San Saba County, Texas: History
=== Early history ===
Early Native American inhabitants of the area included Tonkawa, Caddo, Lipan Apache, and Comanche. In 1732, Governor of Spanish Texas, Juan Antonio Bustillo y Ceballos, arrived on the feast day of sixth-century monk St. Sabbas, and named the river Río de San Sabá de las Nueces. Santa Cruz de San Sabá Mission was established in 1757. In 1788, José Mares led an expedition from San Antonio to Santa Fe.
In 1828, 28 people from Stephen F. Austin's group passed through. A portion of the county was included in Austin's grants from the Mexican government. The Fisher–Miller Land Grant in 1842 contained most of later land deeds. Five years later, the Meusebach–Comanche Treaty was signed in San Saba County. In 1854, the Harkey family settled at Wallace and Richland Creeks. The David Matsler family moved from Burnet County to Cherokee Creek.
San Saba County was organized from Bexar County and named for the San Saba River in 1856. San Saba was selected as the county seat. The Seventh Texas Legislature confirmed the boundaries of the county in 1858. in 1860, the population was 913, which included 98 slaves. The county was divided into 10 school districts in 1867.
In 1874, Edmund E. Risen devoted his work to improving local nuts, in particular the pecan. San Saba eventually billed itself as the Pecan Capital of the World.
In the 1880s-'90s, mob rule not only whipped and forced out numerous people in towns throughout Texas, but also took 140 lives in Texas following the Civil War. San Saba County had the worst of the violence, with 25 lives taken by lynching from 1880 to 1896. An investigation led to the Texas Rangers restoring order. "The San Saba County lynchers, the deadliest of the lot, claimed some 25 victims between 1880 and 1896.
The San Saba Male and Female Academy was founded in 1882. In 1889, the United Confederate Veterans William P. Rogers Camp No. 322 was established, named for Col. William P. Rogers. West Texas Normal and Business College was organized by Francis Marion Behrns in 1885.
The parallel-wire suspension Beveridge Bridge was built across the San Saba River in 1896 by Flinn, Moyer Bridge Co. In 1911, the Lometa-Eden branch of the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway was built through San Saba County. San Saba County brick and sandstone courthouse is erected. Architect Chamberlin & Co.
In 1930, half of the county farms were tenant farmed. In 1931, pioneer rancher W.H. "Uncle Billy" Gibbons gave the Boy Scouts of America a 99-year lease to campgrounds along Brady Creek on the historic Gibbons Ranch. Relocated several miles upstream in 1946, the Boy Scouts continue to use Camp Billy Gibbons to this day. The 1938 San Saba River floods caused county-wide devastation. One-third of the town of San Saba was under water. The Town of San Saba was incorporated in 1940. Prolonged drought in the mid-1950s brought hardship to the county agricultural economy.
The San Saba County News merged with the San Saba Star in 1960. In 1965, a historical marker was erected to honor pioneer doctor Edward D. Doss.