Sherman County Obituary Records
Sherman County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Stratford, Texas. Located at the very top of the Texas Panhandle, Sherman County has vital records dating from 1903.
Sherman County Overview
Sherman County Clerk Death Records
The Sherman County Clerk's office in Stratford is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Sherman 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.
Sherman County occupies the northernmost tier of the Texas Panhandle, bordering Oklahoma and New Mexico. Stratford is the county seat and only incorporated town. The county is one of the most productive wheat-farming areas in Texas, with the Ogallala Aquifer providing irrigation water. Cattle feedlots also operate in the county. Despite the agricultural productivity, the population is small and has declined over decades. The DSHS online system is the most practical way to obtain certified death certificates from Sherman County.
| Office | Sherman County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 270, Stratford, TX 79084 |
| Phone | (806) 396-2202 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | co.sherman.tx.us |
Searching Sherman County Obituaries
Order Sherman County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Sherman 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 may carry obituary notices from the Stratford Star and area Panhandle papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Sherman County death records from 1903. Online ordering avoids a trip to the Stratford courthouse.
Requesting Sherman County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Sherman County Clerk, P.O. Box 270, Stratford, TX 79084. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Sherman County Obituary Records
Sherman County death records from the early 1900s document homesteading families who came to break sod on the High Plains. The county was organized in 1889, and Stratford grew as a supply town for the flat, treeless grassland surrounding it. Wheat farming became dominant after the introduction of dry-farming techniques and later irrigation from the Ogallala Aquifer. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s devastated the county, driving many families away and leaving those who stayed to cope with crop failure and wind erosion. Early records represent the full arc of Panhandle settlement -- optimism, hardship, and endurance. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Sherman County entries.
The Sherman County Clerk's website provides information on vital records requests and county services in Stratford.
The Sherman County Clerk in Stratford maintains death certificates and vital records for this far-north Texas Panhandle county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Sherman 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 Sherman County.
Sherman County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (806) 396-2202, 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
Sherman County is located at the very top of the Texas Panhandle.