Matagorda’s count, countess; A tragic tale

Picking up from last week’s history page story on the Countess and Count of Matagorda...est daughter of the Genitises.

Henry Thorp became prominent Matagorda legislator and attorney

Henry Thorp, lawyer and state representative, was born in Greensville County, Virginia, in 1830.   Thorp came to Texas with his older brothers about 1848 and settled in Matagorda County.   Here, he studied law and went into practice with an older brother.

Robert Williams interests went from politics to farming

Robert Harris Williams, alcalde of the District of Mina and one of Stephen F. Austin’s Old Three Hundred colonists, son of Marmaduke “Duke” and Ede (Harris) Williams, was born in Caswell County, North Carolina, on October 10, 1796.   His siblings included Charles F. Augustus and John Williams.

Ira Lewis active in raising funds for revolution

Ira Randolph Lewis, government official, was born in Virginia on September 25, 1800, to Dr. Jacob and Deborah (FitzRandolph) Lewis.  He was educated in Cincinnati, Ohio, and lived for several years in Mississippi and Louisiana before moving to Texas in 1831.

Wadsworth sought to have county seat moved there in 1914

A County Divided  In 1914, the leaders of the young town of Wadsworth ambitiously decided that they would propose the division of Matagorda county into two and establish their town as the county seat of the eastern portion.

Japanese farmers in Matagorda County

Continued from last  week’s edition of the Bay City Sentinel    It was during the early development of the rice industry that Japanese farmers began rice farming in Matagorda County.

Japanese farmers in Matagorda County

continued from last  week’s edition of the Bay City Sentinel  Markham Community  For many years this bank was a part of the community until it closed in 1923.   Lawlessness occurred and the citizens depended on the Bay City sheriff since there was no law enforcement within Markham.

Marker dedicated to recognize Japanese Farmers contributions

Matagorda County Historical Commission dedicated a Texas Historical Commission historical marker recognizing the “Japanese Farmers in Matagorda County” at the Markham Community Center Saturday, Oct. 11.

Japanese farmers in Matagorda County

Markham CommunityMarkham, an unincorporated community, is located about five miles south of the Colorado River off Highway 35 on the junction of FM 1468 and FM 2431.

The SS Oaxaca: freighter sank by u-boat in July ’42

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.