DeBerry is an unincorporated community

Unincorporated area

In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...

 in Panola County

Panola County, Texas

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,756 people, 8,821 households, and 6,395 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile . There were 10,524 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...

, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. According to the Handbook of Texas

Handbook of Texas

The Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...

, the community had an estimated population of 191 in 2000.

Geography

DeBerry is located at 32°18′12"N 94°10′00"W (32.3032138, -94.1665797). It is situated at the junction of U.S. Highway 79

U.S. Route 79

U.S. Route 79 is a north–south United States highway. The route is a northeast-southwest diagonal, with both east–west segments and north–south segments equally mixed. The highway's northern terminus is in Russellville, Kentucky, at an intersection with U.S. Highway 68 and KY 80...

 and Farm Roads 31 and 1794 in northeastern Panola County, fourteen miles northeast of Carthage

Carthage, Texas

Carthage is a city in Panola County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Panola County, and is situated in East Texas near the Louisiana state line.-Geography:...

.

History

Known as Evergreen prior to the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, the community's name was changed to DeBerry, after local citizen and legislator Alfred Wesley De Berry. A post office was established in 1874 and by 1885, 150 people lived in the community. The population doubled to 300 in the early 1890s before declining in the 1910s. The discovery of oil in the area during the 1920s led to another population boom. By 1929, approximately 250 residents lived in DeBerry. Seven years later. That figure had dipped to 233. Throughout the latter half of the twentieth century, the population remained stable at around 200. The community had thirty rated businesses in 2000. Despite its unincorporated status, DeBerry's post office (zip code: 75639) remains operational.

Notable Events

In 2010, the town's historic community center (once a school) was destroyed by an act of arson.

Education

Public education in the community of DeBerry is provided by the Elysian Fields Independent School District

Elysian Fields Independent School District

Elysian Fields Independent School District is a public school district based in the community of Elysian Fields, Texas .In addition to Elysian Fields, the district also serves the community of DeBerry as well as rural areas in southeastern Harrison County and northeastern Panola County.In 2009, the...

, which is based in the nearby community of Elysian Fields

Elysian Fields, Texas

Elysian Fields is a rural unincorporated community in Harrison County, Texas, United States. It lies 11 miles southeast of the county seat of Marshall....

. The district serves southeastern Harrison County

Harrison County, Texas

Harrison County is a county of the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 62,110. It is named for Jonas Harrison, a lawyer and Texas revolutionary. It is located in the Ark-La-Tex region...

and northeastern Panola County.

External links

• DeBerry Baptist Church