Wilson County was carved from Bexar and Karnes counties in 1860

The Texas Legislature created Wilson County on February 13, 1860, by splitting it from Bexar and Karnes counties. It was named for James C. Wilson, a state legislator who participated in the Somervell Expedition. Permanent Anglo settlement began in the late 1840s, with ranching and cattle drives central to the early economy.

After wire fencing arrived in the early 1880s, farming took hold. Cotton became the dominant cash crop by the 1890s. Oil was discovered in 1941. The county produced an estimated 37 million barrels of oil between 1941 and 1991 according to the Handbook of Texas. Today the county blends agriculture, energy, and suburban growth from nearby San Antonio.