Milam County was part of Robertson's colony in 1834 and part of the municipality of Viesca in 1835. Created in 1836 and named for Benjamin Rush Milam, who was killed on Dec. 5, 1835, in San Antonio, it originally contained one-sixth of the land area of Texas, territory now occupied by 54 Texas counties or parts thereof. Until 1840, settlers spent much of their time battling hostile Indians. On April 4, 1846, Cameron was authorized by the Legislature as the county seat. Milam County as it now exists was established in 1856, with a balanced livestock-crop farming economy.