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

Description
The county was named for J. Dickens, who died at the Battle of the Alamo. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Dickens County Courthouse PO Box 179 Dickens, TX 79229 Dickens County Courthouse PO Box 179 Dickens, TX 79229 Phone: 806.623.5531 County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, burial, divorce, probate and land records form 1891 History of Courthouse Dickens County Courthouse P.O. Box 120 Dickens, Texas 79229 Phone: 806-623-5531 County Clerk P.O. Box 120 Dickens, Texas 79229 Phone: 806-623-5531 District Clerk P.O. Box 120 Dickens, Texas 79229 Phone: 806-623-5531 Dickens County Jail

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:

History Timeline

 * Espuela was the first County seat.

DICKENS is centrally located in DICKENS COUNTY, eight miles below the escarpment of the Llano Estacado (below the Caprock). It was a ranch supply point for an area where the first settlements were dugouts used as cowboy line camps for the Spur, Pitchfork, and Matador Ranches. In 1886 there was a camp near the present townsite and by 1889 Dickens was settled. The town became the county seat shortly after the county was organized and by 1893 had a post office, wagon yard, hotel, courthouse, saloon, blacksmith shop and a barber shop. The school was in a dugout on the courthouse square. Preaching was also held in the dugout.

In 1890 the county had a population of 195 and most of the people lived in and around Dickens. Soon after 1900, Dickens had a population of 600, the most it has ever had. There was a decline before World War II but when the boys came back home the town took a new growth with the building of new homes and businesses. This lasted for a few years with another downward surge following. In 1964 the town was voted wet and a new upward surge began with a population of 430. Highway 82 runs through the center of Dickens and has helped the town's businesses do well. As of 1997 the town shows another decline with population around 325.

Census Records

 * See also Using the Census to find other records about ancestors

Local Histories
DICKENS is centrally located in DICKENS COUNTY, eight miles below the escarpment of the Llano Estacado (below the Caprock). It was a ranch supply point for an area where the first settlements were dugouts used as cowboy line camps for the Spur, Pitchfork, and Matador Ranches. In 1886 there was a camp near the present townsite and by 1889 Dickens was settled. The town became the county seat shortly after the county was organized and by 1893 had a post office, wagon yard, hotel, courthouse, saloon, blacksmith shop and a barber shop. The school was in a dugout on the courthouse square. Preaching was also held in the dugout. In 1890 the county had a population of 195 and most of the people lived in and around Dickens. Soon after 1900, Dickens had a population of 600, the most it has ever had. There was a decline before World War II but when the boys came back home the town took a new growth with the building of new homes and businesses. This lasted for a few years with another downward surge following. In 1964 the town was voted wet and a new upward surge began with a population of 430. Highway 82 runs through the center of Dickens and has helped the town's businesses do well. As of 1997 the town shows another decline with population around 325.


 * A History of Dickens County by Fred Arrington 1971
 * Dickens County, Its Land and People by Dickens County Historical Commission 1986
 * The Spurs, W.J. "Scotch Bill" Elliott published by The Spur Newspaper, 1939. Stories of the ranch land of the Spur Headquarters Ranch and Espuela Land and Cattle Company.
 * Surnames of Dickens County

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Dickens County
 * Afton, Texas
 * Dickens, Texas
 * McAdoo, Texas
 * Spur, Texas
 * 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 and images ($)
 * Veterans of Dickens County
 * Those Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice

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

 Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
 * Civil War Veterans
 * Biographies of Civil War Veterans

 World War I
 * 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Newspapers

 * Clippings from old Newspapers
 * The Texas Spur
 * Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History

Obituaries

 * Burial list with Obituaries

Probate Records

 * 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1800-2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast ($) — index and images
 * Taxes, Wills and probate ($)

Birth

 * 1840-1981 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1903-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage — index ($)

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 — index ($)
 * 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)

Death

 * 1890-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1903-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1964-1984 Death Records in Dickens County Archives - TXGenWeb Project
 * 1964-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Lubbock Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Seminole Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Snyder Texas FamilySearch Center

Libraries
Dickens County Public Library 401 Burlington Spur, Texas Website Dickens County Historical Commission Website

Websites

 * TX GenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * USGenWeb project
 * USGenWeb Texas Counties
 * Frontier Times Magazine
 * Historic Texas
 * – 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.