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Welcome to Texas
Genealogy Trails!
*Volunteers
dedicated to putting free data online.*
Deafsmith County Website is available for
adoption. If interested in joining our group, view our Volunteer Information Page and contact Kim.
[Basic webpage design knowledge and a desire to transcribe data is
required]
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In 1876 the state legislature identified
and named the county, but it was not organized until 1890, with the town
of LaPlata as the original county seat. The county was named for Erastus
"Deaf" Smith (1787-1837), a partially-deaf scout and soldier who served in
the Texas Revolution. He was the first to reach the Alamo after its
fall. |
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The earliest prehistoric inhabitants of
these prairies gave way to Plains Apaches, who in turn were forced out by
the warlike Comanches and Kiowas. In 1787, and again in 1788, José Mares
followed Tierra Blanca Creek in his search for a route from Santa Fe to
San Antonio. |
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| The Indian wars of the 1870s,
culminating in the Red River War of 1874-75, led to the nomadic red man's
removal to the Indian Territory. Shortly thereafter ranchers began to
appear in the area, and in 1876 the Texas legislature formed Deaf Smith
County from the Bexar District. The census counted thirty-eight people in
the county in 1880. By 1890 the county's population had increased to
179, and the census found seventeen farms or ranches in the area, seven of
which were smaller than 500 acres. |
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Cities and
towns
Hereford
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ONLINE DATA |
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Mockingbird
State Bird
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