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.
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
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