|
FASCINATING MANUSCRIPT MAP OF GONZALES COUNTY TEXAS BY APPLETON
|
Map of GONZALES COUNTY (Texas)
|
|
| Item
# |
AM770 |
| Authors |
Appleton, C.H.
|
| Year |
c.1879
|
| Place
of Publication |
Austin
|
| Size |
22.25 x 23.62 inches (sheet size) |
| Condition |
Manuscript map on linen, with hand coloring. Land department stamp in upper left and two collections tamps. In excellent condition with the exception of some discoloration. |
| Price |
Sold
|
|
|
| Description |
|
The General Land Office was established by the Republic of Texas in 1836, shortly after Texas was its independence from Mexico. The office was responsible for managing public lands by collecting and storing records, and providing surveys and maps of various counties. The land office maps are some of the most accurate and interesting maps of Texas produced during the nineteenth century. They provide an invaluable record of the various counties including geographical information and land titles. Through the pre-emption acts, Texas continued to grant land to settlers until 1898 when the public domain was finally depleted. The first pre-emption act was published by the Republic of Texas in 1845, and stated that anyone who settled on up to 320 acres of land could buy the title for 50 cents an acre. Until 1898 the state intitiated a number of acts that encourage land purchase in Texas and the population slowly rose thereafter.
This is a fascinating manuscript map of GOnnzales County prodduced by Appleton for the Texas Genral Land Office. Gonzales County is south of Austin and is bordered by De Witt, Lavaca, Fayette, Caldwell and Guadalupe counties. Gonzales County, named for the capital of Green De Witt's colony, was established in 1836 and organized in 1837 as one of the original counties in the Republic of Texas. It occupied the same area as DeWitt's colony but after annexation was reduced in size. Members of the colony fought at the Alamo and the Civil War. This is an important map of this pivotal Texas county and an invaluable glimpse of Texan history.
Ref: Lola Doyle Beach, "History of Gonzales County in the Nineteenth Century" (M.A. thesis, University of Texas, 1930). |
![]() |
|
|