The county was named for William Jasper, a hero of the American Revolution who was killed attempting to plant the American colors at the storming of Savannah in 1779. County created 3/17/1836 when the Convention of 1836 converted old municipalities into counties. Jasper County, located in Southeast Texas, was originally part of the Spanish "Atascosito District". Atascosito District covered the area of the present counties Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, and Tyler. This geographical area was based on the original boundary of the Atascosito District of the Republic of Mexico and under Mexican rule it became "Liberty District." In 1835, the present county was known as "Municipality of Bevil" or "Bevil's District." After Texas's independence, the district was divided into Liberty, Jefferson and Jasper counties. The town of Jasper was named county seat by the county commissioners in 1836. Act passed organized 1837 defining county boundaries. 1846 Eastern portion became Newton county. -Handbook of Texas Online: Jasper County; Rootsweb/TxGenWeb