This was our twenty-third Courthouse in Texas to visit. That means we are at 9.1% of our goal with 90.9% left to go.

Morris County has had two courthouses. One in 1882 and the other in 1973. The present Courthouse is a modern style (boring) designed by architect, Pierce, Pace & Associates.

The county was created and organized in 1875, with Daingerfield as the county seat. Named for William W. Morris (1805-1883), who came to Texas in 1849, when the Civil War began in 1861, was in 8th Legislature that armed the state, enacted soldiers’ families’ relief laws, and set up 2,000-mile frontier and coastline defenses. Also, in 13th Legislature, 1873-75.

Of the 254 Texas counties, 42 bear Indian, French or Spanish names. 10 honor such colonizers as Stephen F. Austin, “Father of Texas.” 12 were named for Washington, Clay, and other American patriots. 96 were named for men who fought in the Texas War for Independence (15 dying at the Alamo), signed the Declaration of Independence from Mexico, or served as statesmen in the Republic of Texas. 23 have the names of frontiersmen and pioneers. 11 honor American statesmen who worked for the annexation of Texas; 10, leaders in Texas since statehood, including jurists, ministers, educators, historians, statesmen; and 36, men like Morris prominent in the Confederacy during the Civil War. Delta and 8 others have geographical names. San Jacinto and Val Verde were named for battles; Live Oak and Orange, for trees; and Mason for a fort.