San Saba County, Texas
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |
San Saba County Facts

San Saba County was created in February 1, 1856 and formed from Bexar Territory. San Saba County was named for the San Saba River. The County Seat is San Saba. The Official County website is located at http://www.sansabacounty.org/. See also Extended History for more historical details.

Areas adjacent to San Saba County are Mills County (north), Lampasas County (east), Burnet County (southeast), Llano County (south), Mason County (southwest), McCulloch County (west), Brown County (northwest)

  • San Saba County, Texas History Books at Amazon.com
  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
  • Search Historical Newspapers from Texas (1802 - 1993) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
  • Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
  • Search Texas Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

Back to top

San Saba County Court Records

See Also Texas Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

San Saba County Clerk has Court Records from 1868 , Land Records from 1857, and Probate Records from 1868, Marriage Records from 1857 and Birth/Death Records from 1903 is located at 500 E. Wallace St., San Saba, TX 76877; Telephone: (325) 372-3635.

The County Clerk's Office is the record keeper of the county. The county records include birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, brand registrations, DD214s (military discharges), land / real estate / property records, probate and civil filings.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997, Texas Deaths, 1964-98, Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 & 1966-2002, and Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2002. You may also search the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which does cover Texas. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.

Below is a list of online resources for San Saba County Court Records. Email us with websites containing San Saba County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • San Saba County, Texas Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which covers the State of Texas. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
Back to top

San Saba County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Texas

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Texas Department of State Health Services, 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756; (888) 963-7111 or (512) 458-7111; Fax: (512) 458-7711. Please allow up to approximately 6-8 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail, or 2-5 Days when you order through VitalChek Express Certificate Services. The Vital Records Department has the following records:

  • Birth Certificates: Birth records maintained by Bureau of Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health since 1903 through the present. For births that occurred within the past 75 years, copies can be requested only by the immediate family of the person whose name is on the birth certificate. Cost: The cost of a birth record is $22.00. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $22.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Death Certificates: Death records maintained by Bureau of Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health since 1903 through the present. For deaths that occurred in the past 25 years, copies can be requested only by immediate family members of the deceased. Cost: The cost of a certified death certificate is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy issued at the same time for the same certificate. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $20.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Marriage Verifications from Jan 1966 and Divorce Verifications from Jan 1968. Certified copies of marriage licenses or divorce decrees are only available from the county clerk (marriage) or district clerk (divorce) in the county or district in which the event occurred. Marriage verification or divorce verification letters can now be ordered Online. Cost is $20 - Fee is for verification only.

ORDERING

  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Order In Person: The certificates may be ordered by coming into this office.   If you want the copy the same day, our hours for same day service are 8:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. Monday – Friday. The Texas Vital Statistics Office in Austin is located at 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756.
  • Order By Mail: Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "Texas Vital Records " along with the necessary information to the following address: Texas Vital Records, Department of State Health Services, PO Box 12040. Print Aplication for Birth Certificates, Death Certificates and Marriage & Divorce Certificates.

There are a few online marriage databases which include: Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997, Texas Deaths, 1964-98, Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 & 1966-2002, and Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2002. Below is a list of online resources for San Saba County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing San Saba County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Texas newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-10, 1926-29icon - Browse by county, then year, then surname, beginning with the first letters of the last name of the person you seek. If you're unsure of the year or location, use the search box under the browse menu. These records can be searched by father's first and last names, mother's first and maiden names, year, county, and city. The certificates include the child and parents' full names, residence, occupations, age, time and date of the birth, and the name of the physician attending the birth.
  • Texas Death Certificates, 1890-1976icon - These records are searchable by first and last name of the deceased, year, county, and city. A certificate may include the decedent's date, place, and cause of death; age; date of birth; last residence; and marital status. If known, it will also include occupation, birth place, parents' names, and place of burial. Browse by county, then year, then surname, beginning with the first letters of the last name of the person you seek. If unsure of the year or location, use the search box under the browse menu.
  • San Saba County, Texas Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
Back to top

San Saba County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Texas

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

  Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for San Saba County, Texas are 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.

The Texas State Library holds microfilm editions for all of Texas' federal censuses. Although the 1850, 1860, and part of the 1870 mortality schedules have been published, all the original mortality schedules are at the Texas State Library and on microfilm The 1830 territorial census of Miller County, Arkansas, enumerates an area that is in today's Texas boundaries. The remaining 1890 population schedules which exist for Texas include: Ellis County (Justice Precinct 6, Mountain Peak, and Ovilla Precinct); Hood County (Precinct 5); Rusk County (No. 6 and Justice Precinct No. 7); Trinity County (town of Trinity and Justice Precinct 2); and Kaufman County (Kaufman). Although Greer County in present-day Oklahoma functioned as part of Texas between 1886 and 1896, the 1890 census for this county was enumerated under Oklahoma Territory.

Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in San Saba County, Texas are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

Below is a list of online resources for San Saba County Census Records. Email us with websites containing San Saba County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • San Saba County, Texas Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
Back to top

San Saba County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Arkansas and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Texas showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Texas showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps.

Below is a list of online resources for San Saba County Maps. Email us with websites containing San Saba County Maps by clicking the link below:

  • Texas General Land Office Map Collection
  • San Saba County, Texas Map Books at Amazon.com
  • Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.
Back to top

San Saba County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Texas

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for San Saba County Military Records. Email us with websites containing San Saba County Military Records by clicking the link below:

Back to top

San Saba County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Texas tax records constitute one of the most complete sets of available records generated at the county level (by the Commissioners Court) because these documents are maintained by the state. These lists may only include approximately sixty percent of eligible males over the age of twenty-one. Persons exempted from taxes included native Americans, "idiots," "incompetents," and those exempted because of age. This final category of exemptions varied over time. Years without an older age exemption were 1840 and 1862-70. Between 1841-44 exemptions began at forty-five years; in 1845 and from 1850-61 the upward age was set at fifty years. In 1837, 1848, and 1849 the limit was established as fifty-five, and in 1846-7, and 1871 the upward limit was set at sixty years.

Texas Ad Valorem (poll, personal, and real property) tax records for 1836 through 1976 are available in microfilm at the Texas State Library from the date of respective county organization; these are arranged by county and date and are somewhat alphabetized within each division. Microfilm copies are housed in the Genealogy Section. Tax lists for the various counties from creation to 1901 may be borrowed through interlibrary loan. Tax records through 1901-1947 are readily accessible, but not on interlibrary loan. Those for 1948 through 1976 can be obtained upon request. 

Below is a list of online resources for San Saba County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing San Saba County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • San Saba County, Texas Tax Books at Amazon.com
Back to top

San Saba County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Texas Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for San Saba County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing San Saba County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • ?
  • Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P.O. Box 12927, Austin, TX 78711-2927
    Holdings under the auspices of the Texas State Library are divided. Most important for genealogical research are the Texas State Archives with its Local Records Department, the Records Management Division, and the Information Services Division, which includes a Genealogy Section and a Reference Department.
    The Genealogy Section maintains vertical ties that contain notes, clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence on Texas families. These files may be accessed in person, by phone (512-463-5463, forty-five minute limit), or through correspondence.
  • Texas Genealogical Society, 2505 Beluche Drive, Galveston 77551
  • Texas Historical Commision
    The Texas Historical Commission (THC) is the state agency for historic preservation. THC staff consults with citizens and organizations to preserve Texas' architectural, archeological and cultural landmarks. The agency is recognized nationally for its preservation programs.
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Texas Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
Back to top

San Saba County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Texas

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in San Saba County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the San Saba County Tombstone Transcription Project.

During Texas's colonization period Roman Catholics were the most numerous, but early citizens included those representing other religious faiths such as Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Christian or Disciples of Christ.

Many cemetery records have been collected and transcribed, including the largest of which is multi-volumes compilation by the DAR and two volumes for Peters Colonists and descendants. The DAR collection, also microfilmed, is available at the Texas State Library and through the FHL.

Some Texas county historical and genealogical societies have published local cemetery and/funeral home records. These are normally available for purchase through the respective society. Two references can help determine which cemeteries have been recorded: Kim Parsons', A Reference to Texas Cemetery Records (Humble, Tex.: by author, 1988), arranged by county; and Sharry Crofford-Gould's, Texas Cemetery Inscriptions: A Source Index (San Antonio, Tex.: Limited Editions, 1977).

Below is a list of online resources for San Saba County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing San Saba County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

Back to top

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for San Saba County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing San Saba County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

Back to top

Extended History

 

Comanches and Lipan Apaches continued to live in the San Saba County area into the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, often coming into conflict with Spanish missionaries, United States military forces, and Anglo-American settlers. The first European exploration of the area occurred in 1732, when an expedition led by the Spanish governor of Texas, Juan Antonio Bustillo y Ceballos, passed through the vicinity. José Mares is also supposed to have crossed the area in 1788 on an expedition from San Antonio to Santa Fe. The original surveys of present San Saba County indicate that the first land grants, of a league each along the San Saba River, were given to Spanish grantees. The earliest known record of Anglo-Americans in San Saba County was in December 1828, when a group of twenty-eight citizens from Austin's colony at Gonzales traveled through the eastern area of the county on their way to recapture a band of horses. A part of the county was included in one of the grants ceded to Stephen F. Austin under the Mexican empresario system. The Beall grant, which overlapped the Austin grant, was another. In the case of these early grants individuals took legal but not physical possession of the land. The Fisher-Miller land grant, ceded by the Republic of Texas in 1842, can also be included in this category. Most of the later land deeds for San Saba County were out of the Fisher-Miller surveys, but the original members of this group of German-Texan pioneers did not stay in the area. Early permanent settlers included the Harkey family, who settled at Wallace and Richmond creeks in the fall of 1854, and the David Matsler family, who moved from Burnet County and settled on Cherokee Creek that same year. San Saba County was organized in 1856 from Bexar County and was named for the San Saba River. The act establishing the county was passed by the Sixth Legislature and approved on February 1, 1856. The first election was held on May 3 to select county officers and a county seat. The results of this election were set aside because of irregularities, and another election was ordered. On July 19 the present site of the town of San Saba was selected for the county seat. Chappel, settled during the 1850s, was San Saba County's first town. Other towns founded at this time included Richland Springs, Sloan, Deer Creek, Colony, Harkeyville, and San Saba. Cherokee, Harmony Ridge, Holt, and Bend developed over the next twenty years. The original boundaries of the county were confirmed by the Seventh Legislature in 1858. During the Civil War the citizens of San Saba County supported the Confederacy. Although they held relatively few slaves, they favored states' rights. The majority of San Sabans who served in the Confederate forces were in the regiment of Col. James E. McCord. Their primary assignment was to protect the frontier, and they used Camp San Saba, a ranger station in McCulloch County, as their base of operations.

The years between 1860 and 1920 marked a period of growth for San Saba County. The census of 1860 recorded a population of 913, with eighty-nine listed as slaves. By 1870 the number of African Americans grew to 144, while whites increased to 1,281. During the 1880s lawlessness became a problem, and the county experienced a period of "mob rule." In response, citizens formed an anti-mob organization. However, factions developed within the organization, and by 1896 the competing groups were conducting what amounted to open warfare. After a number of men were killed, the Texas Rangers were dispatched to the area, and order was eventually restored. The towns of Bethel, Hall, Lakeview, and Locker were established between 1890 and 1910, and at the turn of the century the county population was 7,569, which included only sixty-one blacks. By 1920 the population was 10,045. During this period agriculture in San Saba County flourished. The number of farms grew from thirty-four in 1860 to 834 in 1890 and 1,268 in 1920. Between 1860 and 1900 the number of cattle jumped from 13,482 to 47,944 and the number of sheep went from 3,674 to 32,974. Between 1900 and 1920 the number of goats increased from 6,284 to 10,040. Wheat and oats originally emerged as primary crops; in 1890, 89,111 bushels of oats and 37,178 bushels of wheat were harvested. Peaches were produced in significant numbers after 1900; in 1920, 28,274 bushels were harvested. Pecans, already in natural abundance, also emerged as an important crop, largely because of the work of Edmund E. Riesen, an Englishman who moved to San Saba County in 1874 and made improvement of the native nuts his life's work. Riesen is credited for laying the groundwork for the pecan industry that led San Saba County to proclaim itself Pecan Capital of the World.

The county population was 10,273 in 1930 and 11,012 in 1940. That year there were 11,327 cattle, 127,207 sheep, and 63,911 goats in the county. Oats, pecans, and peaches continued as primary crops, but wheat production was surpassed by sorghum and corn, with 70,032 bushels of sorghum and 190,633 bushels of corn harvested in 1940. Difficult agricultural conditions in the 1920s followed by the Great Depression affected farming in the county. Although the number of farms increased to 1,424 in 1930, the overall value decreased, from $15,249,276 in 1920 to $14,574,633 in 1930, when half of the county farms were worked by tenants. By 1940 the number of farms had declined to 1,267, and their value was $12,264,321. The record-breaking flood of the San Saba River in July 1938 caused destruction throughout the county. Although the city of San Saba suffered the most extensive damage, Harkeyville, Richland Springs, Pecan Grove, and Bend were also affected. Estimates of the total damage to crops, livestock, homes, and businesses ranged from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000. San Saba County's population declined to 8,666 by 1950 and to 5,540 by 1970. A prolonged drought from 1953 to 1956 did extensive harm to the agricultural economy. The total rainfall during this four-year period was 63.08 inches, an average of 15.77 inches per year. Of that total rainfall 10.12 inches occurred between May and June of 1955. Between 1950 and 1959 the number of farms decreased from 1,105 to 784.

The first church organized in the area of present San Saba County was a Baptist church formed in 1856, the same year the First Methodist Church of San Saba was organized. The Presbyterian church was organized in 1874. The first Episcopal services were held in 1853, but the church was not officially established until 1876, when St. Luke's Episcopal Church was founded. Catholic services were first held in the 1890s, and St. Mary's Catholic Church was built in 1968. In the 1980s there were twenty-four churches in San Saba County, with the largest denominations being Southern Baptist, Church of Christ, and United Methodist.

Several community schools operated in the county prior to the Civil War. Attempts to establish a public school system were delayed by the war, but in 1867 the county was divided into ten school districts. Between 1877 and 1881 several communities organized neighborhood schools within their districts, in which the teachers were paid by subscription. The first school communities organized were Harmony Ridge, Cherokee, Cedar Springs, and Simpson Creek. Schools in the county remained subscription schools until the Methodist High School was established in San Saba in 1881. In 1882 the San Saba Male and Female Academy was founded. In 1895 the West Texas Normal and Business College was organized at Cherokee. It was eventually acquired by the Methodist Church and was known as Cherokee Junior College until 1921. When consolidation of the county schools began in 1911 there were forty-one schools. Consolidation was completed in 1948, and in 1982 there were three school districts in the county.

The first newspaper in West Texas was the San Saba County News, which was founded on January 1, 1873. The paper continued operating into the twentieth century, and in 1960 it merged with the San Saba Star, which was established in 1902. It was still being published as the San Saba News and Star in the late 1980s.

In 1886 the Santa Fe Railroad completed a line that came within twenty-one miles of the town of San Saba, but it was twenty-five years before railroad officials were convinced that San Saba's level of agricultural production merited the extension of the line to the county seat. Not until August 1911 did the Lometa-Eden branch of the Santa Fe build across the county, with stations at San Saba, Algerita, Richland Springs, and Hall Valley. The county's progress in the area of highway construction was equally slow; it was the last county in Texas to have its roads paved. In 1982 San Saba had one railroad branch line, for freight; 755 miles of public roads; and one airport, the San Saba County Municipal Airport.

Politically, San Saba County has been traditionally Democratic. In every presidential election between 1876 and 1992 the majority of votes went to the Democratic candidate, with the exception of 1972 and 1984, when the county supported Republicans Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. After 1970 San Saba County's population began to increase. By 1980 the population was 6,231, including forty-four blacks and 968 Mexican Americans (the latter had increased from 152 in 1970). The largest ancestry groups in the county were English, Irish, and Hispanic. Although the number of farms declined slightly, from 783 in 1969 to 778 in 1982, their value increased. Primary crops included sorghum, oats, peaches, peanuts, and watermelons. The county was fourth in the state in pecan production in 1982. The county was the ninth-highest turkey producer in the state in 1982. The economy of San Saba County became more diversified in the late 1980s. The manufacturing base remained small, constituting only 7 percent of the business sector. Sixteen percent of the labor force was employed in wholesale and retail trade, and almost 25 percent in agribusiness, forestry, fishing, or mining. The industries with the most employment were agribusiness, stone quarrying, and tourism. The latter showed the highest rate of growth. The county population fell to 5,401 in 1990. San Saba (2,626) and Richland Springs (344) remained the two most populous communities. The county has a variety of recreational opportunities and is a popular deer-hunting area.

Back to top
Texas Site Map | | Real Time Web Analytics by Clicky | Copyright © 2009 Genealogy Inc,