Pettus, Texas

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Pettus is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bee County, Texas, United States. The population was 608 at the 2000 census. Named for John Freeman Pettus, whose family was one of the original 300 Austin colonists.

Oil capital of Bee County, Pettus was settled in the 1850’s when John Freeman Pettus (1808-1878) set up his sprawling ranch about four miles south of here. The son of one of Stephen F. Austin’s first 300 colonists, Pettus was an extensive cattle and horse breeder. The town, previously called “Dry Medio” for a nearby creek, was named for him during the Civil War. The community was in the vicinity of two important Indian skirmishes in Bee County in 1859 and the 1870’s, but the town slept until 1886 when the tracks of the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad reached this site. It then awoke to become the cattle shipping center for the area. In the same year, John S. Hodges, a pioneer citizen, laid out the townsite and donated land to be used for streets and S.A.& A.P. right of way. For years the railroad stockyards and depot were places of bustling activity as freight trains came for loading and wood-burning steam engines took on water. In 1909, the presidential train of William H. Taft stopped at the Pettus water tank. The tank — a final monument to steam railroading here — was razed, 1965. ln1929 the Houston Oil Co. brought in its well, “No. 1 Maggie Ray McKinney,” and from that time Pettus has played a continuing useful role in Texas economy.http://beeville.net/HistoricalSites/06%20-%20TOWN%20OF%20PETTUS.htm

John Freeman Pettus (b. 4 Oct 1808, MadisonCo, VA) has been listed in most older sources as the son of Freeman and Elizabeth Craddock Pettus, who also are listed as parents of Samuel Overton and Edward Craddock Pettus. More recent evidence shows that John Freeman Pettus was the son of William Pettus (contributed by descendant Brenda Perkins). An archival petition for land states "John Pettus hijo mayor y emancipado de William Pettus ante U. con el mayor respeto, hago presente que ir el año de 1822 emigre a este pais con mi Sr. padre....Villa de Austin á 27 de Agosto de 1830 John F. Pettus." However, Edward C. Pettus is thought to be a son of Freeman Pettus, thus a cousin rather than brother of John Freeman Pettus. Freeman Pettus, with wife Tabitha was the guardian for a Martha Craddock in Alabama, and it is suspected that Craddock was the surname of Tabitha, mother of Edward Craddock Pettus. The John F. Pettus family migrated from Virginia to Alabama and came to Texas in the spring of 1822 along with William Pettus. The Pettus' were among the original "Old 300" Austin colonists. and received titles to land in current Colorado, Fayette, Matagorda and Brazoria counties in 1824. Edward C. and John Freeman were members of Capt. Baker's company in the Battle of San Jacinto, serving as 2nd sargent and 2nd Lt., respectively. Both also served in Capt. York's Company at the Battle of Bexar. Edward Pettus is said to have been in the lead in the burning of San Felipe as it was abandoned by Capt. Baker's unit fleeing the Mexican army from the Alamo to San Jacinto. Edward served in 1837 as Lt. in a ranger unit charged to protect Austin County. Another brother, Samuel O. Pettus (wife Martha and child May), served as head of a company in the Siege and Battle of Bexar. John Freeman Pettus married Sarah York (b. 1819 Alabama) on 29 Dec 1836 in AustinCo. Samuel O. Pettus was married to Sarah's sister, Margaret/Martha York. A Samuel Overton Pettus from Virginia, who joined the New Orleans Greys as a private under Capt. Thomas Breece, was promoted to Captain by Col. Fannin in the renamed San Antonio Greys and was killed in the Goliad Massacre in 1836.

In 1840 Freeman Pettus is recorded with ownership of 4,444 acres, two slaves, 100 cattle, and twenty-five horses in AustinCo and also held a lot in San Felipe de Austin. He was an AustinCo grand juror in the spring of 1845. The 1850 census of DeWittCo lists household no. 173 as John F. Pettus, 42, M, Farmer, Virginia; Sarah Pettus, 32, F, Alabama; William A. Pettus, 11, M, Texas; Sarah B. Pettus, 8, F, Texas; Martha W. Pettus, 5, F, Texas; Altha Pettus, 3, F, Texas; John M(ilam) Pettus, 1, M, Texas with assets of $7000. John Freeman Pettus died in Charco, GoliadCo, TX 3 Jan 1878 and is buried there with wife Sarah (1819-1894) and his mother, Elizabeth Cartwright (1790-1873). John Freeman had daughters who married a Hodges, a James Lincoln and a Lott. They are said to have had 7 children and may have had sons J.Y. and J.E. Pettus. Pettus, Texas in northern Bee County is named in honor of John Freeman Pettus.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Education
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Pettus is located at 28°37′7″N, 97°48′10″W (28.618609, -97.802781)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 15.0 km² (5.8 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 608 people, 223 households, and 169 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 40.5/km² (104.8/mi²). There were 257 housing units at an average density of 17.1/km² (44.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 71.88% White, 0.49% Native American, 24.67% from other races, and 2.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 54.11% of the population.

There were 223 households out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $28,500, and the median income for a family was $35,469. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $19,464 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $12,486. About 11.8% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.