Kent County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Kent 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 Andrew Kent, who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Kent County is one of six prohibition or entirely dry counties in the state of Texas. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Kent County Courthouse PO Box 9 Jayton, TX 79528 Phone: 806.237.3881 County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, divorce, land, probate, military and court records from 1876

County and District Clerk

P.O. Box 9 Jayton 79528 Phone: 806-237-3881

Kent County's first courthouse was built in Clairemont in 1893. It burned in 1955, a year after the county seat was moved to Jayton. The second (and present) courthouse opened in 1957.

Kent County Courthouse County Clerk - Richard Craig Harrison Deputy County Clerk - Stacy Burchett P. O. Box 9 Jayton, TX 79528 Phone: 806-237-3881 Fax: 806-237-2632  fee schedule Kent County Government Website

Parent County
1876-- Kent County was created 21 August 1876 from Bexar and Young Land Districts and organized in 1892.
 * County seat:
 * 1) 1892-1954 - Clairemont
 * 2) 1954-present - Jayton

Record Loss
1955--The Old Kent County Courthouse in Clairemont, built in 1893, was burned in April 1955. The building was vacant because the county seat moved to Jayton in 1954. No record loss.

Places / Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog



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
Crosby •  Dickens  •  Fisher  •  Garza  •  King  •  Scurry  •  Stonewall

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

Local Histories

 * Kent County and Its People, 1983, by Jewell G. Pritchett and Erma B. Black.
 * Kent County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.

Maps

 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site.

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Kent County Military Records from the Kent County TXGenWeb site.

Mexican-American War

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

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index

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


 * 1826-1945 Kent County Births 1926-1945 from the Kent County TXGenWeb site
 * 1840-1981 Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and 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 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 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 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966-2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010 - FamilySearch record collection
 * 1968-2002 Kent County Marriages 1968-2002 from the Kent County TXGenWeb site.

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890-1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [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 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1964-1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 Texas, Death Index, 1964-1998 - FamilySearch Historical Records Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
 * 1964-1999 Kent County Deaths 1964-1999 from the Kent County TXGenWeb site.
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

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

Societies and Libraries
Kent County Genealogical Society PO Box 414 Jayton 79528

Websites

 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes,
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.