Jones County

Jones County Offices

Jones County Town List

Jones is one of the counties in the west of Texas Prairies. The largest city in Jones County is Stamford, with an approximate area of 33.46 km².   

It comprises some cities such as; Anson, Hawley, Abilene, Lueders, Laurel, Ellisville, Sandersville, Soso, and Hamlin (some part of Fisher County). The County seat is Anson. Several Interstate Highways cross the Jones County, including:  

• Highways 80, 183, & 277 
• Burlington Northern Railroad 
• State highways 6 and 92 

History of Jones County 

Before the settlement of Anglo-Americans, nomadic groups including the Comanche, Tonkawa Indians, and Kiowa wandered through the area. In 1851, a group of the first white settlers settled on land known as “Jones County.” The settlers settled in Fort Phantom Hill, near the present Hawley site.  

However, they soon abandoned Fort Phantom Hill in 1854. The U.S. Postal Department established a station that provided transportation on the Butterfield Overland Mail route running from Saint Louis to San Francisco in 1858.  

As of February 1, 1858, Jones County was established from two counties, namely Bosque and Bexar, and named for Anson Jones with the inclusion of the county seat. However, the Jones County organization was founded in 1881 when settlers declared Anson the county seat. 

As of 1873, some settlers, including Emmett Roberts, John, J. G. Johnson, and Mode, developed ranches that the first settlers abandoned (Fort Phantom Hill). Some of the other early ranches that settlers established afterward include: 

• T-Diamond(1876) 
• Eriksdale Ranch of the Bruce and Swenson families 
• Cattle Company(1882)

Geography of Jones County 

Jones County has 937 square miles of land. It is 32°45′ on the northern latitude and 99°54′ on the western latitude.  

The undulating terrain consists mainly of rolling plains elevating from 1,600 to 1,900 feet above sea level. The Brazos River and the tributaries drain throughout the county. 

The following counties border Jones County: 

• Haskell County borders it to the northern side 
• Shackelford to the east 
• Taylor to the south 
• Fisher to the west 
• Callahan to the southeast 
• Stonewall to the northwest 

Jones County Demographics  

According to the 2019 Census, approximately 20,083 people are living within the county’s borders. Of those individuals, about 82.9% identify themselves as white, 13.2% black or African American, 58.0% white but not Hispanic and Latinos, 1.4% Asian, 0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and 1.7% of more than two races. 

About 17.3% of the households have children under the age of 18 years old. Approximately 4.3% of the population consists of children under five years of age.  

Roughly 15.9% of persons are 65 years and above. About 81.5% of the population aged 5+ years speaks English at home. Meaning 18.5% of the population speaks another language at home apart from English. One thousand two hundred thirty-eight veterans were residing in the county between 2015 – 2019.  

Jones County Offices  

Several county offices serve different purposes for the residents of Jones County. You can find these offices within the county. These offices include; 

County Judge: Judge Dale Spurgin is the county judge who serves as the head of Jones county judicial branch. He oversees the meeting agendas, court calendars, and all legal matters about the county.  

His office address is P. O. Box 148 Anson, TX 79501. You can contact him via phone at 325-823-3741 or fax at 325-823-4223. 

Sheriff: Sheriff Danny Jimenez is the Jones county sheriff who oversees law enforcement activities in the county. His office address is P. O. Box 821 Anson, TX 79501. Contact him by calling 325-823-3201 or faxing at 325-823-2099.  

Commissioners Court: This department is made up of four commissioners who oversee the jurisdictions of the county. You can reach Jones County Commissioner’s Court 100 Courthouse Square Anson, TX 79501. 

• Precinct 1 Commissioner: Roy Spalding’s office is at 1001 Northwest Third Street Hamlin, Texas 79520. You can contact him at 325-576-3421 or fax 325-823-4223. 
• Precinct 2 Commissioner: Lonnie Vivian’s office is at 1202 S. Orient Street Stamford, Texas 79553. You can contact her at 325-280-9669 or fax 325-823-4223. 
• Precinct 3 Commissioner: Todd McWilliams’ address office is PO Box 148 Anson, Texas 79501. You can contact him via phone at 325-537-2674 or fax at 325-823-4223. 
• Precinct 4 Commissioner: Joel Spraberry’s office address is PO Box 148 Anson, Texas 79501. You can contact him via phone at 325-823-2470 or send a fax at 325-823-4223. 

County Clerk: LeeAnn Jennings is the clerk of Jones county. Her office address is P. O. Box 552 Anson, Texas 79501. You can contact her office at 325-823-3762 or fax 325-823-3979. 

County Attorney: Chad Cowan is the county attorney for Jones county. His office address is P. O. Box 68 Anson, TX 79501-0068. You can contact his office at 325-823-3771 or fax 325-823-4223. 

District Attorney: Joe Edd Boaz is the 259th District Attorney of Jones county. He handles criminal cases involving state laws. His office address is PO Box 507 Anson, Texas 79501. Call his office at 325-823-2742 or fax 325-823-2322.  

District Clerk: Lacey Hansen is the district clerk. The Jones County District Clerk’s Office is at Anson, TX 79501. The District Clerk’s main telephone number is 325-823-3731 or fax 325-823-3289.  

County Tax Assessor-Collector: Gloria Little is the Tax Assessor-Collector. Her office address is P. O. Box 511 Anson, TX 79501. Phone Number 325-823-2437. Fax Number 325-823-4246.  

Oil Mining in Jones County 

In 1926, settlers discovered the first oil well in Jones County at the Noodle Creek southwestern part of Anson. In 1930, several commercial oil fields were established that led to the development of the county.  

The oil industries in Jones County mitigated the effects left after the great depression on the area’s economy. It also helped create jobs for many people living in the rural areas of the county. Many families were able to move from their farms into the oil industry as an alternative income. 

The value of farms depreciated during the 1930s and 1940s, resulting in a decrease in the population of Jones County. However, the Jones County economy came back on track in the 1940s after the first white settlers constructed Fort Phantom Hill Dam in 1937 to increase crop production and the establishment of cattle ranches. 

Agriculture was the main economic activity as 94 percent of the land was set to develop cattle ranches and farms in 1982. Other minerals apart from oil that settlers discovered from the county were gravel, sand, and stone.