Brown County is a county in west-central Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,095.[1][2] Its county seat is Brownwood.[3] The county was founded in 1856 and organized in 1858.[4] It is named for Henry Stevenson Brown, a commander at the Battle of Velasco, an early conflict between Texians and Mexicans
Indigenous peoples lived here for thousands of years before Europeans entered the area. The historic inhabitants were the Penteka (also known to the Europeans as Comanche), who occupied this area at the time of European colonization.[5] In 1721, the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo expedition is said to have passed through the county.
In 1838, land surveys were made of the area.[5] In 1856, Welcome W. Chandler from Mississippi became the first settler, arriving with his family, John H. Fowler, and seven slaves. They built a log cabin on Pecan Bayou. The county was formed from Comanche and Travis Counties. It is named after Henry Stevenson Brown, an American pioneer from Kentucky.[5][7] In 1858, the county was formally organized.[7] Brownwood was designated as the county seat.[8]
Brown County is in the heart of Central Texas - 480 miles East of El Paso, 150 miles Southwest of Dallas, and 285 miles Northwest of Houston.