Henry County was created from Creek Indian lands in 1821 and named for Patrick Henry, Virginia Patriot. McDonough, the county seat, is named for Commodore Thomas McDonough who was victorious over the British on Lake Champlain during the War of 1812. Land originally set aside as Henry County after the Treaty of Indian Springs contains what is now Butts, Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton, Newton, Spalding, and also included large portions of present day Rockdale and Fayette counties.