by Barbara J. Wood
NOCKENUT
Nockenut Wilson County Texas
Nockenut Wilson County Texas is located on FM 1681, 3.2 miles from intersection of State Highway 123. Nockenut's main street would intersect the pavement at the edge of the post oak belt in the M.C. Wing survey where the road and Ecleto Creek part company. The community of Nockenut grew up around the Ecleto Creek, which was a spring-fed creek that ran year-round. A sawmill, gin and grist mill were built by Henry Solomon Hastings after he and his father, Green Hastings, purchased 1,280 acres from the heirs of M. C. Wing, one of the drawers of a black bean in Mexico as part of the Meir expedition. The community was named Nockenut by H. S. Hastings combining the names of two trees, the Hickory (hickernut) and Anaqua (nockoway), which abounded in the area. H. S. with his Mississippian and added Texas slang, called the community Nockernut, later Nockenut. A post office was established in 1858 with postmaster William Cockrum. H. S. served as postmaster after the Civil War and his daughter, Sallie, became postmistress in 1889. The town contained two stores, a saddle shop and blacksmith shop. At one end of the thoroughfare on the creek were the mill and gin, and the post office was at the other end. A two-story building was the site of the Masonic Lodge #362, with 10 charter members. The lodge served the community until 1873. A school named Cleto School as well as 2 churches, the Methodist and Bethel Baptist were here. The Rev. Preston Hobbs held the Methodist services. He gave the land for the school and church. The Methodist building was moved from its original site to Pandora in 1909. The Bethel Baptist Church held services in a building north and east of the Leach Cemetery atop a hill that overlooks the area. Numerous Hastings are buried in the cemetery including Green and Henry Solomon Hastings, the founders of Nockenut. The original homestead of Henry Solomon is approximately ¼ mile north of what was Nockenut facing the Ecleto Creek.
Written by Bobby & Jo Hastings
Wilson County Sesquicentennial 1860-2010 Book
Nockenut, Wilson County, settled in 1857
NOCKENUT WILSON COUNTY TEXAS ... is on Farm Road 1681 twenty miles northeast of Floresville in northeastern Wilson County. It was settled in 1857 during the wave of German and Polish immigration into the area around Marion in Guadalupe County and Panna Maria in Karnes County. A post office opened there in 1858. The settlement was included in Guadalupe County until the boundary was changed in 1869.
In 1885, the community of seventy-five persons centered around a cotton gin and store operated by Joseph P. Watkins. H. S. Hastings, rancher, was postmaster; A. G. Hastings contracted to bring mail from Seguin; E. E. Hastings operated a general store.
By 1890, the town had a population of eighty and a church, a school, a general store, a cotton gin, a grocer, and a wagonmaker. Nockenut declined when railroads were built further south but remained a rural post office until 1906. By the mid-1930s only a few houses remained. In 1990 through 2000 the reported population was ten.
COURTESY / Texas State Historical Association
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History on a Pecan Shell ..... Nockenut dates from 1857 when Polish immigration was spreading out from Panna Maria and other Karnes County towns. There was also the occasional stray German family. The post office opened in 1858. The town had originally been in Guadalupe County, but there was a boundary change in 1869 and it became part of Wilson County where it has happily resided ever since.
The name Hastings was dominant in Nockenut. E. E. Hasting operated the general store, A. G. Hastings brought the mail from Seguin, and H. S. Hastings was postmaster.
The town was approaching a population of 100 when the railroad came through and drew people and businesses away.
It was what demographers call a dispersed rural community as early as the 1930s.
COURTESY / Texasescapes.com
In 1885, the community of seventy-five persons centered around a cotton gin and store operated by Joseph P. Watkins. H. S. Hastings, rancher, was postmaster; A. G. Hastings contracted to bring mail from Seguin; E. E. Hastings operated a general store.
By 1890, the town had a population of eighty and a church, a school, a general store, a cotton gin, a grocer, and a wagonmaker. Nockenut declined when railroads were built further south but remained a rural post office until 1906. By the mid-1930s only a few houses remained. In 1990 through 2000 the reported population was ten.
COURTESY / Texas State Historical Association
**********
History on a Pecan Shell ..... Nockenut dates from 1857 when Polish immigration was spreading out from Panna Maria and other Karnes County towns. There was also the occasional stray German family. The post office opened in 1858. The town had originally been in Guadalupe County, but there was a boundary change in 1869 and it became part of Wilson County where it has happily resided ever since.
The name Hastings was dominant in Nockenut. E. E. Hasting operated the general store, A. G. Hastings brought the mail from Seguin, and H. S. Hastings was postmaster.
The town was approaching a population of 100 when the railroad came through and drew people and businesses away.
It was what demographers call a dispersed rural community as early as the 1930s.
COURTESY / Texasescapes.com
