Pecos County Obituary Records
Pecos County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Fort Stockton, Texas. The largest county by area in Texas, Pecos County has vital records dating from 1903.
Pecos County Overview
Pecos County Clerk Death Records
The Pecos County Clerk's office in Fort Stockton is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Pecos County from 1903 to the present are held here. The clerk accepts in-person and mail requests. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, records less than 25 years old require qualified applicant status. Records 25 years or older are open to the public.
Pecos County is the largest county by area in Texas, covering over 4,700 square miles of Chihuahuan Desert and Trans-Pecos terrain. Fort Stockton is the county seat, originally established as a frontier military post to protect the San Antonio-El Paso road. Oil and gas production has been the county's economic backbone since mid-century. The population is majority Hispanic. Ranching and water resources are ongoing concerns in this arid region. The DSHS online system is essential for most people requesting death certificates, given the distance to Fort Stockton from much of Texas.
| Office | Pecos County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 857, Fort Stockton, TX 79735 |
| Phone | (432) 336-7555 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | co.pecos.tx.us |
Searching Pecos County Obituaries
Order Pecos County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Pecos County from 1903. For genealogy, FamilySearch at familysearch.org and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov are the main free resources. Legacy.com at legacy.com carries obituary notices from the Fort Stockton Pioneer and area papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Pecos County death records from 1903. Online ordering is the most practical option for this remote West Texas county.
Requesting Pecos County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Pecos County Clerk, P.O. Box 857, Fort Stockton, TX 79735. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Pecos County Obituary Records
Pecos County death records from the early 1900s document one of the harshest frontier environments in Texas. The area was among the last parts of Texas settled by Anglo-Americans, as the Comanche and Apache controlled the region until the 1870s. Fort Stockton grew around the military post established to protect travelers on the Comanche War Trail and the San Antonio road to El Paso. Early records show ranchers, military personnel, and Mexican-American families who had lived in the region for generations. Oil discovery in the mid-20th century brought new workers and changed the county's character. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Pecos County entries.
The Pecos County Clerk's website provides information on vital records requests and county services in Fort Stockton.
The Pecos County Clerk in Fort Stockton maintains death certificates and vital records for this large Trans-Pecos county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Pecos County Death Records
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 193.003, death certificates must be filed within 10 days. Records under 25 years are restricted per Chapter 193. Older records are public. Section 193.007 covers delayed registration. The DSHS at dshs.texas.gov/vs/death maintains the statewide index including Pecos County.
Pecos County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (432) 336-7555, order online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, search at FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov. Obituaries appear on Legacy.com.
Nearby Counties
Pecos County is located in the Trans-Pecos region of Far West Texas.