Brooks County, Texas
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

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Brooks County Facts

Brooks County was created in 1911 and formed from Starr, Hildalgo, Live Oak and Zapata Counties. Brooks County was named for John Abijah Brooks, a Texas Ranger and legislator. The County Seat is Falfurrias. The Official County website is located at ?. The Brooks County courthouse was constructed of brick in 1914. Alfred Giles was the architect of this Classical Revival style courthouse and it was built at a cost of $55,000.

Areas adjacent to Brooks County are Jim Wells County (north), Kleberg County (northeast), Kenedy County (east), Hidalgo County (south), Starr County (southwest), Jim Hogg County (west), Duval County (northwest)

See also Extended History for more historical details.

  • Brooks County, Texas History Books at Amazon.com
  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
  • Search Historical Newspapers from Texas (1802 - 1993) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
  • Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
  • Search Texas Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

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Brooks County Court Records

See Also Texas Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Brooks County Clerk has Court Records from 1911, Land Records from 1911, Probate Records from 1911, Marriage Records from 1911 and Birth/Death Records from 1911 is located at P.O. Box 427, Falfurrias, TX 78355-0427; (512) 325-3053 .

The County Clerk's Office is the record keeper of the county. The county records include birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, brand registrations, DD214s (military discharges), land / real estate / property records, probate and civil filings.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997, Texas Deaths, 1964-98, Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 & 1966-2002, and Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2002. You may also search the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which does cover Texas. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.

Below is a list of online resources for Brooks County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Brooks County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Brooks County, Texas Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which covers the State of Texas. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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Brooks County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Texas

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Texas Department of State Health Services, 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756; (888) 963-7111 or (512) 458-7111; Fax: (512) 458-7711. Please allow up to approximately 6-8 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail, or 2-5 Days when you order through VitalChek Express Certificate Services. The Vital Records Department has the following records:

  • Birth Certificates: Birth records maintained by Bureau of Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health since 1903 through the present. For births that occurred within the past 75 years, copies can be requested only by the immediate family of the person whose name is on the birth certificate. Cost: The cost of a birth record is $22.00. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $22.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Death Certificates: Death records maintained by Bureau of Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health since 1903 through the present. For deaths that occurred in the past 25 years, copies can be requested only by immediate family members of the deceased. Cost: The cost of a certified death certificate is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy issued at the same time for the same certificate. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $20.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Marriage Verifications from Jan 1966 and Divorce Verifications from Jan 1968. Certified copies of marriage licenses or divorce decrees are only available from the county clerk (marriage) or district clerk (divorce) in the county or district in which the event occurred. Marriage verification or divorce verification letters can now be ordered Online. Cost is $20 - Fee is for verification only.

ORDERING

  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Order In Person: The certificates may be ordered by coming into this office.   If you want the copy the same day, our hours for same day service are 8:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. Monday – Friday. The Texas Vital Statistics Office in Austin is located at 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756.
  • Order By Mail: Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "Texas Vital Records " along with the necessary information to the following address: Texas Vital Records, Department of State Health Services, PO Box 12040. Print Aplication for Birth Certificates, Death Certificates and Marriage & Divorce Certificates.

There are a few online marriage databases which include: Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997, Texas Deaths, 1964-98, Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 & 1966-2002, and Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2002. Below is a list of online resources for Brooks County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Brooks County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Texas newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-10, 1926-29icon - Browse by county, then year, then surname, beginning with the first letters of the last name of the person you seek. If you're unsure of the year or location, use the search box under the browse menu. These records can be searched by father's first and last names, mother's first and maiden names, year, county, and city. The certificates include the child and parents' full names, residence, occupations, age, time and date of the birth, and the name of the physician attending the birth.
  • Texas Death Certificates, 1890-1976icon - These records are searchable by first and last name of the deceased, year, county, and city. A certificate may include the decedent's date, place, and cause of death; age; date of birth; last residence; and marital status. If known, it will also include occupation, birth place, parents' names, and place of burial. Browse by county, then year, then surname, beginning with the first letters of the last name of the person you seek. If unsure of the year or location, use the search box under the browse menu.
  • Brooks County, Texas Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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Brooks County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Texas

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

  Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Brooks County, Texas are 1920 and 1930.

The Texas State Library holds microfilm editions for all of Texas' federal censuses. Although the 1850, 1860, and part of the 1870 mortality schedules have been published, all the original mortality schedules are at the Texas State Library and on microfilm The 1830 territorial census of Miller County, Arkansas, enumerates an area that is in today's Texas boundaries. The remaining 1890 population schedules which exist for Texas include: Ellis County (Justice Precinct 6, Mountain Peak, and Ovilla Precinct); Hood County (Precinct 5); Rusk County (No. 6 and Justice Precinct No. 7); Trinity County (town of Trinity and Justice Precinct 2); and Kaufman County (Kaufman). Although Greer County in present-day Oklahoma functioned as part of Texas between 1886 and 1896, the 1890 census for this county was enumerated under Oklahoma Territory.

These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

Below is a list of online resources for Brooks County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Brooks County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Brooks County, Texas Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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Brooks County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Arkansas and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Texas showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Texas showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps.

Below is a list of online resources for Brooks County Maps. Email us with websites containing Brooks County Maps by clicking the link below:

  • Texas General Land Office Map Collection
  • Brooks County, Texas Map Books at Amazon.com
  • Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.
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Brooks County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Texas

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Brooks County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Brooks County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Brooks County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Texas tax records constitute one of the most complete sets of available records generated at the county level (by the Commissioners Court) because these documents are maintained by the state. These lists may only include approximately sixty percent of eligible males over the age of twenty-one. Persons exempted from taxes included native Americans, "idiots," "incompetents," and those exempted because of age. This final category of exemptions varied over time. Years without an older age exemption were 1840 and 1862-70. Between 1841-44 exemptions began at forty-five years; in 1845 and from 1850-61 the upward age was set at fifty years. In 1837, 1848, and 1849 the limit was established as fifty-five, and in 1846-7, and 1871 the upward limit was set at sixty years.

Texas Ad Valorem (poll, personal, and real property) tax records for 1836 through 1976 are available in microfilm at the Texas State Library from the date of respective county organization; these are arranged by county and date and are somewhat alphabetized within each division. Microfilm copies are housed in the Genealogy Section. Tax lists for the various counties from creation to 1901 may be borrowed through interlibrary loan. Tax records through 1901-1947 are readily accessible, but not on interlibrary loan. Those for 1948 through 1976 can be obtained upon request. 

Below is a list of online resources for Brooks County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Brooks County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Brooks County, Texas Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Brooks County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Texas Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Brooks County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Brooks County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Brooks County Historical Commission, 604 W. Blucher, Falfurrias, TX 78355
  • Brush Country Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 291, Falfurias 78355-0291
  • Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P.O. Box 12927, Austin, TX 78711-2927
    Holdings under the auspices of the Texas State Library are divided. Most important for genealogical research are the Texas State Archives with its Local Records Department, the Records Management Division, and the Information Services Division, which includes a Genealogy Section and a Reference Department.
    The Genealogy Section maintains vertical ties that contain notes, clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence on Texas families. These files may be accessed in person, by phone (512-463-5463, forty-five minute limit), or through correspondence.
  • Texas Genealogical Society, 2505 Beluche Drive, Galveston 77551
  • Texas Historical Commision
    The Texas Historical Commission (THC) is the state agency for historic preservation. THC staff consults with citizens and organizations to preserve Texas' architectural, archeological and cultural landmarks. The agency is recognized nationally for its preservation programs.
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Texas Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Brooks County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Texas

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Brooks County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Brooks County Tombstone Transcription Project.

During Texas's colonization period Roman Catholics were the most numerous, but early citizens included those representing other religious faiths such as Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Christian or Disciples of Christ.

Many cemetery records have been collected and transcribed, including the largest of which is multi-volumes compilation by the DAR and two volumes for Peters Colonists and descendants. The DAR collection, also microfilmed, is available at the Texas State Library and through the FHL.

Some Texas county historical and genealogical societies have published local cemetery and/funeral home records. These are normally available for purchase through the respective society. Two references can help determine which cemeteries have been recorded: Kim Parsons', A Reference to Texas Cemetery Records (Humble, Tex.: by author, 1988), arranged by county; and Sharry Crofford-Gould's, Texas Cemetery Inscriptions: A Source Index (San Antonio, Tex.: Limited Editions, 1977).

Below is a list of online resources for Brooks County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Brooks County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Brooks County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Brooks County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

Brooks County is in the Rio Grande Plain region south of Corpus Christi on U. S. Highway 281. It is bounded on the north by Duval and Jim Wells counties, on the east by Kleberg and Kenedy counties, on the south by Hidalgo and Starr counties, and on the west by Jim Hogg County. Falfurrias, the county's largest town and county seat, is in northeastern Brooks County at the junction of U.S. Highway 281, State highway 285, and Farm roads 2191 and 1418. Other communities include Encino, Flowella, and Rachal. Brooks County comprises 942 square miles of brushy mesquite land.

Artifacts dating from the Paleo-Indian period (9,200 b.c. to 6,000 b.c.) suggest that human beings have lived in the Brooks County area for approximately 11,000 years. During the historical era the Indians of the region belonged to the Coahuiltecan linguistic group.

In the sixteenth century the Spanish made various explorations of the area; however, because of its distance from the coast, the lack of a major river, and wide stretches of deep sand that made travel difficult, the area remained unsettled. Although land grants in the Trans-Nueces region were made as early as 1767, it was not until the 1800s that an effort was made to introduce colonists into the territory that became Brooks County. About twenty-five land grants were made in the Brooks County area by the Spanish and Mexican governments. The earliest, the San Salvador del Tule grant, was given to Juan José Ballí on November 8, 1797. Other important early grants included El Encino en el Poso, made to Luciano Chapa around 1827, and El Paisano, made to Ramón de la Garza around the same time. But because of its isolation most of the families receiving grants settled along the Rio Grande rather than in the Brooks County area and only sporadically brought their cattle to the region.

Between the Texas Revolution and the end of the Mexican War, Brooks County lay in the disputed territory between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River. During these conflicts many of the original grantees fled to Mexico, and much of the area was occupied only by wandering vaqueros. Gradually, with the cessation of hostilities, some families returned, but frequent droughts and lack of transportation discouraged permanent settlement.

After Texas independence the area was made part of San Patricio County. In 1846 San Patricio County was divided to form Nueces County, which in 1848 was divided to form Cameron, Webb, and Starr counties; from the latter two counties Brooks County was later formed.

The number of Anglo settlers in the region was initially very small, but began to increase after the Civil War.qv Initially, the advent of these settlers did not alter the region's economic or social character. Most of the newcomers were ranchers, and many of them married into the most prominent families and adopted the existing social code. As a result, the Brooks County area remained largely Hispanic in character, and many of the original Hispanic rancheros were able to hold on to all of their land and to dominate the local political scene into the early 1890s. The situation began to change with the arrival of Edward C. Lasater,qv who moved to the area in the early 1890s and quickly emerged as the dominant figure in the county. In 1895 Lasater set up headquarters a few miles south of the present site of Falfurrias at the north entrance to the lower Rio Grande valley and gradually accumulated more than 350,000 acres in the area, including much of what became Brooks County. The same year he purchased 7,000 cows from the Kenedy Pasture Company and soon built up his herd to one of the state's leading cattle breeders.

With the extension of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway from Alice to his ranch in 1904, Lasater founded the town of Falfurrias and subdivided a large portion of his ranchland for sale to farmers. Lured by prospects of abundant land, numerous settlers arrived to farm around Falfurrias. Within the span of a few years the character of economy changed markedly, from large-scale ranching to a mixture of farming and ranching, and Anglos increasingly dominated local politics.

During the latter half of the nineteenth century, the area that was to become Brooks County was part of Starr County. However, Lasater, a Republican, had a number of run-ins with Starr County's political boss, Manuel Guerra, who sought to maintain his control of the area. In 1911, after several years of effort, Lasater, with the help of State Representative John Abijah Brooks,qv succeeded in having Brooks County separated from Starr County, with Falfurrias as the county seat. The initial plans were to name the new county Falfurrias County, but in the end it was decided to name it Brooks in honor of John Brooks, who worked diligently for its formation. Upon organization of the county Amado de la Garza was elected sheriff and tax collector, Brooks was elected county judge, E. R. Rachal tax assessor, Rufino García, Sr., county and district clerk, and Lázaro López county treasurer. Ironically, in the early 1910s, a different faction of ranchers in western Brooks County lobbied to have its own county formed to break free of Lasater's influence. As a result, in 1913 Jim Hogg County was carved out of 990 square miles of Brooks County, and Brooks County assumed its present dimensions.

Between 1900 and 1940 the economy of Brooks County was predominantly based on ranching. In 1906 E. R. Rachal planted the first citrus trees, marking the introduction of the citrus industry into Brooks County. Freezes, droughts, and other pests, however, kept the industry from growing, and citrus fruit has remained of minor importance. Farming also failed to take hold. Despite Lasater's attempts to introduce commercial farming at the turn of the century, the emphasis remained on livestock raising, principally of cattle, and the small amount of farming was geared toward growing cattle feed. But rather than beef cattle, many ranchers focused on dairying, particularly of Jersey cows, which produced milk with a high fat content; already by the 1920s the high quality of Falfurrias butter and other dairy productsqv was widely recognized.

The period 1920 to 1930 saw a marked increase in agriculture in the county. In 1920 there were 394 farms in Brooks County; by 1930 the number had grown to 513, and the number of cattle had reached nearly 40,000. During the Great Depressionqv of the 1930s most of the area's farmers suffered hard times, but because of their reliance on meat, milk, butter, and other livestock products they fared somewhat better than farmers in other areas of the state who raised cotton and similar crops. Oil, discovered in the county in 1935, helped some cash-poor farmers to settle longstanding debts and survive the depression years, but not until the early 1940s did the economy began to recover fully.

The population of Brooks County grew rapidly during its early years, from 4,560 in 1920 to 9,195 in 1950, before declining slightly to 8,005 in 1970. In 1980 the population again showed modest growth, reaching 8,428, but nearly half of the residents (4,164) were retirees. Between 1970 and 1980 the rural population grew by nearly 41 percent, largely as a result of a growing influx of retired persons attracted by the warm climate. Many Mexican Americansqv were also moving to the area, and in 1980 Brooks County ranked seventh among all United States counties in percentage of residents of Hispanic origin. In 1990 the population was 8,204.
The first school in the county opened in 1912. In 1982 the county had one school district with three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.

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