Wheeler County

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Wheeler County. Now, every county out here on the Texas Panhandle has got a story, and Wheeler County's is worth the telling. It was formed from Young and Bexar territories, two names that carry a good deal of Texas history all on their own.

The county was created on August 21, 1876, and if you know anything about the pace of frontier government, you know that creating a county and actually organizing one are two very different things. Sure enough, it took until April 12, 1879, before Wheeler County got itself properly organized. The land had to catch up to the paperwork, you might say.

The county was named in honor of Royal T. Wheeler, born in 1810, gone in 1864. Now, Royal T.

Wheeler was not a man who occupied small rooms. He served as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas from 1844 to 1858, and then, as if that weren't enough, he moved up to Chief Justice, a post he held from 1858 to 1864. The highest seat on the highest court in Texas.

That's the man this county carries. When organization finally came in 1879, the county seat was established at Mobeetie. Mobeetie held that distinction all the way until 1906, and then, the seat moved to Wheeler, where it has remained since.

Two county seats, one county, and a name that honors a chief justice. Wheeler County doesn't make a fuss about any of it. It just sits out there on the Panhandle, holding its ground the way it always has.

What the marker says

Formed from Young and Bexar territories. Created August 21, 1876. Organized April 12, 1879. Named in honor of Royal T. Wheeler (1810-1864). Associate justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, 1844-1858. Chief Justice, 1858-1864. County Seat, Mobeetie, 1879-1906. Wheeler, since.