Search Death Records in Stonewall County

Stonewall County death records are kept by the County Clerk in Aspermont and are part of the Texas statewide death index going back to 1903. To find a death record or get a certified death certificate for a death in Stonewall County, contact the county clerk, submit a mail request, or use the Texas state online system.

Stonewall County Clerk and Death Records

The Stonewall County Clerk in Aspermont handles vital records for the county, including certified death certificates. The office is at the Stonewall County Courthouse, P.O. Box 914, Aspermont, TX 79502. You can reach the clerk at (940) 989-2272. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular courthouse hours. Staff can search the death index by name and approximate date and issue certified copies to qualified requesters.

Stonewall County is a small rural county in northwest Texas, near the Rolling Plains region. It is among the least populated counties in the state. The death index covers all deaths registered in the county since 1903, and while the number of records per year is modest, the records are fully part of the Texas statewide system. DSHS in Austin also maintains copies of all records filed at the county level, so you have two sources to check if needed.

County fees match state standards. The first certified copy costs $21.00, and each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $4.00. In-person requests require a valid government-issued photo ID. Mail requests need a copy of your ID and a check or money order payable to the Stonewall County Clerk. As with all Texas counties, the search fee is not refundable if a search is conducted and no record is found.

Note: Stonewall County is a very small office. Calling ahead to confirm hours and availability before making the trip to Aspermont is a good idea.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit sets the statewide rules on fees, ID requirements, and access restrictions that Stonewall County applies to all death record requests.

Stonewall County follows the same DSHS-set standards as all other Texas counties, whether you request records locally or through the Austin state office.

How to Search Stonewall County Death Records

In-person requests at the Stonewall County Courthouse in Aspermont are the fastest option. Bring a valid photo ID and $21.00. The clerk will search by name and approximate death year and issue a certified copy if the record exists.

Mail requests work well for those who are not near Aspermont. Use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS. Include a copy of your photo ID and the fee by check or money order payable to the Stonewall County Clerk. Send to P.O. Box 914, Aspermont, TX 79502. Allow several business days after the office receives your packet.

You can also order online through the txapps.texas.gov portal. Online orders go through DSHS in Austin at $20.00 for the first copy, with processing times of 20 to 25 business days. Free index searches are available on FamilySearch and Ancestry for Texas records through 2000.

Who Can Access Stonewall County Death Records

Texas restricts access to death records for 25 years after the date of death. Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, only an immediate family member can request a certified copy during the restricted window. Immediate family includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent of the deceased. An authorized legal representative may also request with proper documentation. Once 25 years have passed, the record is public and anyone with valid ID can request it.

Government-issued photo ID is required for all requests. The DSHS acceptable ID page explains what is accepted. Making a false statement to get a death certificate is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195, with penalties including prison time and fines up to $10,000.

Historical Death Records in Stonewall County

Stonewall County death records begin in 1903, when Texas started mandatory statewide registration. The county's records reflect families who settled this part of the Rolling Plains of northwest Texas. Because the population has always been small, the total number of records per year is limited. That can make searching for a particular person in the Stonewall County death index straightforward once you know the approximate time period. The Texas statewide index is organized by broad periods: 1903 to 1940, then 1940 to 1945, 1946 to 1955, and annually from 1956 onward.

Both FamilySearch and Ancestry offer free Texas death index searches through 2000. These indexes show the name, death county, date, certificate number, gender, and marital status where available. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin holds the death index through 1973, open for public research. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide provides context on how the statewide system is organized for those new to Texas genealogy research.

Note: Some early Stonewall County records may be incomplete. Rural northwest Texas counties had lower reporting compliance in the years right after mandatory registration began in 1903.

The DSHS Order Records Locally page includes Stonewall County as a local option for obtaining certified death certificates directly rather than through the Austin state office.

The Aspermont clerk's office can issue certified Stonewall County death certificates for qualified requesters without the wait time of a state mail order.

Cities in Stonewall County

Aspermont is the county seat and main community in Stonewall County. All death records for events in the county run through the Stonewall County Clerk in Aspermont. No cities in Stonewall County meet the qualifying population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Stonewall County. If you need to determine which county a death was registered in, check where the death occurred or contact the relevant clerk's office.

Fisher County • Haskell County • Jones County • Kent County • King County • Knox County