Lynn County, Texas
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Lynn County Facts

Lynn County was created in 1876 (Organized in 1903) and formed from Bexar and Young Territories. Lynn County was named for William Lynn (also sometimes spelled Linn), a soldier in the Texas Revolution from Massachusetts who is believed to have died defending the Alamo. The County Seat is Tahoka. The Official County website is located at http://www.co.lynn.tx.us/. See also Extended History for more historical details.

Areas adjacent to Lynn County are Lubbock County (north), Garza County (east), Borden County (southeast), Dawson County (south), Terry County (west)

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Lynn County Court Records

Lynn County Vital Records

Lynn County Census Records

Lynn County Maps & Atlases

Lynn County Military Records

Lynn County Tax Records

Lynn County Genealogical Addresses

Lynn County Church & Cemeteries

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 Lynn County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Lynn County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Lynn County, Texas Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

Lynn County was initially occupied by Plains Apaches, who were replaced by a more modern Apachean people around A.D. 1400-1500. During the eighteenth century the warlike Comanches pushed into the Panhandle-Plains region of Texas and ousted the Apaches. The Comanches ruled the region until they were defeated by the United States Army during the Red River War of 1873-74 and subsequently withdrawn from the plains. Small skirmishes occurred in Lynn County during the Indian Wars. Col. Ranald S. Mackenzie's Fourth United States Cavalry visited Tahoka Lake in 1872, and in November 1874 attacked a small encampment of Indians near Double Lakes and another at Tahoka Lake. In July, October, and November 1875, units of Col. William R. Shafter's Tenth United States Cavalry, the black "buffalo soldiers," scoured the South Plains. Indian raids on buffalo hunters during early 1877 led to another military expedition in the South Plains. Capt. Nicholas Nolan's Company A of the Tenth Cavalry left Fort Concho in July 1877 and proceeded to Double Lakes in Lynn County. They chased a band of Comanches northwest into New Mexico, lost the trail, and returned to Double Lakes in Lynn County. After eighty-six hours with no replenishment of their water supply, Nolan's company, long afterward called the "Lost Nigger" expedition, straggled back to Double Lakes. This was the last appearance by the United States Cavalry in pursuit of Indians in Lynn County. The county was thus opened for settlement after 1877.

Between 1877 and the early 1880s buffalo hunters swarmed across Lynn County and the South Plains to exterminate the last great herds of buffalo. In the early 1880s ranchers began to appear in the county. Initially, only a miniscule economy developed. In 1880 the census taker found Ed Ryan and the A. C. McDonnill family raising sheep at Tahoka Lake, while John Porter ran a one-man ranching operation at Double Lakes. The situation changed as large-scale ranching spread into the county. In 1880 the Curry Comb Ranch of the Llano Cattle Company was established in Garza County and spilled over into northeastern Lynn County. In 1882 the Square and Compass Ranch was formed in Garza County and protruded into eastern and southeastern Lynn County. The county's only surviving ranch, the T-Bar, was established in the central part of the county, around Double Lakes, in 1884. Other ranches appeared in the county after 1884, the only major one being C. C. Slaughter's Tahoka Lake Ranch, established in 1897.

The county remained sparsely settled ranching territory for two decades after 1880. It had no towns; the population was nine in 1880, twenty-four in 1890, and seventeen in 1900. However, after 1900 the situation began to change. Farmers began to encroach on the ranchers' domain, especially after land appropriations for education were carried out. By 1903 enough people lived in Lynn County to call for its formal political organization. The county had been formed in 1876 and named for Alamo defender George Washington Lynn (or Linn), but it remained unorganized until 1903. In that year a majority of its residents forced organization on the outnumbered ranchers. In an election held on April 7 the county was organized, with the new town of Tahoka as the county seat. Subsequently, Lynn County began to grow steadily as farmers pushed ranchers off most of the land. Between 1900 and 1910 the number of farms in the county grew from five to 201 and the number of improved acres from 246 to 20,108. Initially corn and grains were the leading crops, but by 1910 cotton emerged as the premier farm product. By 1920, 23,085 acres was devoted to cotton production; the crop that year was 9,969 bales. In 1930 the acres had increased to 204,005, and production had risen to 27,179 bales.

As this cotton-growing industry emerged, the county prospered and grew; the population increased from 17 in 1900 to 1,713 in 1910, 4,751 in 1920, and 12,372 in 1930. Numerous new towns were founded during the early years of the twentieth century. O'Donnell was established in 1910 as a speculative venture based on the opening up of new farmlands in southern Lynn and northern Dawson counties. Wilson, thirteen miles northeast of Tahoka, was established in 1912 to attract farmers to the newly opened lands of the Dixie Ranch. A large number of Central Texas Germans purchased county lands, thus beginning a small-scale migration of Germans into the county that lasted into the 1950s. Other small communities had evolved around rural schools and cotton gins, but most of them faded away by that time. An exception, New Home, in the northern part of the county, grew into a small but stable town by the 1960s.

As Lynn County's cotton and cattle economy developed, a transportation network emerged. In 1909-10 the Santa Fe extended a branch line from Lubbock to Tahoka and Lamesa via Slaton. This line gave rise to the new town of O'Donnell, and Wilson was established on the line in 1912. Crude, graded, dirt roads were built to encourage wagon and automotive traffic. Roads were extended outward from Tahoka in all four directions; north to the Lubbock County line, east to the Garza County line, west to the Terry County line, and south to O'Donnell, on the Dawson County line. By 1938 the county had forty-five miles of paved roads: fifteen miles north to the Lubbock County line, fifteen miles west to the Terry County line, and fifteen miles south to O'Donnell. Ultimately, Lynn County developed a comprehensive network of highways and farm-to-market roads, with two major routes, U.S. highways 87 and 380, intersecting at Tahoka.

The prosperity of 1910 to 1929 was founded largely on cotton culture. But falling prices, droughts, and boll weevil infestations combined to drive down production and forced many farmers to leave the area. The number of farms, which reached a peak of 2,138 in 1930, fell markedly over the next decade, to 1,471 in 1940. Hardest hit were the county's tenant farmers, who in 1930 had worked more than half of all the farms in the county (1,448 of 2,138).

After World War II the farming economy became more diversified. Although cotton continued to be produced in significant amounts, wheat and sorghum were also raised; in addition, cattle, sheep, hogs, and poultry, chiefly chickens and turkeys, were produced. During this era of growth and development farming evolved into a highly mechanized business, and towns full of farmers replaced the rural family farmer.

A new element was added to the Lynn County economy after 1950. Oil discoveries in the far eastern part of the county led to modest production. The Arab oil embargo of 1973-74 led to further exploration and small-scale production in the central part of the county, which in 1982 produced 386,642 barrels of crude worth $9,828,159; by 1983 the total production was 10,612,550 barrels. Production increased to just over 800,000 barrels annually by the mid-1980s, although prices had declined.

Politically, Lynn County has been more Democratic than Republican. In presidential elections between 1952 and 1992 the county voted Democratic six of eleven times; Democrats won twelve of thirteen gubernatorial races and twelve of fifteen senatorial ones. In the mid-1980s Lynn County was one of sixty-two Texas counties still legally dry. By the 1990s the county had established a stable economy revolving around cotton production, supplemented by cattle and oil. Roughly 320,000 acres (55 percent) of the land area is used to grow cotton, which produces 90 percent of the agricultural income. The remaining 10 percent comes from cattle, hog, sorghum, wheat, and sunflower production. Irrigated land totals about 50,000 acres, but by the early 1980s some irrigated farms were running out of water. In the mid-1980s, Lynn County had three banks with deposits of more than $78 million. The bleak days of the Great Depression dropped the population to 11,931 in 1940; then the mechanization and consolidation of agriculture led to further drops, to 11,030 in 1950, 10,914 in 1960, and 9,107 in 1970. Afterward, the population continued its steady decline. In 1980 the census reported 8,605 residents, and by 1990 the population had fallen to 6,758, with the majority residing in towns. Tahoka accounted for 2,868 residents, while O'Donnell numbered 968 in Lynn County (and the rest in Dawson County), Wilson 558, and New Home 175. Most of the remainder of the population lived on farms and ranches. Local attractions include the Pioneer Museum in Tahoka and the Dan Blocker Museum in O'Donnell.

Lynn County Courthouse History

The Lynn County Courthouse, built in 1916, is an outstanding example of the type of public architecture that appeared on the South Plains during the region's formative years. The three-story reinforced concrete structure was built to serve the county as both courthouse and jail. The red brick veneered building is the centerpiece of the small city of Tahoka because of its location on the courthouse square, its large size, and its Neo-Classical style.

Architect W.M. Rice submitted the final drawings for the Lynn County Courthouse to the county's Commissioner's Court in December 1915. The structure was to be a "three story building with a basement, the basement being the modern above ground style. The plan was replete with office rooms, vaults...with a magnificent courtroom." It was to serve as county offices, courts, and jail. Construction commenced in 1916, and the new courthouse opened in December 1916. The building, which was considered a very modern and up-to-date public facility when it was first occupied, has changed very little in the 66 years since its construction.

The Neo-Classical style building's dark red brick facade is applied over reinforced concrete. Light colored stone detailing provides contrast with the brick. The building is shaped symmetrically with identical facades opposite one another.

The courthouse rises from a raised basement with a concrete sill and brick walls which create a rusticated banded effect. A stone string course forms continuous sills for the first floor windows and divides the middle portion of the building from the basement. The windows in the basement have stone flat arches with keystones, and are the only windows with any ornamentation.

The middle section of the building features the four colossal porticos with Ionic columns. The north and south porticos are most imposing. They are obviously intended to be the main entrances to the building, as a wide flight of concrete steps leads up to the first floor doors, which are guarded by four Ionic columns. The east and west facades are slightly less ornamented, with only two columns and stairs leading down into the basement level. Iron balconies project from the second floor on these facades. The fluted stone Ionic columns found on each facade have an ornate capital with enriched volutes and egg and dart ornamentation. The columns support projecting porticos which have both egg and dart and dentil molding on the inside ceiling. The building is surrounded by an Ionic entablature consisting of a stone architrave with multiple fascias, brick frieze with stone sign panels and paterae, dentil molding and a projecting stone cornice. This entablature separates the middle and upper portions of the building. Pilaster strips with stone bases and capitals mark the four porticos and each corner of the structure from the first floor sill to the second floor entablature.

Above the cornice is the attic story, which extends to the edge of the portico on the north and south facades. The east and west porticos are flat roofed with a crenelated parapet. The attic story is topped with a stone cornice and crenelated parapet. All parapets have stone caps. Near the top of each facade is an ornate stone medallion centered with the letter "L" for Lynn County.

The windows on all floors were originally 1/1 double hung wooden units. Each was set in a simple surround with stone sill and no lintel except on the slightly ornamented basement windows. The original doors, which are still in use on the east and west, facades, were wooden with threequarter beveled glass panels. They were surrounded with sidelights and transom.

The courthouse exterior has changed little since it was put into service in 1916. In the early 1970's, the original wooden windows were replaced with 2/2 aluminum windows. These metal units are of a different color than the original windows. However, they are of the same size and shape as the originals, and no structural changes were made to the building in their alteration. In 1976, the entrance doors on the north and south facades were replaced with modern aluminum and plate glass doors.

The interior of the courthouse reflects the exterior shape of the building. The hallways on the first floor form a cross from each of the four entrances. The first floor originally housed county offices and a small courtroom, which has been converted to the county tax office. The basement is still used as the mechanical and storage area of the courthouse, and houses the original steam heating system, which is still in use. The first and second floors have ceramic tile floors and plaster walls with marble wainscoting. The second floor accommodates judicial offices, jury room, and the main courtroom. This level has plaster walls and wooden floors. The main courtroom has been modernized with a dropped ceiling screening the third floor balcony. However, the main features of the courtroom remain intact above and below this ceiling. A marble staircase leads from the second to the third floor, which was intended for use as jury dormitory and jail. This floor is essentially original, as the jail was moved to a separate building on the square in the 1960's and juries were not sequestered in the courthouse after women gained the right to serve. The floor is completely closed off and unused.

The courthouse is located on an irregularly shaped piece of land in the center of Tahoka. The courthouse square, which was the original town square, was originally 300 by 350 feet. It is bounded by Avenue J on the west, South Second on the south, Avenue H on the east, and South First on the north. Main Street dead ends in front of the north facade of the courthouse, causing it to be perceived as the main entrance. When Highway 9, later old U.S. 87, was extended through Tahoka in the early 1930's, Main Street was extended across the northwest corner of the square to join Avenue J. This provided a direct route through town that was the principal north-south route thorough the Plains until U.S. 87 was realigned in the 1960's.

This location is the legal center of the Original Town of Tahoka, and has neither block nor lot numbers. The lots which border the courthouse square are clearly designed as commercial lots, as they are only deep enough for one building. All buildings on these lots are oriented toward Main Street or the Courthouse, which because of its location, size and ornamentation is the focal point of the town.

The Lynn County Courthouse, built in 1916, is Lynn County's first permanent courthouse and a major historical and architectural landmark in the county. In its location on the courthouse square, it is the major building in the small city of Tahoka, the county seat. The courthouse is one of the older surviving courthouses on the Texas South Plains. As a part of a group of twentieth century courthouses in the Panhandle-Plains area, the Lynn County courthouse is symbolic of the settlement and expansion of the region in the early twentieth century.

In 1903, the residents of Lynn County voted to organize a county government Tahoka became the county seat, and a square, two story wood frame courthouse was built on the town square. By 1916, Tahoka's substantial growth convinced the townspeople to incorporate the twelve year old city. At the same time, county residents decided the county needed a larger and more permanent courthouse and an adequate jail facility. In July 1915, a bond election was held to authorize $100,000 in county bonds to build a new county complex.

Even before the bond election was held, Lynn County Commissioners talked to interested architects. After the bonds were approved, W. M. Rice, of Amarillo, was selected as architect and A. Z. Rodgers, of Henrietta, was chosen as contractor. Rice was later the contractor for the 1921 Freestone County Courthouse, at Fairfield, which is almost identical to the Lynn County Courthouse. However the design of the Freestone Courthouse is attributed to W.R. Kautman of Amarillo. Rice was also the architect for the 1916 W. A. Bacon house in Lubbock. Rice is probably responsible for a number of buildings in the Panhandle and South Plains region, though no systematic study of his work has been undertaken.

In December 1915, the final plans for the building were approved. Construction began in May 1916. In December 1916 the completed courthouse opened for business. The new structure contained all the modern conveniences of the day, including electric lights, water closets, steam heat and a septic tank.

Since its construction, the courthouse has been the focal point of both the City of Tahoka and Lynn County. The three story structure is the largest non-agricultural building in Lynn County. From its position on the courthouse square in the center of the Original Town of Tahoka, the courthouse dwarfs the surrounding one and two story commercial structures. It is visible from all directions on the flat Texas plains. The courthouse is a major historical and architectural landmark for both Tahoka and Lynn County.

Lynn County, Texas
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Lynn County Court Records

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

Lynn County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Texas

Lynn County Census Records

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

Lynn County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Lynn County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Texas

Lynn County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Lynn County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Texas Genealogical Addresses

Lynn County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Texas

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Extended History

Lynn County, Texas History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Lynn County Court Records

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

Lynn County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Texas

Lynn County Census Records

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

Lynn County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Lynn County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Texas

Lynn County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Lynn County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Texas Genealogical Addresses

Lynn County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Texas

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Extended History

Lynn County, Texas
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy