Bellville, Texas
Encyclopedia
Bellville is a city
in and the county seat
of Austin County
, Texas
, United States
, located in the southeastern part of the state. The population was 3,794 at the 2000 census
. Bellville was named for Thomas Bell
, one of Stephen F. Austin's
earliest colonists, after he and his brother James Bell donated land for the new county seat established by voters in 1846. The original county seat was located in San Felipe
. Bellville is located at the intersection of State Highway 36
and State Highway 159 as well as FM 529, FM 1456, and FM 2429.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 3,794 people, 1,425 households, and 966 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,452.0 people per square mile (561.3/km²). There were 1,566 housing units at an average density of 599.3 per square mile (231.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.89% White, 11.68% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 3.95% from other races
, and 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.97% of the population.
There were 1,425 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples
living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,806, and the median income for a family was $49,730. Males had a median income of $36,719 versus $21,685 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,671. About 4.5% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Austin County
Austin County, Texas
Austin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas adjacent to the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 28,417 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Bellville. Austin County is named for Stephen F...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, located in the southeastern part of the state. The population was 3,794 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. Bellville was named for Thomas Bell
Thomas Bell
Thomas Bell may refer to:*Thom Bell , record producer*Thomas Bell Dean of Guernsey 1892-1917*Thomas Bell Thomas Bell may refer to:*Thom Bell (born 1943), record producer*Thomas Bell (Anglican priest) Dean of Guernsey 1892-1917*Thomas Bell (Catholic priest) Thomas Bell may refer to:*Thom Bell...
, one of Stephen F. Austin's
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin was born in Virginia and raised in southeastern Missouri. He was known as the Father of Texas, led the second, but first legal and ultimately successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families from the United States. The capital of Texas, Austin in Travis County,...
earliest colonists, after he and his brother James Bell donated land for the new county seat established by voters in 1846. The original county seat was located in San Felipe
San Felipe, Texas
San Felipe, also known as San Felipe de Austin, is a town in Austin County, Texas, United States. The town was the social, economic, and political center of the early Stephen F. Austin colony. The population was 868 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. Bellville is located at the intersection of State Highway 36
State Highway 36 (Texas)
State Highway 36 runs from Abilene to Freeport. It was designated as The 36th Division Memorial Highway between Cameron and Sealy by the Texas Legislature in 1985.-History:...
and State Highway 159 as well as FM 529, FM 1456, and FM 2429.
Geography
Bellville is located at 29°56′50"N 96°15′31"W (29.947225, -96.258657).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,794 people, 1,425 households, and 966 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,452.0 people per square mile (561.3/km²). There were 1,566 housing units at an average density of 599.3 per square mile (231.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.89% White, 11.68% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 3.95% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.97% of the population.
There were 1,425 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,806, and the median income for a family was $49,730. Males had a median income of $36,719 versus $21,685 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,671. About 4.5% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
- Bellville High School (Grades 9-12)
- Bellville Junior High School (Grades 6-8)
- O'Bryant Intermediate School (4-5)
- O'Bryant Primary School (PK-3)
- West End Elementary School (K-5)
- Faith Academy of Bellville (PK-12)
Notable residents
- Beau BellBeau BellRoy Chester Bell , born in Bellville, Texas, was an outfielder for the St. Louis Browns , Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians .He was named to the 1937 American League All-Star Team....
- William CrumpWilliam CrumpWilliam Edward Crump was the first Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives following statehood. A representative from Austin County, Crump was a novice in political circles, having held no previous public office in Texas either in the Republic or at the local level...
- Johnny HollandJohnny HollandJohnny Holland is a former linebackers coach for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He played linebacker for the Green Bay Packers from 1987-1993...
- Ernie KoyErnie KoyErnest Anyz Koy , nicknamed "Chief," was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for four National League teams from 1938 - 1942. He was born in Sealy, Texas and was of American Indian ancestry. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and played with the Longhorns...
- Ernie Koy, Jr.Ernie Koy, Jr.Ernest Melvin Koy is a former American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Texas from 1962–1964 and was drafted by the Giants in the eleventh round of the 1965 NFL Draft...
- Ted KoyTed KoyJames Theodore Koy was an American football tight end for the Buffalo Bills and Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted out of the University of Texas by the Raiders in the 1970 NFL Draft...
- David Smith (reality TV star)David Smith (reality TV star)David Smith, of Bellville, Texas, USA, was a participant in the second season of the Fox network's Joe Millionaire reality television show. Smith went to Italy and wooed 14 European women, pretending to be an $80,000,000 oil tycoon. He actually earned about $11,000 a year as a ranch hand.In the...
- Doug SupernawDoug SupernawDouglas Anderson "Doug" Supernaw is an American country music artist. After several years performing as a local musician throughout the state of Texas, he signed with BNA Records in 1993, releasing his debut album that year.Supernaw has released four studio albums: Red and Rio Grande , Deep...
- Marvin Steck
- Emmanuel Sanders (NFL Wide Receiver)