Texas, Jack County has a rich frontier and ranching history.
Jack County was created from Cooke County in 1856. The first court met on 22 July 1857 in the front yard of T.S. Nettles at Mesquiteville in the Salt Creek community, two miles south of the present courthouse square. The Butterfield Stage Route or Upper California Road and Southern Overland Mail route ran through Jack County until the beginning of the Civil War. The location of the mail route is easily found in the county. The county seat was moved to the present location and the name changed in 1870 to Jacksborough. In 1867, Fort Richardson was established as one of the second line of defense forts against the Indians. From 1875-1876, the Mooar Brothers' buffalo trail led thorugh Fort Richardson and the Old Emigrant Trail passed through Jack County, traveling from Gainesville to Fort Griffin. The county seat became known as Jacksboro in 1874.

Links to Jack County Information
(pages last updated Aug 6, 2025)

Births
Link --- # of Records --- Provided By --- Description
1903-1904 --- --- Transcribed by Dorman Holub --- These old records only have the name and sex. Some do not have the child's first name.
1926-1949 --- 3,744 --- Gathered together into one alphabetical table by Douglas Harris --- These have child's name, dates, mother's maiden name & father's name.
Click to request --- Newer records--- Only births older than 75 years are now public record. We have some of these and will try to do look-ups. --- These only have the child's name and date. No parents are listed.
Family Search --- --- Family Search is Free --- Newer than 75 years, and may give parent's names.
2011-Present --- --- Jacksboro Newspapers Online --- Birth announcements. You have to have subscription to view the old papers.

Marriages
1966-2002 --- 2,648 --- Gathered together into alphabetical tables by Douglas Harris --- These are alphabetical by Groom's name and Bride's name and give their ages and date of marriage.
1869-1990 --- --- Look in the old newspapers. 'It's On the Record' section has marriage licenses listed. --- Many good engagement/wedding/anniversary announcements and pictures in the 1980's.

Divorce Records
1968-2010 --- 1,502 --- Gathered together into alphabetical tables by Douglas Harris --- These are alphabetical by Husband's name and give the Wife's first name, ages and dates.

Old Lists + Records
1858-1859 --- Tax Rolls --- Transcribed by Dorman Holub --- Names from the Jack County Courthouse, Jacksboro
1860 --- 20 slave owners --- Transcribed by Dorman Holub --- Names of slave owners and number of slaves
1867-1869 --- Voter's Registration --- Transcribed by Mary Speakman --- Name, length of residency, and native of
1911 --- Phone Book --- Transcribed by Dorman Holub --- Jacksboro County Phone Directory
1950s --- Address Book --- Sent in by Dehn Smith --- 1950s Jacksboro Address/Phone Book

County Records
1948-1961
1980-1990 --- Sections in newspapers --- 'Court House Records' or
'It's on The Record' section in newspaper --- Court Records, Deeds, Mineral Leases, and Marriage Licenses

Census
1860 --- 24 pages --- Images of census pages --- Original images of census pages
1870 --- 19 pages 694 people --- Images of census pages Transcribed by Travis McClure --- Original images of census pages Transcription and index
1880 --- 139 pages 7,435 people --- Images of census pages Transcribed by Travis McClure --- Original images of census pages Transcription and index
1900 --- 10,660 people --- Transcribed by Travis McClure --- Transcription and index
1910 --- 12,505 people --- Transcribed by Travis McClure --- Transcription and index
1920 --- 10,631 people --- Transcribed by Travis McClure --- Transcription and index
1930 --- 194 pages EDs 1&2 2,979 people --- Images of census pages + Maps
Transcribed by Doug Harris with added information --- Original images of census pages + Maps
Transcription and linking index with added information
1940 --- 268 pages --- Maps & Images of pages --- Great maps -Needs index with links to pages

Old Newspapers
- 32,631 newspaper pages and PDFs available for download
1869-1990 --- 99 years 4,424 papers 32,631 pages ---
LARGE images of newspaper pages Old newspaper history
Interesting articles pulled from papers:
Rural School Directories
1917 & 1918 Lists of WWI soldiers
1942-1945 WWII soldiers and Lost Battalion
Business Histories
Many others ---
1869 The Flea
1875-1878 The Frontier Echo
1880-1886 The Rural Citizen
1886-1946 The Jacksboro Gazette
1904-1918 The Jacksboro News
1948-1990 The Jacksboro Gazette-News
(We don't have some of the 1960's and 1970's)
We have searchable PDFs of each year. Email with name and date if you need help finding something. Sue@JackCoTX.com

Military
1860s --- Many War Records --- Dorman Holub, Shari Shanafelt, John R. Petterson & Elnora Frances Cook-Wyrick --- Civil War Records and Confederate pension applications- give claimant and husband's name
1874 --- Battle at Lost Valley --- Battle between Texas Rangers and Kiowa near the Loving Ranch --- Many articles about the battle. Most are from the Ranger's Museum in Waco.
1867-1878 --- Fort Richardson --- Information about Indian Wars, Calvary Hospital, and Officers' Quarters --- Historical Markers and pictures
Lists and Records --- WWI & WWII --- Dorman Holub & Shari Shanafelt --- List of WWI Registrants and some WWI & WWI records
WWII Service Book --- WWII --- Men + Women from Jack County that served in the Armed Forces during WWII --- Picture and brief bio of each person
1941-1944 --- Lost Battalion --- Pictures sent in by Dee Farris --- Historical Marker and memorial at Fort Richardson
Military Memorial --- Gibtown Cemetery --- Memorial to all service members buried at the cemetery --- Picture of memorial and list of names

Schools
Now with 210 years and 24,076 Yearbook pages online
1897-1954 --- Class Pictures & Info --- Class Pictures, booklets, and information that has been sent in (Please send more) --- Bryson/Keyser, Rocky Point, Salt Creek, Union Ridge, Vineyard & Jacksboro
1904-1950 --- 33 Class Pictures & Info --- Old newspaper class lists and pictures from before we had yearbooks --- Graduation lists and group pictures from the newspaper
1885-2002 --- 56 Newspaper Clippings --- School related articles and pictures taken from the Jacksboro newspapers --- School history, pictures of buildings, and some lists of students and teachers
1906-1939 --- School District Directories --- School district map and information from the Jacksboro newspapers --- 1906 School District Map
1906-1939 District Directories of Teachers and Trustees
1956-1963 --- 1956, 1962 & 1963
218 Pages 980 Names --- Antelope Yearbooks loaned for scanning by Leslie Jackson --- Antelope Yearbooks. Images of pages & Index of 218 Names with links to those pages.
Now includes Antelope Graduation Pictures from the Jack County Newspapers
1938-2012 --- 67 Years
6,411 Pages
19,467 Names --- Bryson Yearbook scans provided by the Gladys Johnson Ritchey Library in Jacksboro --- Bryson Yearbooks. Images of pages & Index of 19,467 Names with links to those pages.
1941 --- 1 Year
41 Pages
337 Names --- Cundiff Yearbook scans provided by the Gladys Johnson Ritchey Library in Jacksboro --- Cundiff Yearbook. Images of pages & Index of 337 Names with links to those pages.
1922-2015 --- 69 Years
9,079 Pages
35,316 Names --- Jacksboro High School Yearbook scans provided by the Gladys Johnson Ritchey Library in Jacksboro --- Jacksboro Yearbooks. Images of pages & Index of 35,316 Names with links to those pages.
1918-2012 --- 70 Years
8,327 Pages
28,661 Names --- Perrin-Whitt Yearbook scans provided by the Gladys Johnson Ritchey Library in Jacksboro --- Perrin-Whitt Yearbooks. Images of pages & Index of 28,661 Names with links to those pages.