Texas County, the largest of Missouri’s 114 counties, comprises 1,179
square miles of Ozark Highland. With the same name as the
second largest of the fifty U.S. states, larger than the smallest
State (Rhode
Island 1,045 square
miles), in terms of total land area.
When formed in 1843, it was named after William
H. Ashley, the first lieutenant governor of Missouri, but when the
county was officially organized on February 14, 1845, it was renamed for
the Republic of Texas.
A seat of justice for the county was laid out in 1846 near the center of
the county on Brushy Creek and named Houston for
the first president of the Texas Republic. The present Texas County
Courthouse, built in 1932, is the county’s sixth. It was remodeled in
1977 and again in 2007. The Texas County Justice Center built in 2007-08
is greatly appreciated.
Rugged hills, springs, creeks, rivers and caves abound in Texas County.
The Native Americans were here in 1826. There have been many mounds
found in the county as proof of Native Americans inhabitants. Native
American paintings remain upon various bluffs over ancient campsites.
The area was part of the 1808 Osage Native American land cession.
Pioneers came to Texas County in the 1820s from Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and
the Carolinas and set up sawmills along the Big Piney River. With plenty
of water and among the pine timber, pioneers made a nice income rafting
the timber down the Piney River toward St.
Louis. Some 48,000 acres in the north and northwest part of the
county is now part of the Mark
Twain National Forest, along with several acres in the southeast
part of the county being part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways
Park. They homesteaded the fertile valleys and soon log cabins dotted
various parts of the country. Small family farms are still a major part
of the landscape of the county. The population of the first Federal
Census of Texas County in 1850 was 2,312 citizens.
Life of the pioneer was happy and carefree; he knew nothing of food
shortage, for he raised his own provisions, and with his trusty gun he
could shoot various wild game. He hunted, trapped and sold furs to
traveling buyers. Livestock was limited to razorback hogs and a few
chickens. Horses were few and nearly everyone possessed a yoke of oxen.
Farming has changed over the years. In the early 1900s farmers grew
crops such as corn, wheat, oats, hay, a few cattle, hogs, etc. The 1990s
found us to be a beef and dairy county along with the production of
feeder pigs.
The American
Civil War period was a
time of turmoil in Texas County. The populace was predominantly Southern.
The courthouse was occupied during the war by the Union Army as
headquarters. Houston was an important place on the route from federal
headquarters in Springfield to
headquarters in Rolla.
Some skirmishes were fought here. Confederate soldiers stormed the town,
burning every building. Before the courthouse burnt, the Confederates
loaded up all the county records, hauled them to a cave on Arthurs
Creek, and kept them there, returning all the books safely, after the
conflict was over.
Early social activities were confined to churchgoing when a preacher
came to the community. Among the younger set, the amusements were
old-time hoedowns, candy pulling, corn husking, barn warming, quilting
bees, and log rolling. Arts and crafts have and continue to enter into
the lives of many. People still gather for church activities, auctions,
musicals, square dancing and sports of all kind. Like the early
pioneers, today fishing and river floating are popular recreational
activities in Texas County. Hunting is still enjoyed by many and Texas
County is one of the leading counties statewide for deer and turkey
