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Texas Counties
Texas is divided into two hundred and fifty-four counties, more than any other state. Texas was originally divided into municipalities, a unit of local government under Spanish and Mexican rule. When the Republic of Texas gained its independence in 1836, there were 23 municipalities, which became the original Texas counties. Many of these would later be divided into new counties. The most recent county to be created was Kenedy County in 1921. The most recent county to be organized was Loving County in 1931Hill County, Texas
Hill County Education, Geography, and History
Hill County is a county located in the state of Texas. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 35,089. Its county seat is Hillsboro. The county is named for George Washington Hill, secretary of war and secretary of the navy under the Republic of Texas. Hill County is part of Central Texas, though not included in Texas Hill Country.
Etymology - Origin of Hill County Name
George Washington Hill, a secretary of war and secretary of the navy under the Republic of Texas
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Hill County History
Hill County is a county located in the US state of Texas. Its county seat is Hillsboro. The county is named for George Washington Hill, a secretary of war and secretary of the navy under the Republic of Texas, surgeon, and an early settler of the area.
Handbook of Texas Online
In an effort to stimulate land speculation, army doctor Josephus Murray Steiner
and Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson, son of Sterling C. Robertson, devised a
plan to divide Navarro County. A petition was circulated on September 19, 1852, to carve a new county from Navarro
County. Things moved quickly as Governor Peter Hansbrough Bell called a special
session of the legislature to deal with frontier problems; a bill to divide Navarro County was signed on February 7,
1853. Hill County was named for Dr. George Washington Hill, who had served as
President Sam Houston's secretary of war and who had been elected to the state
legislature from Navarro County in 1851. An election of county officials was held on May 14, 1853, in Lexington on
Jack's Branch, currently Union Bluff. J. H. Dyer was elected county judge; Charley Davis, sheriff; C. N. Brooks,
county and district clerk as well as the first justice of the peace; and Thomas Steiner (brother of Dr. Steiner),
one of the county commissioners. A special session of the commissioners' court was called on August 23, 1853, to
select the county seat. Thomas Steiner, John Caruthers, and Jonathan Newby offered to donate 260 acres as the county
seat; their offer was accepted. Another special session was called on September 24 to survey the town of
Hillsborough; town lots went on sale November 1. C. N. Brooks, the county clerk and justice of the peace, built the
first courthouse, which was twelve feet square and consisted of elm poles around a dirt floor. A second courthouse
was built in 1854, at a cost of $200. In the same year, post office rules changed, and the town's name became
spelled as Hillsboro More at
Kenneth E. Austin, "HILL COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hch15),
accessed January 24, 2016. Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Modified on July 23, 2015. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 986 square miles (2,553 km2), of which, 962
square miles (2,492 km2) of it is land and 24 square miles (61 km2) of it (2.36%) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Johnson County (north)
- Ellis County (northeast)
- Navarro County (east)
- Limestone County (southeast)
- McLennan County (south)
- Bosque County (west)
Education
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