Cherokee County (east)
- Houston County (south)
- Leon County (southwest)
- Freestone County (west)
Protected areas
[edit]- Big Lake Bottom Wildlife Management Area (part)
- Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area
- Neches River National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area (part)
Lakes
[edit]- Big Twin Lake
- Cox Lake
- Crystal Lake
- Hudson Lake
- Lake Dogwood
- Lake Frankston
- Lost Prairie Lake
- Pineywoods Lake
- Spring Lake
- Williams Lake
Template:Div col end <ref name=ACTX/>
Communities
[edit]City
[edit]- Palestine (county seat)
Towns
[edit]Census designated places
[edit]Unincorporated areas
[edit]- Alderbranch
- Bethel
- Blackfoot
- Bois d'Arc
- Bradford
- Brushy Creek
- Cayuga
- Cronin
- Crystal Lake
- Elmtown
- Elmwood
- Fosterville
- Greens Bluff
- Long Lake
- Massey Lake
- Montalba
- Mound City (partly in Houston County)
- Pert
- Salmon
- Slocum
- Springfield
- Swanson Hill Church
- Tennessee Colony
- Todd City
- Tucker
- Wells Creek
- Yard
Ghost towns
[edit]Population ranking
[edit]The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Anderson County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) | 1 | † Palestine | City | 57,496 | 2 | 'Elkhart | Town | 1,299 | 3 | Frankston | 1,170 |
|---|
Demographics
[edit]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref> | Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | % 2000 | % 2010 | Template:Partial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 34,762 | 35,792 | 33,098 | 63.08% | 61.23% | 57.14% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 12,897 | 12,222 | 11,430 | 23.40% | 20.91% | 19.73% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 135 | 192 | 193 | 0.24% | 0.33% | 0.33% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 243 | 283 | 381 | 0.44% | 0.48% | 0.66% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 7 | 16 | 13 | 0.01% | 0.03% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 11 | 37 | 113 | 0.02% | 0.06% | 0.20% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 349 | 629 | 1,583 | 0.63% | 1.08% | 2.73% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6,705 | 9,287 | 11,111 | 12.17% | 15.89% | 19.18% |
| Total | 55,109 | 58,458 | 57,922 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
From its initial population of 2,684 in 1850, Anderson County's population increased to 55,109 people at the 2000 U.S. census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By the publication of the 2020 United States census, its population further grew to 57,922,<ref name="2020CensusP2" /> though the 2020 tabulation is a decline of negative 0.9% from 2010's 58,458 residents at the 2010 U.S. census.
Among the growing population of Anderson county, its racial and ethnic makeup has remained predominantly non-Hispanic or non-Latino white, although its Hispanic and Latino American population of any race increased to consist of more than 11,000 residents as of 2020; the increase in Hispanic and Latino American residency reflected nationwide trends of diversification since the 2020 census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Of note, its African American communities have remained relatively the same, though experiencing a slight decline; multiracial Americans have increased to 2.73% of the population.
Consisting of 16,555 households according to the 2020 American Community Survey's 5-year estimates,<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> there was a homeownership rate of 71.5%. Among the population, the median gross rent was $829 against the statewide median of $1,082.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $110,000, and the median mortgage was $1,102; housing units without a mortgage had a median monthly cost of $441.Template:When In 2000, there were 15,678 households, 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 13.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were not families. About 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.Template:When
In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $31,957, and for a family was $37,513. Males had a median income of $27,070 versus $21,577 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,838. About 12.70% of families and 16.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.60% of those under age 18 and 16.60% of those age 65 or over. In 2020, its median household income grew to $45,847 and 14.1% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.<ref name=":2" /> The impoverished communities in Anderson County consisted of 21.5% of residents under the age of 18, and 9.9% were aged 65 and older.
Government and politics
[edit]Government
[edit]Anderson County is governed by a commissioners' court. It consists of the county judge, who is elected at-large and presides over the full court, and four commissioners, who are elected from the county's four single-member precincts.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>
County commissioners
[edit]| Office | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County judge | Robert D. Johnston | Republican | |
| Precinct 1 | Greg Chapin | Republican | |
| Precinct 2 | Rashad Mims | Democratic | |
| Precinct 3 | Kenneth Dickson | Republican | |
| Precinct 4 | Joey Hill | Republican | |
<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
County officials
[edit]| Office | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County clerk | Mark Staples | Republican | |
| Criminal district attorney | Allyson Mitchell | Republican | |
| District clerk | Teresa Coker | Republican | |
| Sheriff | W. R. (Rudy) Flores | Republican | |
| Tax assessor-collector | Teri Garvey Hanks | Republican | |
| Treasurer | Tara Holliday | Republican | |
<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
Constables
[edit]| Office | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precinct 1 | David Franklin | ||
| Precinct 2 | Doug Lightfoot | Republican | |
| Precinct 3 | Kim Dickson | Republican | |
| Precinct 4 | James Muniz | Republican | |
<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
State prisons
[edit]The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates state prisons for men in the county. The prisons Beto, Coffield, Michael, and Powledge units and the Gurney Unit transfer facility are located in an unincorporated area Template:Convert west of Palestine.<ref>Powledge Unit Template:Webarchive. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 13, 2010.</ref> The Beto Unit has the Correctional Institutions Division Region II maintenance headquarters.<ref>Beto Unit Template:Webarchive. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved June 5, 2010.</ref>
Courts
[edit]Justices of the peace
[edit]| Office | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precinct 1 | Gary Thomas | ||
| Precinct 2 | Tammy Lightfoot | ||
| Precinct 3 | James Todd | Republican | |
| Precinct 4 | James Westley | Republican | |
<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
County court at law
[edit]Jeff Doran, a Republican, is the judge of the county court at law. <ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
District courts
[edit]| Office | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd district court | Mark Calhoon | Republican | |
| 87th district court | Deborah Oakes Evans | Republican | |
| 349th district court | Pam Foster Fletcher | Republican | |
| 369th district court | Michael Davis | Republican | |
<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
Politics
[edit]Anderson is a strongly Republican county, voting Republican in every election since 1980 (as of 2020). The county last voted Democratic in 1976, when Jimmy Carter won 57% of the county's votes. Hillary Clinton managed to win just 19.8% of the vote in the county, the least of any presidential candidate since 1944. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot
Education
[edit]These school districts serve areas in Anderson County: Template:Div col
- Athens Independent School District (partial)
- Cayuga Independent School District
- Elkhart Independent School District (partial)
- Frankston Independent School District (partial)
- La Poynor Independent School District (partial)
- Neches Independent School District
- Palestine Independent School District
- Slocum Independent School District
- Westwood Independent School District
Media
[edit]Anderson County is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth DMA. Local TV media outlets include: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, and KDAF-TV. Other nearby TV stations that provide coverage for Anderson County come from the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville market and they include: KLTV, KTRE-TV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, and KETK-TV.
Newspapers serving Anderson County include the Palestine Herald-Press in Palestine and the weekly online Frankston Citizen in Frankston.
See also
[edit]- National Register of Historic Places listings in Anderson County, Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Anderson County
- East Texas Oil Field
- Category:People from Anderson County, Texas
- List of counties in Texas
Further reading
[edit]- E.R. Bills wrote The 1910 Slocum Massacre: An Act of Genocide in East Texas (2014) about white mobs rioting and killing at least 22 blacks in Anderson County in July 1910, and driving off hundreds more.<ref name=davies/>
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Anderson County government
- Template:Handbook of Texas
- Anderson County from the Texas Almanac
- Anderson County from the TXGenWeb Project
- Anderson County Agrilife extension profile at Texas A&M University
- View historic Anderson County materials, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
Template:Anderson County, Texas Template:Texas counties Template:Texas Template:Authority control Template:Coord