Brewster County, Texas

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Brewster_County, Texas us_history

Welcome to Brewster County, Texas Project!

• Texas Space Page

• The leader of this project is: Mary Richardson.

Contents 1 Formed From 1.1 Adjacent counties 2 History/Timeline 2.1 Government Offices 2.2 Geography 2.2.1 Protected areas 2.2.1.1 National 2.2.2 Historical Census 2.3 Demographics 2.3.1 Cities 2.3.2 Census designated Places 2.3.2.1 Unincorporated Places 2.3.3 Ghost Towns 2.4 Schools 2.4.1 Colleges/Universities 2.4.2 Public Schools 2.5 County Resources 2.6 Notables 2.6.1 Places to see 2.7 Cemeteries 2.8 Sources

Formed From

Brewster County was marked off in 1887 from Presidio County and named for Henry Percy Brewster. Its county seat and only city is Alpine, Texas.

Adjacent counties

Northwest Jeff Davis County		North	Northeast Pecos County Terrell County
West Presidio County		Brewster County, Texas		East
Southwest "Rio Grande River" Manuel Benavides Municipality, Chihuahua, Mexico		South "Rio Grande River" Ocampo Municipality, Coahuila, Mexico	Southeast "Rio Grande River" Acuña Municipality, Coahuila, Mexico

History/Timeline

Alpine, Tx.

1535Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and Antonio de Espejo in 1583 crossed Brewster County on their way to La Junta de los Ríos, the junction of the Rio Grande and the Rio Conchos. ^[1]

1684, Juan Domínguez de Mendoza camped at Kokernot Spring and wrote description ^[1]

1740 Pedro de Rábago y Terán, Governor of Coahuila led an expedition to La Junta de los Ríos.^[1]

1772 - Northern Mexican military governor Lt. Col. Hugo Oconór led expedition to locate sites for forts on the Comanche Trail along the Rio Grande. ^[1]

1852 Surveyor William H. Emory in 1852 sent M. T. W. Chandler to survey the heart of Big Bend National Park. Chandler explored Santa Elena Canyon, the Chisos Mountains Mariscal Canyon, and Boquillas Canyon. ^[1]

1859 expedition of the U.S. Camel Corps under 2d Lt. Edward L. Hartz explored the Comanche Trail through Persimmon Gap and down Tornillo Creek to the Rio Grande. A year later, a second camel expedition under 2d Lt. William Echols also explored along the Rio Grande.^[1]

1879 due to ongoing Indian attacks, Camp Peña Colorado was established south of the future site of Marathon.^[1]

1882 - Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway built through the area , opening up opportunity for entrepreneurs. ^[1]

1882Joseph Daniel Jackson part of Company B of the Texas Rangers assigned to protect the railroad. ^[1]

1887 -Brewster County was separated from Presidio County and named for Henry Percy Brewster. Murphyville, later renamed Alpine, was selected as county seat.

late 1800's Texas Rangers Hall of Fame member James B. Gillett served as sheriff of Brewster County, and operated a ranch in Alpine in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He later retired to his Barrel Spring Ranch in Jeff Davis County.^[1]

1915 Brewster County became targeted by incursions of bandits from Mexico (Pancho Villa).^[1]

1917 Sul Ross University, named for Texas Governor Lawrence Sullivan Ross, was created by an act of the 35th Legislature in 1917 as a state normal college to train teachers. Jackson is known locally as the father of Sul Ross University due to his efforts leading to establishment of the school. ^[1]

June 1915, Governor James E. Ferguson asked President Woodrow Wilson to station troops in the Big Bend. Maj Gen Frederick Funston, denied as felt it was a state matter.^[1]

May 5, 1916, raid at Glenn Spring. nine soldiers were stationed in the area for protection against the bandits. Estimates vary as to the 60 to several hundred. ^[1]

1916 President Wilson mobilized the National Guard to reinforce the Army estimated 116,957 guardsmen were stationed along the border from California to Texas. ^[1]

1918 influenza epidemic, an African American nurse (Viola Pettus) became legendary for her courageous treatment of anyone with the disease – including raiders and refugees from Mexico, and local members of the Ku Klux Klan.^[1]

Alpine, TX mural.

1883 A. S. Gage Ranch in Brewster and Presidio counties 190,000 acres used cow-calf

Alfred S. Gage moved to Texas from Vermont. When 22 he worked for his brother, Edward who had a land business. Edward died to become Alpine Cattle Company. Alfred was general manager, then bought out other stockholders, merging Alpine's 170,000 acres with his 230,000 acres. Upon his death Alfred's owned the 400,000 acres which were A. S. Gage Ranch to daughters, Dorothy and Roxana. Dorothy's half has divided many times. But Roxana's half is owned by her daughters Roxana Catto Hayne and Joan Negley Kelleher (Wife of Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines CEO) ^[2]

1884 through 1992 La Escalera Ranches, located in Brewster, Pecos and Reeves counties. Acreage: 272,000 acres. Primary use cow-calf. This is similar to the XIT RANCH story.. Texas wanted to build a new Capitol for Austin however it did not have sufficient money, but it had land.. The State of Texas transferred the land to the GC&SF Railway in exchange for money and materials used to the build the Texas' Capitol. Lyda has added 38,000 acres to La Escalera since he bought it, totaling 226,000 acres. He also owns the 46,000-acre Lake Ranch in Reeves County. ^[3]

06 Ranch, 1912 Located in Brewster and Jeff Davis Counties, 130,000 acres USE- COW-CALF

Herbert Kokernot, Sr bought land in 1912 from the Pruitt family. He inherited the 06 brand from his grandfather David Lee Kokernot, who made his fortune in the mercantile business and in ranching. (Grandfather David Lee Kokernot was a scout for Sam Houston during the Battle of San Jacinto), 86 years later, the ranch is still in the family’s hands—it is co-owned by Ann, her brother, Chris, sisters, Elizabeth and Golda, and their mother, Mary Ann Kokernot Lacy—and by all accounts, everyone gets along professionally and socially. Chris manages the ranch for his mother and sisters. ^[4]

.

1939 BRISCOE Ranches are 640,000 acres and located in the many counties: Brewster, Culberson, Dimmit, La Salle, Maverick, McMullen, Uvalde, Webb, and Zavala counties. The Primary Use is cow-calf, farming, Angora goats, and oil and GAS

Many people who inherit large ranches eventually downsize them. This does not apply to Dolph Briscoe, Jr., Texas’ governor from 1973 to 1979. Now 75, Briscoe inherited 190,000 acres when his father, Dolph Briscoe, Sr., died in 1954. He has more than tripled his holdings, making him Texas’ largest individual landowner and leases 100,000 acres in Maverick and Cochran counties. . ^[5]

1974 Clayton Williams Ranches, located in Bordon, Brewster, Jeff Davis, Pecos, and Presidio Counties. The Primary use for the ranches are Cow-Calf, and yearling, Acreage: 183,000 acres.

This man was a Republican candidate for Texas governor in 1990. He says he does not have the heritage of the 6666 Ranch, but he loves the land. He buys land with profits made elsewhere. He made a fortune in oil, (CEO of Clayton Williams Energy in Midland), then both Ranch #1, the 26,880 - acre of Alpine in 1975. Following this were three more ranches: Ranch #2, 78,000-acre "West Pyle" in Pecos County, and Ranch #3 10,000 acres farmland located in Fort Stockton. Williams' wife, Modesta is from an old ranching family. They raise their children to work on the ranches in the summers. ^[6]

Government Offices

Brewster courthouse in Alpine.

Courthouse and Jail

Geography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_County,_Texas

Seat Alpine

Largest city Alpine

Area

Total 6,192 sq mi (16,037 km2)

Land 6,184 sq mi (16,016 km2)

Water 8.5 sq mi (22 km2), 0.1%

Population (est.) • (2015) 9,145 with Density 1.5 people/sq mi

Congressional district 23rd

Approximately 39.4% of Brewster County is classified as having a hot arid desert climate (Köppen BWh). The remainder has a semi-arid steppe climate with 32.1% experiencing a cold steppe climate (Köppen BSk) while 28.5% is assigned as a hot steppe climate (Köppen BSh).^[1]

Temperatures are coolest and rainfall most abundant in the county's N highlands and upper elevations of the Chisos Mountains in the S. In the S lowlands along the Rio Grande, snowfall is uncommon, rainfall much reduced, and summer high temperatures can be extreme. Throughout the county, precipitation occurs mostly from May through October with the remainder of the year predominantly is dry.^[1]

This is affected by the low mountains as well as being on the edge of the desert.

Protected areas

Chihuahuan Desert

.

National

Big Bend National Park on Wikipedia

• Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas

Historical Census

1890 --- 710 —

1900 --- 2,356 231.8%

1910 --- 5,220 121.6%

1920 --- 4,822 −7.6%

1930 --- 6,624 37.4%

1940 --- 6,478 −2.2%

1950 --- 7,309 12.8%

1960 --- 6,434 −12.0%

1970 --- 7,780 20.9%

1980 --- 7,573 −2.7%

1990 --- 8,681 14.6%

2000 --- 8,866 2.1%

2010 --- 9,232 4.1%

Est. 2015 --- 9,145

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census showed 9,232 people resided in the county. The 2000 census showed 8,866 people with a population density was 1.sq mi. Races were: 86.6% were White, 1.1% Black or African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.6% of some other race and 2.8% of two or more races. About 42.4% were Hispanic. The per capita income for the county was $15,183. About 12.60% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line.^[1]

Cities

• Alpine (5,905) - Elevation: 4,450 ft High 88, and low of 32 degrees F.. Rainfall 15 inches
  • Alpine is the headquarters of the Brewster County Sheriff's Office. The current elected Sheriff is Ronny Dodson. The County Sheriff's Office conducts patrols and criminal investigations across the county including the incorporated City of Alpine.^[1]

Census designated Places

• Marathon -Elevation 3,989 feet High Temp: 91 degrees F Low Temp:28 degrees F Rainfall;14.6
• Study Butte -2,563 ft High temp 100 Low temp 36 degrees F Rainfall 9.4 inches
• Terlngua Ranch - Elevation 3,682 ft, High temp 95 degrees F Low temp 35, Rainfall 10
• Chisoe Basin, Texas 5,300 feet High temp 85, and low temp 37 degrees F Rainfall 17.67 inches^[1]
• Lajitas -Elevation:2,403 feet high tem : 102 degrees F, Low temp: 34 degrees F Rainfall 10.47^[1]
• Panther Junction Elevation 3,740 feet High Temp 94 Degree F Low : 36 degrees F, Rainfall-13 in ^[1]
• Persimmon Gap, Brewster County, Texas -Elevation 2,865 ft High temp:97 Low temp:33 degrees F Rainfall -10.6 in^[1]

Unincorporated Places

• Altuda, Brewster County, Texas
• Arick Village, Brewster County, Texas
• Boquillas, Brewster County, Texas
• Rosenfeld, Brewster County, Texas
• Tesnus, Brewster County, Texas

Ghost Towns

• Castolon, Texas elevation 2,169 feet High 103 degrees F and low 34 degrees F, Rainfall 10 inches^[1]
• Glenn Springs, Texas

Schools

Colleges/Universities

• Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas

Public Schools

• Alpine Independent School District
• Marathon Independent School District
• San Vicente Independent School District (K-8 only) (high schoolers attend Terlingua CSD)
• Terlingua Common School District

.

County Resources

• Friends of Big Bend National Park

Alpine storage bdg with mural.

• Big Bend

• Terlingua produced 40% of the nation’s quicksilver in 1920, but declining population has since qualified it as a ghost town.

• 1962, The Dallas Morning News columnist Francis X. Tolbert published his ode to chili Bowl of Red and founded the Chili Appreciation Society. Fellow columnist Wick Fowler joined in the fun and became a charter member. The World Championship Chili Cookoff at Terlingua began as a tongue-in-cheek challenge between Wick Fowler and humorist H. Allen Smith in 1967 and has become a November tradition, celebrated across the state and nation.
• The first Saturday in November, Terlingua now hosts two competing international chili championships:

Terlingua International Chili Championship,

Original Terlingua International Chili Cookoff.

Notables

Henry Percy Brewster

Sul Ross

Places to see

• Chalk Mountains - leader of oilfield services
• Historic places
  • Burro Mesa Archeological District
  • Castolon Historic District
  • Daniels Farm House
  • Big Bend National Park
  • Hot Springs
  • Luna Jacal
  • Marascal Mine
  • Rancho Estelle
  • Homer Wilson Ranch

Cemeteries

• Elm Grove Cemetery

• FindaGrave
• Genealogy Trails 3

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_County,_Texas
2. ↑ http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-biggest-ranches/
3. ↑ http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-biggest-ranches/
4. ↑ http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-biggest-ranches/
5. ↑ http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-biggest-ranches/
6. ↑ http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-biggest-ranches/

• National Park Service

• Marascal Mine
• Rancho Estelle
• Homer Wilson Ranch
• FamilySearch

• FindaGrave
• TxGene
• Genealogy Trails
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpine%2C_Texas

• https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hrc31