Gillespie County Texas Warrant Search

Gillespie County, Texas Gillespie County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 20,814. It is located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Gillespie is named for Robert Addison Gillespie, who came to Texas in 1837. He was a Texas Ranger, an Indian fighter, a merchant and a soldier in the Mexican-American War. The seat of the county is Fredericksburg.Coordinates: 30°19′N 98°57′W / 30.31°N 98.95°W / 30.31; -98.95 History Timeline Early native Americans areTonkawa,Comanche,KiowaandLipan Apache. 1842Adelsvereinorganized in Germany to promote emigration to Texas.Fisher-Miller Land Grant sets aside three million acres to settle 600 families and single men ofGerman,Dutch,Swiss,Danish,Swedish, andNorwegianancestry in Texas. 1844Henry Francis Fishersells interest in land grant to Adelsverein. 1845Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfelssecures title to 1,265 acres of the Veramendi grant, including the Comal Springs and River, for the Adelsverein. Thousands of German immigrants are stranded at port of disembarkationIndianaolaonMatagorda Bay. With no food or shelters, living in holes dug into the ground, an estimated 50% die from disease or starvation. The living begin to walk to their destinations hundreds of miles away. 200Germancolonists who walked from Indianola found the town ofNew Braunfelsat the crossing of the San Antonio-Nacogdches Road on theGuadalupe River.John O. Meusebacharrives inGalveston. The first wagon train of 120 settlers arrive from New Braunfels. Surveyor Hermann Wilke lays out the town. Meusebach names itFredericksburg, in honor ofPrince Frederick of Prussia.Texas Annexationby the United States. 1847Meusebach-Comanche Treaty. 150 settlers petition the Texas legislature to establish a new county, suggested names being 'Pierdenales' or Germania. The Vereins Kirche becomes the first public building in Fredericksburg. It serves as a non-denominational church, school, town hall and fort. Locals refer to it as “The Coffee Mill Church” for its shape.Wilhelm Victor Keidelis the county's first doctor. Mormon leaderLyman Wightfounds the community of Zodiac. 1848 The legislature forms Gillespie County fromBexarandTraviscounties. They name it afterTennesseetransplant Capt. Robert Addison Gillespie, a hero of the 1846Battle of Monterreyin theMexican-American War. Fredericksburg becomes the county seat.Fort Martin Scottis established at Barons Creek on a Pedernales tributary. 1850 An angry mob of soldiers burns down the store-courthouse destroying all County records. The melee apparently starts when County Clerk John M. Hunter, who also owns the store, refuses to sell whiskey to a soldier. Words are exchanged. Hunter stabs the soldier. 50 soldiers storm and burn the store, destroying all contents. Soldiers prevent townspeople from saving the county records. 1851 John O. Meusebach is elected to the Texas Senate to represent Bexar, Comal, and Medina counties. 1854 John O. Meusebach receives an appointment as commissioner fromGovernor Elisha M. Peaseto issue land certificates to those immigrants of 1845 and 1846 who had been promised them by the Adelsverein. The Texas State Convention of Germans meet in San Antonio and adopt a political, social and religious platform, including: 1) Equal pay for equal work; 2) Direct election of the President of the United States; 3) Abolition of capital punishment; 4)“Slavery is an evil, the abolition of which is a requirement of democratic principles..”; 5) Free schools – including universities - supported by the state, without religious influence; and 6) Total separation of church and state. 1860Bremenseaman Charles Henry Nimitz Sr., grandfather of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, builds the Nimitz Hotel in Frederickburg. In 1870, he adds a steamboat shaped façade. 1861 Texassecedesfrom the Union, and joins theConfederate States of America. Gillespie County votes 400 -17 againstsecessionfrom the Union. Unionists from Kerr, Gillespie, and Kendall counties participate in the formation of theUnion League, a secret organization to supportPresident Abraham Lincoln’spolicies. Surveyor Jacob Kuechler is commissioned as a Captain bySam Houstonto enroll state militia troops in Gillespie County. Kuechler signs up only German Unionists in his frontier company, and is dismissed byGovernor Francis R. Lubbock. 1862 Fifty-four Gillespie county men join the Confederate Army. Eventually 300 would enlist with the CSA to avoid conscription. The Union League forms companies to protect the frontier against Indians and their families against local Confederate forces.Conscientious objectorsto the military draft are primarily amongTejanosand Germans . Confederate authorities impose martial law on Central Texas.Nueces massacreinKinney County. Jacob Kuechler serves as a guide for 61 conscientious objectors attempting to flee to Mexico.Scottishborn Confederate irregular James Duff and hisDuff’s Partisan Rangerspursue and overtake them at theNueces River. 34 are killed, some executed after being taken prisoner. Jacob Kuechler survives the battle. The cruelty shocks the people of Gillespie County. 2,000 take to the hills to escape Duff's reign of terror. Spring Creek Cemetery nearHarperin Gillespie County has a singular grave with the names Sebird Henderson, Hiram Nelson, Gus Tegener and Frank Scott. The inscription reads“Hanged and thrown in Spring Creek by Col. James Duff’s Confederate Regiment.” 1864Kiowaraiders massacre residents of the McDonald farm in the Harper vicinity. 1865 Gillespie county suffers a war-time crime wave, as 17 individuals are convicted of murder. 1866 Treüe der Union ('Loyalty to the Union') monument in Comfort is dedicated to the Texans slain at theNueces massacre. It is the only monument to the Union outside of the National Cemeteries on Confederate territory. It is one of only six such sites allowed to fly the United States flag at half-mast in perpetuity. 1870Herman Lehmannand brother Willie are captured by Apaches, but Willie escapes within days. 1874-75 Andreas Lindig builds the county’s first lime kiln. 1878, May 12 - Herman Lehmann, escorted by soldiers, finally returns to his family. 1881 Gillespie County becomes the first county in Texas to hold a fair. 1882 Original Gillespie County Courthouse constructed. Later to become Pioneer Memorial Library. 1885Chester W. Nimitz, futureCommander in Chief,United States Pacific Fleet, is born in Fredericksburg. His father Chester B. Nimitz dies before his birth, leaving his seaman grandfather as role model. 1897, May 27 - John O. Meusebach dies at his farm atLoyal ValleyinMason County, is buried in the Marschall Meusebach Cemetery atCherry Spring. 1908 Future President of the United StatesLyndon B. Johnsonis born in a small farmhouse on thePedernales River. 1934 Gillespie County Historical Society is formed. 1938Pedernales Electric Cooperativeis formed to provide rural electrification 1948 County begins annual Easter Fire event to commemorate the Meusebach treaty signing. 1960’s Lyndon Johnson becomesVice President of the United Statesand subsequentlyPresident of the United States. His ranch at Stonewall becomes known as the Texas Whitehouse. Tourism becomes an important industry. 1966, February 20 - Chester Nimitz dies in California and is laid to rest at theGolden Gate National Cemetery. 1967, February 24 - Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Memorial Naval Museum opens in the old Nimitz Hotel on Main Street in Fredericksburg. 1973, January 22 – Lyndon Johnson dies at hisStonewallranch. He, and laterLady Bird Johnson, are laid to rest at the family cemetery on the ranch. 1976, May 8 - The Japanese Garden of Peace, a gift from the people ofJapan, is dedicated on the 130th anniversary of the founding of Fredericksburg at the Nimitz Museum. 1981, September 1 - The state legislature places the Nimitz Museum underTexas Parks and Wildlife DepartmentasThe National Museum of the Pacific War. 1984 TheState of TexasopensEnchanted Rock State Natural Areaafter adding facilities. That same year it is also added to theNational Register of Historic Places, 2008, August 27 - The Texas White House officially opens to the public. 2009 TheGeorge H. W. Bush Galleryopens at the Nimitz museum. Notable residents President Lyndon Baines Johnson was born in Stonewall, in the eastern part of the county. The Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, which includes much of the former president's LBJ Ranch, is located just outside of Stonewall.Admiral Chester W. Nimitz was born in a house that still stands on Main Street in Fredericksburg. Nimitz, who grew up in Fredericksburg and in nearby Kerrville, graduated from the United States Naval Academy, rose to the rank of Fleet Admiral and commanded the Pacific War during World War II. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,061 square miles (2,749 km²), virtually all of which is land. Adjacent counties Mason County- northwest Llano County- northeast Blanco County- east Kendall County- south Kerr County- southwest Kimble County- west Major highways Interstate 10 U.S. Highway 87 U.S. Highway 290 State Highway 16 Farm to Market Road 783 National protected area Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park(part) Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 20,814 people in the county, organized into 8,521 households, and 6,083 families. The population density is 20 people per square mile (8/km²). There are 9,902 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county is 92.82% White, 0.33% Native American, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 5.27% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 15.90% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 1990 there were approximately 3,000 speakers of Texas German in Gillespie and Kendall counties, but this is believed to have declined in the last two decades.There are 8,521 households out of which 25.90% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.10% are married couples living together, 7.00% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% are non-families. 25.80% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.20% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 2.84.In the county, the population is spread out with 21.60% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 21.20% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 25.50% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 46 years. For every 100 females there are 89.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.10 males.The median income for a household in the county is $38,109, and the median income for a family is $45,315. Males have a median income of $26,675 versus $20,918 for females. The per capita income for the county is $20,423. 10.20% of the population and 7.10% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.40% of those under the age of 18 and 9.90% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Politics Gillespie County is somewhat of an aberration in that it is a historically Republican county in a state that was overwhelmingly Democratic up until recent decades. This is largely due to the heavily German American heritage of the county (German Americans tended to be historically Republican-leaning). Gillespie County has been won by Republicans in every election since 1896 with only a handful of exceptions. Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party won the county in 1912 (but carried no other counties in the state). In 1924, it was one of only two Texas counties won by Progressive candidate Robert M. LaFollette. Gillespie County only backed the Democratic nominee in 1932 and 1964, both of which were landslide victories for the party, and has yet to do so again. In the last five Presidential elections no Democratic candidate has received more than 21% of the county's vote.As part of Texas's 11th congressional district it is currently represented by Republican Mike Conaway. In the 26 yeas prior the 11th district had been represented by Democrats Marvin Leath and Chet Edwards. On a local level it is part of Texas Senate, District 24 and is represented by Republican Troy Fraser. It is also part of the 73rd district of the Texas House of Representatives and is represented by Republican Doug Miller who received the Taxpayer Advocate Award by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility and the Champion for Free Enterprise Award from the Texas Association of Business. Cities and towns Albert Cherry Spring Crabapple Doss Fredericksburg Harper Luckenbach Stonewall Willow City