Emory is a city in Rains County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,239 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Rains County. Previously known as Springville, the city and county are named after Emory Rains who was a legislator from the area. Rains was the author of the Homestead Law of Texas which was later used as a model for the protection of homesteads throughout the United States. Special legislation passed to create Rains County called for the citizens to vote on the location of the county seat and for that selected town to be named Emory.