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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 1931Johnson County, Texas
Johnson County Education, Geography, and History
Johnson County is a county located in the state of Texas. Based on the 2010 census, its population was 150,934. Its county seat is Cleburne.
Johnson County is named for Middleton Johnson, a Texas Ranger, soldier, and politician.
Johnson County is included in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Etymology - Origin of Johnson County Name
Middleton Tate Johnson, a Texas Ranger, soldier, and politician
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Johnson County History
The county was marked off in 1854 from Ellis, Navarro, and Hill counties. Its population was then 700. The first county seat was Wardville, named for Thomas William Ward, second commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas. Johnson County is named for Middleton Johnson, a Texas Ranger, soldier, and politician.
In 1867 Johnson County was split, and the western half became Hood County. Camp Henderson became the new county seat and the settlement was renamed Cleburne in honor of Confederate General Patrick Cleburne. In 1881 a section of Ellis County was added to Johnson County, thus completing its current boundaries.
Handbook of Texas Online
The initial permanent settlements came in the mid-1840s. Charles and George Barnard
established a trading post near Comanche Peak in an area no longer in Johnson County. The earliest known resident of
what is now Johnson County was Henry Briden, who settled on the Nolan River in 1849. The county was marked off in
1854 from Ellis, Navarro, and Hill counties. Its population was then 700. Its name came from Middleton T. Johnson,
who had served in the Mexican War, on the Texas frontier, and in the Civil War,
and was later a legislator. The first county seat was Wardville, named for Thomas William Ward,
second commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas. In 1856 Buchanan, named
after the newly elected president of the United States, became the county seat. After the western portion of the
county was severed in 1867 to form Hood County, Cleburne, which was named after Gen. Patrick Cleburne, was chosen
county seat. In 1881 a section of Ellis County was added to Johnson County, thus completing its current boundaries. More at
Richard Elam, "JOHNSON COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcj08),
accessed January 24, 2016. Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 734 square miles (1,902 km2), of which, 729
square miles (1,889 km2) of it is land and 5 square miles (13 km2) of it (0.68%) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Tarrant County (north)
- Ellis County (east)
- Hill County (south)
- Bosque County (southwest)
- Somervell County (southwest)
- Hood County (west)
- Parker County (northwest)
- Dallas County (northeast)
Education
Southwestern Adventist University, a private liberal arts university in Keene, is currently the only four-year institution of higher learning in Johnson County. Southwestern is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Hill College a college in Hillsboro, a town in neighboring Hill County also provides tertiary education, with a campus in Cleburne since 1971.
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