|
Welcome to Texas Genealogy Trails!
*Volunteers dedicated to putting free data online.*
This County Website is available for adoption.
If interested in joining our group, view our
Volunteer Information Page and
contact Kim.
[Basic webpage design knowledge and a desire to transcribe data is
required]
|
|
After 1850 most of the area that
later became Rains County fell within the boundaries of Wood County, which was
represented in the state Senate by Emory Rains, an early pioneer who had served
in the Congress of the Republic of Texas. In 1866 Rains lobbied for the bill
that established Rains County. On June 9, 1870, the legislature approved "an Act
to create and provide for the organization of the County of Rains." The bulk of
the new county was taken from Wood County. |
|
The western section,
including the sites of the first settlements, came from Hunt County,
and a narrow strip of land in the north was carved from Hopkins
County. The act provided that the citizens should choose a county
seat, to be named Emory. Springville, the largest and most centrally
located community, was designated the temporary place of business
for the five appointed commissioners and was later selected as the
permanent county seat and renamed Emory. By 1857 the town had a
store, tanning yard, and gin. |
 |
|
Until at least the early
1880s, when rail service was first brought to Rains County, most of
the inhabitants did their business in Mineola in adjoining Wood
County. A log house in Emory was used initially as a temporary
county courthouse. In 1872 a two-room wooden courthouse was erected.
Seven years later the small building burned, along with all of the
county records. The seat of government was moved back into the
original log house until 1884, when a new brick courthouse was
completed. In 1908 the courthouse was again destroyed by fire, but
this time the records were saved. |
|
Cities
and towns
East Tawakoni
Emory
Point
|
|
|
|
ONLINE DATA |
|
 |
|
Mockingbird
State Bird
|
 
 |
  |
|
If you have information that you'd
like to share about any town, family, county or subject,
please send it to us and we'll make sure it gets posted to
the right county. We are looking for Census, Births,
Deaths, Marriages, Biographies, Obituaries, and Newspaper
Stories,
Email
me |
|
|
Click
here to
select another county
|