Deaf Smith County, Texas
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

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Deaf Smith County Facts

Deaf Smith County was created in 1876 (Organized in 1890) and formed from Bexar and Young Territories. Deaf Smith County was named for Hereford Erastus "Deaf" Smith, a scout during the Texas Revolution. The County Seat is Hereford. The Official County website is located at http://www.co.deaf-smith.tx.us/. See also Extended History for more historical details.

Areas adjacent to Deaf Smith County are Oldham County (north), Randall County (east), Castro County (southeast), Parmer County (south), Curry County, NM (southwest), Quay County, NM (west)

  • Deaf Smith County, Texas History Books at Amazon.com
  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
  • Search Historical Newspapers from Texas (1802 - 1993) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
  • Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
  • Search Texas Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

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Deaf Smith County Court Records

See Also Texas Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Deaf Smith County Clerk has Court Records from 1890, Land Records from 1890, Probate Records from 1890, Marriage Records from 1890 and Birth/Death Records from 1903 is located at 235 E. 3rd St., Room 203, Hereford, TX 79045-5515; Telephone: 806-363-7077 .

The County Clerk's Office is the record keeper of the county. The county records include birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, brand registrations, DD214s (military discharges), land / real estate / property records, probate and civil filings.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997, Texas Deaths, 1964-98, Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 & 1966-2002, and Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2002. You may also search the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which does cover Texas. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.

Below is a list of online resources for Deaf Smith County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Deaf Smith County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Deaf Smith County, Texas Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which covers the State of Texas. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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Deaf Smith County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Texas

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Texas Department of State Health Services, 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756; (888) 963-7111 or (512) 458-7111; Fax: (512) 458-7711. Please allow up to approximately 6-8 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail, or 2-5 Days when you order through VitalChek Express Certificate Services. The Vital Records Department has the following records:

  • Birth Certificates: Birth records maintained by Bureau of Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health since 1903 through the present. For births that occurred within the past 75 years, copies can be requested only by the immediate family of the person whose name is on the birth certificate. Cost: The cost of a birth record is $22.00. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $22.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Death Certificates: Death records maintained by Bureau of Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health since 1903 through the present. For deaths that occurred in the past 25 years, copies can be requested only by immediate family members of the deceased. Cost: The cost of a certified death certificate is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy issued at the same time for the same certificate. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $20.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Marriage Verifications from Jan 1966 and Divorce Verifications from Jan 1968. Certified copies of marriage licenses or divorce decrees are only available from the county clerk (marriage) or district clerk (divorce) in the county or district in which the event occurred. Marriage verification or divorce verification letters can now be ordered Online. Cost is $20 - Fee is for verification only.

ORDERING

  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Order In Person: The certificates may be ordered by coming into this office.   If you want the copy the same day, our hours for same day service are 8:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. Monday – Friday. The Texas Vital Statistics Office in Austin is located at 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756.
  • Order By Mail: Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "Texas Vital Records " along with the necessary information to the following address: Texas Vital Records, Department of State Health Services, PO Box 12040. Print Aplication for Birth Certificates, Death Certificates and Marriage & Divorce Certificates.

There are a few online marriage databases which include: Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997, Texas Deaths, 1964-98, Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 & 1966-2002, and Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2002. Below is a list of online resources for Deaf Smith County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Deaf Smith County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Texas newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-10, 1926-29icon - Browse by county, then year, then surname, beginning with the first letters of the last name of the person you seek. If you're unsure of the year or location, use the search box under the browse menu. These records can be searched by father's first and last names, mother's first and maiden names, year, county, and city. The certificates include the child and parents' full names, residence, occupations, age, time and date of the birth, and the name of the physician attending the birth.
  • Texas Death Certificates, 1890-1976icon - These records are searchable by first and last name of the deceased, year, county, and city. A certificate may include the decedent's date, place, and cause of death; age; date of birth; last residence; and marital status. If known, it will also include occupation, birth place, parents' names, and place of burial. Browse by county, then year, then surname, beginning with the first letters of the last name of the person you seek. If unsure of the year or location, use the search box under the browse menu.
  • Deaf Smith County, Texas Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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Deaf Smith County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Texas

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

  Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Deaf Smith County, Texas are 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.

The Texas State Library holds microfilm editions for all of Texas' federal censuses. Although the 1850, 1860, and part of the 1870 mortality schedules have been published, all the original mortality schedules are at the Texas State Library and on microfilm The 1830 territorial census of Miller County, Arkansas, enumerates an area that is in today's Texas boundaries. The remaining 1890 population schedules which exist for Texas include: Ellis County (Justice Precinct 6, Mountain Peak, and Ovilla Precinct); Hood County (Precinct 5); Rusk County (No. 6 and Justice Precinct No. 7); Trinity County (town of Trinity and Justice Precinct 2); and Kaufman County (Kaufman). Although Greer County in present-day Oklahoma functioned as part of Texas between 1886 and 1896, the 1890 census for this county was enumerated under Oklahoma Territory.

Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Deaf Smith County, Texas are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

Below is a list of online resources for Deaf Smith County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Deaf Smith County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Deaf Smith County, Texas Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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Deaf Smith County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Arkansas and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Texas showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Texas showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps.

Below is a list of online resources for Deaf Smith County Maps. Email us with websites containing Deaf Smith County Maps by clicking the link below:

  • Texas General Land Office Map Collection
  • Deaf Smith County, Texas Map Books at Amazon.com
  • Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.
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Deaf Smith County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Texas

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Deaf Smith County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Deaf Smith County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Deaf Smith County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Texas tax records constitute one of the most complete sets of available records generated at the county level (by the Commissioners Court) because these documents are maintained by the state. These lists may only include approximately sixty percent of eligible males over the age of twenty-one. Persons exempted from taxes included native Americans, "idiots," "incompetents," and those exempted because of age. This final category of exemptions varied over time. Years without an older age exemption were 1840 and 1862-70. Between 1841-44 exemptions began at forty-five years; in 1845 and from 1850-61 the upward age was set at fifty years. In 1837, 1848, and 1849 the limit was established as fifty-five, and in 1846-7, and 1871 the upward limit was set at sixty years.

Texas Ad Valorem (poll, personal, and real property) tax records for 1836 through 1976 are available in microfilm at the Texas State Library from the date of respective county organization; these are arranged by county and date and are somewhat alphabetized within each division. Microfilm copies are housed in the Genealogy Section. Tax lists for the various counties from creation to 1901 may be borrowed through interlibrary loan. Tax records through 1901-1947 are readily accessible, but not on interlibrary loan. Those for 1948 through 1976 can be obtained upon request. 

Below is a list of online resources for Deaf Smith County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Deaf Smith County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Deaf Smith County, Texas Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Deaf Smith County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Texas Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Deaf Smith County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Deaf Smith County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Deaf Smith County Genealogical Society, 211 East 4th St., Hereford 79045
  • Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P.O. Box 12927, Austin, TX 78711-2927
    Holdings under the auspices of the Texas State Library are divided. Most important for genealogical research are the Texas State Archives with its Local Records Department, the Records Management Division, and the Information Services Division, which includes a Genealogy Section and a Reference Department.
    The Genealogy Section maintains vertical ties that contain notes, clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence on Texas families. These files may be accessed in person, by phone (512-463-5463, forty-five minute limit), or through correspondence.
  • Texas Genealogical Society, 2505 Beluche Drive, Galveston 77551
  • Texas Historical Commision
    The Texas Historical Commission (THC) is the state agency for historic preservation. THC staff consults with citizens and organizations to preserve Texas' architectural, archeological and cultural landmarks. The agency is recognized nationally for its preservation programs.
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Texas Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Deaf Smith County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Texas

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Deaf Smith County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Deaf Smith County Tombstone Transcription Project.

During Texas's colonization period Roman Catholics were the most numerous, but early citizens included those representing other religious faiths such as Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Christian or Disciples of Christ.

Many cemetery records have been collected and transcribed, including the largest of which is multi-volumes compilation by the DAR and two volumes for Peters Colonists and descendants. The DAR collection, also microfilmed, is available at the Texas State Library and through the FHL.

Some Texas county historical and genealogical societies have published local cemetery and/funeral home records. These are normally available for purchase through the respective society. Two references can help determine which cemeteries have been recorded: Kim Parsons', A Reference to Texas Cemetery Records (Humble, Tex.: by author, 1988), arranged by county; and Sharry Crofford-Gould's, Texas Cemetery Inscriptions: A Source Index (San Antonio, Tex.: Limited Editions, 1977).

Below is a list of online resources for Deaf Smith County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Deaf Smith County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Deaf Smith County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Deaf Smith County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

The earliest prehistoric inhabitants of these prairies gave way to Plains Apaches, who in turn were forced out by the warlike Comanches and Kiowas. In 1787, and again in 1788, José Mares followed Tierra Blanca Creek in his search for a route from Santa Fe to San Antonio. The Indian wars of the 1870s, culminating in the Red River War of 1874-75, led to the nomadic red man's removal to the Indian Territory. Shortly thereafter ranchers began to appear in the area, and in 1876 the Texas legislature formed Deaf Smith County from the Bexar District. The census counted thirty-eight people in the county in 1880.

By the early 1880s the T Anchor Ranch, headquartered near the site of present Canyon, had spilled over into the eastern part of the county, and the LS Ranch extended over into its northeastern portion. Beginning in 1882, the western half of the county lay within the XIT Ranch, a real estate-cattle project of the Capitol Syndicate. One of the eight XIT division headquarters was established at Las Escarbadas, on Tierra Blanca Creek, in the southwestern corner of Deaf Smith County. The large ranches dominated the county; only a few small stock farms existed among them. By 1890 the county's population had increased to 179, and the census found seventeen farms or ranches in the area, seven of which were smaller than 500 acres. More than 28,600 cattle were counted in the county, while crop production occupied only a few acres: seventy-eight acres was planted in corn and eighty in cotton.

As the cattle industry in the county developed, the rising population created a need for local government. Accordingly, after an election on December 1, 1890, the county was organized with the new town of La Plata as county seat. Jerry R. Dean was elected the first county judge, and the colorful Jim Cook became the first county sheriff. In 1898 the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway, a subsidiary of the Santa Fe line, built tracks from Amarillo to the Texas-New Mexico border at Farwell. This railroad crossed the southeastern corner of Deaf Smith County and brought easy and economical transportation to the local ranchers. The coming of the railroad also brought forth a new town, Hereford, which quickly outstripped the other local hamlets. As a result Hereford became the county seat after an election on November 8, 1898, and La Plata soon faded into oblivion. By 1900 the county had ninety-seven ranches and farms and a population of 843.

Between 1900 and 1910 the large ranchers began to sell their lands, and land-company promotions brought a rush of settlers to the area. With them came significant changes in the local agricultural economy during the first half of the twentieth century. The number of farms and ranches in the county increased steadily during most of this period, rising to 361 in 1910, 382 in 1920, 605 in 1930, and 854 in 1940. The expansion of farming was responsible for most of this growth. In 1900, for example, little if any wheat was grown in the county; by 1920 more than 9,000 acres was planted in that grain, and by 1930 wheat acreage exceeded 26,000 acres. Sorghum became another important crop, and the production of corn also expanded. (see WHEAT CULTURE, SORGHUM CULTURE, CORN CULTURE.) Meanwhile, local farmers diversified into poultry production; in 1929 local chicken farms had more than 51,000 birds, and county farmers sold 208,023 dozen eggs. As the county's economy developed, its population grew to 3,942 in 1910, 3,747 in 1920, 5,979 in 1930, and 6,056 in 1940.

The county's transportation system evolved to meet its growing economic demands. As early as 1920 U.S. Highway 60 (then known as U.S. 366) ran from Canyon via Hereford to Farwell and Clovis. At the same time a roadway was graded from Hereford west to the New Mexico line, thus facilitating movement of crops from most of the county to the rail line; this road was later paved and designated a state farm-to-market road. Beginning in the late 1930s, U.S. 385 (originally State Highway 51) was built from Brownfield to Dalhart via Dimmitt, Hereford, Vega, and Channing. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s a full network of paved farm-to-market roads emerged, linking all parts of the county to either main highways or railroad lines. U.S. 66, which, with the Rock Island Railroad, cuts across the extreme northwestern corner of the county, gave rise to the border community of Glenrio, which declined after the completion of Interstate 40.

After World War II businesses were started in Deaf Smith County to process and ship local products. Vegetable production was introduced on a large scale, and processing and packing plants for onions, potatoes, and other perishable vegetables were also established. In 1964 the Holly Sugar Company opened its $20 million mill and refinery, having contracted with local farmers for the production of sugar beets (see SUGAR PRODUCTION).

Cattle feeding also began to flourish in the 1960s with the opening of several feedlots that used much locally grown grain. By the 1970s these lots were bringing 80 percent of the county's $230 million annual average income. In the late 1980s the county led the state in numbers of cattle fed; it often led the nation in this category. The establishment of feedlots brought commercial production of corn and the establishment of several meat-packing plants in the county. In 1982 Deaf Smith County produced more than 5.75 million bushels of sorghum, 4.75 million bushels of wheat, nearly 4 million bushels of corn, and 251,942 tons of sugar beets. Vegetable production occupied 2,153 acres, planted with carrots, onions, potatoes, and sweet corn.

The population grew steadily from World War II until the 1980s. The number of residents increased from 6,056 in 1940 to 9,111 in 1950, 13,187 in 1960, 18,999 in 1970, and 21,165 in 1980. Economic development brought other changes. The discovery and use of copious underground water in the Ogallala Aquifer in the 1930s led to large-scale irrigation in the 1950s, which further encouraged the expansion of farming. The labor needs of the farming economy drew large numbers of migrant laborers, mostly Hispanic, to the county's packing sheds. As this labor force grew, it became less migratory, and increasing numbers of Mexican Americans moved into the area permanently. By the 1980s, just over 40 percent of the county's population was of Hispanic descent.

Politically, after 1952 Deaf Smith County became more favorably disposed towards the Republican party than formerly, in both state and national elections. Its citizens voted Republican in eight of the nine presidential elections between 1956 and 1988; the county voted for Democrat Texan Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 in his race against Republican Barry Goldwater.

For several decades the diversified agricultural economy of Deaf Smith County was a thriving, coordinated system. By the early 1980s, however, though farmers produced more on their land, they began realizing a smaller return than at any other time in history. The county population began to drop between 1980 and 1982; by 1992 it was estimated at 19,153, almost 10 percent less than only ten years earlier. Tight economic conditions, combined with a diminishing supply of groundwater, presented new problems. A search for innovations in farming methods intensified. Fearing contamination of the valuable aquifer, residents opposed attempts by the United States Department of Energy during the 1980s to make the county a nuclear-waste dump site.

Communities in Deaf Smith County include Dawn, Glenrio, and Westway. Hereford (1990 population 14,745) is the county's seat of government and only urban center; in the late 1980s the town had six public elementary schools, two junior highs, a large high school, a county library, and two museums (the Deaf Smith County Historical Museum, and the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center). Every August the town conducts a Miss Hereford contest and hosts the Cowgirl Hall of Fame All-Girl Rodeo.

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