Gonzales County, Texas

Gonzales County, Texas

Map of Texas highlighting Gonzales County
Location in the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded 1837
Named for City of Gonzales
Seat Gonzales
Largest city Gonzales
Area
 • Total 1,070 sq mi (2,771 km2)
 • Land 1,067 sq mi (2,764 km2)
 • Water 3.2 sq mi (8 km2), 0.3%
Population
 • (2010) 19,807
 • Density 19/sq mi (7/km²)
Congressional districts 27th, 34th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.co.gonzales.tx.us

Gonzales County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 19,807.[1] The county is named for its county seat, the city of Gonzales.[2] The county was created in 1836 and organized the following year.[3][4]

History

Green DeWitt's petition for a land grant to establish a colony in Texas is approved by the Mexican government.
Gonzales is established and named for Rafael Gonzales, governor of Coahuila y Tejas.

1st – Slavery is abolished in the republic.

2nd – Consequently, those who have been until now considered slaves are free.
3rd – When the circumstances of the treasury may permit, the owners of the slaves will be indemnified in the mode that the laws may provide. And in order that every part of this decree may be fully complied with, let it be printed, published, and circulated.
Given at the Federal Palace of Mexico, the 15th of September, 1829.
Vicente Guerrero To José María Bocanegra
The colony sends delegates to conventions (1832–1835) to discuss disagreements with Mexico.
September – The Mexican government views the conventions as treason. Troops are sent to Gonzales to retrieve the cannon.
October 2 – The Battle of Gonzales becomes the first shots fired in the Texas Revolution. The colonists put up armed resistance, with the cannon pointed at the Mexican troops, and above it a banner proclaiming, "Come and take it". Commemoration of the event becomes the annual "Come and Take It Festival".[9][10]
October 13 – December 9 – Siege of Bexar becomes the first major campaign of the Texas Revolution.
Gonzales County is established.
February 23 – Alamo messenger Launcelot Smithers carries to the people of Gonzales, the Colonel William Barret Travis letter stating the enemy is in sight and requesting men and provisions.
February 24 – Captain Albert Martin delivers to Smithers in Gonzales the infamous "Victory or Death" Travis letter addressed "To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World" stating the direness of the situation. Smithers then takes the letter to San Felipe,[11] site of the provisional Texas government.
February 27 – The Gonzales Alamo Relief Force of 32 men, led by Lieutenant George C. Kimble, depart to join the 130 fighters already at the Alamo.[12]
March 1 – The Gonzales "Immortal 32" make their way inside the Alamo.
March 2 – Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico establishes the Republic of Texas.
March 6 – The Alamo falls.
March 13–14 – Susanna Dickinson, the widow of the Alamo defender Almaron Dickinson, arrives in Gonzales with her daughter Angelina and Colonel Travis' slave Joe. Upon hearing the news of the Alamo, Sam Houston orders the town of Gonzales torched to the ground, and establishes his headquarters under a county oak tree.[13][14]
April 21–22 – Battle of San Jacinto, Antonio López de Santa Anna captured.
May 14 – Santa Anna signs the Treaties of Velasco.
County votes 802–80 in favor of secession from the Union.
February 1 – Texas secedes from the Union
March 2 – Texas joins the Confederate States of America
January 1 – The Emancipation Proclamation.[16]
December – The Confederacy commissions Fort Waul, and constructs it with slave labor.[17][18]
April 9 – Robert E. Lee formally surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House.
April 15 – President Abraham Lincoln dies of a head wound inflicted by assassin John Wilkes Booth.
June 19 – Major General Gordon Granger arrives in Galveston to enforce the emancipation of all slaves. It is the first time African Americans in Texas know of the Emancipation. The date becomes celebrated annually in Texas as Juneteenth, and later as an official state holiday known as Emancipation Day.[19]
December 6 – The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits slavery.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,070 square miles (2,800 km2), of which 1,067 square miles (2,760 km2) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) (0.3%) is water.[27]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18501,492—
18608,059440.1%
18708,95111.1%
188014,84065.8%
189018,01621.4%
190028,88260.3%
191028,055−2.9%
192028,4381.4%
193028,337−0.4%
194026,075−8.0%
195021,164−18.8%
196017,845−15.7%
197016,375−8.2%
198016,8833.1%
199017,2051.9%
200018,6288.3%
201019,8076.3%
Est. 201620,876[28]5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[29]
1850–2010[30] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[31] of 2000, there were 18,628 people, 6,782 households, and 4,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile (7/km²). There were 8,194 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 72.25% White, 8.39% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 16.48% from other races, and 2.01% from two or more races. 39.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,782 households out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.00% were married couples living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.00% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,368, and the median income for a family was $35,218. Males had a median income of $23,439 versus $17,027 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,269. About 13.80% of families and 18.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.60% of those under age 18 and 19.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Politics

Presidential Elections Results[32]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 72.3% 4,587 24.7% 1,571 3.0% 191
2012 69.6% 4,216 29.3% 1,777 1.1% 64
2008 64.8% 4,076 34.5% 2,167 0.7% 44
2004 71.3% 4,291 28.4% 1,709 0.4% 22
2000 67.4% 4,092 30.9% 1,877 1.7% 100
1996 51.9% 2,687 40.7% 2,110 7.4% 385
1992 45.0% 2,502 36.1% 2,006 18.9% 1,049
1988 50.4% 2,983 49.0% 2,897 0.6% 36
1984 64.2% 3,962 35.6% 2,196 0.2% 14
1980 49.5% 2,931 48.9% 2,896 1.6% 95
1976 35.6% 1,789 64.1% 3,219 0.4% 18
1972 69.8% 2,707 30.0% 1,164 0.1% 5
1968 33.6% 1,476 44.0% 1,930 22.4% 983
1964 26.2% 1,190 73.7% 3,348 0.2% 7
1960 36.2% 1,554 63.6% 2,730 0.2% 7
1956 43.8% 1,767 56.0% 2,260 0.3% 10
1952 46.7% 2,249 53.2% 2,563 0.1% 3
1948 18.5% 666 72.6% 2,612 8.9% 321
1944 21.1% 841 70.3% 2,804 8.6% 342
1940 19.4% 722 80.6% 3,008 0.1% 2
1936 11.6% 352 88.2% 2,674 0.2% 7
1932 9.0% 337 90.8% 3,384 0.2% 7
1928 45.7% 1,112 54.3% 1,319
1924 14.1% 463 76.0% 2,499 10.0% 328
1920 30.1% 748 52.3% 1,299 17.6% 437
1916 27.3% 649 70.4% 1,675 2.4% 57
1912 17.4% 318 72.6% 1,327 10.0% 182

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Dorcas Huff Baumgartner; Genevieve B. Vollentine (June 15, 2010). "Gonzales County". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Gonzales County". Texas Almanac. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  5. ↑ Handbook of Texas, Gonzales County
  6. ↑ The Six National Flags of Texas
  7. ↑ "The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero", CWO
  8. ↑ "Chieftains of Mexican Independence", Texas A&M University
  9. ↑ Gonzales C of C
  10. ↑ Handbook of Texas, Come and Take it
  11. ↑ Handbook of Texas, San Felipe de Austin
  12. ↑ The DeWitt Colony Alamo Defenders
  13. ↑ "Sam Houston Oak", Texas Escapes
  14. ↑ Texas Historical Markers, Sam Houston Oak
  15. ↑ The Gonzales Inquirer
  16. ↑ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation
  17. ↑ Handbook of Texas, Fort Waul
  18. ↑ YouTube The Forgotten Fort: Fort Waul, Southern Legacy Films
  19. ↑ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth
  20. ↑ Handbook of Texas, Sutton-Taylor Feud
  21. ↑ Legends of America, Sutton-Taylor Feud
  22. ↑ Handbook of Texas, Gonzales Branch Railroad
  23. ↑ Texas Escapes, Cost Texas
  24. ↑ Handbook of Texas, Waldine Tauch
  25. ↑ TPWD Palmetto State Park
  26. ↑ History of Warm Springs
  27. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  29. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  31. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  32. ↑ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS

Coordinates: 29°27′N 97°29′W / 29.45°N 97.49°W / 29.45; -97.49

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