Palo Pinto County derived its name from one of its principal streams, "The Palo Pinto," as it was often called during the 30's, 40's and 50's.  Early maps classed this stream as a river.  It is now generally known as a creek.  The word "Palo Pinto" means "post painted" or "painted post."

Surveying expeditions reached Palo Pinto County as early as the 1830's.  The Abner Asworth Survey was located during the late 1830's, and the State made a grant to the same in 1840.

Judge J. A. McClaren taught Palo Pinto's first school.  This school was taught during 1856 in a little picket school house which had a "fire proof" floor.  It stood about two miles northeast of the George E. Bevers place, on Big Keechi.  The benches were constructed of split logs and the school was conducted in a truly frontier fashion.  William Cureton, Marzee E. Cureton, John C. Cureton, James Campbell Jowell, Cynthia Ann Jowell, Sallie Jowell, Clarie Vaughan, John Lasater, Sarah Lasater, A. M. Lasater, John and Sara Crawford Houston and Mary Jane Bevers and Mrs. B. C. Tarkington attended this school.

Much has been written in the United States History about the Seminole War in the Southeast part of the United States, and in which only about eighty-six people were killed; but in the Southwest Indian War thirty one former citizens of Palo Pinto County were killed by the hostile Indians.  Seven are buried in the two Palo Pinto cemeteries.

Ansell Russell and Willis Mills opened the first store about 1 1/2 miles west of Graford; but Van Noy opened a store shortly afterward near Mountain Springs about eight miles southeast of Graford.  Oliver Loving and a son opened a store almost as early.  Captain J. H. Dillihunty and Dr. Frank Hunter were among the first merchants of Palo Pinto and were in business as early as 1858.

Unquestionably, Palo Pinto County has produced more noted cowmen than any of the frontier counties.  The Lovings, Curetons, Slaughters, Daltons, Strawns, Stuarts, Harts, Taylors Bevers, Hittsons, Shieks.  Goodnight, Watson, Claytons, ,Cockrans, Carters, Beldings, Hullums, Reynolds Matthews, McDonalds, Costellos and many others who moved from Palo Pinto County westward, numbered among this list.

Because of the necessity for wood, water, and game most of the early citizens planted their log cabins along the banks of a stream or near a spring.  Before the sinking of many wells and the use of so much water most of the streams were fed by streams and never ceased running.  Mrs. S. S. Taylor, my great-grandmother who came to Palo Pinto County with her husband, Dr. S. S. Taylor in 1857 often stated the little streams running through the heart of Palo Pinto ran all year long, and the geese would follow the stream to its source catching small fish, frogs, etc.

The first courthouse was located on the ground now occupied by Mack Clarks store.  Just following December 27, 1859, after citizens from Stephenville and elsewhere charged and killed seven friendly Indians near the mouth of Elm about seven miles north of Palo Pinto "forted up" in the old courthouse.  On another occasion in 1860 when Indians were followed and severely scalps were brought back the scalps were hung on a string in the courthouse and a frontier dance followed.

These and many more stories were related by "Grandpa and Grandma" Taylor and other pioneers of Palo Pinto County.  

The first settlers came to Palo Pinto County in the fall of 1854.  The census reports 1394 whites and 140 slaves were living in Palo Pinto County in 1860.  The same year there were three post offices, namely, Golconda (Palo Pinto), Pleasant Valley and Russell's Store.  Mineral Wells, Strawn, Santo, Gordon and Brazos came into being about twenty years later.  Mingus was largely the outgrowth of the mining of coal at Thurber and originally was often called "Thurber Junction."

Graford became a growing town during the early days of this century.  Oran for many years was known as "Black Springs" and was the cradle of some of the earliest pioneers of Palo Pinto County.

My father, W. E. McConnell, one hot summer day was driving along in a buggy when the present site of Graford was being located.  Several men standing in the shade of a mesquite tree asked my father to suggest a name for the new town.  My father replied:  "This is about half-way between Graham and Weatherford.  Let's take "Gra" off the Graham and "Ford" off of Weatherford, and call it "Graford," so the new town became known as Graford.

Palo Pinto, Jack and Brown counties were created the same day and organized the same year.  The town of Palo Pinto was first known as "Golconda," but the name was changed to Palo Pinto in the late fifties.

Palo Pinto County was organized in 1857 and the following were the first officers; Judge J. A. McClaren, chief justice (county judge); John Hittson, sheriff; I. W. Price, assessor and collector; B. B. Meadows, constable; and J. J. Cureton, Wm. Carruthers, R. W. Pallard and W. Hullum were commissioners.  The first official act was to appoint D. D. Cleveland county clerk.

The scenery of Palo Pinto County is unexcelled.  The irregular course of the Brazos presents more than three hundred miles of river front in this county alone.  No doubt, the most attractive part of the county is occupied by the Set, Boydston, Belding, Watson and other ranches up in the "Possum Kingdom Country."  Much of this territory is covered by the Possum Kingdom Lake.

Perhaps Hell's Gate, now partly covered by water, would take the prize as being one of the most interesting places.  Here the great erosive forces of nature have molded a marvelous scene.  The valley of the Brazos and Jowell Creek at this point, are almost parallel and only separated by a thin, stately stone wall.  At one place this wonderful cliff is completely worn away, leaving a celestial gate towering far above the tallest trees; but it's name is certainly a misnomer, for Hell's Gate presents a heavenly scene.  This magnificent gate is not only a masterpiece of nature, but it affords a passage from the silent and lonely beauties of Jowell Creek to the wild and untamed breaks along the Brazos.

Many descendants in many States look with pride to the achievements of the early pioneers.  It was they who blazed the way to the West and endured the hostile Indians in Palo Pinto County for more than a quarter of a century.  Their mode of living along the West Texas Frontier called for men of high moral courage, and sterling character.

They established stock raising and farming industry, have been developing the coal, oil and other natural resources and the wonderful mineral waters of Mineral Wells, Oran and elsewhere have long attracted the attention of the outside world.

During the next one hundred years may we build an even better and more attractive Palo Pinto County!