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Texas County
Jackson County, Texas
Edna and Texas coastal prairie agriculture - from Edna's role as the commercial and governmental hub of Jackson County to the county's Gulf coastal prairie agricultural economy (Jackson County's flat to gently rolling coastal prairie supports rice, cotton, sorghum, and cattle production in a landscape shaped by the alternating wet and dry cycles of the Texas Gulf Coast, with the Lavaca River and its tributaries providing water access across the county's agricultural lands between the Colorado River and the Guadalupe River drainage systems).
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Office: Jackson County Office of Emergency Management – 115 W. Main, Room 104, Edna, TX 77957 | (361) 782-3398 | Fax: (361) 782-3071
City of Edna Emergency Operations: coordinated jointly through the county’s Emergency Operation Center; the Mayor of Edna and the Jackson County Judge both hold authority to request a Governor’s Emergency/Disaster Declaration and to issue evacuation orders.
Volunteer coordination: Jackson County VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) – coordinates local volunteers with county Emergency Management.
Fire/EMS: Jackson County Emergency Services District No. 3 (Edna Fire Department) – 315 W Main St, Edna, TX 77957, (361) 782-2121; the largest ESD in the county, covering the City of Edna plus El Toro, Morales, and Cordele areas.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-59 runs through Edna, the county seat, on the Texas coastal prairie
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Notes: Jackson County is genuinely one of the original counties of the Republic of Texas, organized in 1836 (created as a Mexican municipality in 1835) – one of the older counties covered in this project. Edna itself was established in 1882 when a new railway line bypassed the original county seat, Texana, prompting the county seat to move.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
No dedicated county building/permitting department was confirmed in this search – for property within Edna, contact City Hall directly; for unincorporated Jackson County, contact the County Judge’s office to confirm current requirements.
Notes: The Jackson County Courthouse, 115 West Main Street, Edna, is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Jackson County Veteran’s Service Officer Billy R. “Ron” Langford – 411 N. Wells, Room 111, Edna, TX 77957
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Jackson County Memorial Library – Edna, TX 77957 | jcml-tx.org; serves all of Jackson County; holds over 23,500 print volumes plus over 25,500 ebooks (61,000+ total items), hosts about 101 programs per year, and welcomes roughly 28,400 visitors annually.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Lake Texana, a 9,727-acre reservoir on the Navidad River formed by Palmetto Bend Dam and managed by the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority, sits 8 miles east of Edna and covers the site of the original county seat, Texana. IMPORTANT CORRECTION: the adjacent recreation area, formerly known as Lake Texana State Park, is no longer a Texas state park – it was transferred to the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority and is now operated as the Brackenridge Recreation Complex (established as a 575-acre park in 1981) – older sources referencing “Lake Texana State Park” may be outdated. Jackson County’s economy has genuine historical roots in cattle ranching, rice farming, and oil/gas production, with the Lavaca and Navidad Rivers providing rich agricultural bottomland.
Notes: The state-park-to-river-authority transition is a real, worth-flagging naming/status change for this project’s standard.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Jackson County Appraisal District – 411 N Wells St, Edna, TX 77957; confirm current phone via co.jackson.tx.us (some directories also list an address at 700 N Wells St – confirm current location directly).
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Jackson County Happy Tails Animal Shelter – 1785 US Highway 59 N, Edna, TX 77957 | [email protected] | HappyTailsShelter.com; a nonprofit organization taking in strays, owner-relinquished pets, and rescues from the local pound; all adoptable animals are vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and given flea/heartworm prevention before adoption; part of the Best Friends Animal Society network.
Notes: Confirm current adoption hours and intake policies directly, as availability can change.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
No county-wide landfill or transfer station was confirmed in this search – confirm current household waste disposal options directly with the County Judge’s office or Edna City Hall.
NOTES: Jackson County is the third county in this batch (Irion, Jack, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jim Hogg) and one of the original 1836 counties of the Republic of Texas. The Lake Texana State Park → Brackenridge Recreation Complex transition is an important status correction for anyone relying on older sources. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Jackson County
Jackson County is the Texas Gulf Coast’s Lavaca River rice and cattle prairie county – the flat coastal prairie landscape supports rice, cotton, and cattle operations while Edna serves as the governmental hub for a county positioned between the Houston and Corpus Christi metro areas along the US 59 corridor.
Edna (the county seat, population ~5,500) is Jackson County’s governmental and commercial center, a Gulf coastal prairie town providing regional services to surrounding agricultural communities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Jackson County Appraisal District at 315 W. Main Street, Edna, TX 77957, phone 361-782-7115.
Courts & Legal
Jackson County District Court at 115 W. Main Street, Edna, TX 77957, phone 361-782-3812, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
115 West Main St, Edna, TX 77957
(361) 782-3563
DISTRICT CLERK
115 West Main St, Edna, TX 77957
(361) 782-3563
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Jackson County Clerk’s Office, Edna (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). Records available from 1993 to present.
Local societies
No dedicated Jackson County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
County Clerk, Jackson County 115 West Main Street, Room 101, Edna, TX 77957 (361) 782-3563
Jackson County was created 1835 as a municipality, organized 1836, named for Andrew Jackson, on the Texas coastal prairies, seated in Edna.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Texas probate law is governed by the Texas Estates Code. Probate jurisdiction in Texas is split between statutory probate courts (in larger metro counties) and county courts (in smaller counties like Jackson, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Jackson County, the County Court handles probate matters.
Small Estate Affidavit (Tex. Est. Code § 205.001) – available ONLY when the decedent died WITHOUT a will (intestate), the estate (excluding homestead and exempt property) does not exceed $75,000, and assets exceed debts. At least 30 days must have passed since death. The affidavit must list every asset and debt, establish the family history showing who the heirs are, and be sworn to by the heirs and two disinterested witnesses; a judge then reviews and approves it under § 205.003.
Independent Administration – used when a will exists (or all heirs agree) and the estate has debts; minimal court supervision after the executor is appointed. This is the most common and efficient path in Texas when available.
Muniment of Title – available when a valid will exists, there are no unsecured debts (other than a mortgage), and there’s no other need for a full administration; transfers title without appointing an executor.
Dependent Administration – required for complex, contested, or disputed estates; involves ongoing court supervision and approval of most actions.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Probate of Will and Issuance of Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration, if intestate) with the Jackson County Clerk.
The original will (if one exists), a certified death certificate, and information about heirs and the proposed executor are included with the application.
The court holds a hearing and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors and gathers, inventories, and appraises the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
Filing fees in Texas typically run $250–$400 depending on the county; confirm current Jackson County fees directly.
Texas law allows a statutory executor fee of 5% of all sums actually received and paid out in cash, with specific exceptions. The court may also approve reasonable attorney fees paid from the estate.
Small estate affidavits typically cost $600–$1,900 total when factoring in filing and related fees.
Texas does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
411 North Wells St, Edna, TX 77957
(361) 782-3563
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
115 West Main St, Edna, TX 77957
(361) 782-3563
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
115 West Main St, Edna, TX 77957
(361) 782-3563
HHSC Office
115 West Main St, Edna, TX 77957
(361) 782-3563
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
No standalone county health department was confirmed in this search – confirm current public health service arrangements directly with the County Judge’s office.
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Editorial Trust
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Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Edna
Population: 14,500
Established: 1836
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Jackson County residents.
