Tom Green County was part of the Miller and Fisher Grant in 1842, was created as a county on March 13, 1874, and was organized on January 5, 1875. It was named in honor of General Thomas Green, 1814–1864, a veteran of San Jacinto, a member of the Somervell Expedition, and a Confederate officer. The first mail routes to the Pacific converged here in 1858. The county seat was Ben Ficklin in 1875 and has been San Angelo since 1882.