Clay County Obituary Records
Clay County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Henrietta, Texas. Located in North Texas near Wichita Falls, this county has vital records dating from 1903. If you need to request a certified death certificate, search obituary notices, or look up historical death records for someone who died in the Henrietta area, this page covers the county clerk's office and the online options available for Clay County records.
Clay County Overview
Clay County Clerk Death Records
The Clay County Clerk's office in Henrietta is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Clay County from 1903 to the present are held here. The clerk processes requests in person and by mail. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, records less than 25 years old are restricted to qualified applicants. Records 25 years or older are open to the public.
Qualified applicants include immediate family members, legal representatives, and others who can show a documented interest. The clerk's office also handles property records, marriage records, and other county documents. The website at claycountytx.org lists current office hours and available services.
| Office | Clay County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 548, Henrietta, TX 76365 |
| Phone | (940) 538-4631 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | claycountytx.org |
Searching Clay County Obituaries
Order Clay County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The Texas DSHS system covers all Texas counties including Clay. For genealogy research, FamilySearch at familysearch.org and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov are the main free resources for older records. Recent obituary notices from Clay County newspapers appear on Legacy.com at legacy.com.
Note: Deaths occurring in nearby Wichita Falls are recorded by Wichita County, not Clay County. Check the correct county when requesting certificates.
Requesting Clay County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Clay County Clerk, P.O. Box 548, Henrietta, TX 76365. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. See requirements at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Clay County Obituary Records
Clay County death records from the early 1900s reflect the ranching and farming communities of North Texas. The county sits in the Red River valley region, and early certificates often show rural causes of death and frontier-era burial sites. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early Texas death indexes including Clay County. FamilySearch has digitized portions of the Texas death collection covering North Texas counties. Local cemeteries in and around Henrietta maintain burial records that can complement official death certificates for genealogy research.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains the statewide death record index that includes Clay County entries from 1903 to the present.
The Clay County Clerk in Henrietta maintains death certificates and vital records for this North Texas county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Clay County Death Records
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 193.003, death certificates must be filed within 10 days. Clay County records under 25 years are restricted per Chapter 193. Older records are public. Section 193.007 covers delayed registration. The DSHS statewide index at dshs.texas.gov/vs/death covers all Clay County entries.
Clay County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (940) 538-4631, order online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, and search genealogy records at FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov. Obituaries appear on Legacy.com.
Nearby Counties
Clay County is located in North Texas south of the Red River near Wichita Falls.