Mason County, Texas

History

• Original inhabitants Lipan Apache, Comanches
• 1847 Meusebach–Comanche Treaty
• 1851, July 6 – Fort Mason is established.
• 1858, January 22 – Mason County, named for Fort Mason, is established by an act of Texas state legislature. First post offices are established.
• 1860 Population of 630 includes 18 slaves.
• 1861, : February – County, spurred in part by anti-slavery sentiments of German residents, overwhelmingly votes against secession from the Union. : March – Fort Mason surrendered to the Confederacy, who leave it mostly vacant and thereby cause an uptick in Indian attacks on the area. : May 20 – Voters select town of Mason as County Seat.
• 1866–1868 Federal troops occupy Fort Mason, only to eventually abandon it.
• 1869 Courthouse and jail are erected.
• 1870 May 16 – Herman Lehmann and brother Willie are captured by Apaches, but Willie escapes within days.
• 1870–1898 The county had four women homesteaders: Louisa J. Hendryx, Mahala Hunnicutt, Sarah E. Morris and Priscilla Sparks
• 1872 The last Indian raid in the county happens.
• 1875–1877 : County’s first newspaper begins publication. : Hoo Doo War over cattle rustling. : Most famous participant in the war is Johnny Ringo, who on September 25, 1875, kills James Cheyney. : Courthouse fire destroys all records.
• 1878, May 12 – Herman Lehmann, escorted by soldiers, finally returns to his family.
• 1880s Manganese is discovered. Wakefield Company opens Spiller mines. Iron ore is discovered. Prospecting begins for gold, silver and coal.
• 1882–83 Hereford cattle are introduced into the county. Provisions made for county wide road work.
• 1887 The county petitions for state aid for needy residents.
• 1890s County places a bounty on wolves, wildcats and mountain lions.
• 1902 Mason installs its first telephone in the county judge's office.
• 1918 October 3 – Eighteen months after United States Congress declares war on Germany, the Mason County Council of Defense draws up resolution to abandon the use of the German language in the county. The majority of County residents are of German heritage.
• 1919 First oil and gas lease in the county. Construction begins on the Mason County section of the Puget Sound-to-the-Gulf Highway.
• 1920s Radios come to Mason County.
• 1938 Pedernales Electric Cooperative is formed to provide rural electrification. Mason County joins in June.
• 1946 Local soil-conservation board organized. County schools consolidated.
• 2021 Mason County Courthouse (Texas), constructed in 1909, burns down as a result of arson.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 932 sqmi, of which 3.4 sqmi (0.4%) are covered by water.

Major highways

• [[File:US 87.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 87
• [[File:US 377.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 377
• [[File:Texas 29.svg|20px]] State Highway 29
• [[File:Texas 71.svg|20px]] State Highway 71

Adjacent counties

• McCulloch County (north)
• San Saba County (northeast)
• Llano County (east)
• Gillespie County (south)
• Kimble County (southwest)
• Menard County (west)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1850–2010 2010 2020

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 3,953. The median age was 52.7 years. 19.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 32.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.7 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 80.6% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian,

There were 1,777 households in the county, of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.5% were married-couple households, 19.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 2,467 housing units, of which 28.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.0% were owner-occupied and 23.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.7%.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, 3,738 people, 1,607 households and 1,110 families were residing in the county. The population density was 4 /mi2. The 2,372 housing units had an average density of 2 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 91.60% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.75% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. About 20.95% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 1,607 households, 25.9% had children under 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were not families. About 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.83.

The county's age distribution was 22.4% under of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.

The median household income was $30,921 and the median family income was $39,360. Males had a median income of $28,125 compared with $20,000 for females. The per capita income was $20,931. About 10.10% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.50% of those under 18 and 13.3% of those 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Mason (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Art
• Fredonia
• Grit
• Hedwigs Hill
• Hilda
• Katemcy
• Loyal Valley
• Pontotoc

Notable people

• Anna Mebus Martin (1820–1864): Chartered the Commercial Bank of Mason, wealthy businesswoman and rancher
• Louis (Ludwig) Martin (1820–1864): Co-founder of Hedwigs Hill, Mason County justice of the peace
• Governor Coke Stevenson (1888–1975): Born in Mason County
• Leonie von Meusebach–Zesch (1882–1944): Born in Mason County, pioneer dentist
• Gene Zesch (1932–): Sculptor
• Fred Gipson (February 7, 1908 – August 14, 1973): Author of Old Yeller

Politics

References

References

1. "Mason County, Texas".
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. Rhoades, Alice J. "Mason County, Texas". Texas State Historical Association.
4. "Comanche Indian Treaty". William Nienke, Sam Morrow.
5. DeVos, Julius E. "Fort Mason, Texas". Texas State Historical Association.
6. "Mason County – Mason vicinity". William Nienke, Sam Morrow.
7. (June 1991). "Texas Forts Trails". Texas Monthly.
8. "Texas Escapes-Fort Mason, Texas". Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
9. Rhoades, Alice J. "Mason, Texas". Texas State Historical Association.
10. "History Fort Mason (1851–1871)". Legends of America.
11. "Mason County Courthouse". Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC..
12. (1993). "Nine Years Among the Indians, 1870–1879: The Story of the Captivity and Life of a Texan Among the Indians". University of New Mexico Press.
13. Hudspeth, Brewster. "The Savage Life Of Herman Lehmann". Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC..
14. Gould, Florence C. "Mason Co Tx Women Homesteaders". Tx Gen Web.
15. Association, Texas State Historical. "Mason County, Texas: History, Geography, and Economy".
16. "Gem of the Hill Country-Mason, Tex". Hill Country Portal.
17. (2009). "The Mason County ""Hoo Doo"" War, 1874–1902 (A.C. Greene Series)". University of North Texas Press.
18. (2008). "John Ringo, King of the Cowboys: His Life and Times from the Hoo Doo War to Tombstone, Second Edition (A. C. Greene)". University of North Texas Press.
19. Hadeler, Glenn. "The Mason County Hoo Doo Wars". TexFiles.
20. "Johnny Ringo and the Hoo Doo War".
21. Garner, L Edwin. "Mineral Resources and Mining". Texas State Historical Society.
22. Leatherwood, Art. "Hereford Cattle". Texas State Historical Association.
23. Wentsch, George M. "Pedernales Electric Coop". Texas State Historical Society.
24. Mason County Historical Commission (Texas). (1978). "Mason County Historical Book". publisher not identified.
25. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
26. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". [[US Census Bureau]].
27. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010". Texas Almanac.
28. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Mason County, Texas".
29. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mason County, Texas".
30. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mason County, Texas".
31. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
32. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
33. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
34. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
35. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
36. (November 5, 2024). "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)".