Mitchell County, Texas
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
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Mitchell County Facts

Mitchell County was created in 1876 (Organized in 1881) and formed from Bexar and Young Territories. Mitchell County was named for Asa Mitchell and Eli Mitchell, two early settlers and soldiers in the Texas Revolution. The County Seat is Colorado City. The Official County website is located at ?. See also Extended History for more historical details.

Areas adjacent to Mitchell County are Scurry County (north), Nolan County (east), Coke County (southeast), Sterling County (south), Howard County (west), Borden County (northwest)

  • Mitchell 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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Mitchell 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.

Mitchell County Clerk has Court Records from 1881 , Land Records from 1881, Probate Records from 1881, Marriage Records from 1881 and Birth/Death Records from 1903 is located at 349 Oak St., Room 103, P.O. Box 1166, Colorado City, TX 79512; (915) 728-3481.

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 Mitchell County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Mitchell County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Mitchell 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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Mitchell 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 Mitchell County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Mitchell 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.
  • Mitchell 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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Mitchell 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 Mitchell County, Texas are 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 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.

Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Mitchell County, Texas are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

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

  • Mitchell 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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Mitchell 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 Mitchell County Maps. Email us with websites containing Mitchell County Maps by clicking the link below:

  • Texas General Land Office Map Collection
  • Mitchell 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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Mitchell 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 Mitchell County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Mitchell County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Mitchell 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 Mitchell County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Mitchell County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Mitchell County, Texas Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Mitchell 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 Mitchell County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Mitchell County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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  • 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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Mitchell 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 Mitchell County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Mitchell 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 Mitchell County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Mitchell 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 Mitchell County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Mitchell County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

The history of Mitchell County in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries was characterized by Spanish exploration and Indian domination. Because of their interest in the Jumano Indians, the Spanish made a series of expeditions through West Texas in the seventeenth century. Though no major explorations took place in what is now Mitchell County, the expeditions traveled through the area. In 1629 and 1632, Fr. Juan de Salas led expeditions to the Jumanos. Captains Hernán Martín and Diego del Castillo made an expedition through West Texas in 1650 in search of the Jumanos, as did Diego de Guadalajara, sent to find wealth, in 1654. Comanches of the Penateka band settled in the region in 1780 and controlled the area of the future Mitchell County until 1875, when Ranald S. Mackenzie of the United States Army moved them onto reservations.

In 1876 the Texas legislature formed Mitchell County from the Bexar District; since it had virtually no permanent settlers at the time, the county was assigned to Shackelford County for administrative purposes. During the late 1870s settlers began to enter. The early settlers in the county, mostly buffalo hunters, included J. Wright and John W. Mooar, George Wandell, and I. F. Byler. In 1880 the census counted 112 residents in the county. As a result of population growth in the late 1870s, elections were held on January 10, 1881, to organize Mitchell County. Colorado City was chosen the county seat, and J. R. Dobbins became the first county judge. A. W. Dunn, generally known as the "father" of Colorado City because he owned the first store there, became the first county treasurer. Cattlemen first moved into the county with their herds in the late 1870s; until the early twentieth century the economy of Mitchell County was dominated by cattle ranching.

During the settlement period merchants and traders also occupied the county, anticipating the construction of a railroad through the area. In the early 1880s the Texas and Pacific Railway was built through the county to Colorado City, and by April 16, 1881, the day the first train arrived, that town's population had reached 300. By 1882 four railroad stations had been established in the county. The railroad led to an instant boom in Colorado City; between 1881 and 1885 the town grew rapidly in population and prosperity. In 1881 the Colorado Courant, a weekly paper, began publication. Ranches were inaugurated in different parts of the county. Within this four-year period Colorado City emerged as a major shipping center to rival Dodge City and Abilene as a cattle town. By 1884 it had several saloons and beer parlors, scores of general stores, lawyers, doctors, and a population of about 3,000.

The boom died, however, partly as a result of a series of natural disasters in the late 1880s and 1890s. The first major setback was the severe drought of 1886, which was followed by the most terrible winter of the decade; cattle starved. In 1890 the agricultural census counted thirty-five farms and ranches in the county, but only 2,645 cattle were reported that year. That year only 124 acres of county land was planted in corn, the county's most important crop. According to the United States Census Bureau, 2,059 people were living in the county in 1890. Other droughts occurred in 1892, 1893, 1894, and 1897. In the late 1890s and early 1900s Colorado City was bypassed by three railroad lines (the Fort Worth and Denver, the Roscoe, Snyder and Pacific, and the Santa Fe), and the population and businesses of the town continued to decline. By 1900 Colorado City had lost its prominence as a cattle town, and the previous commercial importance of Mitchell County had passed. Ranching remained at the center of the local economy, but farmers were beginning to establish themselves in the area. In 1900 more than 60,000 cattle were reported on 232 farms and ranches. About 1,000 acres was planted in corn in 1900, and 3,105 acres was devoted to cotton. Meanwhile, the population of the county had grown since 1890 to reach 2,855.

The climate of Mitchell County was and is suitable for the cultivation of cotton and sorghum. Cotton, first planted in the county in 1898, became the leading crop after 1900. In 1910 more than 32,000 acres of county land was dedicated to cotton production. By 1920 cotton was planted on almost 48,000 acres of land in the county, and another 17,395 acres was devoted to sorghum culture. By 1930 cotton was being grown on more than 132,000 acres. Though cattle ranching had steadily declined in relative importance, it still remained an important part of the local economy. In 1930, near the peak of this early cotton boom, there were about 28,000 cattle in the county. The general expansion of farming in the area drew thousands of new settlers to the county during the first thirty years of the twentieth century. The number of farms in Mitchell County increased from 232 in 1900 to 1,108 by 1910. Droughts and the post-World War I agricultural depression drove some farmers out toward the end of the decade, but the boom resumed in the 1920s, as farms multiplied and cotton production continued to expand. The number of farms in the county grew from 864 in 1920 to 1,339 in 1925 and 1,481 by 1930; 1,064 of these were run by tenant farmers. Accordingly, the population rose to 9,859 by 1910, dropped to 7,527 by 1920, and rose again to 14,183 by 1930.

The economy suffered serious reverses during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Droughts and regulation of crop production by the federal government combined to drive down cotton acreage by about 50 percent over the course of the decade; by 1940 only 65,479 acres in the county was devoted to growing the fiber. The crop reductions particularly hurt the tenant farmers. By 1940 the number of farms in Mitchell County had dropped to 1,119, and 604 of these were operated by tenants. These developments drove down the population of the county to 12,477 by 1940.

Oil, discovered in the county in 1920, helped to stabilize the economy during the 1930s; after World War II it became an important source of jobs and income, even after petroleum prices plunged during the 1980s. Production of crude petroleum in Mitchell County exceeded 390,000 barrels in 1938 and reached almost 538,000 barrels in 1944. It was 803,184 barrels in 1948, 2,413,916 barrels in 1956, 2,512,965 barrels in 1960, and 5,094,682 barrels in 1974. It exceeded 6,500,000 barrels in 1982 and 4,889,200 barrels in 1990. By January 1, 1991, 176,890,444 barrels of crude had been taken from Mitchell County lands since discovery in 1920.

Cotton and sorghum continued to be the main source of agricultural revenue for the county, which in 1982 produced 27,319 bales of cotton, 18,116 tons of dry hay, 93,040 bushels of sorghum, and 28,027 bushels of wheat. Ranching also remained important. In 1982 Mitchell County produced 22,389 cattle and calves, 438 hogs and pigs, 7,376 sheep and lambs, 651 horses and ponies, and 50,855 pounds of wool. In 1985 the county obtained $14 million from beef cattle, hogs, sheep, horses, dairy products, poultry, cotton, sorghums, and small grains. Its 4,000 acres of irrigated land was used for both pasture and cultivation.

Despite the oil production, the mechanization of agriculture and the decline of the family farm contributed to a general population decline in the county after the 1950s. The census counted 15,357 people living in Mitchell County in 1950, 11,255 in 1960, 9,073 in 1970, 9,088 in 1980, and 8,016 in 1990. The voters of the county supported Democratic candidates in virtually every presidential election between 1888 and 1968; the only exception occurred in 1928, when they supported Republican Herbert Hoover over the Catholic Democrat Al Smith. Between 1972 and 1992 a majority of the county's voters increasingly voted Republican; they supported Richard Nixon in 1972 and Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. In the 1992 presidential election, a plurality of county voters supported Democrat Bill Clinton over Republican George H. W. Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot. Communities in Mitchell County include the county seat, Colorado City (1990 population, 4,749), Loraine (731), Westbrook (237), and Buford. Recreational sites include Lake Colorado City State Recreation Area, Champion Creek Reservoir, and the Colorado City Museum.

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