Grimes County is a county located in southeastern Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 29,268. The seat of the county is Anderson. The county was formed from Montgomery County in 1846. It is named for Jesse Grimes, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and early European-American settler of the county.
The Navasota and Brazos Rivers form the western boundary of the county. Eastern areas of the county are part of the watershed of the San Jacinto River.
History
In the historic period, French and Spanish explorers encountered the Bidai Indians, who were mentioned in Spanish records from 1691. Like other tribes, they suffered high fatalities from new infectious diseases caught from the Spanish and joined with the remnants of other Native American people later in the historic period.
The area had very little settlement by Europeans or creole Spanish during the century of Spanish colonial rule, but after Mexico gained its independence, it invited settlers from the United States to come to eastern Texas. They were allowed to practice their own religion, as long as they swore loyalty to the Mexican government.
A few historic buildings in Anderson, such as the Fanthorp Inn, date from this period, as well as some from the Republic of Texas and the early statehood years. So, the town and nearby area have been designated the Anderson Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Anglo-American migration to what became Grimes County began in the 1820s, when it was part of Mexico. Early settlers were primarily from the South, especially Alabama, and many brought enslaved African Americans with them to work the land. The first cotton gin in Texas was built by Jared E. Groce, who arrived with 90 slaves and developed a cotton plantation near today's Hempstead, Texas.
In such conditions, Whites were anxious after the emancipation of slaves, and also struggled with adapting to a free labor market. White violence rose after the war, and the Ku Klux Klan established a local chapter in 1868 to assert dominance. Federal troops were stationed in the area and the Freedman's Bureau had an office in the county. They were not successful in protecting freedmen, but the bureau established schools in the area. The economy declined in the late 19th century, increasing social tensions.
In 1859, the Houston and Texas Central extended its line into the county. Anderson, the county seat, rejected it and was bypassed for Navasota, which soon surpassed it in size.
Major highways
- 20px State Highway 6
- 20px State Highway 30
- 20px State Highway 90
- 20px State Highway 105
- 20px State Highway 249 or Aggie Expressway
Adjacent counties
- Madison County (north)
- Walker County (northeast)
- Montgomery County (southeast)
- Waller County (south)
- Washington County (southwest)
- Brazos County (west)