Wilson County is part of the San Antonio–New Braunfels, Texas, metropolitan statistical area.

Archeological evidence in the Wilson County area reveals early habitation from the paleo-Indians hunter-gatherers period.

[citation needed] In September 1718 Martín de Alarcón crossed the area on his way to explore the bay of Espíritu Santo.

Pedro de Rivera y Villalón crossed the county in 1727 as part of an expedition to inspect the frontier defenses of New Spain.

The first two land grants in the area were to Luis Menchaca and Andrés Hernández,[8] who established ranches circa 1832–1833.

Anglos began arriving in the 1840s,[6] and Southern planters in 1850 and 1860, followed by German and Polish immigrants from other counties.

Wilson County voted in favor of secession[6] from the Union, and sent several military units to serve.

As farmers and ranchers began to compete for precious land and water, cattlemen found it more difficult to feed their herds, prompting cowboys to cut through fences.

Texas Governor John Ireland[12] prodded a special assembly to order the fence cutters to cease.