Welcome to the
WILSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Wilson County, Texas
Welcome to the
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Historic Moments in Wilson County History
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The "Curve" Between Floresville and PothIn early 1886, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad construction was starting to progress southerly from Floresville to the Gulf coast. Additional financing for construction had just been recently received from Captain Mifflin Kenedy. The right-of-way for the tracks had not been formally obtained in advance to construction at this time. The railroad land agents were thus working rapidly obtaining land in advance of the construction crews to establish the route. In all of the right-of-way recordings, the agents attempted to obtain the property either free or negotiate for bonuses. During this period, agents were active in Helena, Karnes County, to secure additional free right-of-way and a large sum of money for a bonus in routing the railroad through this city. At that time Helena was the largest population center between San Antonio and Goliad and the citizens were convinced Uriah Lott, the railroad developer, would not risk bypassing the area. They therefore. refused to make any significant concessions of either land or money. As the railroad reached south about three miles from Floresville it become evident to the railroad that no concessions would be forth coming from Helena and the decision was then made to route the construction in a more southerly direction, through open ranch land and bypassing Helena by about seven miles to the west. This point of sudden change in direction of diverting from a route parallel to the Alamo-LaBahia road to a roadless but more direct route to the coast resulted in the sharp change of direction being called the “Curve.” In addition from this point on a new roadway was established besides the railroad right-of-way. The new communities of Poth, Falls City, Hobson, Karnes City and Kenedy developed and Helena began its decline. The “Curve” thus created an alternate route to the coast by creating a new roadway and in its earlier days was called the “King Trail.” The “Curve”, also, served a road stop for automotive
travelers by providing a rest stop for gas, oil, tires, etc., plus
refreshments and food. For many years this place was operated by the Kuban
family and was known as The Curve. Later the Preiss family continued the
business until it was closed. It was also at this point the automotive road
crossed the tracks and followed the railroad on its westerly side. Mr. John
Boening related the story of how he was able to make spending money here
during rainy times. He would have a pair of his father’s mules available at
the site to pull cars through the muddy mire and charge $.50 for each car he
assisted. |
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FORGOTTEN TEXAS CENSUSFirst annual report of the Agricultural Bureau of the Department of Agriculture, Insurance, Statistics, and History 1887-88 by L. L. Foster, Commissioner WILSON COUNTY Was created in 1860 from Bexar and Karnes counties, and named in honor of James C. Wilson, one of the Meir prisoners. This county joins Bexar on the southeast. The general surface is gently undulating. It is very well timbered and watered, and is adapted to agriculture and stockraising. The soil is a light sandy loam, and fertile. Farm crops yield well. Fruits and vegetables are also grown with success. The San Antonio River and Cibolo Creek flow nearly centrally through the county from northeast to southeast. There are a number of smaller streams which add greatly to the water supply. The water of Sutherland Spring in this county is reported as being good for many diseases. The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad passes through the western part of the county, and has a mileage in the county of 24 miles, with property assessed at $188,745. Number of marriages during 1887, 62; divorces 5, births 379, deaths 91. In this county there are 7 lawyers, 10 physicians, and 20 merchants. The following religious denominations are each represented by church organizations in the county: Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Christian, and Catholic churches. Improved land is valued at from $3 to $15 per acre, and unimproved at from $2.50 to $5 per acre. Acres of State school land in the county 5606. The county was organized in 1860, and contains an area of 795 square miles. Population in 1880, 7188; in 1887, 8307. Males 4262, females 4045. Color and nationality: Americans 3834, colored 720, English 963, German 192, French 50, Irish 79, Mexican 2023, Spanish 26, Polish 412, Scotch 8. There are in the county 1362 white and 103 colored families. The assessed value of all property in 1877, $1,091,120; in 1887, $2,695,874. Gain in ten years $1,604,754. Floresville is the county seat, population 1200. The other principal towns in the county are: Stockdale, population 300; Sutherland Springs, population 150; La Vernia, population 150; Gray Town, population 100; Fairview, population 100. There are 2 weekly newspapers published in the county. Transcribed by Gene Maeckel, August 2002. |
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EARLY COMMUNITIES OF WILSON COUNTYWithin the time frame of 1821-1837, considered by many to be the Texas Revolutionary Period, three communities came into existence within the current boundaries of Wilson County. Prior to this time only ranching was conducted in this area.T he first community to be established was Graytown. This town site is located on the west side of the San Antonio River close to a river crossing called "Sheep’s Crossing." It was developed by James Gray in 1830 being settled primarily by Spanish families who all claimed direct ancestry from Spain. Graytown was a center of activity in trade and the social life for the surrounding ranches. The river crossing was also an important point interconnecting the LaBahia Road with the travel routes on the western side of the river going to Matamoras, Mexico.A second community, Sutherland Springs, was started in 1831. At that time it was an area of more than 100 springs flowing into the Cibolo Creek. These springs were known to indians for years and they often camped near here to drink and bathe in the warm sulphur waters in hope of being cured of the maladies affecting them. Dr. John Sutherland, for which this settlement was named, was with the defenders of the Alamo performing the duties of a medical doctor. But because of an injury to his knee he was unable to stand for any period of time. This, however, did not inhibit his ability to ride a horse. Therefore, Colonel Travis asked him to serve as a messenger and deliver his message addressed to the "Inhabitants of Texas" to the Texas forces in Gonzales and Goliad. His knee injury thus saved him from martyrdom at the Alamo. After the revolution, he returned to Sutherland Springs to establish a medical practice. This included using the different chemical properties of the various springs as curative aids. A third community, Lodi, was established in 1832. It was situated on the east side of the San Antonio River on the LaBahia Road, south of the Erasmus Seguin and Flores ranches. It was a community of families whose livelihood was linked to working on the area ranches as herdsmen and vaqueros. This site on the San Antonio River, also, served as a ferry crossing interconnecting the travel routes on the east and west sides of the San Antonio River. Written by Gene Maeckel, September 2002. |
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THE WHEELER'S MILLThe area surrounding Stockdale was first settled in the 1830's but it was not until the 1860's and 1870's that a village formed and its first industry was the Wheeler's Mill. The Wheeler's Mill was located on the Cibolo Creek southwest of the community. Its mill pond dam was built by John Wheeler sometime around 1870 and was constructed of large stones hauled by oxen teams from nearby hills. These stones were arranged to create a barrier across the creek creating a waterfall which turned a mill wheel. The mill equipment was operated by a wide flat belt which ran from the mill wheel, downstream of the dam, to the mill equipment located in a nearby enclosure called the mill house. The roofing for the mill house was unique in that it was covered with split oak shingles made from the local native trees. The power generated by this water wheel was used for grinding corn, ginning cotton, sawing wood, or crushing sugar cane stalks. The mill pond created behind the dam also provided a great recreational area for the local folks to go fishing, swimming, and picnickingInitially the mill was designed as a saw mill to cut lumber from local native trees to build homes. In addition to the mill, a brick kiln was built near the mill site where bricks were created to build chimneys for the new homes. The brick making operation was conducted separately by an individual of hispanic heritage. The juice collected from the crushed sugar cane stalks was cooked off at the mill site, in another separate operation, to create a syrup or molasses which was used as a sweetener for cooking rather than sugar in the family homes. Cotton ginning ceased at this site in the early 1900's. After the major flood on the Cibolo in 1913, much of the mill house was damaged causing it to lean. A portion of the damaged building was then torn down leaving only the grist mill and a mattress factory operation. Today nothing remains of the old mill site except perhaps a few remaining stones. At one time an oil painting of this site was hanging in the Wilson County Library in Floresville. The historical content of this article is based on an oral history by Mr. J.J. Chappell of Stockdale printed in the May 10, 1979 issue of the Wilson-Gonzales County News & Shopper. Written by Gene Maeckel, October 2002 |
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HISTORY OF WILSON COUNTY AS COMPILED
BY I. B. RAY WHO LIVED IN THE WESTERN END OF COUNTY, Topography A. The community of Fairview and Loire are located in the western end of Wilson County and about five miles apart on Farm Road 236. Our farm is located halfway between the two communities and I have lived here all my life. My father bought this farm in 1899 (the year I was born) from Doctor Wright, the father of the late Will Wright and grandfather of Tom & Elmo et al. The price paid for the farm was $6.00 per acre. B & C. This farm is located on the divide that divides the water into three creeks. To the north the water flows to the Mariana. To the southwest into the Lucas and to the southeast into the Borrego. D. The land is rolling and much of it has been in cultivation for a century. Much of the top soil has been lost through erosion before we began terracing in 1921 and following every known method to prevent such loss. Top soil varies in depth from 4 to 14 inches and is under laid with a good clay. it varies from deep sand to heavy dark soil with much of it being red loam. E. In early days this was open Post Oak country with many beautiful Live Oaks here and there. To the north of us was the Black Jack and Hickory country and to the south and east less Oaks and more Mesquite. Most of the timber has been cleared out, however, in recent years. F. One of the early community centers was on this farm and was known as “Rabbit Hill.” There was a church, school, stores, etc. This was in the 19th century. A little later there was another community known as the “Maxwell Community” having a gin, school, etc. G. There was evidence of what used to be the wagon road from San Antonio to the coast that crossed our farm. |
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Henry Rabensburg - An Early Citizen of Floresville, Texas
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