The Beginnings of Stephens County

Stephens County was created as Buchanan County in 1858 from Bosque County. It was renamed in in 1861 for Confederate Vice-President Alexander H. Stephens. It was organized in 1876.

By the fall of 1861 the state government in Austin found it necessary to protect the frontier settlers from Indian attack by providing ten companies, known as the Frontier Regiment, under the command of Colonel James M. Norris, assisted by Alfred T. Obenchain and J. E. McCord. The Frontier Regiment was scattered along the Texas frontier in sixteen camps. Camp Breckenridge in Stephens County was one of these.

The Breckenridge oil field in Stephens County was opened in 1918 following the completion of the Chaney Number 1 well.

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County Coordinator:  Gayle Triller Copyright © 2009 by the TXGenWeb Team. All rights reserved. Copyright of submitted items  belongs to those responsible for their authorship or creation unless otherwise assigned.