OUR STORY

Taylor County was created by the Texas Legislature in 1858 from land previously part of Bexar County and a very small portion from Travis County.  It is named for Edward Taylor, George Taylor, and James Taylor, three brothers who died at the Battle of the Alamo.

The county did not immediately organize due to a limited population, minimal development and the onset of the Civil War. After the war the population began to grow in the region and the county was officially organized on July 3, 1878 electing the first county officials and naming Buffalo Gap as the County Seat.

As the Texas & Pacific Railroad was built across Texas in 1881, Buffalo Gap lost in its efforts to bring the railroad through their town and it instead went through the northern portions of the county. The T&P established the new town of Abilene in 1881 promising it to be "The Future Great City of West Texas." The County Seat was moved to Abilene in 1883.

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Taylor County Judges

2023-Present Judge Phil Crowley

2010-2022 Judge Downing A. Bolls, Jr

2003-2010 Judge George Newman   

2001-2003 Judge Victor Carillo         

1992-2000 Judge Lee Hamilton         

1985-1991 Judge Jesse Holloway      

1963-1978 Judge Roy Skaggs 

1952-1962 Judge Reed Ingalsbe        

1949-1951 Judge Walter S. Pope Jr.  

1945-1949 Judge Wiley Caffey          

1939-1944 Judge Carl P. Hulsey        

1937-1938 Judge Lee Roy York          

1933-1937 Judge John Camp 

1927-1932 Judge Tom K. Eplen         

1924-1926 Judge Carlos D. Speck      

1920-1924 Judge D.G. Hill     

1913-1920 Judge E.M. Overshiner    

1906-1913 Judge T.A. Bledsoe           

1902-1906 Judge D.G. Hill     

1900-1902 Judge C.M. Christenberry

1890-1900 Judge D.G. Hill     

1884-1890 Judge H.A. Porter 

1882-1884 Judge John W. Murray     

1881-1882 Judge D.B. Corley

1880-1881 Judge Luke Matthews      

1878-1880 Judge E.P. Beauchamp    

1878 Judge J.W. Drury

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Taylor County Sheriffs

2012-Present RICKY BISHOP

2009-2012 LES BRUCE

1993-2009 JACK W. DIEKEN

1991-1992 JULIAN HERNANDEZ

1980-1991 JOHN MIDDLETON

1973-1980 JACK LANDRUM

1971-1972 RAY TRAMMELL

1964-1971 GEORGE MAXWELL

1957-1963 J. O. WOODARD

1952-1956 ED POWELL

1947-1951 H. T. FLEMING

1942-1946 W. T. MCQUARY

1937-1942 SID H. MCADAMS

1932-1936 BURL WHEELER

1925-1932 H. T. OBAR

1919-1924 JOHN BOND

1915-1918 J. T. DODSON

1909-1914 T. C. WEIR

1898-1908 JOHN V. CUNNINGHAM

1896-1898 H. B. COOK

1884-1896 JOHN V. CUNNINGHAM

1883-1884 K.V. NORTHINGTON

1882-1883 W.H.LEMMONS

1880-1882 JOHN V. CUMMINGHAM

1878-1880 JOHN MANN

1878 JAMES W. CARTER