Deaf Smith County, Texas Genealogy

United States

Texas

Deaf Smith County

Guide to Deaf Smith County, Texas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Texas Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Hereford Organized: December 1, 1890 Parent County(s): Young Territory Neighboring Counties Castro • Curry (NM) • Oldham • Parmer • Quay (NM) • Potter • Randall See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

The county was named for Erastus "Deaf" Smith[4] (1787–1837), a partially deaf scout and soldier who served in the Texas Revolution and was the first to reach the Alamo after its fall. The county is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse

Deaf Smith County Courthouse
235 E 3rd St
Hereford, TX 79045-5515
Phone: 806-363-7077
Deaf Smith County Website

County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage, probate and court records from 1891, land records from 1882 and military discharge records from 1919.
District Clerk has divorce records and doctor records from 1903

Deaf Smith County, Texas Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1903	1891	1903	1891	1882	1891	1829
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1903. General compliance by the 1930s.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Parent County(s): Created from Young Territory on November 19, 1876 County Seat: Hereford Texas Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Texas Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Texas county boundary changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cities
Hereford
Unincorporated communities
Dawn	Glenrio‡

‡This populated place also extends into New Mexico

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Deaf Smith County, Texas online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find a Grave BillionGraves Tombstone Transcription Project TX Gravestones Photo Project Cemeteries of TX USGenWeb Archives TXGenWeb Interment.net Names in Stone
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find a Grave FamilySearch Places
See Texas Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	38		—
1890	179		371.1%
1900	843		370.9%
1910	3,942		367.6%
1920	3,747		−4.9%
1930	5,979		59.6%
1940	6,056		1.3%
1950	9,111		50.4%
1960	13,187		44.7%
1970	18,999		44.1%
1980	21,165		11.4%
1990	19,153		−9.5%
2000	18,561		−3.1%
2010	19,372		4.4%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

• See Texas Church Records for more information.
• Texas Christian Church Directory at ChurchAngel
• Catholic Parishes in Texas
  

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Directories

• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Funeral Homes

Hereford Heritage Funeral Home in Hereford Mendez & Mullins Family Funeral Home in Hereford Parkside Chapel Funeral Home in Hereford

Land and Property Records

• See Texas Land and Property for more information.

Online Land Indexes and Records

• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Deaf Smith County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.

• See Texas Local Histories for more information.

Deaf Smith County was named for Erastus "Deaf" Smith, a famous scout of the Texas Revolution.

• The land and its people, 1876-1981: Deaf Smith County, Texas, 1982 by the Deaf Smith County Historical Society, a history book featuring local history, photographs, illustrations, and biographies. Digital book online from The Portal to Texas History.
• A History of Deaf Smith County, 1964, by Bessie Patterson. Digital book on line from the Portal to Texas History.
  
• Hereford, Deaf Smith County, Hustlin' Heritage 75, 1973 by the Hereford Jubilee Book Committee, a brief history of the town of Hereford with pages devoted to individuals, organizations, and businesses. Digital book online from the Portal to Texas History.
  
• Hereford, Deaf Smith County, Texas, 1970 by the Hereford Chamber of Commerce, a brief sketch of the city of Hereford, Texas with photographs. Digital book online from the Portal to Texas History.
  
• Hereford Tornado, 1971, by Mike Waltrip, a brief description of the damages caused by the tornado that hit Hereford, Texas on April 19, 1971, followed by photographs of the damage that occurred throughout the town. Digital book online from the Portal to Texas History.
  
• Deaf Smith County History from the Handbook of Texas Online

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Texas Counties Map. TXGenweb site
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

• 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry ($) — index & images

Mexican-American War

• 1845-1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War at Ancestry ($) — index

Civil War

• 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
• 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site

World War I

• 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

• 1906-1989 Texas Naturalization Records, 1906-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Newspapers

• w3newspapers - Texas Newspaper Index with links
• Newslink - Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
• The Olden Times - Historic Texas News Online
• Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
• 1800s-Current Texas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Obituaries

• USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project at Texas
• Obituary Daily Times at Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including at Ancestry.

Probate Records

Probate records of Texas counties were kept by the probate clerk, usually in "probate minutes."

• See Texas Probate Records for more information.

• 1800-1990 Texas Probate Records, 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
• 1800-2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry ($) — index & images
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

• See Texas Taxation for more information.

• 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast ($) — index & images

Vital Records

Vital Records of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths were recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. Copies can be obtained from the County Clerk's office, or order certified copies online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. See Texas Vital Records for more information.

Birth

• 1840-1981 Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Key to Texas County Codes; Also at: Ancestry ($)
• 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926-1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Marriage

• 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index
• 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 Texas Marriage Collection at Ancestry ($) — index
• 1837-1965 Texas Marriages, 1837-1965 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1837-1965 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1837-1973 Texas Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index at Ancestry ($) — index
• 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death

• 1890-1976 Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1903-1973 Texas Deaths and Burials, 1903-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry ($) — index & images
• 1964-1998 Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1977-1986 Texas Deaths, 1977-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Divorce

• 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
• 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1968-2011 Texas Divorces at Ancestry ($) — index

Research Facilities

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

• FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
• FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
  

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Amarillo Texas FamilySearch Center
• Amarillo Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries

Deaf Smith County Library
211 E 4th St
Hereford, TX 79045
Phone: 806-364-1206
Website

Museums

Deaf Smith County Historical Museum
400 Sampson Street
Hereford, TX 79045
Phone:806-363-7070
Website

Societies

Deaf Smith County Genealogical Society
211 East 4th St.
Hereford 79045
Website

Websites

• Death Smith TX GenWeb, part of TXGenWeb
• Death Smith USGWArchives part of USGWArchives Texas Counties
• Frontier Times Magazine
• Historic Texas
• FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.