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Houston County, Texas

Houston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 23,185. Its county seat is Crockett. Houston County is named for Samuel Houston, one of the most important figures in the history of Texas, president of the Republic of Texas and Governor of Texas. Houston County was one of 46 prohibition or entirely dry counties in the state of Texas, until a November 2007 vote was issued and residents voted for alcohol sells in the county.

Houston County has no relationship with the city of Houston, which is located approximately 150 miles (260 km) to the south, in Harris County.

Early Houston County settlers

Samuel Cartmill Hiroms (1836-1920) was born in Polk County, his parents having been among Stephen F. Austin's "Old 300" families. Hiroms was an educator and a surveyor who served in the Confederate Army. He and his second wife, the former Emily Ann Johnston (1853-1948), settled in the Creek Community of Houston County. Their homestead was adjacent to what is now the Austonio Baptist Church on State Highway 21 in Austonio, Texas.

Collin Aldrich (1801-1842) was a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto and was the first judge in Houston County, having served during the Republic of Texas from 1837-1841.

Eli Coltharp established his Coltharp Hill in Houston County near Kennard. The store, post office, gristmill, cotton gin, blacksmith shop, and millinery shop were located on the stagecoach route west of Nacogcoches in Houston County. When the railroad bypassed the Contharp Community, many of the residents relocated to work at a nearby sawmill.

James Murphy Hager of Kentucky and his wife, the former Nacoma Clark, established the Hagerville Community in the 1840s. Hager was a farmer, cabinet maker, and blacksmith. The stagecoach from Nacogdoches to Navasota, ran beside the Hagers' log home. One of the Hager sons donated land for a church and a school. There was a post office at Hagerville from 1891-1905.

The Four C Mill operated in Houston County during the first two decades of the 20th century. R.M. Keith, agent of the Central Coal and Coke Company in Kansas City, Missouri, began buying virgin timber in the fall of 1899. Lumber to construct the new mill was cut by a small sawmill purchased in early 1901 from J.H. Ratcliff. Keith organized the Louisiana and Texas Lumber Company to operate the Four C. The mill was producing a staggering 300,000 board feet of lumber per daily by June 1902. Ratcliff Lake, now a United States Department of Interior recreational site, was the millpond for the Four C. The Texas Southeastern Railroad laid track from Lufkin to haul out the lumber. The town of Ratcliff was separated from the Four C by a fence, built to discourage the mill workers from spending their money outside the company town. The 120,000 acres were in time exhausted, and by 1920, the mill shut down.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,237 square miles (3,203 km²), of which, 1,231 square miles (3,188 km²) of it is land and 6 square miles (15 km²) of it (0.48%) is water.

Major Highways

Adjacent counties

Anderson County (north)
Cherokee County (northeast)
Angelina County (east)
Trinity County (southeast)
Walker County (south)
Madison County (southwest)
Leon County (west)

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 23,185 people, 8,259 households, and 5,756 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile (7/km²). There were 10,730 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.57% White, 27.93% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.17% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,259 households out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.90% were married couples living together, 14.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.20% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 114.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,119, and the median income for a family was $35,033. Males had a median income of $29,143 versus $19,885 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,525. About 15.60% of families and 21.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.30% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.