Henderson Crossing

Wesson, near the Esser crossing of the Guadalupe River nineteen miles northwest of New Braunfels in northwestern Comal County, was first known as Henderson Crossing for Hensley G. Henderson, who settled there in 1850. After 1858 the crossing was called Esser Crossing after Charles Esser, who bought the site, but the community in general was known as Guadalupe Valley and had the Guadalupe Valley School, Guadalupe Valley Rifle Club, and Guadalupe Valley Singing Club. For twenty years mail was delivered from the Spring Branch and Smithson Valley post offices. Charles Esser applied for a post office, but every name suggested was already in use. In desperation, Esser suggested the name Hell and was told that there was already such an office in the state. Names of arms manufacturers were finally submitted, and the name Wesson was chosen. Charles Beierle conducted the post office in his home from 1893 to 1907, when a star route from New Braunfels was established. The area later became part of the Sherwood High School district, although Wesson itself has been a ghost community since World War II.