Red River County, Texas
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History
- Red River County was formed 1836 as original county of the Republic of Texas and organized in 1837. Red River county is named for the Red River, the county's northern boundary.[1]
- 1500 B.C. Archeological evidence has been found of the presence of Indians in the Late Archaic Period.[2]
Spain and France both claimed Texas.
1716 a few miles separated the Spanish presidios at Los Adaes and the French trading posts in Natchitoches
1736 the commanders of the two outposts agreed on Arroyo Hondo (Red River tributary to be between the Sabine River and Natchitoches, to be boundary between Louisiana and New Spain.
Texas Boundary
- The Texas boundary has been the subject of international and interstate conflict from 1736 forward to today. Treaties, litigation, and commissions continue. This discussion is just over the Eastern boundary.
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| Red River. |
1718 -19 - Jean Baptiste entered the county on his expeditions.[2]
1720 - French established Le Poste des Cadodaquious in nearby Bowie County.
Hunters, French soldiers stayed there when in the area. French hunters gave Pecan Point its name.[2]
Possible contact with Europeans, caused epidemics that reduced their population as well as encounters with the Osages. The Caddos abandoned the villages they had occupied. [2]
1762- Louisiana was ceded to Spain, the Arroyo Hondo boundary continued to be the boundary between the province of Louisiana, a subdivision of the captaincy-general of Cuba, and Texas colony.
1803 - United States purchased Louisiana, the boundary of the purchase was not defined.
1804 President Thomas Jefferson decided that the territory extended to the Rio Grande.
Spain began investigating. Father Melchor de Talamantes and José Antonio Pichardo made detailed academic studies of the limits of Louisiana and Texas.
1806 Spanish troops moved east of the Sabine River to repel an anticipated invasion by Aaron Burr.
:The area between Arroyo Hondo and Sabine River began as a buffer (Neutral Ground.)
1815 American settlers claimed the area was part of Louisiana Purchase.[2]
1816 -After traveling for six months from Tennessee on his self-made keelboat, the Pioneer, Claiborne Wright, family, and his two married slaves, Jin and Hardy Wright, settled near Pecan Point in 1816, joined George and Alex Wetmore and William Mabbitt, who had settled in the area earlier that year. [2]
1818 permanent settlements began at Jonesborough and Burkham's Settlement.
Mid-1820s settlers began moving out on the prairies.[2]
1819 The Neutral ground lasted until 1819, and Adams-Onis Treaty between Spain and the USA further defined the E boundary to begin at the mouth of the Sabine River, continue on West bank of the river to the 32nd parallel, due North to Red River..
1820's - Bands of Shawnee, Delaware, Kickapoo Indians immigrated into this area, living along the banks of creeks.[2]Relations between settlers and Indians were fairly peaceful. Small herds of cattle were driven to the Austin colony.
1820s Small herds were being driven south to the Austin colony. During the 1840s many farmers turned to the production of cotton, which became the principal cash crop of the county.
mid 1820's - During the early years of Anglo settlement, cattle were the principal marketable commodity.
1821 -Mexico declared independence of Spain and refused to recognize the treaty boundary line.
1828 after repeated efforts by the United States, the Mexican administration agreed to a survey of the 1819 line, however Mexican government refused to confirm the survey treaty until 1832, But the line was not surveyed,
1833 James Clark had settled in site of present-day Clarksville. Although the early settlers seem to have regarded the area as a part of the United States, when the United States government refused to issue them land titles, many of these settlers turned first to the Mexican government and then to Arthur G. Wavell's agent Benjamin Milam in an attempt to obtain valid land titles. Still, they continued to send representatives to the Arkansas legislature.
March, 1836, when the Convention of 1836 met at Washington-on-the-Brazos, the Red River settlements were represented by Richard Ellis, Samuel P. Carson, Robert Hamilton, Collin McKinney, and Albert H. Latimer. [2]
1836 The Neches River was occasionally suggested as the eastern boundary of Texas.
1836 -Three companies of riflemen were sent to South Texas to fight in the revolution, but they arrived after(too late) and the battle of San Jacinto was over.. [2]
1835 The county was created in 1835 and organized in 1837. At that time it was Red River Colony . It is named for the Red River, which forms its northern boundary.[2]
1836 - With the conclusion of the Texas Revolution, the United States relinquished its disputed claim to the area south of the Red River.[2][3]
1837 First Congress of the Republic of Texas meetings hardly recognized the Red River district was it seemed only vaguely defined.[2]
Dec 14, 1837 - Red River colony/District was delineated with the 1837 act signed by President Sam Houston. The vague area was outlined and broken into two counties: Milam and Red River counties. [2]
1837 act - called for county courts to be held in LaGrange. From its founding the county grew in population slowly but steadily.[2]
1838 The United States and the Republic of Texas signed the Convention of Limits, which recognized Texas claims to the disputed territory in Red River County. This agreement set the west bank of the Sabine River as the eastern boundary of Texas.
1838 Commission chose County seats such as Clarksville for Red River County. [2]
1840, 1846 Lamar, Hopkins, Delta, Franklin, Titus, Morris, Cass, Marion, and Bowie counties were formed, reducing Red River district into the size of county it is today.[2]
1840's Farmers turned to cotton production. Cotton was a good cash crop. Cattle were still important. Early settlers were mostly southerners, who brought with them slaves to help with the the crop production of King Cotton.[2]
1840's -Jonesborough declined and folded in the early 1840s. [2]
Clarksville became the county's largest town.
1840–41 A survey was made of the area between the Republic of Texas and the United States from the Gulf of Mexico to the Red River by a joint commission representing the two countries.
July 5, 1848, the United States Congress passed an act giving its consent to the state of Texas to move its East boundary from the west bank of the Sabine River (including Sabine Pass and Sabine Lake to the middle of that stream.
Nov 24, 1849 the Texas legislature enacted a law for that boundary until Louisiana governor Sam Jones wrote TX governor Coke Stevenson, saying Louisiana's boundary was the West bank of the Sabine River.
- Louisiana's claim went back to eatly treaties (1819 with Spain,1828 with Mexico, and 1838 Republic of Texas -- all designated West bank of Sabine River.
boundary of the United States at the west bank of the Sabine River was not identical to that of the Louisiana boundary, which extended only to the middle of the river. The state of Louisiana contended that the United States was negotiating on Louisiana's behalf and consequently had no authority to grant Texas the western half of the river in the act of 1848.
- All counties had trouble with adequate transportation to market the goods. The Red River was used when navigatable When the river was low, the produce or supplies had to be hauled to and from Jefferson (100 miles SW) The population of the county was 100% rural.[2][4]
1858 Clarksville population was 400. Each antebellum community in the county -Robbinsville, Savannah, and Halesboro are examples only had a general store, a gin, and a mill, with a few scattered houses.
1860, 3,044 (36 %) of the county's 8,535 residents were black. Almost all of these (3,039) were slaves. Like most other forms of wealth in antebellum Texas, ownership of slaves was unequally distributed among the county's white population. Only about 1/4 of white families owned slaves. Of these, only a quarter held ten or more, and this small group who owned two-thirds of the slaves in the county. This meant that two-thirds of the African Americans lived in groups of ten or more. [2]There were no large towns very little manufacturing.
1860 census lists 13 businesses employing only 85 people.[2]
- Most of the county's early educational institutions, such as McKenzie College, Clarksville Female Academy, and Clarksville Male and Female Academy, were located in or near Clarksville.
1862-65 - six companies of troops were mustered for service in the Confederate Army.
1864- Southerners of the US. brought slaves here to avoid being conscripted by the Union, so that the number of slaves in the county rose to over 4,600.[2]
1865 -69 - The end of slavery meant freedom for African Americans, yet it was a capital loss for to white slaveholders. This loss was 49% of all taxable property in the county. This economic loss coupled with the uncertain status of the South in the nation, led to a loss of confidence that caused property values to plummet in 1865.
Aug, 1868 Detachment of federal troops under Maj. George Starkley was stationed in Clarksville. In the election of 1869 white Republicans supported by African American votes won control of the county. [2]
1871 The total taxable property had risen to $2,301,344, (~~ double the 1865 total). The county was returned to white conservative control in the election of 1873.[2]
- Bass Family Ranches, Location in Aranasas, Atascosa, Brooks, Hidalgo, Johnson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Parker, Red River and Tarrant counties (ACREAGE: 150,000 Acres)
- The Basses are similar to the Easts. The family is very tightlipped. Neither the family or employees will confirm location, acreage. According to what we can find, there are 3 Texas ranches.
- 1) Lee Bass owns El Coyote (S of Falfurrias )
- 2) Ed owns the Wainscot (SW of Fort Worth)
- 3) the Bass family owns the San Jose cattle company on the Gulf Coast and additional acreage scattered around Texas..
- 4) Winfield Scott founded Winscott, founded by Winfield Scott (Fort Worth millionaire)
- 5) San Jose Ranch is located on San Jose Island (north of South Padre. Cattle would have to swim or be transported by barge to and from the mainland. (The Island has an airstrip, but is used for people).[5]
Mid-1900s Texas boundaries were 2,845.3 miles long, if the arc of the Gulf Coast. If smaller rivers with bends, their tributaries and the coastal tidewater this boundary would be 4,137 miles of 263,644 sq. mi. land with 3,696 sq. mi. water surface.
East Texas and its boundary was the last to be marked definitely.
1972 -(27 years later), after Gov Jones' letter to Gov Stevenson, US. district Judge Robert Van Pelt recommended to the court in a report filed in May 1972, that the boundary between Texas and Louisiana should be the geographic middle of the Sabine River, Sabine Lake, and Sabine Pass. He also recommended that Louisiana be awarded all islands that existed in the river on April 8, 1812 (the date Louisiana was admitted to the Union), subject, however, to any claims that Texas might make to any such islands by reason of acquiescence and prescription; that islands in Eastern half of the Sabine River since 1812 be awarded to Louisiana; and that all islands formed in the Western half of the river since 1812 be awarded to Texas. Sixty-one sq. mi. of the river and lake was involved in the dispute; at stake were more than 35,000 acres of land, four producing oil wells, and $2.6 million in oil lease bonuses collected by Texas.
- Mar 1973 the court ruled, saying,that the boundary was the geographic middle of the Sabine River. More objections regarding the islands.
- Read This.... -- of an actual historical narrative by Abraham H Onstatt
This is an actual Red River County's History written by Abraham H Onstatt. It is a History of Red River, Abraham and the Several Wars he fought.
Land Grants
Adjacent counties
- McCurtain County, Oklahoma (north)
- Bowie County (east)
- Morris County (southeast)
- Titus County (south)
- Franklin County (southwest)
- Delta County (southwest)
- Lamar County (west)
- Choctaw County, Oklahoma (northwest)
Government Offices
County Seat is Clarksville. The county was created 1835 and organized 1837. It is named for the Red River of the south.
Red River County, is one of East Texas' oldest and northernmost counties, the courthouse at Clarksville is undergoing a renovation deserving of its history. The clock of the 1884-85 courthouse needs to be rebuilt.!
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| Red River county Courthouse. |
This courthouse was built in 1885. The style is described Victorian, part Gothic, and part italian Renaissance. Another person calls it late 19th century Debatable. The courthouse has turrets and buttresses of mellow yellow stone cut from a quarry near Honey Grove. [6]
The courthouse tower clock kept ticking from 2:30 PM May 27, 1885 until it was electrified in 1961. This was to save the Janitor the hard winding once a week. After the electrification, one morning 4 months later at 4:35 AM, Old Red, the clock starting striking her bells and struck 120 times, before someone stopped it. It is being worked on.[6]
Geography
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr05
- Red River County is separated from Oklahoma by the Red River and from Arkansas by Bowie County. :Clarksville, the county seat, largest town, is 60 miles NW of Texarkana.
- County center is 33°37' north latitude and 95°01' west longitude.
- Size -Red River County- 1,054 sq. mi. of East Texas timberlands.
- Terrain is gently rolling with an elevation ranging from 300 to 500 feet above sea level.
- Rivers/Creeks - the Red River and the Sulphur River, form the N and S boundaries.
- Soils - loamy with a clayey subsoil or clayey.
- Mineral resources- oil, gas, clay, industrial sand, and chalk.
- Temperatures high of 94° F in July to lows of 30° in January.
- Rainfall - forty-six inches a year
Growing season averages 234 days annually.
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr05
Red River county is named for the Red River of the South and was founded 1838. This is an old colony prior to the Texas Revolution, when it was Red River Colony.
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Red River county has gently rolling terrain and is 300 to 500 feet above sea level. The county is drained by the Red River [7] and the Sulphur River, which form its northern and southern boundaries. Most of the soils in the county are either loamy with a clayey subsoil or clayey. Mineral resources include oil, gas, clay, industrial sand, and chalk.
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Soil here is loamy with clayey subsoil. Mineral resources include oil, gas, clay, industrial sand, and chalk. Temperatures range from an average high of 94° F in July to an average low of 30° in January. Rainfall averages forty-six inches a year, and the growing season averages 234 days annually.
Resources Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers in the southern United States of America. [8] The river was named for the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name.
"The Mexicans and Indians on the borders of Mexico are tend to call any river, the waters of which have a red appearance, 'Rio Colorado', or Red river", observed R.B. Marcy in 1853. The Red River formed part of the US-Mexico border from the Adams-Onís Treaty (in force 1821) until the Texas Annexation and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
The Red River is the second-largest river basin in the southern Great Plains. It rises in two branches (forks) in the Texas Panhandle and flows eastward.
It is the border between Texas and Oklahoma. It also forms a short border between Texas and Arkansas before entering Arkansas, turning south near Fulton, Arkansas and flowing into Louisiana, where it flows into the Atchafalaya River. The total length of the river is 1,360 miles, with a mean flow of over 57,000 cubic feet per second.
Protected areas
Red River
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Demographics
2000, there were 14,314 people, and 4,067 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile. Races for this county: 78.04% White, 17.80% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.12% Asian., Of the white population, 4.67% of the population were Hispanic.
14.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,558. As most areas wages for males are higher that paid to females: males earn had a median income of $24,609 versus $17,566 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,058.
This is one of the poorest counties in the state of Texas.
About 13.10% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.20% of those under age 18 and 17.70% of those age 65 or over.
Schools serving Red River county:
- Avery ISD
- Clarksville ISD
- Detroit ISD
- Prairiland ISD (mostly in Lamar County)
- Rivercrest ISD (partly in Titus County, small portion in Franklin County)
- Early colleges were McKenzie College, Clarksville Female Academy, and Clarksville Male and Female Academy,
Highways:
- U.S. Highway 82
- U.S. Highway 271
- Texas State Highway 37
Cities and Towns
- Bogata
- Clarksville (county seat)
- Deport (mostly in Lamar County)
Unincorporated communities
Formed From
Red River Colony.
Census
- 1850 -- 3,906
- 1860 -- 8,535
- 1870 -- 10,653
- 1880 -- 17,194
- 1890 -- 21,452
- 1900 -- 29,893
- 1910 -- 28,564
- 1920 -- 35,829
- 1930 -- 30,923
- 1940 -- 29,769
- 1950 -- 21,851
- 1960 -- 15,682
- 1970 -- 14,298
- 1980 -- 16,101
- 1990 -- 14,317
- 2000 -- 14,314
- 2010 -- 12,860
- Est. 2015 -- 12,455
Notables
- Edward H. Tarrant, for whom Tarrant County was named, lived in Red River County when he first moved to Texas in the 1830s.
- John Nance "Cactus Jack" Garner, Vice President of the United States, who served for eight years under President Franklin D. Roosevelt,
- B. P. Newman (1927–2008), a Texas business entrepreneur, developer, and philanthropist based in Laredo, was born in Red River County.
- Jim Leavelle (born 1920 Annona, Red River county), Dallas homicide detective shown in the iconic photograph of Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald.
- Dallas Police Officer J. D. Tippit (born 1924 Red River County), shot and killed by Lee Harvey Oswald while fleeing after the Kennedy assassination. A monument to J. D. Tippit in 2012 near the site of his death.
- William Humphrey (born 1924 Clarksville, Red River County), author of Home from the Hill, The Ordways, and other works.
- "Cactus Jack" John Nance Garner III 32nd VP of the United States is buried in Detroit Cemetery as reported by Gerry Gieger.
- Deceased World War II Veterans from Red River County
- Abraham H. Onstott, who fought through several wars.
Cemeteries
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- Bluff Cemetery
- Clarksville Cemetery
- Lone Star Cemetery
- Cuthand Cemetery
- Old Mount Pleasant Cemetery
- Kanawha Cemetery
- Manchester Cemetery
- Woodland Cemetery
- Bogata Cemetery
- Detroit Cemetery
- New Shamrock
Sources
- ↑ https://texasalmanac.com/index.php?q=topics/government/red-river-county
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 Handbook of Texas Online, Cecil Harper, Jr., "Red River County," accessed July 19, 2016, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr05. Uploaded on June 15, 2010.Modified on February 15, 2016. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
- ↑ http://www.archive.org/stream/rhymeofsouthernr00moor#page/74/mode/2up
- ↑ http://www.archive.org/stream/rhymeofsouthernr00moor#page/74/mode/2up
- ↑ http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-biggest-ranches/
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.texasescapes.com/EastTexasTowns/ClarksvilleTexas/Red-River-County-Courthouse-Clarksville-Texas.htm
- ↑ http://www.archive.org/stream/rhymeofsouthernr00moor#page/74/mode/2up
- ↑ http://www.archive.org/stream/rhymeofsouthernr00moor#page/74/mode/2up
- https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr05
- https://legacyoftexas.com/products/13041/political-history-texas-republic-1836-1845?utm_source=4-25_usa_recognizes_republic&utm_medium=email&mc_cid=157226bced&mc_eid=5b64238b80
- http://www.co.red-river.tx.us
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_River_County,_Texas
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_River_of_the_South
- https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcr05
- FindaGrave cemeteries in Red River county
- FamilySearch cemeteries, Red River County, Texas
- http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txredriv/cems/cemlist.html TxGen Cemeteries, Red River County]
- Rootsweb sources Red River
- Cemeteries, Red River, Gloria Mayfield
- cemeteries in Red River county
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