Stanton Has Worn Three Names and Has Deep Roots in Oil and Farming

Martin County was created in 1876 from Bexar County. It was named for Wylie Martin, one of Stephen F. Austin's original colonists. The county seat started as Grelton in 1881 — a small settlement tied to the Texas and Pacific Railway. German Catholic immigrants soon arrived, drawn by a priest and cheap land. The town was renamed Mariensfield, then renamed again in 1890 to Stanton, after Edwin McMasters Stanton, who served as Secretary of War under President Lincoln.

Cotton farming grew fast after the county organized in the 1880s. By 1930, about 80,000 acres were planted in cotton. Oil came later — commercial production started in 1950. The Permian Basin formations under Martin County proved productive. Today the county's economy mixes oil and gas with agriculture. The Handbook of Texas Online, maintained by the Texas State Historical Association, is the best source for deeper history.