When Angelina County was organized in 1845, Alabama native Joseph Herrington (1823-89) was one of six men appointed by the legislature to set boundary lines and select Marion as the first seat of government. That same year, at age 22, he was elected the county's first chief justice, or county judge. During five terms in office, his accomplishments, including improved trade routes and the establishment of county school districts, were vital to the area's growth. An active Mason, he was buried in the Herrington Family Cemetery.