San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-10-11
HAYS COUNTY,
Texas-A Truthful Pen Portrait

The article descriptive of Hays Coun.
ty which we formerly published, being
out Of print. to meet general demand
we propose preparing another, with re.
visions and additions. We shall sup
plement the beet and most authentic in.
formation we can obtain, BY our own OBJ.
servations during over ten years past,
and shall mako it point not to indulge
in the exaggerations, pro or con. 30
common to writer's concerning new re-
gions of country. We believe great
wrong has been done by unscrupulous
and interested parties giving false ideas
of Texas--wrong to people who have
been led to come to the State by such
Misrepresentation, and wrong also to
the State, which has sufficient merits
to induce immigration without resort
ing to false pretenses. Uii .as
HISTORICAL SKETCH. M
The history of Hays county ma tural-
ly begins with that OF San Marcos.
The bursting forth of the river, full
formed, from the foot OF noun tain
near by, and it's peerless beauty and pu-
rity, conspired to make the spots mark
ed one by nature. According to a
writer in Sc,qbaer's Magazine for Jan
uary, 1874, as early as 1923 the Right
Reverend Fathers, forming the College
of Santa Cruz Of Queretaro, were
authorized to found three missions on
the San Marcos, but the order was af-
forwards resoinded in favor of San An
tonic; but for which San Marcos, in
stead of the Alamo City, might have
been the metropolis of Western Texas,
A place thus remarkable by nature,
of course wan destined to become the
site Of an Anglo American town, A
DR.. Merriman appears to have beeu the
first settler, in the fall of 1916, but
others may contest the claim. For in
stance we are told that VIM. Moon,
who still resides in this county, built
the first house in San Marcos, and it is
still pointed out to the curious observer.
T. G.. McGehee, we belieye, is .conced-
ed to have been the first settler of the
immediate vicinity, at the place where
he lately resided, few miles down the
river.
Hays county was organized in 1848,
through the fundamentally Of General
Burleson, then member of the State
Senate, and was named in honor of Col.
Jack Hays, the noted Texas Ranger.
Prior to that date it was part of Travis
and Bastrop counties. The Antonio
Veremendi League was purchased by
Gen. Burleson and William Lindsey,
and $40 acres appropriated for a town
site. They paid for it partly in cash
and partly in cattle. Each settler re-
ceived building lot free. Henry Nc
Cullough was stationed here with a
company of rangers, and log house,
used as a commIssary department, and
bar-room in tent, constituted the
settlement up to April, 1847. The first
election was held in August, 1913.
The years 1857, '58 and SO were
seasons of terrible drought. particular
ly the first named, when there was
total failure of crops. The war soon
followed, continuing the period of dis
tress. Afterwards for some years there
was little immigration or progress. The
first awakening was caused by the en-
terprise of Prof, Hollingsworth, IN
causing to be erected large stone build
ing on a commanding site, called Coro-
nal Institute, and starting a successful
high school in it. This induced per-
sons to come and settle in the town.
From that time to about 1874 the course
Of San Marcos was onward, till from
small hamlet of a few hundred inhabi-
tauts, the population had reached in
1880, 1872. that of the county 1856,
with indications Of far moro rapid
growth in view Of the advent Of railroad
The population Of the
county,is now no doubt fully 5000, aad
that Of the town 1900.
AREA, LOCATION, ETC.
Hays is one Of the smallest counties Of
Texas, containing only about 60 square
niles. The Both parallel Of latitude
and the eSth Of longitude both pass