Wilson County, Texas

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Wilson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 49,753.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Floresville.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county is named after James Charles Wilson. Wilson County is part of the San Antonio–New Braunfels, Texas, metropolitan statistical area.

History

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Native Americans

Archeological evidence in the Wilson County area reveals early habitation from the paleo-Indians hunter-gatherers period.<ref name="Native Peoples of the South Texas Plains During Early Historic Times">Template:Cite web UT Texas at Austin</ref><ref name="Artistic Expression">Template:Cite web</ref> Later, the area was a hunting range for Tonkawa, Karankawa. Tawakoni, Lipan Apache, and Comanche who lived in the area.Template:Citation needed

Explorations and county established

In September 1718 Martín de Alarcón crossed the area on his way to explore the bay of Espíritu Santo. Pedro de Rivera y Villalón crossed the county in 1727 as part of an expedition to inspect the frontier defenses of New Spain.<ref name="Pedro de Rivera y Villalón">Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association</ref> In 1766–67 the Marqués de Rubí included the area in his inspection of the Spanish frontier,<ref name="Wilson County">Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association</ref> and the 1798 explorations of the coast by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado<ref name="Southern and Western Texas Guide for 1878">Template:Cite book</ref> skirted the area.

The first two land grants in the area were to Luis Menchaca and Andrés Hernández,<ref name="Menchaca-Hernández Compromise">Template:Cite web Template:Dead link Texas General Land Office</ref> who established ranches circa 1832–1833.

Anglos began arriving in the 1840s,<ref name="Wilson County"/> and Southern planters in 1850 and 1860, followed by German and Polish immigrants from other counties.

Wilson County was formed in 1860 from Bexar County and Karnes County. Sutherland Springs<ref name="Sutherland Springs, Texas">Template:Cite web Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.</ref> was designated the county seat.

Wilson County voted in favor of secession<ref name="Wilson County"/> from the Union, and sent several military units to serve. Wartime hardships were compounded by a three-year drought.

Following the civil war, the county seat<ref name="Floresville, Texas">Template:Cite web Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.</ref> was moved to Floresville. The 1872 courthouse was destroyed by fire and replaced in 1884 with a new building<ref name="Wilson County Courthouse">Template:Cite web Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.</ref> designed by Alfred Giles.

Fence Cutting Wars in Texas lasted for approximately five years, 1883–1888. The Template:Convert ranch of Houston and Dilworth became the focal point in Wilson County. As farmers and ranchers began to compete for precious land and water, cattlemen found it more difficult to feed their herds, prompting cowboys to cut through fences. Texas Governor John Ireland<ref name="Fence Cutting Wars, Texas Adjutant General R.N. Steagal Letter To John Ireland March 31, 1884">Template:Cite web Texas State Library and Archives Commission</ref> prodded a special assembly to order the fence cutters to cease. In response, the legislature made fence-cutting and pasture-burning crimes punishable with prison time, while at the same time regulating fencing. The practice abated with sporadic incidents of related violence 1888.

The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway<ref name="San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway">Template:Cite web</ref> reached Floresville in 1886. In 1898 the San Antonio and Gulf Railroad<ref name="Texas and New Orleans Railroad">Template:Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association</ref> was extended to Stockdale.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert are land and Template:Convert (0.6%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Guadalupe County (north)
Gonzales County (northeast)
Karnes County (southeast)
Atascosa County (southwest)
Bexar County (northwest)

Demographics

Template:US Census population

**Wilson County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition**
Template:Nobold
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)	19,728	25,186	27,877	60.87%	58.68%	56.03%
Black or African American alone (NH)	361	644	693	1.11%	1.50%	1.39%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	101	125	148	0.31%	0.29%	0.30%
Asian alone (NH)	93	143	229	0.29%	0.33%	0.46%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	12	9	24	0.04%	0.02%	0.05%
Other Race alone (NH)	22	25	187	0.07%	0.06%	0.38%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	257	374	1,363	0.79%	0.87%	2.74%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	11,834	16,412	19,232	36.52%	38.24%	38.65%
Total	32,408	42,918	49,753	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 32,408 people, 11,038 households, and 8,830 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 12,110 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 81.19% White, 1.21% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 14.25% from other races, and 2.43% from two or more races. 36.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 11,038 households, out of which 40.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.50% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.00% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.20% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,006, and the median income for a family was $45,681. Males had a median income of $31,716 versus $23,582 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,253. About 9.20% of families and 11.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.40% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Ghost towns

Education

School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

All of the county is in the service area of Alamo Community College District.<ref>Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.162. ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..</ref>

Notable people

John Connally, governor of Texas and U.S. Secretary of the Navy and Treasury
Merrill Connally, an actor and a county judge
Wayne Connally, a member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature
Frank Hamer, Texas Ranger
Stephen Willeford, civilian who intervened during the Sutherland Springs church shooting

Gallery

The "Peanut Marker" at the Wilson County Courthouse lawn commemorates the life of Joe T. Sheehy (1886–1967), who introduced peanut farming to the area in 1916.

The "Peanut Marker" at the Wilson County Courthouse lawn commemorates the life of Joe T. Sheehy (1886–1967), who introduced peanut farming to the area in 1916.
The Wilson County Public Library near the courthouse.

The Wilson County Public Library near the courthouse.
The Wilson County Hardware store in Floresville.

The Wilson County Hardware store in Floresville.

Politics

References

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External links

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