Joseph Herrington. When Angelina County was organized in 1846, Alabama native Joseph Herrington (1823 - 89) was one of six men appointed by the legislature who set boundary lines and selected Marion as the first seat of government. That same year, at the age of 22, he was elected the county's first chief justice (county judge). His accomplishments during five terms in the office, including improved trade routes and the establishment of county school districts, were vital to the area's growth. An active Mason, he was buried here in the Herrington Family Cemetery. (1982) #7003