Donley County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Donley County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.



Description
The county was named for Stockton P. Donley, justice of the state supreme court. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Donley County Courthouse 300 S Sally Clarendon, TX 79226 Phone: 806.874.3436

County Clerk has birth records from 1877, marriage and land recordsfrom 1882, death records from 1903, probate records from 1923 and military discharge records from 1919

The current Donley County courthouse, a Romanesque Revival design building, was opened in November 1891. The courthouse was restored in 2003. It is the oldest functioning courthouse in the Texas Panhandle and is a recorded Texas Historic Landmark.

Donley County Courthouse 300 S. Sully Clarendon, TX 79226

County Clerk  PO Drawer U Courthouse Annex Clarendon, TX 79226 (806) 874-3436 FAX (806) 874-3351 Donley County Government website

History
1882--Originally named Wegefarth County and organized in 1882, the county was renamed Donley.

Parent County
1876--Donley County was created 21 August 1876 from Bexar Land District, but was not organized until 1882.
 * County seat: Clarendon

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

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:

Neighboring Counties
Armstrong •  Briscoe  •  Carson  •  Collingsworth  •  Gray  •  Hall  •  Wheeler

African American

 * 1865-1870--Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records(images) - FamilySearch

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Census

 * 1880 Federal Census - images - USGenWeb Archives Project

Baptist
Calvary Baptist Church 806-874-3156 Highway 287, Clarendon TX 79226

First Baptist Church 806-874-3833 300 South Bugbee, Clarendon TX 79226

First Baptist Church 806-874-3326 222 Sherwood Blvd, Clarendon TX 79226

First Baptist Church 806-856-5370 Main Street, Hedley TX 79237

Christian
First Christian Church 806-874-3212 120 East 3rd, Clarendon TX 79226

Church Of Christ
Church of Christ 806-874-2495 300 South Carhart, Clarendon, TX y79226

Methodist
First United Methodist Church 806-874-3367 420 South Jefferson, Clarendon TX 79226

Land

 * Original Land Owners of Texas- USGenWeb Archives Project

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906-1989 — index and images

Local Histories

 * Donley County: Land O' Promise, 1975, by Virginia Browder.
 * Donley County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.

Maps
Texas Counties Map.TXGenWeb site.

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1908 - Camp San Lantham United American Veterans - USGenWeb Archives

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War at Ancestry.com — index $

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Confederate Pension Applications - USGenWeb Archives Project

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1800–1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800–2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1903-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index (index) - FamilySearch

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 Texas Marriage Collection at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index at Ancestry.com — index $

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890-1976Death Records [with images] Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976. The name index has been created by FamilySearch and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903.
 * 1903-1973 Texas Deaths and Burials (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1903-2000 Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1964-1998Texas Death Index [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records (index) Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968-2011 Texas Divorces at Ancestry.com — index $

Societies and Libraries
Donley County Genealogical Society PO Box 116 Clarendon 79226 website

Websites

 * USGenWeb project - May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * USGenWeb Archives Project- transcriptions and photographs
 * TXGenWeb Donley County
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.