Katemcy, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Katemcy, Texas
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 Katemcy, Texas
Location in Texas
Katemcy, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Mason |
| Elevation | 1,680 ft (512 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 325 |
| FIPS code | 48-38464 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1380020 |
Katemcy is a small, rural place in Mason County, Texas, United States. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Katemcy is located near Ranch to Market Road 1222 and U.S. Highway 87.
Both the community and a nearby creek are named after a Comanche leader. His name was Chief Ketemoczy (Katemcy). He was a chief of the Penateka Comanche people. Chief Ketemoczy gave John O. Meusebach the nickname "El Sol Colorado," which means "The Red Sun," because of Meusebach's red hair. Chief Ketemoczy also signed an important agreement called the Fort Martin Scott Treaty.
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How Katemcy Began
This area was first called Cootsville. It was named after an early settler, Andrew Jackson Coots. People started moving to this community in the late 1800s.
In 1879, Doctor William Flemon Cowan and his wife, Mary Ann Primm Cowan, moved here. Mary Ann was a midwife, helping mothers deliver babies. The land where they settled became the community of Katemcy. Dr. and Mrs. Cowan provided medical care to everyone by riding horses all over the county. Mrs. Cowan rode a horse using a special "sidesaddle" and a long riding skirt, which was common for women at that time.
Dr. Cowan's sons, John, Elias, and Alfred, helped the community grow. They ran a sawmill, which cut wood. They also operated a gristmill, which ground grain into flour. And they had a cotton gin, a machine that separated cotton fibers from their seeds.
The First School in Katemcy
In 1883, a Baptist minister named Lawson Jones gave land for a school. It was named Friendship School. The community worked together to raise money to build the school. J.M. Heatherly was the first teacher in this one-room schoolhouse.
Families paid tuition for their children to attend. If a family couldn't afford it, their child could do chores at the school instead. Later, a public school was built in Katemcy. The original Friendship School building was moved and became the Friendship Baptist Church.
Katemcy's Post Office
The community got its own post office on November 17, 1884. Alfred R. Cowan, one of Dr. Cowan's sons, was chosen to be the first postmaster.
Life in Katemcy Over the Years
Katemcy became a popular place for new settlers. The land was not expensive, and there was plenty of water. In 1914, the area got its first telephone.
Many farms in Katemcy were "tenant farms." This meant that farmers rented the land and paid the owner with a share of their crops. This system helped the community thrive. Katemcy had three churches, a school, two doctors, two general stores, two blacksmith shops, and a cotton gin.
However, things started to change around 1920. Tractors became more common, so fewer farm workers were needed. Because of this, the number of people living in Katemcy began to decrease in 1925. In 1945, the Katemcy school system joined with the Mason school system. Today, Katemcy is still a small rural community.
Famous People from Katemcy
The actor Dewey Martin was born in Katemcy. He was known for his roles in movies and television shows.
