County History

Upshur County Was Created in 1846 and Named for a Cabinet Official

Texas established Upshur County on April 27, 1846, naming it for Abel Parker Upshur, the U.S. Secretary of State who died in a cannon accident in 1844.

Upshur County History & Culture

Upshur County was created by the first Texas state legislature after Texas joined the Union. The county was named for Abel Parker Upshur, who served as Secretary of State under President John Tyler. Upshur died on February 28, 1844, during a cannon test aboard the USS Princeton.

Gilmer became the county seat in 1848. The county law required the seat to be near the geographic center and to be named Gilmer — after Thomas W. Gilmer, who also died in the Princeton accident. The county originally included land that is now Camp County and part of Gregg County.

Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas — Upshur County

More Upshur County notes

Property Tax

Where to Handle Property Tax in Upshur County

The Upshur Appraisal District in Gilmer sets property values and handles exemption applications for all taxing entities in the county.

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Property Tax Exemption

Homestead Exemption Lowers Your School Tax Bill

Texas law requires school districts to give homeowners a $140,000 exemption on their main home. This can lower the school part of your property tax bill.

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Property Tax

Multiple Taxing Entities Mean Multiple Tax Lines

Upshur County property owners may owe taxes to several different groups at once — the county, a school district, a city, and special districts.

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Ag Exemption

Agricultural Valuation Can Cut Land Tax Bills Significantly

Land used for farming, timber, or wildlife management in Upshur County can qualify for a special lower tax value based on what the land produces, not what it would sell for.

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