Starr County, Texas

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: starr_county us_history texas

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Welcome to Starr County, Texas Page!

• Texas Space Page
• The current leader of this project is: Mary Richardson.

Contents 1 History/Timeline of Starr County 2 Parent County/Formed From 2.1 Government 2.2 Adjacent counties 2.3 Ports of Entry 3 Notables 3.1 Wiki Tree Profiles 3.2 Land Grants 3.3 Geography 3.3.1 Vegetation 3.3.2 Land Use 3.3.3 Climate 3.3.4 Protected Areas 4 Demographics 4.1 Census 4.2 Cities 4.3 Census-designated places 4.4 Unincorporated communities 5 Attractions/Things to do/see 5.1 National Register of Historic Places 6 Notables 7 Resources 8 Cemeteries 9 See also 10 Sources

History/Timeline of Starr County

• Starr County was formed and organized 1848 from Nueces County. It is named for Dr. J.H. Starr, secretary of treasury of the Republic of Texas.^[1]

Archaic Period- Evidence indicates that Indians inhabited the region for 11,000 years. During the Archaic Period the inhabitants were hunter-gatherers who did not practice agriculture and had no domesticated animals. Later peoples began experimenting with farming. When they peoples began cultivating and growing food, they settled in one given area.

view of Mexico

• No evidence has been seen of Spanish explorers in the 16th century.
• August 1638 - Jacinto García de Sepulveda had followed the Rio Grande, he crossed into this area near Mier as he searched for some Dutch sailors that had been seen on the Texas Coast.
• Aug 1687 - 2nd trip by Alonso De León as he looked for Fort St. Louis.
• 1747- Miguel de la Garza Falcón was exploring the N side of the river to find good land to develop a colony. However he was unhappy with the to raise stock or farm, called it "uninhabitable"
• 1749 Spanish crown looked at the area, assigning José de Escandón to colonize the area.

• (2) two small settlements were started near the current Starr County. It is said that sometime later the settlers moved the towns across the river... Grantees did find land that would support cattle and sheep raising.
• Between 1749-1846 Ten land grants and seventy-one portions in E part of Starr.
• 1763 - First settlement by Francisco de la Garza Martinéz, son of Blas María de la Garza Falcón,

• The villa was named Rancho Carnestolendas. Another early settlement was Corrales de los Saenz, founded about 1763 by the Saenz family. The community fell within porciones 71 and 72, which were issued to Juan Salinas and Juan Ángel Saens, respectively, by Spain in 1767. By 1850 Los Saenz had been renamed Roma-Los Saenz and was a thriving community.

• 1763 Second settlement- Corrales de los Saenz, by the Saenz family.

• 1767. The community fell within porciones 71 and 72, which were issued to Juan Salinas and Juan Ángel Saens,

Post Texas Revolution years- the area was in dispute as Mexico and Republic of Texas claimed it.

• 1847 - Henry Clay Davis established Rancho Davis on the Rio Grande near the Carne stolen das Ranch.

• 10 Feb 1848, Starr created from Nueces and was organized Aug 7, 1848. (Texas Laws 1847, 2d leg., ch. 31/p. 24)

• Oct 26, 1848 - Camp Ringgold, later Fort Ringgold, was built at Rancho Davis.^[2]

Fort Ringgold

• 1850 -Los Saenz was renamed Roma-Los Saenz and became a thriving community

• 1850 - Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1850) ended the Mexican War in 1848 and this area became Nueces County.

• 22 Jan 1858, Starr lost land to creation of Zapata. (Texas Laws 1857, 7th leg., ch. 55, sec. 7/p. 60)

According to Wikipedia, Rancho Davis was renamed into “Rio Grande City” to encourage investors and settlers ^[2] Rancho Davis AKA Rio Rio Grande City was made county seat.

• 1852 - Starr County lost a large portion of its E. lands when Hidalgo County was formed.
• 1860 Zapata County was formed from part of Starr's land.
  • 26 Jul 1870, Starr lost land to Space: Duval County, Texas and Nueces. (Texas Laws 1870, 12th leg., called sess., ch. 27/p. 40)

• 1897 Jones Family Ranches location in Brooks, Jim Hogg, and Starr Counties.. total acreage 380,000 ACRES, used for cattle, OIL and GAS, WILD GAME Hunting... When William Whitby Jones said he wanted to go into ranching, his dad, Captain A.C. Jones who owned a bank and mercantile store in Beeville was displeased!! Worse than that it seemed to be in a bandit infested and isolated place called South Texas. The parent had given the son a good education at Roanoke College in Virginia and business school. William Whitby bought 6 acres in Jim Hogg County (part of Las Animas Land grant. Gradually Jones with his wife added 373,000 acres. Today his grandchildren and great grandchildren own the ranches.^[3]

• 11 Mar 1911, Starr lost land to creation of Brooks. (Texas Laws 1911, 32d leg., reg. sess., ch. 39/pp. 55-57)

East Family Ranches, in counties: Brooks, Cameron, Hildago, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Kleberg, Starr, And Willacy counties. (340,000 Acres) used for Cattle, oil, gas, no known date of founding.

This ranching family will not talk to the press. According to the 1957 book, "The King Ranch" by Tom Lea: Tom T East a rancher married Alice Kleberg, granddaughter of Richard King and the King Ranch in 1915. The newlyweds went to live on Tom East's San Antonio Viejo Ranch located 75 miles from the King Ranch. The Easts suffered financial troubles and sold their 77,000 acres . After this the first oil well was found on their ranch San Antonio Viejo.).. Upon Alice Kleberg's death, her estate was transferred back to the East family.

Robert and Evelyn East, widow of his brother own the East Family Ranches. Robert owns the San Antonio Viejo, Casa Verde and San Pablo while while Evelyn East owns the Santa Fe.^[4]

Parent County/Formed From

• Mexico
• Nueces

Government

courthouse

The county seat is Rio Grande City. Starr County was created in 1848. It is named for James Harper Starr, who served as Secretary of the Treasury of the Republic of Texas.

• Fort Ringgold Historic District

Adjacent counties

Northwest		North Jim Hogg County	Northeast Brooks County
West Zapata County		Starr County, Texas		East Hidalgo County
Southwest Miguel Alemán; Mier Municipality; and Guerrero, Tamaulipas,		South Gustavo Díaz Ordaz; and Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico	Southeast

Jim Hogg County Free Space (north) Brooks County Free Space (northeast) Hidalgo County (east) Zapata County (west)

• Camargo Municipality, Tamaulipas(south)
• Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico (southwest)
• Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Tamaulipas, Tamaulipas, Mexico (south)
• Mier Municipality, Tamaulipas, Mexico (southwest)
• Miguel Alemán Municipality, Tamaulipas, Mexico (southwest)

Ports of Entry

430.

Two ports are entry from Mexico into Starr county appear on the above map.

1. Toll Bridge near Roma
2. Toll bridge south of Rio Grande City and Fort Ringgold

Notables

James Harper Starr, Secretary of the Treasury of the Republic of Texas

Wiki Tree Profiles

Starr County on WikiTree

• Cemeteries
• Schools

Land Grants

• Star county land grants

Name, Porcion, Location, Date, Acreage land grants Starr county

• Vega, Juan Porcion, 38, Reynosa (Granted: 1767), 5791 in Starr
• Villarreal, Jose Antonio, 39, Reynosa (Granted: 1767), 3139 in Starr
• Castañeda, Jose Antonio, 40, Reynosa (Date not Available), 1568 in Starr
• Zamora, Javier, 41, Reynosa (Granted: 1767) 1575, in Starr
• Zamora, Dionisio, 42, Reynosa (Granted: 1767), 1179, in Starr
• Matias Longoria, who was awarded a land grant from the king of Spain.

• First settlement in the area was made in 1763 by Francisco de la Garza Martinéz, son of Blas María de la Garza Falcón, who was granted porcíon 80 in 1767 by Spain. The villa was named Rancho Carnestolendas. Another early settlement was Corrales de los Saenz, founded about 1763 by the Saenz family. The community fell within porciones 71 and 72, which were issued to Juan Salinas and Juan Ángel Saens, respectively, by Spain in 1767. By 1850 Los Saenz had been renamed Roma-Los Saenz and was a thriving community.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,229 square miles (3,180 km sq), of which 1,223 square miles (3,170 km sq) is land and 5.9 square miles (15 km sq) (0.5%) is water.

Elevations from 200 to 400 feet above sea level. Physical Features: Rolling, some hills; dense brush; clay, loam, sandy soils, alluvial on Rio Grande; Falcon Reservoir.

chimney park , sunset.

Soils
The northeastern part of the county has sandy or light-colored and loamy soils over very deep, reddish or mottled clayey subsoils. Soils in the central part of the county are light-colored, deep to moderately deep, and well drained. In the southwest soils are gray to black cracking clay. Limestone can be found within 40 inches of the surface. Along the river, brown to red loams cover cracking clayey soils.

Vegetation

Starr County is in the South Texas Plains vegetation region, characterized by mid and short grasses, thorny shrubs, mesquite, cacti, and live and post oak.

Land Use

In 1982, 80 percent of the land was in farms and ranches, with 17 percent of the farmland under cultivation and 19 percent irrigated. Less than 1 percent of the land in the county was considered prime farmland. 2016- Spring vegetable crops in Starr County progressed well and range and pastures continued to improve as a result of prior rainfall. Also in Starr County, 100 percent of sorghum crops were successful.

Climate

• Starr County has a subtropical, subhumid climate with mild winters and hot summers.
• Temperatures range from an average minimum of 44° F in January to an average maximum of 99° F in July.
• The average annual temperature is 74° F. Rainfall averages twenty-two inches a year, and the growing season lasts 305 days.

Protected Areas

• Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Falcon State Park, International Falcon Reservoir
• Rio Grande River,

Demographics

Hispanic population (97.5%) according to Genealogy trails.^[5]

Near the Rio Grande,the valleys trees are: mesqulte (most common), ebony huisache, willow, hackberry, Brazil wood, catclaw, guayacan and others. The bark of the guayacan is commercially known as soap bark Both the huisache and mesqulte exude gum similar to gum arable and equally useful.^[6]

• Agriculture: Beef and fed cattle; vegetables, cotton, sorghum; 8,500 acres irrigated for vegetables. Market value $108.5 million

Census

Cities

Starr County comprises the Rio Grande City, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area,

Rio Grande City (county seat) Roma

Census-designated places

As of 2011 Starr County has about 55 small towns. . By 2011 many families were moving to the towns.

• Escobares, 2400
• La Grulla
• Alto Bonito
• Delmita
• El Castillo
• El Refugio
• Falcon Heights
• Falcon Village
• Fronton
• Garceno
• La Casita-Garciasville
• La Puerta
• La Rosita
• La Victoria, Texas
• Las Lomas, Texas
• Los Alvarez, Texas
• Los Villareales, Texas
• North Escobares, Texas
• Roma Creek, Texas
• San Isidro, Texas
• Santa Cruz, Texas

Unincorporated communities

• La Gloria
• La Reforma
• Santa Catarina
• Santa Elena

Attractions/Things to do/see

• Recreation: Falcon Reservoir activities; deer, white-wing dove hunting; access to Mexico; historic houses, Lee House at Fort Ringgold; grotto at Rio Grande City; Roma Fest in November.

National Register of Historic Places

• Silverio de la Pena Drugstore and Post Office
• Fort Ringgold Historic District

Fort Ringgold (civil War).

• Fred and Nell Kain Guerra House
• LaBorde House, Store and Hotel
• Mifflin Kenedy Warehouse and Old Starr County Courthouse

old Star co. Courthouse and Miflin Kennedy warehouse.

Grande City Downtown Historic District

• Roma Historic District
• Roma-San Pedro International Bridge
• Yzaquirre-Longoria House

Notables

• Ricardo Sanchez, lieutenant general and commander of U.S. forces in Iraq,

Resources

• Texas Revolution Muster Rolls 1835-1836 :http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txgenweb/txgenweb9/muster.html

• Starr county TexGene

Cemeteries

• Starr county cemeteries
• FindaGrave cemeteries, starr county
• Starr county cemeteries, Gloria Mayfield
• TxGen cemeteries, Starr county
• Starr county trails and genealogy genealogy trails

See also

https://www.facebook.com/starr.countytexas/

Sources

1. ↑ https://texasalmanac.com/index.php?q=topics/government/starr-county
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_City,_Texas
3. ↑ http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-biggest-ranches/
4. ↑ http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-biggest-ranches/
5. ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/tex/southtexas/starr/
6. ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/tex/southtexas/starr/

• http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
• Starr County Soil Survey of Starr County, Texas - the portal to Texas History

• https://www.facebook.com/starr.countytexas/
• Guide to Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in South Texas (Austin: Texas General Land Office, 1988)
• http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txgenweb/txgenweb9/muster.html

• Starr county TexGene

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txgenweb/txgenweb9/muster.html