Brownsboro, Texas
Encyclopedia
Brownsboro is a city in Henderson County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was 796 at the 2000 census
. The community is on Texas State Highway 31.
. With the construction of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway through the county in 1880, the town moved to the railroad.
The town of Normandy was near the site of present Brownsboro. It was established in 1845 by Johan Reinert Reiersen
of Kristiansand
, Norway
, who urged Norwegian immigrants to settle in the new community. In the summer of 1847, a number of settlers died and many of the Norwegian immigrants moved to Four Mile Prairie in Van Zandt County
and Prairieville in Kaufman County
, also established by Reiersen.
A Norwegian Lutheran church and cemetery were established in Normandy in 1853, but after that the community merged into the Brownsboro settlement. A nearby Lutheran church served as the chapel for the cemetery until the 1920s.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 796 people, 291 households, and 220 families residing in the city. The population density
was 407.0 people per square mile (156.8/km²). There were 323 housing units at an average density of 165.2 per square mile (63.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.73% White, 1.38% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.88% from other races
, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.28% of the population.
There were 291 households out of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.0% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,542, and the median income for a family was $29,844. Males had a median income of $25,729 versus $21,125 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,851. About 20.8% of families and 22.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
Henderson County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 73,277 people, 28,804 households, and 20,969 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There were 35,935 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
, 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...
. The population was 796 at the 2000 census
Census
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...
. The community is on Texas State Highway 31.
History
Brownsboro was first settled in 1849 by John (Red) Brown, who operated a toll bridge across Kickapoo Creek on the road to Jordan's Saline and Tyler. By 1860, Henry Cade had erected a sawmill and a cotton ginCotton gin
A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, a job formerly performed painstakingly by hand...
. With the construction of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway through the county in 1880, the town moved to the railroad.
The town of Normandy was near the site of present Brownsboro. It was established in 1845 by Johan Reinert Reiersen
Johan Reinert Reiersen
Johan Reinert Reierson was Norwegian-American writer, author and publisher as well as an early Texas pioneer and emigration activist.-Immigrantion:...
of Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, who urged Norwegian immigrants to settle in the new community. In the summer of 1847, a number of settlers died and many of the Norwegian immigrants moved to Four Mile Prairie in Van Zandt County
Van Zandt County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 48,140 people, 18,195 households, and 13,664 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 20,896 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
and Prairieville in Kaufman County
Kaufman County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 71,313 people, 24,367 households, and 19,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 91/sq mi . There were 26,133 housing units at an average density of 33/sq mi...
, also established by Reiersen.
A Norwegian Lutheran church and cemetery were established in Normandy in 1853, but after that the community merged into the Brownsboro settlement. A nearby Lutheran church served as the chapel for the cemetery until the 1920s.
Geography
Brownsboro is located at 32°18′3"N 95°36′54"W (32.300745, -95.615022).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 square miles (5.2 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 796 people, 291 households, and 220 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 407.0 people per square mile (156.8/km²). There were 323 housing units at an average density of 165.2 per square mile (63.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.73% White, 1.38% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.88% 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 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.28% of the population.
There were 291 households out of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% 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, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population was spread out with 33.0% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,542, and the median income for a family was $29,844. Males had a median income of $25,729 versus $21,125 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 $14,851. About 20.8% of families and 22.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
Prominent citizens of Brownsboro include:- Laura McCranie