Brief synopsis of Victoria County, Texas (source - Wikipedia) 1836 Victory County is formed by the Republic of Texas. It is named after Guadalupe Victoria, the first President of Mexico.[3] Three thousand troops of the Texas army encamp near Spring Creek, Victoria County, under the command of Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, as the main defense against a threatened attack by Mexican general José de Urrea.[11] 1842 Rafael Vásquez and Adrián Woll lead Mexican forces in an invasion into the county.[12] 1850 Coletoville is established by German immigrant Carl Steiner.[13] 1851 Victoria County’s first toll bridge is erected across the river, built by Richard Owens and Sylvester Sutton.[14] 1860 There are 1,413 slaves in the county.[3] 1861 County votes 318-88 in favor of secession from the Union. Victoria County sends 300 men to fight for the Confederate States Army.[3] 1863 Confederate General John B. Magruder destroys the railroad from Port Lavaca to Victoria to keep it out of Union hands. He also sinks trees and boats into the Guadalupe River.[3] 1867-1869 The county is occupied by federal troops. Mob mentality violence by those same troops results in the axing death and corpse mutilation of local official Benjamin F. Hill, who is at the time incarcerated for an alleged self-defense killing of a discharged Union soldier.[15] 1873 Gulf, Western Texas and Pacific Railway connects Victoria with Cuero and the coast.[3] 1882 New York, Texas and Mexican Railway provides the first cross-country route to Rosenberg Junction in Fort Bend County.[3] 1883 Texas Continental Meat Company is erected in the county and is the largest meat packing plant in Texas.[3] 1886 Bray's Ferry is established at the San Antonio River by G. B. Amery and John Bray.[3] 1906 The Guadalupe River Navigation Company is established.[3] 1930 Oil is discovered at the McFaddin Oil Field. Victoria County holds more cattle than any other county in Texas.[3] 1941 Foster Air Force Base is established as Victoria Army Air Field as a training air field.[16] 1967 The Victoria Barge Canal is completed, connecting Victoria County with the Intercoastal Canal.[3]