Fannin County, Texas
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Formed
- Fannin County County was created 1837, and organized 1838 by the Republic of Texas from Red River County. It is named for James W. Fannin, a victim of the Goliad massacre.[1]
History/Timeline
Rich area between Red and Rio Grande Rivers
- Fannin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 33,915. The county seat is Bonham. The county was named for James Fannin, who commanded the group of Texans killed in the Goliad Massacre during the Texas Revolution. {James Bonham (the county seat's namesake) sought Fannin's assistance for the Battle of the Alamo (Fannin, however, was unable to provide assistance). James Bonham was killed in the Battle of the Alamo.[2]
- 1687 This area was occupied by the Caddo Indians. The Caddos later joined Cherokees and were gone long before settlers.[3]
- 1836 - Abel Warren founded a fort, named Warren, which became a center of commerce.. The county's first courthouse, school, post office, Masonic Lodge (Constantine No. 13) were in Warren.[3]
- First sermon preached by John B Denton, Methodist minister.[3]
- Fannin County development resulted from the efforts of several leaders. These included Bailey Inglish, John P. Simpson, Holland Coffee, 'Daniel Montague, Daniel Rowlett, and Roswell W. Lee.[3]
- 1836 -The area was first settled by Anglo-Americans who traveled up the Red River by steamboat at Jonesborough,Red River Co. Pioneers crossed river and established 2 colonies (Lexington on the Red River headed by Dr. Daniel Rowlett. Numerous settlers joined this colony, Eighty First class land certificates were granted and the rapid growth led the Republic of Texas to form this as a Red River County. They intended to name it Independence[3]
- Second colony begun by Daniel Slack on East side of Bois D'Arc Creek.[3]
- The General Land Office of Texas, established in the 1836 Constitution, was designed to administer the lands of the Lone Star Republic. The office opened in 1837 under Commissioner John Petit Borden. In addition, Iocal Boards of Land Commissioners were created for the original counties of the Republic. The Fannin County Board of Land Commissioners was appointed in late 1837 and sat in session for the first time on February 1, 1838 at the "Fannin County Courts House," the official courthouse then being Jacob Blacks cabin near the Red River.[4]
- 1837 Fannin County was created, organized in 1838, and named for James W. Fannin (1805-36), who was massacred with his soldiers at Goliad (March 27, 1836) after surrendering to the Mexican Army. [5][2]
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| Fannin County, Texas |
- May 16, 1837 - early settlers of Fannin County faced difficulties with Cherokees and their Twelve Associated Bands. Settlers attacked a band of Indians. Tension had been mounting Anglo settlers and damage to the hunting. The Indians retaliated with raids in which settlers were killed and livestock stolen. Residents of Fannin County were infuriated particularly by the Indians' indiscriminate killing of women and children. [3]
- Oct 5, 1837 Rowlett presented a petition to the Texas Congress , requesting that a new county be formed from a section of Red River County west of Bois D'Arc Creek. The county was originally to be named Independence, but during the course of opening debates over the bill the name was changed to Fannin, in honor of James Walker Fannin, Jr., a martyred hero of the Texas Revolution. [3]
- Dec 14, 1837 legislation was approved , designated the residence of Jacob Black the state house until a more suitable location could be found. [3]
- The most significant act passed at Black's cabin approval of building of first county road, from Rocky Ford Crossing to Daniel Montague's plantation. The road passed through Fort Warren and bridged Bois D'Arc Creek. Other important legislation dealt with attempts to end Indian hostilities.[3]
- Nov 28, 1839, act was passed by Congress to define the boundaries of Fannin County, including land that later became Grayson, Collin, Cooke, Denton, Montague, Wise, Clay, Jack, Wichita, Archer, Young, Wilbarger, Baylor, Throckmorton, Hardeman, Foard, Knox, Haskell, Stonewall, King, Cottle, and Childress counties, as well as parts of Hunt and Collingsworth counties.[3]
- jan 8, 1840 county government was moved from Black's cabin to Warren. The first district court for Fannin County was established at the same time. [3]
- Apr 27, 1840 John M Hansford opened the first session in the new courthouse.[3]
- 1840 - The first church in the county was Rehobeth Chapel, built in 1850. Camp meetings had been held since 1840.[3]
- Jan 16, 1843 Bois D'Arc became county seat due to Indian threat at Warren, and a shift in political power that strengthened the Bois D'Arc community. Fort Warren no longer wielded influence on the development of the county after this move. [3]
- 1844 Bois D'Arc was renamed Bonham in honor of James Butler Bonham, a defender of the Alamo. The settlers wanted the name changed to Bloomington, but the Texas legislature wanted to honor a war hero. Bonham has continued to be the major center of commerce for Fannin County.[3]
- For 6 years small encounters with the Indians occurred over the next 6 years until the Treaty of Bird's Fort was signed by Edward H. Tarrant with the Tehuacanas, Keechis, Wacos, Caddoes, Anadarcos, and others. This treaty, for the most part, ended Indian hostilities.[3]
- Settlers were predominantly from Tennessee.
- Slavery Slavery movement
- 1860- population of Fannin County was 9,217 by 1860 (19% were black). The county depended upon agricultural products for its main means of support, with livestock, beef cattle, being the predominant product. Before the Civil War the county had about 25,000 beef cattle; afterward the number was reduced by half.[3]
- 1844 First United Methodist Church of Bonham (1844).[3]
- 1847 Vineyard Grove Baptist Church.[3]
- 1852 First Baptist Church of Bonham. [3]
- 1846 Bonham Sentinel newspapers started during the early years of the county. The Bonham Sentinel, Northern Standard (1847), Western Argus (1847), Bonham Advertiser (1849), Western Star (1853). [3]
- 1860 Ladonia Male and Female Institute. [3]
- 1861Citizens of the county supported secession, despite a passionate speech for remaining in the Union given by state senator Robert H. Taylor. [3]
- 1862-65 Fannin County supported the Confederate cause by raising several companies for the trans-Mississippi army. Taylor himself was elected colonel of a cavalry regiment. A Confederate commissary was located in Bonham,7 brigades drew supplies. [3]
- A story - when a fire destroyed the commissary, which contained a large store of meat, the town turned out en masse to eat the accidental barbecue. [3]
- 1862-65 Fannin county hosted the military headquarters of the Northern Subdistrict of Texas, C.S.A., which was established by Gen. Henry E. McCullough, located at the site of present-day Willow Wild Cemetery in Bonham. [3]
- Confederate hospital in Bonham housed many of the wounded soldiers during the war.[3]
- Post Civil War Fannin County grew steadily from the Civil War. Agriculture remained the main source of income, with the number of farms increasing throughout the century, and crop production increasing as well. Cotton and corn were the two predominant crops.
- 1867 Carlton College was established by Charles Carlton in Bonham. [3]
- Newspapers included the Bonham News (1866), Honey Grove Independent (1873), Dodd City Spectator (1886), Bonham Review (1884), and Honey Grove Simoon (1884). [3]
- 1870 54 factories/manufacturing establishments operated in the county; by 1870 factories numbered fifty-four, and new ones and continued to come into being.
- 1873 the Texas and Pacific, built an east-west track across the center of the county in 1873. [3]
- 1879 Education 1879, Savoy Male and Female College (1876), Lone Pecan School for Boys and Girls,
Masonic Female Institute (1881), 1883- Fannin College, 1874- Paris Dist. Honey Grove High School, 1888 the school board organized the education of children. Carlton College was established 1867 in Bonham by Charles Carlton.[3]
- 1883 Fannin College [3]
- 1889 The first telephone exchange.. Major communities receive first electricity[3]
- 1900 - population peaked in 1900 at 51,793 and slowly decreased afterward with cotton and corn main income.Hogs and swine numbered 52,754. [3]
- 1910-1920 Dairy farming had moderate success (14,665) milk cows.
- 1925 Lone Star Gas company ran a gas main through the county, providing a new source of heat.
- 1929 Fannin County residents raised money to build Jones Field near Bonham.
- Dec 31, 1929 fire destroyed the bell tower of the county courthouse. No records were destroyed.
- 1930s - Great Depression -economic hardship until World War II. 1920s and 1930s the population stabilized at around 41,000, but during the 1940s it dropped to 31,253. 2947 there were businesses. 310 were employed in manufacturing, and slowly recovered to 630 in 1947. Product value dropped dramatically in 1929. The depression forced the average farm value to plummet 46% below 1920 value. [3]
- 1934 the Kraft-Phoenix Cheese Company moved to Bonham and provided a market.1940 the number of milk cows had risen to 10,279.[3]
- 1970s the county's population began to rise , however; there were 24,804 people living there in 1990, and 31,242 in 2000.[3]
Educational level of the county gradually increased as well. 17% residents over twenty-five years old had high school diplomas in 1950, and 45% in 1980. [3]
- 2000 60% had graduated from high school, and almost 13% had college degrees.[3]
Large Steamships named after land-locked Bonham
Bonham is 500 or more miles from the nearest ocean. River boats sailed on the Red River in 1800s At one time BoisD'Arc had barge traffic on it, still Bonham is considered land-locked. A question arose as to why would one of 3 of the large wooden steamships be named for the City of Bonham?
- At 3:45 on the afternoon of May 11, 1918, the City of Bonham was launched at the shipyards of National Shipbuilding Company at Orange, Texas. Newspaper accounts reported that a crowd attended the launching which took 30 minutes. The size of the vessel required an army of men to remove the wedges holding the props around the keel.
- At a signal, just before the last restraints were removed, three young ladies broke a bottle of champagne over the bow: Elizabeth Elliott, Mabel Mattox, both of Orange, and Maud Evans representing the Bonham Board of Trade sent the ship down its launching path and into the Sabine River. Miss Mattox also read an original composition in honor of the event.
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| City of Bonham |
- At the time of its launching, "City of Bonham" was the largest wooden steamship afloat. The huge ship was 320 feet long, weighed 4,700 tons, was 47 feet wide and about 50 feet high from her keel to the bow. Estimates were the ship would be able to carry 155 car loads of freight. It was also reported that every man, woman, and child in the town of Bonham along with most of their household goods could be carried on the several decks of the ship. Speed was estimated at 12 knots or 14 miles per hour.[6]
Fannin County Justice
- 1844 lawlessness occurred in Southeast Fannin county. There were thefts of personal property, horses and of slave from Harrison County. All were connected Fannin County crimes. The law suspected newcomers of the thefts, but insufficient evidence was found. In July another crime occurred that demanded swift action.
- 1841 years earlier Polk, Hickory and Benton counties, Missouri had the "Slicker Feud" Andy Jones was a participant. He and his family fled Missouri in 1842 and arrived in Fannin County. Two other men, Loup Wray and Harvey White were neighbors of the Jones. Evidence pointed to 8 men total from Missouri who had fled to Texas ahead of Missouri law...
- Jones and Moss admitted to having killed a man named Moss in S Missouri. All were residents of Benton County Missouri. A murder of a group of friendly Delaware Indians occurred. Five of the suspects came upon the Indians near the Lamar and Fannin county lines. Pretending friendship, they entered the camp and attacked the group. Three of the Indian party were killed, two escaped and one was wounded.. One of the slain was a small boy who begged for his life. Reed grabbed the boy, held him while Mitchell killed him with his knife.
- This news spread on the Sulphur, so an armed posse pursued the men and arrested Mitchell at his cabin. Ray was arrested after he returned from Shreveport to sell the hides stolen from the Indians. Andy Jones and White fled to Fort Houston (Anderson county). There they were recognized and word was sent to Bonham of their location. The posse surprised Jones and White while they slept. Reed was gone.. All of the men were brought to a point on the S side of Sulphur 2 miles W of the Lamar-Fannin county line. July 20 the shade tree courts were held, attended by 200 men. 6 men were appointed to select a jury of 12 men. The prisoners could object to any juror. The trial began.. Mitchell had confessed to taking part in the murders and told that the group divided the Indians' property (12 horses, 4 guns, 3 brass kettles, saddles, and 40 dressed deer skins). He gave evidence of Jones and Whites' admissions to killing Moss in Missouri.
- Andrew Jones, White, Ray, and Mitchell were convicted of murder and sentenced to be hanged. Jewland, Benjamin White, and Harris were only found guilty of theft since no evidence was presented to tie them to the murders. These last three were made to hang the others and sentenced to "get out of the county within 10 days" Fannin County justice was done.[7]
Government Offices
The General Land Office of Texas (office which grants all land grants and land bounties)was established in the 1836 Constitution, was designed to administer the lands of the Lone Star Republic. The office opened in 1837 under Commissioner John Petit Borden. In addition, Iocal Boards of Land Commissioners were created for the original counties of the Republic. The Fannin County Board of Land Commissioners was appointed in late 1837 and sat in session for the first time on February 1, 1838 at the "Fannin County Courts House," the official courthouse was in Jacob Blacks cabin near Red River.[8]
1st site for county Court: County officials first met at Jacob Black's cabin on the Red River. [9]The Fannin County Board of Land Commissioners was appointed in late 1837 and sat in session for the first time on February 1, 1838 at the "Fannin County Courts House," the official courthouse was in Jacob Blacks cabin near Red River.[10]
2nd County Seat, 1840 was moved in 1840 to Warren. The courthouse built there in 1840 was a two-story oak and cedar structure with rough plank floors. [9]
3rd County Seat,1843 to Bois d'Arc, Texas. Judge John P. Simpson donated land for the small log courthouse of 1843. Later another cabin was built with a breezeway connected the two. In the early courthouse jurors sat above the courtroom in a loft that could be reached only by an outside ladder. [9]
4th County Seat, 1844 Bois d'Arc was renamed in 1844 in honor of James Butler Bonham (1807-36), a hero of the siege of the Alamo.T Courthouse was replaced in 1888 by a 3-story courthouse made of native stone from Gober, south of Bonham, and built by Scottish-born stonemasons Kane and Cormack.[9]
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| 1888 courthouse. |
5th Courthouse,1888 caught fire on December 31, 1929. Records in the District Clerk's office and County Clerk's office were saved. Many other county records were destroyed. Fire in 1929 destroyed the clock steeple, and the building was remodeled. Part of the 1888 structure, this courthouse was constructed in 1965-66 with a facade of Leuders stone. It was dedicated by Governor John Connally, 1974[9]
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| Remodeled 1965 courthouse from 1888 building |
Geography
- Fannin County is a part of the Texoma region.
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- area of 899 square miles (2,330 km2), of which 891 square miles (2,310 km2) is land and 8.0 square miles (21 km2) (0.9%) is water.
- Rivers It is drained by Bois D'Arc Creek and Sulphur River.
- The county borders have not changed since 1846.
Adjacent counties
- Bryan County, Oklahoma (north)
- Lamar County (east)
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- Delta County (southeast)
- Hunt County (south)
- Collin County (southwest)
- Grayson County (west)
Formed From
- created 14 December 1837 from Red River County.
Protected areas
- Caddo National Grassland WMA six separate land tracts and the Ladonia Unit has twelve land tracts. Parks and Wildlife manages the wildlife hunting opportunities with permitted hunts.
- Caddo national Grassland Wikipediatwo developed recreation areas around Lake Davy Crockett, which is 388 acres (157 ha) in size. The grassland is divided into two units: Bois d'Arc Creek and Ladonia.
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/about-forest/districts/?cid=fswdev3_008440 Ladonia and LBJ unit] northeast and northwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. They not only provide grazing land for cattle and habitat for wildlife, but offer a variety of recreation. The most popular activities are hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, and photography.
- White-tailed deer, small mammals, coyotes, bobcats, red fox, waterfowl, bobwhite quail, turkey, and songbirds thrive in the diverse habitats provided by the Grasslands. Largemouth bass, blue and channel catfish, and various sunfish species are common catches at the many lakes that dot the Grasslands' landscape.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, its population was 33,915. In 2000 2000, there were 31,242 people, 11,105 households, and 7,984 families residing in the county with a population density of 35 people/sq mi. The racial makeup of the county was 86.56% White, 7.96% Black or African American, 0.92% Native American, 2.78% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. 5.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of 2015 the largest self-reported ancestry groups were 48.50% English, 16.10% Welsh, 11.00% German and 7.25% Irish. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannin_County,_Texas
The median income for a household in the county was $34,501, and the median income for a family was $42,193. Males had a median income of $31,140 versus $23,101 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,066. About 9.90% of families and 13.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.70% of those under age 18 and 16.50% of those age 65 or over.
Highways:
- U.S. Highway 69
- U.S. Highway 82
- Texas State Highway 11
- Texas State Highway 34
- Texas State Highway 50
- Texas State Highway 56
- Texas State Highway 78
- Texas State Highway 121
Cities/Towns
- Bonham (county seat)
| Towns | Towns | Towns |
|---|---|---|
| Bailey | Honey Grove | Leonard |
| Ector | Pecan Gap (mostly in Delta County) | Ravenna |
| Savoy | Trenton (small part in Grayson County) | Dodd City |
| Whitewright (mostly in Grayson County) | Ladonia | Windom |
| Communities | communities | communities |
| Bug Tussle | Duplex | Elwood |
| Gober | Ivanhoe | Mulberry |
| Randolph | Telephone | Warren |
| Orangeville |
Resources
- Fort Inglish Park: A replica of the original settlement in 1837 that eventually became Bonham. W. Sam Rayburn Drive. 903-583-3441.
- Sam Rayburn Library: Just west of Downtown Bonham, the library contains memorabilia and furnishings from the Washington office of one of the country's most powerful and influential Speakers of the House. Second only to his personal friend LBJ, Rayburn was the most visible Texan in US Government, even surpassing Uvalde's "Cactus Jack" Gardner who was FDR's Vice President.
- Fannin County Mortality Index
- Fannin County Texas slave holders
- http://www.fannincountymuseum.org/bois-d-arc-sketches.html Fannin county museum]
Census
- 1850 --- 3,788 —
- 1860 --- 9,217 143.3%
- 1870 --- 13,207 43.3%
- 1880 --- 25,501 93.1%
- 1890 --- 38,709 51.8%
- 1900 --- 51,793 33.8%
- 1910 --- 44,801 −13.5%
- 1920 --- 48,186 7.6%
- 1930 --- 41,163 −14.6%
- 1940 --- 41,064 −0.2%
- 1950 --- 31,253 −23.9%
- 1960 --- 23,880 −23.6%
- 1970 --- 22,705 −4.9%
- 1980 --- 24,285 7.0%
- 1990 --- 24,804 2.1%
- 2000 --- 31,242 26.0%
- 2010 --- 33,915 8.6%
FamilySearch
Notables
- Daniel Montague
Land Grants
The General Land Office Board's responsibility was to hear applicants for the land grants or "headrights" as they were often called, examine the witnesses presented by the applicant, in support of his petition, and rule on the validity of the claim.
Applicants were requested to swear to their date of immigration to Texas which was corroborated by two witnesses and take the following oath: I do solemnly swear that I, __________, was a resident citizen, of the Republic at the date of the Declaration of Independence; that I did not leave the country during the campaign of 1836 to avoid participation in the war; that I did not assist or aid the enemy; and that I have not previously received a title to my quantum of land, and that I conceive myself justly entitled, under the Constitution and laws, to the quantity of land for which I now apply. This oath was taken only by those applicants who were claiming First Class Headrights. Later applicants were not required to take the same oath.
- The board appointed to investigate claims "east of the Brassos River"(sic) made their first investigation in Fannin County on March 13, 1841. Of the 94 first class headrights issued, 14 were adjudged to be fradulent and were rejected.
- Some of these claims were rejected because the claimants were unable to prove their residency in Texas before the Declaration of Independence. The individuals were instead awarded second class certificates.
- August 2, 1838 meeting of the Fannin County Board, three men, Holland Coffee, Elijah Cowan, and Daniel R. Jackson all made application for first class certificates and served as witnesses for each other's claim. The three were partners in an Indian Trading Post on Red River. Each swore that on the day of the Declaration of Independence "he was living at the mouth of Cash Creek and believing that to be in the Republic of Texas and west of 100 degrees of longitude from Greenwich." Note: Cash Creek is in present day Cotton County, Oklahoma.
- Some of these claims were rejected because the claimants were unable to prove their residency in Texas before the Declaration of Independence. The individuals were instead awarded second class certificates.
The land grant certificates issued by these boards were not for particular areas of land but were instead designed to allow the recipient to claim land anywhere in the Republic.[11]
- There were 2 types land grants: Military Bounty and Land bounty. The survey maps of Fannin County show 25 Bounty claims for land in the county. Of these 5 are former members of Hart's Company. Other claims will be found in the surveys of Hunt, Grayson, Collin, and Cooke Counties.
The Donation grants were awarded to those participants of the Siege of Bexar, Goliad, or Battle of the Alamo, Battle at San Jacinto, to those who were wounded in skirmishes the day before, and to those who were detailed to guard the baggage (equipment, etc.) at Harrisburg. The same act creating these donations also awarded land to the survivors of heirs of those who participated in the Bexar, Goliad, or Alamo campaigns. Only one donation grant is recorded for Fannin County. In the southern part of the county is a 640 acre survey patented in the name of Aaron Burleson. Records show that Burleson participated in the battle at San Jacinto. However, it seems that he patented the land here but was never an actual resident. Fannin County's most famous participant at San Jacinto, Colonel James Tarleton chose to take his donation grant elsewhere in the Republic. http://www.fannincountymuseum.org/sketch6.html
Cemeteries
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- Brown Cemetery
- Willow Wild Cemetery
- Dover Cemetery
- Belmont Cemetery
- Gober Cemetery
- New Hope Cemetery
- Randolph-Lindsey Cemetery
- Coon Town Cemetery
- Fairview Cemetery
- Greenwood Cemetery
- Shiloh Cemetery
- Wright Family Cemetery
- Burns Cemetery
- Duplex Cemetery
- White Rock Cemetery
- FindaGrave Fannin co Cemeteries
- Cemeteries of Fannin County, TX Gloria Mayfield
- Fannin county, Texas cemeteries
Sources
- ↑ https://texasalmanac.com/topics/government/fannin-county
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannin_County,_Texas
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 3.38 3.39 https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcf02
- ↑ http://www.archive.org/stream/rhymeofsouthernr00moor#page/74/mode/2up
- ↑ http://www.texasescapes.com/Counties/Fannin-County-Texas.htm
- ↑ http://www.fannincountymuseum.org/sketch8.html
- ↑ http://www.fannincountymuseum.org/sketch16.html
- ↑ http://www.fannincountymuseum.org/sketch3.html
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Bonham/Bonham-Texas-Fannin-County-Courthouse.htm
- ↑ http://www.fannincountymuseum.org/sketch3.html
- ↑ http://www.fannincountymuseum.org/sketch3.html
- http://www.fannincountymuseum.org/bois-d-arc-sketches.html
- http://www.co.fannin.tx.us/default.aspx?Fannin_County/Public.Records.Search
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