Dickens County, Texas Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
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

History
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.

Parent County
Dickens County was formed from Bexar, Young, Baylor and Crosby Territories. Created August 21, 1876 and organized February 9, 1891 from Crosby County. Named in honor of J. Dickens, who died in the siege of the Alamo.

Espuela was the first County seat temporarily from April 2, 1891 to March 17, 1892. Dickens became the County seat from March 17, 1892 to present.

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:

Ghost Towns
Draper | Espuela | Gilpin | Glenn

Neighboring Counties
Cottle •  Crosby  •  Floyd  •  Garza  •  Kent  •  King  •  Motley  •  Stonewall

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

Churches

 * Bethel Baptist Church, 519 N. Williams, Spur
 * Church of Christ W. Hwy 70, Spur
 * Church of Christ E. Hwy 70, Spur
 * Community Bible Chapel 209 E. Third, Spur
 * Dickens Baptist Church, 1022 Fourth, Dickens
 * Dickens Bible Church of the Nazarene, Afton
 * First Assembly of God Church, third and Cowan, Spur
 * First Baptist Church 120 W. Second, Spur
 * First Christian Church, 610 N. Burlington, Spur
 * First United Methodist Church, 528 N. Burlington, Spur
 * Independent Christian Churches, 507 N. Willard, Spur
 * Lakeside Baptist Church, S. Parker, Spur
 * St. Mary's Catholic Church, E. Sixth, Spur

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906-1989 — index and images

Local Histories

 * 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

 * Maps of Dickens County
 * Afton, Texas
 * Dickens, Texas
 * McAdoo, Texas
 * Spur, Texas

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — 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.com — index $

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Civil War Veterans
 * Biographies of Civil War Veterans

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Clippings from old Newspapers
 * The Texas Spur

Obituaries

 * Burial list with Obituaries

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Taxation

 * Taxes, Wills and probate (subscription)

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index (index)- FamilySearch
 * 1903-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1840-1981 Texas, Births and Christenings - 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 $
 * 1966-2010 Texas, Marriages - FamilySearch record collection

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890-1976 Texas Death 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 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1964-1984 Death Records in Dickens County Archives - TXGenWeb Project
 * 1964-1998 Texas 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

 * Dickens County Public Library 401 Burlington Spur, Texas
 * Dickens County Historical Commission
 * Spur Chamber of Commerce

Websites

 * Dicken County TXGenWeb
 * USGenWeb project - May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.