Dickens County, Texas

Dickens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 2,444.[1] Its county seat is Dickens.[2] The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1891.[3] Both the county and its seat are named for J. Dickens, who died at the Battle of the Alamo.[4]

Dickens County
U.S. county
The Dickens County Courthouse in Dickens
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°37′N 100°47′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1891
SeatDickens
Largest citySpur
Area
 • Total905 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Land902 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Water3.5 sq mi (9 km2)  0.4%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total2,444
 • Density2.7/sq mi (1.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district13th
Websitewww.co.dickens.tx.us

The Pitchfork Ranch is in Dickens and adjacent King County. It was managed from 1965 to 1986 by Jim Humphreys, who was also affiliated with the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock. The Matador Ranch, based in Motley County, once reached into Dickens County.[5]

Republican Drew Springer, Jr., a businessman from Muenster in Cooke County, represented Dickens County in the Texas House of Representatives from January, 2013 through his election to Texas Senate, District 30 in a special election runoff on December 19, 2020.[6][7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 905 square miles (2,340 km2), of which 902 square miles (2,340 km2) are land and 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2) (0.4%) are covered by water.[8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
188028—
1890295953.6%
19001,151290.2%
19103,092168.6%
19205,87690.0%
19308,60146.4%
19407,847−8.8%
19507,177−8.5%
19604,963−30.8%
19703,737−24.7%
19803,539−5.3%
19902,571−27.4%
20002,7627.4%
20102,444−11.5%
2019 (est.)2,211[9]−9.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1850–2010[11] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[12] of 2000, 2,762 people, 980 households, and 638 families resided in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1/km2). The 1,368 housing units averaged 2 per square mile (1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.62% White, 8.18% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 12.35% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. About 23.90% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 980 households, 23.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.80% were not families. About 32.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was distributed as 18.50% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 130.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 141.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,898, and for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $18,571 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,156. About 14.10% of families and 17.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Notable residents
  • Charles Weldon Cannon, rancher and boot and saddle manufacturer
  • Marshall Formby, attorney, newspaper publisher, radio executive, and politician

Elected leadership

[13]

Legislative Representation Name Service
United States Congress, District 13 Ronny Jackson 2021 – Present
State Senator, District 28 Charles Perry 2014 – Present
State Representative, District 68 vacant December 2020 – Present
County Elected Leadership Name Service
County Judge Kevin Brendle 2015 – present
County Commissioner Pct 1 Dennis Wyatt 2017 – present
County Commissioner Pct 2 Mike Smith 2015 – present
County Commissioner Pct 3 Charles Morris 2013 – present
County Commissioner Pct 4 Jerry Alexander 2019 – present
110th District Attorney Wade Jackson 2017 – present
District & County Clerk Becky Hill 2015 – present
County Sheriff Terry Braly 2013 – present
County Attorney Aaron Clements 2018 – present
County Tax Assessor-collector Rebecca Haney 2015 – present
County Treasurer Darla Thomason 2016 – present
Justice of the Peace Nancy Stone 2015 – present

Politics

Like much of North Texas, Dickens is heavily Republican, giving less than 15% of the vote to Hillary Clinton in 2016, though it did support her husband, Bill Clinton, in both 1996 and 1992, in the latter election supporting him by double digits over Texan native George Bush. It had previously even voted against Ronald Reagan by large margins in both 1980 and 1984.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 86.3% 853 13.2% 130 0.5% 5
2016 83.1% 755 14.1% 128 2.9% 26
2012 77.8% 793 21.2% 216 1.0% 10
2008 75.1% 730 24.1% 234 0.8% 8
2004 76.7% 815 23.1% 245 0.3% 3
2000 66.9% 589 32.2% 284 0.9% 8
1996 40.0% 421 48.3% 509 11.7% 123
1992 32.2% 373 46.2% 536 21.6% 251
1988 38.1% 435 61.0% 696 0.9% 10
1984 45.9% 594 53.5% 692 0.6% 8
1980 37.4% 554 61.6% 912 1.0% 15
1976 21.8% 343 77.8% 1,222 0.4% 6
1972 56.9% 708 42.9% 534 0.2% 3
1968 27.9% 428 52.9% 811 19.2% 295
1964 20.3% 339 79.4% 1,324 0.2% 4
1960 32.4% 521 66.9% 1,075 0.7% 11
1956 31.3% 565 68.8% 1,243
1952 38.4% 782 61.4% 1,249 0.2% 4
1948 6.8% 115 87.8% 1,492 5.5% 93
1944 7.5% 141 86.1% 1,617 6.4% 121
1940 12.4% 246 87.3% 1,728 0.3% 5
1936 7.4% 115 92.6% 1,445 0.1% 1
1932 4.0% 63 95.5% 1,491 0.5% 8
1928 64.1% 741 35.9% 415
1924 15.8% 161 83.2% 849 1.0% 10
1920 18.8% 109 74.8% 433 6.4% 37
1916 3.4% 15 87.8% 389 8.8% 39
1912 3.3% 11 84.2% 277 12.5% 41

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 106.
  5. "Matador Ranch," Historical marker, Texas Historical Commission, Motley County, Texas
  6. "State Rep. Springer announces district tour July 30". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, July 16, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
  7. "State Rep. Drew Springer trumps Shelley Luther in Texas Senate runoff". Texas Tribune, December 19, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  9. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  11. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  13. https://www.txdirectory.com/online/county/detail.php?id=63
  14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-07-21.

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