Navarro County was formed from Robertson County in 1846. In 1860, after the election of Abraham Lincoln to the American presidency, Navarro County lowered the American flag at the courthouse in protest and instead hoisted the Texas flag. Thereafter early in 1861, some 450 Navarro County men enlisted in the new Confederate States Army. Two of the enlistees became outstanding officers, Roger O. Mills and Clinton M. Winkler, a Confederate colonel for whom Winkler County in far West Texas is named. The county commissioners appropriated funds for weapons and ammunition and for the support of the soldiers' families. The Navarro Rifles constituted an 87-man Confederate infantry unit, formed in Corsicana in July 1861 from area volunteers. They were founded by José Antonio Navarro, all of whose four sons fought for the Confederacy. Clinton Winkler, a founder of Navarro County, served as the initial captain. The group trained near Dresden, Spring Hill, and later Waco and Harrisburg, Texas. The Navarro Rifles became Company I of the Fourth Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiment. In September 1861, the unit reached Richmond, Virginia. The regiment was placed in the Texas Brigade under the command of GeneralJohn Bell Hood.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which are land and are covered by water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 45,124 people, 16,491 households, and 11,906 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile. There were 18,449 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 70.84% White, 16.79% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.33% Pacific Islander, 9.45% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. 15.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 16,491 households out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couplesliving together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were non-families. 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.14. In the county, the population was spread out with 27.20% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $31,268, and the median income for a family was $38,130. Males had a median income of $30,112 versus $20,972 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,266. About 13.90% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.10% of those under age 18 and 14.90% of those age 65 or over.
