Austin_County_Texas.jpg

Austin County, Texas

Privacy Level: Open (White)
Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Austin_county us_history Texas
This page has been accessed 2,104 times.



Welcome to Austin County, Texas Project!


flag
... ... ... is a part of Texas history.
Join: Texas Project
Discuss: Texas


Contents

History/Timeline

7400 B.C. Paleo-Indian period archeological evidence in this area that human habitation began. The county is in area of a cultural transition between inland and coastal aboriginal peoples.
1820's - L arge plantations were established in the bottomlands.
Stephen Fuller Austin
1821 The Mexican government granted to Moses Austin its permission to bring the Original Three Hundred families in to settle the Texas Colony. Moses became ill, asked if his son could continue the colonization. Stephen Fuller Austin came to Texas and carry on his plan. Moses Austin died June 10, 1821. [1][2]
1823-38 - Anglo Americans settled on the fertile land near the Brazos River. These settlers wasted and used poor farming, so that soon, the once fertile soil became infertile. (Worn out soil)

1823'- The Austin County area was selected by Stephen Fuller Austin to be the locale for his first colony of Anglo-American settlement in Texas. Mexican government told Stephen F Austin to explore Colorado River area for settlement.. Austin gave his report to the Mexican government regarding boundaries, submitting a plan for distributing the land. [3]

1824 San Felipe de Austin was the capital of Austin's Old 300 Colony. Stephen F Austin advertized to bring interested people to settle along with the incentive of more land if they had skills useful to the settlers. Families settled on the West bank of the Brazos River, above the mouth of Mill Creek. [4]
Stephen F Austin State Park.
Early settlers were: Abner Kuykendal, Horatio Chriesman, William Robbins, Early Robbins, Moses Shipman, David Shipman, William Prator, James Orrick, J. M. Pennington, Samuel Kennedy, Isam Belcher, and David Talley. [5]
July, 1824 The general land office opened in San Felipe de Austin, (GLO) Stephen F. Austin was commissioned the political chief. [4]
Titles were issued (640 Acres for a single man or head of family + 320 Acres for wife, 160 acres for each child and 80 acres for each slave). This was approved by the Mexican government.[4]
1827 San Felipe Colony's first English school and Sunday school in Texas were begun by T Pilgrim, a young Baptist teacher, preacher from New York. Early settlers usually built near streams where water could easily be found and an abundance of wood for building and fencing material, as well as where fuel would be readily available. The Indians (Karankawas) sometimes attacked colonists, killing women and children if they were unguarded. [4]
1828- Austin had an ayuntamiento for the governing. There were no roads, thus the land needed to be cleared, transportation was difficult. It was hard to get the equipment to help the colonists clear the land..[4] With a lot of forests there, the Texas colony had no sawmills, thus all houses were log cabins. Most had a single room with dirt floor. Sometimes straw was used on the sides or moss. The roof leaked,. Sometimes the cows ate the moss off the cabin. Winters were hard even in central Texas area. [4]
1828 Jose Maria Sanchez described San Felipe in "A Trip to Texas in 1828", "This village was settled by Mr. Stephen Austin, a native of the United States of the North. It consists presently of 40 to 50 wooden houses on the Western bank of the Rio de Los Brazos de Rios, but the houses are not arranged systematically for streets; but were in an irregular.. Its population is nearly two hundred persons, of which an occasional European. Two wretched little stores supply the inhabitants of the colony; one sells only whiskey, rum sugar, coffee; the other rice, flour, land, and cheap cloth. Having to repair several parts of the wagons, it was necessary to remain in the village, and it was with much regret that we noticed the river began to rise. The baggage was placed in the ferry boat, and boarding it, we started down the river in search of a landing."[4]
1829 Godwin Brown Cotton published the Texas Gazette, the first newspaper in Texas at San Felipe Colony. Roads were actually trails marked by notched trees. Some colonies had small roads, See the Space page for El Camino Real or Old San Antonio Road. The Atascosita Road (trail) connected Goliad to the USA. If ships brought goods to Harrisburg, the goods were transported on the San Felipe Road or Old San Antonio Road as far as possible, then rivers could be used if any were in the region..[4]
1832 Godwin Brown Cotton moved the press to Brazoria in the spring.[4]
1832, 33 Convention of 1832 - was first organized as an opposition to Mexican Rule in San Felipe and Gonzales colonies. Delegates from the colonies met to discuss colonial problems. [4]
1833 - The petition for statehood was drawn up to be delivered to the authorities in Mexico.
William Barrett Travis's law office was in San Felipe prior to his fall at the Alamo.
Stephen F. Austin attempted to get the legislature of Mexico and Texas to establish a school system and he sought to establish an academy at San Felipe, but neither plan was realized. [4]
Oct 10, 1835 -Gail Borden, Thomas H Borden and Joseph Baker began another paper, The Telegraph. The Texas Register was begun in San Felipe. This paper became the official voice of the government of the Republic of Texas when it was organized..[4]
Nov 3, 1835 The site of the Consultation was held here. San Felipe de Austin served as the capital of the provisional government. [4]
1835- The population was 600 with many living outside of the town. Colonists managed to get their cabin built, but did not concentrate on educating their children in those years. Stephen F Austin tried to obtain a school system near his colony with no luck.[4]
1835The Consultation of 1835 met in San Felipe and San Felipe was made capital of the provisional government.[4]
Mar 2, 1836 -Convention for Mar 2, 1836 was in Washington-on-the-Brazos.[4]
Mid March, 1836 All settlers fled their homes. This was called The Runaway Scrape. Following the fall of the Alamo, Gen. Samuel Houston retreated through here. Following Houston's orders, the garrison gave orders for the town to evacuate for settlers' defense. [4]
Replica of San Felipe building.
Original buildings are gone.
The towns of Gonzales and DSan Felipe de Austin were burned to prevent the towns falling into the hands of the Mexican Army during the Mexican Army March. All residents gathered their "stuff" and fled to the east. (Runaway Scrape). The government officials moved the new government to Harrisburg and then to Galveston Island.[6]
When Gen Santa Anna and troops came through, he ordered the Harrisburg and New Washington to be burned, when he failed to find the Texas government officials. [7]
May 1836 Word of the defeat of Santa Anna, Apr 21, 1836 spread over Texas. Residents returned slowly. Some families had lost members of their family, many did not return. The Republic of Texas finally resumed operation. The Republic of Texas was low on funds. Life was hard. There were no buildings for the Republic administration to work. All cabins, stores, etc had to be rebuilt.[4]
1836-37 San Felipe was incorporated as county seat for the new Austin County in the Republic of Texas. It was named for Stephen Fuller Austin, father of Texas. A courthouse was built here. Governing was difficult since the town had been burned down. [4] [8] The town had 6-7 log houses, a tavern and courthouse. The town never recovered from the blow of being burned down. San Felipe could not regain its importance.[4]
San Felipe marker.
1840 Austin County was formed from the Texas colony in 1837 with Bellville as the county seat.
1842 - When the German settlers arrived they tried to organize a German University near Industry . Texas Congress gave them land.
1844- Hermann's University was supposed to be built between Mill and Cummins Creeks.
Dec 23, 1846- A county election decided on Bellville as county seat. The administration parts were removed by 1848 to Belleville
March 1848 The Town of Bellville as County Seat was surveyed and laid out by Charles Amthor, on land donated by Thomas Bell and his brother, James. It had a post office. The County seat was moved from San Felipe to Bellville. Its first courthouse was an old frame structure which stood in the town square.
Bellville,The county seat of Austin County is located on the Santa Fe Railroad. It is named for Thomas Bell, one of the Old Three Hundred who came to Texas in 1822 and in 1838 built a home in the Bellville area. [4]
1849 The economic conditions in Bellville increased in 1880-1881 with the arrival of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. Bellville was incorporated in January, 1929.[4]
1850-San Felipe donated the majority of its townsite property to the state.
1854 The 2nd County Courthouse - was built was built at a cost of $13,000.00 and was the first brick building in Austin County. This courthouse burned on April 5, 1960 [4]
1860-61 A new Courthouse was rebuilt to take place of the 1854 courthouse.[4]
1880 The Texas Western Railroad, a narrow gauge railroad originating in Houston, passed within a half mile of the town. Many of the businesses moved closer to the railroad, so the city was rebuilt for the third time. [4]
Stephen F Austin State Park.

IMMIGRANTS

1830-1846 - Germansimmigrationn arrived next. the majority came in 1830- 1846. were the next large group to settle within Austin County. These were used to farming in Germany and economical, success in their settlements, such as Bastrop, Pin Oak, Comal area. These farmers were of a more economical mind and settled successfully on land the Anglos did not want.
1846-48 Czech immigrants arrived in Austin County. Their first settlement near Cat Spring was founded in 1848. The Czechs were successful in settling and maintaining their land and home.. Some even settled on land left by the Germans.[4] See Adelsverein.
pre 1830s The Anglo-Americans developed the first town and the towns which sprang up after the railroad expanded. Towns such as San Felipe de Austin was chosen as the headquarters of the colony by the first settlers and the Baron de Bastrop.
1840 San Felipe De Austin- established in 1824 was the town of Austin County which was named in honor of a saint and Stephen F. Austin. It translated to "Saint Phillip". It is believed to have been the patron saint of Luciano Garcia , the Governor of this Province of Mexico, who named the town. A Republic of Texas legislative act in 1840 removed the "de Austin" was in 1840.
Early settlers of San Felipe were Josiah Bell, James B. Miller, Godwin B. Cotton and Gail Borden.
1856 The settlers had better vegetable gardens and orchards and more milk, butter and cheese. There were more stores. . . There was a singing society in Millheim." The community was given its name some time during the 1850's by a settler, William Schneider, who suggested the name, Meuhlheim, which the Americans pronounced Millheim, the name that was then used.
Bellville, the county seat of Austin County is located on the Santa Fe Railroad. It is named for Thomas Bell, one of the Old Three Hundred who came to Texas in 1822 and in 1838 built a home in the Bellville area.
1878 The Railroad purchased land from San Felipe Corp., naming it Sealy was built by the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad, The town was named for John Sealy, a banker and president of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. With the establishment of the railroad yards Sealy became an active trading post. Events which significantly hindered the growth and economic development of Sealy were the flooding of the Brazos River in 1899, the removal of the railway division point from Sealy to Bellville in January, 1900 and the storm of 1900. All proved to be serious blows to Sealy's economy.



Austin County Early Towns

1847-1848 close of Napoleonic period through European revolutionary period stimulated the emigration of Germans of Texas. One Characteristic of most German settlements was their attention to the formation of clubs. German settlers formed social, cultural, political, literary, dramatic, and workingman's clubs, all of which helped to make them feel more at home in Texas. Because of their love of music they formed singing clubs and held annual song festivals, (Saengerfest). Singing societies could be found in nearly every German settlement. Another society, was the Teutonic Order (Teutonia Orden)
BELLVILLE
.
was county seat of Austin County, located on the Santa Fe Railroad. It is named for Thomas Bell, one of the Old Three Hundred who came to Texas in 1822 and in 1838 built a home in the Bellville area. This Anglo-American settlement is named for Thomas Bell, one of the Old Three Hundred who came to Texas in 1822 and in 1838 built a home in the Bellville area. In March, 1848, the town was surveyed and laid out by Charles Amthor, on land which had been donated by Thomas Bell and his brother, James. At this time Bellville was a post office on the mail route from Hempstead to La Grange. In 1848 when the county seat was moved from San Felipe to Bellville the first courthouse was an old frame structure which stood in the town square.[9]
Bellville old Jail.

A second courthouse which was constructed in 1854 was built at a cost of $13,000.00 and was the first brick building in Austin County. 12 This courthouse burned on April 5, 1960 and a new one was rebuilt to take its place. The first house in Bellville was built by Jim Irwin in 1849 and it served as a grocery and hotel as well as a home. 13 Economic conditions in Bellville were enhanced in 1880-1881 with the arrival of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. Bellville was incorporated in January, 1929.

1853 -Wallis Category: Wallis, Texas

-The Anglo-American settlement, founded by William Guyler who moved to the area in 1853. Name first Bovine Bend (round up ground for cattlemen) (the cattle industry was most important. Increasing numbers of German immigrants settling in the area, changed the area to agriculture. The city as it now exists was established in 1875 or 1876 and the name was changed in honor of J. E. Wallis, director of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad.[9]

.
Kenny: The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad began the development of Kenny, another Anglo-American community established in 1880. The community was first known as Thompson, named after J. E. Thompson, an early settler of the area and a postmaster. A stream grist mill, a cotton gin, a school, several businesses including a general store and a hotel, and three churches could be found in Kenney in 1885 when the community had a population of 150. In 1890 the name was changed to Kenney, honoring J.W. Kenney, a Methodist minister. [9]
.
German citizens of Cat Spring and Industry in 1841, led by Fredrick Ernst. The organization was formed to, "...increase immigration, facilitate correspondence between Texas and Germany, practice philanthropy and preserve the German traits of character." Many of the community halls in which these societies met remain standing and are still used frequently for dances, meetings, reunions and picnics. Examples of the architecture associated with this type of structure can be found in Sealy, Shelby and Cat Spring. [4][9]
Industry The first German settlement in Texas, marks the introduction of German influences to Texas. Industry, 1st German settlement in Texas, was founded by Fredrick Ernst, who arrived with Charles Fordtran from Germany. In New Orleans they heard about Stephen F. Austin's colony and decided to go to Texas. [9]

April 16, 1831, Ernst received title to a league of land near Mill Creek and divided the land with Fordtran who had surveyed the land. Ernst wrote home to friends back in Oldenburg and in his letters spoke of Texas in glowing terms. These letters were widely read, as they were published in newspapers. It was these letters which Ernst wrote home, as well as the founding of the "Society for the Protection of Herman Immigrants" which offered support, advice, as well as land, that were largely responsible for the families who followed Ernst and settled in Texas. In 1838 Ernst laid out a town site.

German visitors in the Ernst home suggested that he make cigars from the tobacco from his garden. It was the cigar-making industry which developed in the community that gave Industry its name. [9][4]
Cat Spring was founded in 1834 as a result of the Ernst letters, and, according to Robert Justus Kleberg, the founder of Cat Spring, because of the desire to "live under a republican form of government, with unbounded personal, religious and political liberty, free from the petty tyrannies and the many disadvantages and evils of the old countries." [4] The name Kleberg is famous in Texas history not only because of its importance in the settlement of Austin County, but also because of its association with South Texas and the King Ranch. It is said the settlement was named Cat Spring due to a son of the von Roeders killed a wildcat near the spring.[9][4]
.
June 7, 1856, it was named the Agricultural Society of Austin County (Landwirth-schaftlicher Verein fuer Austin County) after it was decided that the entire county, not only Cat Spring could benefit from the organization. Later it was renamed the Cat Spring Agricultural Society and remains an active organization to this day, holding regular monthly meetings and one annual meeting. [4]
Cat Spring Butcher Club, was quite active at one time. This group, was started during the 1870's so that each individual did not have to kill a steer during the warm weather and attempt to preserve it. Instead a steer was killed every week and distributed among the members. Every week each member got a different cut of meat so that eventually everyone got the equivalent of his own steer. The members knew whose meat they were eating and watched the quality very closely. Thus it was a matter of pride and good sense to contribute only good animals. The organization, which had been active only in the summer, later changed to a year-around operation.[4] [9]
.
1840's Shelby in the (NE corner of Austin County), name for a prominent settler of that area, David Shelby. However, the town dates from the 1840's when the German pioneer, Otto von Roeder built a mill there on Mill Creek. Thus the town was called Roedersmuehle by the Germans. Most of the Germans who settled in Shelby came to Texas with the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas. These settlers began a school, an agricultural society, a singing society and a band as evidence of their interest in the arts and sciences.[9]
.
Millheim, another German community was founded about 1845, an offshoot of Cat Spring. Some of the early settlers in Millheim were: Andreas Friedrick Frenchmann, the founder of the Agricultural Society of Austin County, E. G. Maetze, founder of the Old Millheim School, J. H. Krancher, the first constable of Millheim, Robert Kloss, W. Mersmann, F. Engelking, Louis Kleiberg, Hugo Zapp, A. Kuewer, and H. Vornkahl. Most of these men became farmers, but Adalbert Reganbrecht, describes others as, "blacksmiths, wheelrights, carpenters, shoemakers, tailors, brickmasons, a cabinetmaker, a saddler, a tanner and a tinner. The ordinary farm-laborer received free board and fifty cents per day . . . The Farmers of Millheim lived in frame dwelling houses, but some of the pioneer settlers still lived in block houses.[9][4]
1856 the settlers had better vegetable gardens, orchards and more milk, butter, cheese. There were more stores. . . There was a singing society in Millheim." The community was given its name some time during the 1850's by a settler, William Schneider, who suggested the name, Meuhlheim, which the Americans pronounced Millheim, the name that was then used. [9]
.
New Ulm was settled by Germans about 1853. These first settlers came from Nassau in Fayette County, and Industry and Shelby, both in Austin County. Prior to its settlement by Germans the area was known as Duffy's Settlement in honor of James C. Duff to whom the land was granted in 1841. It is said that Lorenz Mueller suggested changing the name to New Ulm in honor of Ulm, Wuertenburg, Germany, the area from which most of the settlers had come. He treated those present at the discussion to a case of Rhine wine. Housing for the settlers consisted mainly of log cabins. Adolph Beschel is said to have built the first hotel and dance hall at New Ulm.[9][4]
Josef Lidumil Lesikar and his family settled on some land near New Ulm after a voyage from Moravia which had lasted 14 weeks. There with the aid of his 4 sons he built a log cabin for his family home. Lesikar wrote for a number of Czech publications, describing the situation in Texas prevailing at this time. Reports say these publications increased immigration to Texas, especially after the Civil War, when the greatest number of Czech immigrants arrived.[9][4]
.
Pre 1852 - Anglo Americans settled here, but did not name the town. After arrival of the German immigrants, they named it Welcome in North part of Austin County. The German population outnumbered the original settlers. One of these German settlers, J. F. Schmidt, is credited with selecting the name, "Welcome" because "everything--forest, field, meadows and flowers--seemed to give them a friendly welcome." The settlers interest in bringing culture to Welcome is noted by their founding of a school and singing society. [9]
.
1855 Nelsonville was established by Germans. A saw and grist mill and a cotton gin were built there by Issac Lewis. The village had a church, school, mills, gins and a population of one hundred The population was 158 in 1900; by 1947 the population was 100 and there were four stores in operation.
.
1877 - Post office, 1880 Bleiblerville is named for Robert Bleibler built a general store . Theo Wehring was operating a cotton gin in 1990. By 1915 the population had grown to three hundred; in 1947 the population was 150 and there were three stores in operation.[9]
Czech Immigrant Influence -Czechs learned of the opportunities available in Texas largely through correspondence and advertisements. Because of a similar way of life and customs to the Germans, the Czechs settled near the Germans. Like the Germans, the Czechs formed societies which helped the immigrants feel more at home in Texas and also assisted them during times of need by lending money and providing life insurance policies to members. Probably the most important of these Czech societies is the Slavonic Benevolent Association of the State of Texas, S. P. J. S. T. (Slovanska Podporujici Jednota State Texas), which was founded at La Grange, Texas on December 28, 1896 when a group of Texas Czechoslovakian citizens gathered for the purpose of founding an exclusive Texas-Czech fraternal organization. [9][4]
Many Czech immigrants in Texas turned to farming, and they along with the Germans are largely responsible for agricultural development in Texas.
.
1849 Cat Spring the first Czech settler there was Reverend Arnost Bergman, born August 12, 1797 in Zupudor, near Mnichova Hradiste in Czechoslovakia. With his family he moved to Cat Spring in March, 1849, where he bought land and began to farm. As Fredrick Ernst was responsible for a great deal of German immigration to Texas, so Bergman was responsible for much of the early Czech immigration to Texas. He too wrote home describing the land and resources in glowing terms.
Svoboda , a newspaper published in La Grange with a large circulation both in the United States and Europe, was responsible as well for a large number of Czech immigrants settling in Texas. [9]
.

Frydek is chiefly of Czech origin. Czechs eventually spread throughout Texas and the pioneer names of Leshikar, Sebesta, Smetana, Skopik, Shillet, Pett, Hriska and others may be found in most any of their later settlements. However, the population of the community of. This village was established in about 1895. [9]

.


Land Grants

  • San Felipe de Austin History

Texas History through literature mentions San Felipe de Austin. (In 2010 it was still present in Texas}

When Stephen F Austin was awarded land grant for his colony, he made the capital in 1824 San Felipe de Austin. Soon it not only was the capital for his colony it had grown into a place to go where the "Movers and Shakers" gathered to meet, decide Revolution ideas, sign up for the military, issue orders and more. Settlers coming into the Texas checked here for news. The Alamo defenders signed up for service as defenders here and eastward in Nacogdoches and more.. [10]The significance of the capital of the colony caused the town to be important in early Texas history and the Texas Revolution
This was located on the Brazos River. For defense it was on a high bluff with fertile bottomlands below. The best feature was it had good defense and access to water. Austin built a home here on Bullinger's Creek. [10]
Austin's colony boundaries were North from Gulf of Mexico to Old San Antonio Road, (Lavaca River in West) and (San Jacinto River in East).
San Felipe resembled a Mexican town modal with the grid of avenues, and 4 plazas. The town grew westward from the Brazos for 1/2 mile. In 1828 it had 200 population, 3 stores, 2 bars, 1 hotel, blacksmith shop, and 40+ log cabins.
Settlers 10 Hispanic, the rest, American/ European and males outnumbered females 10:1. Soon it had a post office. Being a capital of a colony was a given.

Adjacent counties


Northwest
Fayette County
North
Washington County
Northeast
"Brazos River"
North arrow
West
Colorado County
West arrow Austin County, Texas East arrow East
Waller County
South arrow
Southwest
"San Bernard River"
South
Wharton County
Southeast
{{{SE Location}}}

Government Offices

  • 1960--The Austin County Courthouse, built in 1888, was destroyed by fire on April 5, 1960. Courthouse records were saved.[11]

Texas Historic Commission says Austn County has had 5 or 6 courthouses.

1st Courthouse was built in San Felipe de Austin in 1837. This was first county Seat. (San Felipe de Austin was evacuated, burned March 30, 1836 as all feared the Mexican army would torch it.[12]
2nd Courthouse in Bellville named for Thomas B Bell, a settler of the "Old Three Hundred" a log courthouse built in 1848.[12]
1850 -3rd Courthouse - one story wood frame building with a shed roof porch. There was a central courtroom and the 2 offices on each side.[12]
1854 -Courthouse - was built at a cost of $13,000.00 and was the first brick building in Austin County. [12]
1855 -4th courthouse was planned to be next to the 1850 courthouse, but the first building was sold and moved away!. This building was 2 story brick with columns,. Stairs led to the jury and court rooms on the 2nd floor. (first floor was county offices) In 1877- an addition was added with a new safe.[12]
1887-88 5th Courthouse was grand. the builder of this one stated the previous was likely to fall any time.. This Beautiful building was 3 stories, central clock tower, Mansard roof. This building survived until 1960 when it burned. All that was left was the clocktower. The original bricks are also left. [12] The Austin County Courthouse, built in 1888, was destroyed by fire on April 5, 1960. Courthouse records were saved.[13]
1888 Grand Courthouse.
1960-61 Courthouse is square looking, windowless block granite. It is a 2-story block on top of one story square.. Not ornate. It continues to stand.[12]
1960 courthouse.

Geography

https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hca08

This area is near Brazos River. Central Texas, there are many many trees.

Austin County is in SE Texas (35 miles W of Houston
Bellville is the county seat (2nd largest town (50 miles NW of Houston.
Center point is 29°55' north latitude, 96°18' west longitude
Size: 656 square miles on the boundary between the Post Oak Savannah and Coastal Prairie regions.
Terrain- rolling hills in the North, West, and central regions to nearly level coastal prairie in the South.
Elevation - 46- ft above sea level in NW to 120 feet in SE.
Rivers - Brazos River is the drainage basin, which forms the eastern border of the county.
Creeks - Mill, Piney, and Allens have water oak, pecan, and cottonwood. Mill Creek has palmetto planted by the Spanish, in commemoration of a species of dwarf palm that once grew on its lower course (see TEXAS PALM).
Soil- dark clay, grayish sandy loam, and sand not good for farming. Southern prairie - dark clay loam. NW part blackland prairie surfaced by dark clays and grayish-brown sandy and clay loams.
Streams soils are very fertile dark reddish brown alluvium.
NOTE This woodland has been reduced due to urbanization. 1/4-1/3 of county is still heavily wooded.
Trees-hickory, live oak, blackjack oak, elm, hackberry, black walnut, sycamore, mesquite. S part -- open grassland with oak and elm trees.
Grasses- Indian grass, tall bunchgrass, buffalo grass, marsh, salt grasses, bluestems, coarse grasses.

https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hca08

Protected areas

  • San Felipe

Demographics

In 2000, there were 23,590 people giving a population density was 36 people/sq.mi.(14/km²). Racial breakdown of the county was 80.22% White, 10.64% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 6.99% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 16.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of note 26.9% were of German, 8.8% American, 8.0% Czech, 6.4% English and 5.0% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. The median income was $38,615, and the median income for a family was $46,342. which indicates 8.8% families (12.1 of population were below the poverty line. This includes 13.7% of people under age 18 and 14.4 % of over 65 age or over.[14]

.

Notables

Josiah H. Bell
James B. Miller
Noah Smithwick
Horatio Chriesman
  • John Bricker - casual of Battle across the Brazos River at San Felipe de Austin]


Events and Festivals

  • Art Festival In April, New Ulm
  • Autofest in October. Wallis
  • Country Livin' Festival in April, Bellville
  • Gr otto Celebration in April, Fryde k
  • Polka Fest in March, Sealy

Cities/Towns, Communities

Estimated population as of Jan 1, 2014 shown in parenthesis.



Schools

There is 1 college, 13 public schools and 2 private schools in Austin County.

  • Blinn College branch, Sealy

Public Schools
Listed by category within Independent School District (ISD). Bellville ISD

'Sealy ISD

  • Selman Elementary
  • Selman Intermediate
  • Sealy Junior High
  • Sealy High

Wallis ISD

Private Schools

  • Faith Academy of Bellville
  • St Marys Episcopal Day School

Cemeteries



Historical Census

1850 - 3,841
1860 - 10,139 164.0%
1870 - 15,087 48.8%
1880 - 14,429 −4.4%
1890 - 17,859 23.8%
1900 - 20,676 15.8%
1910 - 17,699 −14.4%
1920 - 18,874 6.6%
1930 - 18,860 −0.1%
1940 - 17,384 −7.8%
1950 - 14,663 −15.7%
1960 - 13,777 −6.0%
1970 - 13,831 0.4%
1980 - 17,726 28.2%
1990 - 19,832 11.9%
2000 - 23,590 18.9%
2010 - 28,417 20.5%

[16]


County Resources

  • Adelsverein
  • The Bellville Historical Society,
bridge in Austin co..
  • Concordia Hall, 953 S. Tesch Street

PO Box 67 Bellville, Texas 77418 E-mail address:BellvilleHistoricalSociety.com

  • Austin Genealogical Society,

PO Box 1507 Austin 78767-1507

  • Austin Genealogical Society,

PO Box 10010 Austin 78766-1010

  • Bellville Public Library,

12 W Palm St Bellville, TX 77418 Telephone Number: 979-865-3731

  • Virgil and Josephine Gordon Memorial Library,

917 N Circle Dr Sealy, TX 77474 Telephone Number: 979-885-7469 http://www.vjgordonmemoriallibrary.org/ Website]

  • Austin County Library System,

6730 Railroad St Wallis, TX 77485 Telephone Number: 979-478-6813

  • Austin Texas Family History Center

1000 E Rutherford Ln Austin, Travis, Texas, United States Phone: 512-837-3626 Hours: M,T,Th & Sat 10am-1pm; W 9am-3pm, & 6pm-8:30pm

  • Austin Texas Oak Hills Family History Center

5201 Convict Hill Rd Austin, Travis, Texas, United States Phone: 512-892-6483 Hours: Tues, Wed, Sat,10am-2pm; Wed. 6pm-9pm

Sources

  1. http://www.austincounty.com/default.aspx?Austin_County/Austin.History
  2. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txaustin/MiscPages/History.htm
  3. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txaustin/MiscPages/History.htm
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 4.33 4.34 4.35 http://www.austincounty.com/default.aspx?Austin_County/Austin.History
  5. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txaustin/MiscPages/History.htm
  6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_Scrape
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_Scrape
  8. http://www.genealogytrails.com/tex/state/countynamedafter.html
  9. 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txaustin/MiscPages/History.htm
  10. 10.0 10.1 http://www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/san-felipe-de-austin-state-historic-site/san-felipe-de-austin-history
  11. https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Austin_County,_Texas_Genealogy
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Bellville/AustinCountyCourthouseBellvilleTexas.htm
  13. https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Austin_County,_Texas_Genealogy
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_County,_Texas
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Felipe,_Texas
  16. https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Austin_County,_Texas_Genealogy#Websites




Collaboration
  • Login to edit this profile and add images.
  • Private Messages: Send a private message to the Profile Manager. (Best when privacy is an issue.)
  • Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)


Comments

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.