From the Annals of Good Country People –  In 1906, the Commercial Club of Tyler, in conjunction with the USDA, appointed William Stallings agricultural agent of Smith County. He was Texas’ first county agricultural agent and the first in the nation to serve a single county. After serving Smith County for a year,Stallings was appointed district agent for Smith, Cherokee, and Angelina counties. Through his efforts the cotton and corn yields of the district increased by over 50 percent. His service is noted in a historical marker on the courthouse square in Tyler.

Photo of County Agent Hank Kimball from http://www.maggiore.net.