History

   A Matagorda County state historical landmark recognizes and protects a ship sunk by a German U-boat off Matagorda Peninsula in the early months of World War II.
   The landmark is in the Gulf of Mexico, 7.7 miles off Matagorda Peninsula, where the 4,351-ton Mexican general cargo merchant ship, SS Oaxaca was sunk by a single torpedo from the German submarine U-171 in the early-morning hours of July 26, 1942. 
   The Texas Historical Commission (THC) approved Oaxaca's landmark designation in February 2010. 
   A hearing in Austin affirmed THC's decision to accept the landmark's nomination was attended by Craig Hlavinka, representing Matagorda County Historical Commission (MCHC).
   Unlike Matagorda County's numerous other state historical landmarks, the Oaxaca doesn’t have the customary Texas Historical Commission metal marker or any other marker for that matter, Hlavinka said at the time. 

Compiled by Mary Belle Ingram  & Wendy Burgess
Written 1996 

Compiled by Carol Sue Gibbs
Matagorda County TXGenWeb

Compiled by Carol Sue Gibbs
Matagorda County TXGenWeb

Hurricane’s Toll Mounts
Several Known Dead as 70 to 80 Mile Wind Hits Matagorda Bay Section
No Known Lives Reported Lost Here, Fear Felt For Some; Few Buildings Escape Wind Damage
Much Damage is Suffered 
At Camp Hulen
Many Buildings At B. Y. P. U. Grounds Demolished; 
Repairing Starts
   Battered for hours by hurricane winds and surging waves, the Texas coast, from Freeport to Corpus Christi, Thursday was counting its dead and injured and adding up a huge property damage.
   The storm moved inland Wednesday, after lashing the coast for several hours, the worst of its fury being spent on the Matagorda Bay section.
   At least eight persons were known to be dead and nine were missing. The dead included five at East Morales [Jackson County], in a tornado which ripped thru the section during the storm; one at Texas City and two at Freeport.

Steve William Parsutt
February 14, 1918- August 24, 2018

Rosie Mae Blair Dannelley
 
March 26, 1942- Sunday, September 2, 2018

Matagorda County TXGenWeb

William Prissick.
   Passages in the Life of an Eccentric Texas Legislator.
   The Family Pedigree of Hon. William Prissick-Oddities of Odd Englishman
Scraps of Early History 
   in the Settlement of Texas.
   (Written for The Galveston Weekly News 
   Jan. 12, 1882
By D.E.E. Braman, of Matagorda.)
 
      EDITOR’S NOTE: D.E.E. Braman came to Texas in 1836 to fight in the Texas Revolution (see adjoining story) and became one of the state’s early great writers and chronicler of the Times - William Prissick was an important topic to him.
   This is the second installment of the William Prissick chronicles that tell a good bit about Matagorda County life in early and mid 1800s.

Matagorda County TXGenWeb

William Prissick.
   Passages in the Life of an Eccentric Texas Legislator.
   The Family Pedigree of Hon. William Prissick-Oddities of Odd Englishman
Scraps of Early History 
in the Settlement of Texas.
   (Written for The Galveston Weekly News 
Jan. 12, 1882
by D.E.E. Braman, of Matagorda.)
 
   EDITOR’S NOTE: D.E.E. Braman came to Texas in 1836 to fight in the Texas Revolution and became one of the state’s early great writers and chronicler of the Times - William Prissick was an important topic to him.
   This is the second installment of the William Prissick chronicles that tell a good bit about Matagorda County life in early and mid 1800s.