Von Ormy, Texas
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Von Ormy is a village located in southwest Bexar County, Texas, United States. It has been known as Von Ormy since the late 1880s. Prior to 1880, the community was known as Mann's Crossing, Garza's Crossing, Medina Crossing, and Paso de las Garzas. Von Ormy lies along the Medina River at the crossing point of the historic Spanish Camino Real.
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[edit] Geography
Von Ormy is located at GR1.
[edit] Early history
Archeological digs by the University of Texas at San Antonio have revealed a pre-European settlement of Coahuiltecan Indians within the boundaries of present day Von Ormy. This ancient village was located along the bank of the Medina River between modern Garza's Crossing (Somerset Road) and Mann's Crossing (I-35).
European settlers, initially comprised of Franciscan missionaries and Spanish and mestizo soldiers, arrived in the region in the early 18th century, intent on subduing and proselytizing the natives. Canary Islanders arrived soon after to settle the nearby town of Bejar (modern day San Antonio. They began to raise cattle along the Medina River and were involved in the cattle trade between Spanish Louisiana and South Texas. Notable among these were the Ruiz and Casillas families. Early records of Von Ormians can be found in the baptismal, burial and marriage records of Mission San Jose and Mission Espada; they are usually listed as living "on the Medina" or simply "Medina."
By the early 19th century, Von Ormy was an established community, serving as the crossing point of the Medina along the Camino Real. During the Mexican War for Independence, the "Battle of the Medina" was fought nearby. Antonio López de Santa Anna served as a lieutenant and became familiar with the area during this campaign.
[edit] The Texas Revolution
During the War for Texas Independence, Santa Anna (now the Mexican President and General-in-Chief) camped in Von Ormy prior to making his final march on the Alamo. The spot is marked by the Santa Anna Oak, a large live oak under which the general encamped. Blas Herrera, the "Paul Revere" of the Texas Revolution, rode his horse from Von Ormy to San Antonio to warn the town of Santa Anna's approach. After the war, the doors to the Alamo were taken to the Herrera ranch, where they stayed until the Daughters of the Republic of Texas brought them back to the Texas shrine during their restoration of the Alamo.
The Ruiz-Herrera family cemetery located in Von Ormy is the burial place of Blas Herrera, as well as Jose Antonio Ruiz, who was alcalde, or mayor, of San Antonio during the siege of the Alamo.
[edit] Republic of Texas and statehood
Following the revolution, Texas pioneer Enoch Jones built a fortified ranchhouse, locally known as "the castle." Jones soon sold the property to famous Texian spy Deaf Smith, who lived in the house for several years. In the late 1800s, the "castle" was sold to Count Norbert Von Ormay, a Prussian count, for whom the city was named. Count Von Ormay arrived with his wife and servants from Prussia in the early 1880's. He registered a cattle brand at the Bexar County Courthouse, was often cited in the San Antonio Evening Light's gossip page, but little else is known about him and he disappeared soon afterwards. Many years later his son emerged in Brazil. The castle remained abandoned until the 1990s.
The first Catholic Church in Von Ormy had been established by Marianist missionaries in 1836 on the Herrera Ranch. It soon became known as Santisima Trinidad Mission and was located at Garza's Crossing on the Medina River. Ruins of the church can be seen today and the historic cemetery is being eroded by the river. Santisima Trinidad burned in the late 1890s and a new church was built by Franciscan missionaries in the 1910s about a mile upstream along the new Laredo Highway's crossing of the Medina River. Against much local protesting, this old stone church was destroyed when the Laredo Highway was widened to created Interstate 35 during the 1930s. The current church was built in the 1960s and renamed Sacred Heart of Jesus.
During the 1920s, a tuberculosis sanitarium was built in the city. Subsequently 20 percent of the population died after being infected from working in the facility or being in contact with infected workers.
The Von Ormy school operated from the early 1900s until 1956 when it closed after the creation of the Southwest Independent School District.
The town's post office opened as "Garza's Crossing" on January 16, 1872, under postmaster William G. M. Samuel. It was closed May 7, 1874, but was reeastablished June 10, 1875, under new postmaster Robert J. Sibert. It was again discontinued August 16, 1875. On January 14, 1879, a new post office was reopened using the name "Mann's Crossing," with postmaster Anton F. Krause. This too was closed (November 9, 1880). It was again reestablished under postmaster Branson Bywater on September 13, 1886. On December 4, 1886, the post office changed its name to "Von Ormy," which has since remained the town's designation.
In January 1906, the first bridge over the Medina River at Von Ormy was built by the International-Great Northern Railroad.
[edit] Recent history
In 1914, the town had two grocers, a general store, a cotton gin, and a population of 350. In 1946 the population was still 350. After World War II, the community declined; in 1965 nine businesses and 100 residents were reported. Since that time the population has grown slowly, and in 1990 Von Ormy had 264 residents and twenty businesses. Currently, there is a strong movement, led by the Committee to Incorporate Von Ormy (CIVO), to incorpporate Von Ormy into a municipality.
Today, several pioneer families who settled in the region prior to the Texas Revolution still comprise a large percentage of Von Ormy residents, including the Ruiz, Herrera, Vara, Flores, Mann, Reyes and Quintana families.
Von Ormy is served by the Jarret Volunteer Fire Department, which was established in 1975 in order to provide fire protection for the upcoming bicentennial celebrations.
[edit] Famous residents
- Blas Herrera, Tejano patriot
- Jose Antonio Ruiz, mayor of San Antonio during the Battles of the Alamo
- Deaf Smith, Texian spy
- Enoch Jones, early empresario
- Emilio, Tejano music superstar
- Andrade, Steven University of Texas Football superstar and BBQ cooker of the century
[edit] References
- http://www.rootsweb.com/~txpost/bexar.html
- http://www.jarretfr.com/ Jarret Volunteer Fire Department
- http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/VV/htv9.html
- http://www.sacredheartcatholicchurch.com
- http://www.accd.edu/pac/history/rhines/StudentProjects/2001/VonOrmy/sttemplate.htm
- http://www.vonormytexas.com/ Von Ormy Historical Society
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