The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 34, July 1930 - April, 1931 Page: 81
359 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Historical Note on Dimmit County, Texas
javelinas, selling the skins for leather; the hides had a standard
value and were used as a medium of exchange.3 The hogs were
hunted and the hides sold for leather, but the relation to State aid
is not authenticated, and even denied.
The first attempt at permanent settlement in the county was
made shortly before the Civil War by John Townsend, a Negro
from Nacogdoches. With quite a following of families he settled
on Pendencia Creek, but, driven out by the Indians, he moved on
to the Rio Grande above Eagle Pass. Another attempt was made
on San Lorenzo Creek by persons from Milwaukee; the ruins of
their abandoned ranch house still stand just across the county line
in Webb County.
During the Civil War, the protection of the southwestern fron-
tier devolved on Texas and the Confederacy. It is reported that
in 1861 "Texas rangers under Captain Mat Nolan and a body of
Mexicans engaged in a battle at Carrizo Springs, Texas."' Troops
patrolled the prairies, passing over, and sometimes encamping on
the soil of Dimmit County. Among these were Captain Levi
English, John Burleson, and Charles and Blue Vivion. In 1865,
at the close of the war, these and others, chiefly from Frio, Atas-
cosa and Goliad Counties, settled in Dimmit County. In one
group which came the first year there were about fifteen families.
Crossing the prairies in Chihuahua wagons and "prairie floats"
behind oxen or horses, they moved to the new range, driving
their cattle with them. For some this move was but another step
of a westward migration either begun earlier and to the east, or
to continue later and farther west.
The first settlement was at Carrizo Springs; shortly a few
ranchers moved out to Pendencia Creek, and others settled on
Pefia Creek.5 Outlying ranches were soon established by other
immigrants; some of them, however, were abandoned because of
Indian hostility.
Settlement was by a converging movement from areas lying
Javelin, March 30, 1912.
VJavelin, May 20, 1911, quoting "50 years ago today" column of St.
Louis Republic, item from May 8, 1861.
'Among these earliest American settlers were W. C. Dickens, L. L.,
W. V., M. D., J. W., and J. R. Bell, James Roberts, Wm. McLaughlin,
Silas Hay, Duncan Lemmons, Grey White, J. P. McCaarley, L. Vivion,
Constant Taylor, Constant Terry, J., C., W., and Wm. Bruton.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 34, July 1930 - April, 1931, periodical, 1931; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101091/m1/91/?rotate=180: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.