Witting

Witting is at the intersection of Lavaca County Road 277 and Farm Road 340, midway between Hallettsville and Moulton in northwestern Lavaca County. On September 15, 1831, Edwin Richeson, a member of Green DeWitt 's Gonzales colony, received a land grant from the Mexican government between Smeathers Creek and the south bank of the Lavaca River. The land was well-watered rolling prairie suited for pasture and cultivation of cotton and corn. Following the Civil War much of the land became small farms, and German immigrants began replacing the earlier Anglo-American residents. A community with a store operated by H. Barbade, a blacksmith shop, and a cotton gin grew near the center of Richeson's grant and was named for George Witting, a large landowner. In 1880 the settlement acquired a post office, which continued in operation until 1906. A school was built nearby, and the community prospered in relation to the supply and demand for cotton. In 1896 the German Schuetzen-Verein built a community hall, and by 1928 there were enough residents to build and support a German Lutheran church. A Catholic church followed in 1944 for the growing Czech population. By 1950 Witting had seven stores, a community hall, two churches, a school, a cotton gin, and seventy residents. A decline in cotton production during the 1950s signaled a decline in the community. The gin closed, as did several of the stores. School consolidation sent students to both Hallettsville and Moulton. By 1987 only one business remained, supported by a population of ninety and a strong sense of community. Through 2000 the population was still ninety.