Anderson County, Texas

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Anderson County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. Located within East Texas, its county seat is Palestine.[1] As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 57,922.[2] Anderson County comprises the Palestine micropolitan statistical area. Anderson County was organized in 1846 and was named after Kenneth Lewis Anderson (1805–1845), the last vice president of the Republic of Texas.

History

Native Americans

Native Americans friendly to the settlers resided in East Texas[3] before the Kiowa, Kickapoo, Kichai, Apache, and Comanche relocated to the territory.[4] These tribes hunted, farmed the land, and were adept traders. By 1772, they had settled on the Brazos at Waco and on the Trinity upstream from present Palestine. The Tawakoni branch of Wichita Indians originated north of Texas,[5] but migrated south into East Texas. From 1843 onward, the Tawakoni were part of treaties made by both the Republic of Texas and the United States.

On May 19, 1836, an alliance of Comanche, Kiowa, Caddo, and Wichita attacked Fort Parker (Limestone County), killing and taking settlers captive. The survivors escaped to Fort Houston, which had been erected in Anderson County in 1835 as protection against Indians.[6][7] Some early residents of Anderson County were related to Cynthia Ann Parker, who was among the captives.[8]

In October 1838, Gen. Thomas Jefferson Rusk conducted a raid against hostile Indians at Kickapoo, near Frankston.[9] This ended the engagements with the Indians in East Texas for that year.

Anglo settlement

In 1826, empresario David G. Burnet received a grant from the Coahuila y Tejas legislature to settle 300 families in what is now Anderson County.[10] Most of the settlers came from the southern states and Missouri.

Baptist leader Daniel Parker[11] and eight other men organized the Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church in Lamotte, Illinois in 1833. This entire group migrated to the Texas frontier, arriving in Austins Colony in November 1833,[11] and establishing Fort Parker (Limestone County) in 1834. In October 1834, in consequence of "their members were becoming scattered in a wilderness," the Church agreed to adjourn until the majority of their members settled.[12]

After the Texas Revolution and the attack on Fort Parker, Daniel Parker and some of the survivors moved to Fort Houston (Anderson County).[13] They established a new community south of the fort.

Incorporation

The First Legislature of the State of Texas formed Anderson County from Houston County on March 24, 1846. The county was named for Kenneth Lewis Anderson. Palestine was named the county seat.[14]

Anderson County voted for secession from the Union.[15] When the American Civil War began, former Palestine district judge Judge John H. Reagan[16] served in the cabinet of the Confederate government as postmaster general, being captured at the end of the war and spending 22 months in solitary confinement. During Reconstruction, District Nine Court Judge Reuben A. Reeves,[17] a resident of Palestine, was removed from office as "an obstruction to Reconstruction" in part because of his refusal to allow blacks to participate as jurors in the judicial process.

In 1875, the International – Great Northern Railroad[18] placed its machine and repair shops and general offices in Palestine, causing the community to double in size over the next 5 years. For a time, it was a rough railroad town, dominated by male workers.

White violence against blacks occurred in the county, most frequently by lynchings of black men. But in July 1910, at least 22 blacks were killed in white rioting near Slocum, a majority-black community, in what is called the Slocum massacre. Racial and economic tensions had been high in the post-Reconstruction era and southern states had disenfranchised blacks and imposed Jim Crow in furtherance of white supremacy.[19] Anderson County tied for 13th place in a list of the 25 American counties with the highest number of lynchings between 1877 and 1950 (all were located in the South).[20]

Oral tradition in the African-American community holds that as many as 200 blacks may have been killed in the massacre. An estimated 200 whites rioted and attacked blacks on the roads, in the fields, and in Slocum on July 29–30, 1910. Many black homes were burned, and black families fled for their lives, having to abandon their property and assets. This town is about 20 miles east of the county seat at Palestine.[21]

At the time, as was usual, white newspapers described such events as a "race riot" by blacks. Texas newspapers had contributed to problems by reporting false rumors that 200 blacks were arming. Afterward, 11 men were arrested and seven were indicted, including James Spurger, said by many to be the instigator, but no prosecution resulted. The massacre had been preceded by racial tensions, rumors, and, for 6 months, at least one lynching per month of Blacks in East Texas.[21]

In January 2016, the state installed a highway historical marker in Slocum to recognize this unprovoked white attack on the black community.[22] It was part of a history of white violence against blacks.

In 1926, the Humble Oil and Refining Company, in partnership with the Rio Bravo Company, started an exploration drilling program along Boggy Creek, in what turned our to be the Boggy Creek salt dome. On March 19, 1927, the Elliott and Clark No. 1 encountered the Woodbine Formation at a depth of Script error: No such module "convert". and produced 62 barrels of oil per hour, but showed salt water after producing only 15,000 barrels. On November 10, 1927, the Elliott and Clark No. 2, 150 feet to the west, was completed as a gas well. On February 4, 1928, the first oil-producing well in Anderson County, the Humble-Lizzie Smith No. 1, was completed, producing 80 BOPD. By May 1931, 80 wells had been drilled in the Boggy Creek Oil Field, 6 of which produced gas, 33 oil, and 41 were dry holes.[23][24][25]

The Fairway Oil Field was discovered in 1960, and straddles the border of Anderson and Henderson Counties. Oil is produced from the Lower Cretaceous James Limestone member of the Pearsall formation.[26]

The Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area was purchased by the state between 1950 and 1960,[27] much of it formerly owned by Milze L. Derden. The area was renamed in 1952 for Gus A. Engeling, the first state biologist assigned to the area who was killed by a poacher on December 13, 1951.

Geography

File:Farm to Market Road 315, Anderson County, Texas, USA (April 2017).jpg
Farm to Market Road 315 north of Palestine, Anderson County, Texas, USA (April 2017)

Anderson County is situated at the threshold of two ecoregions, the piney woods to the east, and the East Central Texas forests, also referred to as post oak savanna to the west. The terrain of Anderson County consists of hills carved by drainages and gullies, with numerous lakes and ponds. The Trinity River flows southward along the west boundary line of the county; the Neches River flows southward along its east boundary line, and Brushy Creek flows southeastward through the central portion of the county.[28] The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest points along the midpoint of its northern boundary line at Script error: No such module "convert". ASL.[29] The county has a total area of Script error: No such module "convert"., of which Script error: No such module "convert". are land and Script error: No such module "convert". (1.4%) are covered by water.[30]

The county is wholly located within area codes 430 and 903.[31][32]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Protected areas

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Lakes

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  • Big Twin Lake
  • Cox Lake
  • Crystal Lake
  • Hudson Lake
  • Lake Dogwood
  • Lake Frankston
  • Lost Prairie Lake
  • Pineywoods Lake
  • Spring Lake
  • Williams Lake

[28]

Communities

City

Towns

Census designated places

Unincorporated areas

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Ghost towns

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Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Anderson County.[33]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census) 1 † Palestine City 57,496 2 'Elkhart Town 1,299 3 Frankston 1,170

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Template:Sronly%±
18502,684—
186010,398Script error: No such module "String".%
18709,229Script error: No such module "String".%
188017,395Script error: No such module "String".%
189020,923Script error: No such module "String".%
190028,015Script error: No such module "String".%
191029,650Script error: No such module "String".%
192034,318Script error: No such module "String".%
193034,643Script error: No such module "String".%
194037,092Script error: No such module "String".%
195031,875Script error: No such module "String".%
196028,162Script error: No such module "String".%
197027,789Script error: No such module "String".%
198038,381Script error: No such module "String".%
199048,024Script error: No such module "String".%
200055,109Script error: No such module "String".%
201058,458Script error: No such module "String".%
202057,922Script error: No such module "String".%
2025 (est.)59,805[34] IncreaseScript error: No such module "String".%
U.S. Decennial Census[35]
1850–1900[36] 1910[37]
1920[38] 1930[39] 1940[40]
1950[41] 1960[42] 1970[43]
1980[44] 1990[45] 2000[46]
2010[47] 2020[48]

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Racial and ethnic composition

Anderson County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
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Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1970[49] Pop 1980[50] Pop 1990[51] Pop 2000[52] Pop 2010[53] Pop 2020[48] % 1970 % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 20,759 28,283 32,665 34,762 35,792 33,098 74.70% 73.69% 68.02% 63.08% 61.23% 57.14%
Black or African American alone (NH) 6,948 8,115 11,091 12,897 12,222 11,430 25.00% 21.14% 23.09% 23.40% 20.91% 19.73%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 15 87 117 135 192 193 0.05% 0.23% 0.24% 0.24% 0.33% 0.33%
Asian alone (NH) 7 [54] 84 107 243 283 381 0.03% 0.22% 0.22% 0.44% 0.48% 0.66%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x[55] x [56] x [57] 7 16 13 x x x 0.01% 0.03% 0.02%
Other race alone (NH) 60 16 91 11 37 113 0.22% 0.04% 0.19% 0.02% 0.06% 0.20%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [58] x [59] x [60] 349 629 1,583 x x x 0.63% 1.08% 2.73%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) x [61] 1,796 3,953 6,705 9,287 11,111 x 4.68% 8.23% 12.17% 15.89% 19.18%
Total 27,789 38,381 48,024 55,109 58,458 57,922 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 57,922, which represented a 0.9% decline from the 58,458 residents recorded at the 2010 census.[48][53] The median age was 40.7 years; 18.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.3% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 152.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 165.3 males age 18 and over.[62]

The racial makeup of the county was 60.3% White, 20.0% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 12.2% from some other race, and 6.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 19.2% of the population.[63]

About 32.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 67.9% lived in rural areas.[64]

Of the 17,371 households in the county, 31.1% had children under 18 living in them, 48.7% were married-couple households, 17.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.[62]

About 13.7% of the 20,131 housing units were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.1% were owner-occupied and 28.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%, and the rental vacancy rate was 10.2%.[62]

2020 American Community Survey

According to the 2020 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the median household income was $45,847, and 14.1% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.[65] Among residents under 18, 21.5% were living in poverty, and 9.9% of those 65 or older were below the poverty line.[65]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, Anderson County had 58,458 residents, up from 55,109 at the 2000 census.[53][52]

2000 census

From its initial population of 2,684 in the 1850 census, Anderson County's population increased to 55,109 people at the 2000 U.S. census.[66] At that time, of the 15,678 households, 34.1% had children under 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were not families. About 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.[66] In 2000, the median income for a household was $31,957 and for a family was $37,513. Males had a median income of $27,070 versus $21,577 for females, and the per capita income for the county was $13,838. About 12.70% of families and 16.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.6% of those under 18 and 16.6% of those 65 or over.[66]

Government and politics

Government

Anderson County is governed by a commissioners' court. It consists of the county judge, who is elected at-large and presides over the full court, and four commissioners, who are elected from the county's four single-member precincts.[67][68]

County commissioners

Office Name Party
  County judge Robert D. Johnston Republican
  Precinct 1 Greg Chapin Republican
  Precinct 2 Rashad Mims Democratic
  Precinct 3 Kenneth Dickson Republican
  Precinct 4 Joey Hill Republican

[67][68]

County officials

Office Name Party
  County clerk Mark Staples Republican
  Criminal district attorney Allyson Mitchell Republican
  District clerk Teresa Coker Republican
  Sheriff W. R. (Rudy) Flores Republican
  Tax assessor-collector Teri Garvey Hanks Republican
  Treasurer Tara Holliday Republican

[67][68]

Constables

Office Name Party
  Precinct 1 David Franklin
  Precinct 2 Doug Lightfoot Republican
  Precinct 3 Kim Dickson Republican
  Precinct 4 James Muniz Republican

[67][68]

State prisons

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates state prisons for men in the county. The prisons Beto, Coffield, Michael, and Powledge units and the Gurney Unit transfer facility are located in an unincorporated area Script error: No such module "convert". west of Palestine.[69] The Beto Unit has the Correctional Institutions Division Region II maintenance headquarters.[70]

Courts

Justices of the peace

Office Name Party
  Precinct 1 Gary Thomas
  Precinct 2 Tammy Lightfoot
  Precinct 3 James Todd Republican
  Precinct 4 James Westley Republican

[67][68]

County court at law

Jeff Doran, a Republican, is the judge of the county court at law. [67][68]

District courts

Office Name Party
  3rd district court Mark Calhoon Republican
  87th district court Deborah Oakes Evans Republican
  349th district court Pam Foster Fletcher Republican
  369th district court Michael Davis Republican

[67][68]

Politics

Anderson is a strongly Republican county, voting Republican in every election since 1980 (as of 2020). The county last voted Democratic in 1976, when Jimmy Carter won 57% of the county's votes. Hillary Clinton managed to win just 19.8% of the vote in the county, the least of any presidential candidate since 1944. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:T.X. GovHead Template:T.X. GovRow Template:T.X. GovFoot

Education

These school districts serve areas in Anderson County:

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Media

Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Anderson County is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth DMA. Local TV media outlets include: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, and KDAF-TV. Other nearby TV stations that provide coverage for Anderson County come from the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville market and they include: KLTV, KTRE-TV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, and KETK-TV.

Newspapers serving Anderson County include the Palestine Herald-Press in Palestine and the weekly online Frankston Citizen in Frankston.

See also

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Further reading

  • E.R. Bills wrote The 1910 Slocum Massacre: An Act of Genocide in East Texas (2014) about white mobs rioting and killing at least 22 blacks in Anderson County in July 1910, and driving off hundreds more.[21]

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". R. E. Moore and Texarch Associates
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Texas Beyond History
  5. ↑ Krieger, Margery H.: Tawakoni Indians from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved May 2, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
  7. ↑ Watts, Mrs. Harmon: Fort Houston from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved May 2, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Wallace L. McKeehan,
  11. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Procter, Ben H.: Reagan, John Henninger from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved May 2, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  17. ↑ Caraway, Georgia Kemp: Reeves, Reuben A. from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved May 2, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  18. ↑ Werner, George C.: International-Great Northern Railroad from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved May 2, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  19. ↑ Lynching in America, Third Edition: Supplement by County Script error: No such module "webarchive"., p. 9, Equal Justice Initiative, Mobile AL (2017)
  20. ↑ Josh Marshall, "The History of Lynching and Racial Terror", Talking Points Memo, February 10, 2015; accessed May 15, 2018
  21. ↑ a b c David Martin Davies, "Should Texas Remember Or Forget The Slocum Massacre?", Texas Public Radio, January 16, 2015; accessed May 15, 2018
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Caraway, Georgia Kemp: Anderson County from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved May 2, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ a b Anderson County TX Google Maps (accessed 12 February 2019)
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Texas Area Codes - Cities & Prefixes - Area Code 430, Public Utility Commission of Texas website, retrieved July 30, 2015.
  32. ↑ Texas Area Codes - Cities & Prefixes - Area Code 903, Public Utility Commission of Texas website, retrieved July 30, 2015.
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  49. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  52. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  53. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  54. ↑ Only includes those who listed Chinese, Japanese, or Filipino identity. All other Asian groups included in other race category
  55. ↑ included in the Other category in the 1970 Census
  56. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  57. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  58. ↑ not an option in the 1970 Census
  59. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  60. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  61. ↑ Not an option in the 1970 Census. Persons who did not identify a race and instead listed Mexican, Puerto Rican, or any other grouped deemed to be of Indo European origin were classified as white.
  62. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  63. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  64. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  65. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  66. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  67. ↑ a b c d e f g Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  68. ↑ a b c d e f g Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  69. ↑ Powledge Unit Script error: No such module "webarchive".. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
  70. ↑ Beto Unit Script error: No such module "webarchive".. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved June 5, 2010.

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External links

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