Texas Census Records -   Statewide Records that exist for Texas are 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. No state censuses were taken for Texas although some counties enumerated children 6-16 years in schools between 1854-5. These usually contain names of parents or guardians and students' names. The archives division of the Texas State Library houses the originals, although name indexes are kept in their Search Room. County lists for those counties beginning with letters "A" through "D" are missing. Mail or phone requests may be made for index entries. Microfilm copies of some are in the FHL.

  There are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.

See Also Researching in Census Records - What is the name, age, sex, color, occupation, and birthplace of each person residing in this house? Which of these individuals attended school or was married within the year? Who among them is deaf and dumb, blind, insane, “idiotic,” a pauper, or a convict? Is there anyone in the household over twenty years of age who cannot read and write? What is the name of the slave owner? How many slaves belong to the owner? What is the tribe of this Indian? What were the places of birth of the person’s parents? In what year did this person immigrate to the United States and, if naturalized, what was the year of naturalization? For answers to these and other questions, researchers look to census records......

  Colonial and Republic: Various censuses were enumerated under Spanish and Mexican governments at times, but these seldom covered all settlements in Texas for any given year. Mission rolls, reports, and statistical reviews were recorded between 1783 and 1796. Some rancho censuses are extant for the years between 1797 and 1826. An 1828 Padron, lists home, age, occupation, marital status, religion, as well as family members. This is available at the Texas State Library as part of the records group contained in the Nacogdoches Archives section for 1753-1836 on microfilm. Translated mission censuses have been microfilmed and can be reviewed at the Institute of Texas Cultures, University of Texas, San Antonio.
No censuses were taken under the Republic of Texas (1836-45), although tax records provide a substitute census for 1840.

• Texas Census, 1820-90

Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"

   There are numerous ways to determine the location in which to concentrate research for an ancestor. One of the most popular and productive is the census.
Alice Eichholz, Ph.D., In Ancestry’s Red Book: American State,County and Town Sources

    Since 1790, the U.S. government has taken a nationwide population count every ten years. Unique in scope and often surprisingly detailed, the census population schedules created from 1790 to 1920 are among the most used of records created by the federal government. Over the course of two centuries the United States has changed significantly, and so has the census. From the six basic questions asked in the 1790 census, the scope and categories of information have changed and expanded dramatically.

   Early censuses were essentially basic counts of inhabitants; but as the nation grew, so did the need for statistics that would reflect the characteristics of the people. In 1850, the focus of the census was radically broadened. Going far beyond the vague questions previously asked of heads of households, the 1850 census enumerators were instructed to ask the age, sex, color, occupation, birthplace, and other questions regarding every individual in every household. Succeeding enumerations solicited more information; by 1920, census enumerators asked twenty-nine questions of every head of household and almost as many questions of everyone else in the residence. (Only a very small segment of the 1890 census remains; a fire in the Commerce Department destroyed the vast majority of the original records for that year. Because of privacy considerations, census records less than seventy-two years old are not available to the general public; thus, the 1920 census is the most recent available to the public.)

   Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do the U.S. federal censuses. The population schedules are successive “snapshots” of Americans that depict where and how they were living at particular periods in the past. Once home sources and library sources have been exhausted, the census is often the best starting point for further genealogical research. Statewide indexes are available for almost every census; they are logical tools for locating individuals whose precise place of residence is unknown. While some inaccuracies are to be expected in census records, they still provide some of the most fascinating and useful pieces of personal history to be found in any source. If nothing else, census records are important sources for placing individuals in specific places at specific times. Additionally, information found in the census will often point to other sources critical to complete research, such as court, land, military, immigration, naturalization, and vital records.

   The importance of census records does not diminish over time in any research project. It is always wise to return to these records as discoveries are made in other sources because, as you discover new evidence about individuals, some information that seemed unrelated or unimportant in a first look at the census may take on new importance.

   When you can’t find family, vital, or religious records, census records may be the only means of documenting the events of a person’s life. Vital registration—the official recording of births, deaths, and marriages—did not begin until around 1920 in many areas of the United States, and fires, floods and other disasters since have destroyed some official government records. When other documentation is missing, census records are frequently used by individuals who must prove their age or citizenship status (or that of their parents) for Social Security benefits, insurance, passports, and other important reasons.

How to Find Census Records
   All available federal census schedules (those made from 1790 to 1920) have been microfilmed and are available at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.; at the National Archives’ regional archives; at the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church) in Salt Lake City and LDS family history centers throughout North America, “The Family History Library and Its Centers”); at many large libraries; in genealogical society libraries; and through companies that lend microfilmed records. Some state and local agencies have census schedules for the state or area they serve. Generally, microfilm copies may be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Starting With the Census
   It is usually best to begin a census search in the most recently available census records (1920) and to work from what is already known about a family. With any luck, birthplaces and other clues found in these more recent records will point to locations of earlier residence.

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Texas Church Records - 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.

See Also Research In State Church & Cemetery Records - Church records rank among the most promising of genealogical records available. Indeed, for periods before the advent of civil registration of vital statistics (a very late development in many American states), church records rank as the best available sources for information on specific vital events: birth, marriage, and death. They are also among the most under-used major records in American genealogy. Part of the reason lies in the number of denominations-there are hundreds of them. Identifying and locating the records of these various churches makes even professional genealogists hesitate......

Many Roman Catholic records are in the Catholic Archives of Texas, North Congress and West 16th, Capitol Station P.O. Box 13327, Austin, TX 78711. Others are deposited in the various archdiocese archives. The San Antonio archdiocese records begin in 1703. Two sources for Baptist records in the state are:

• Baylor University's Texas Collection, Baylor University Library, Box 6396, Waco, Texas 76706; and
• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, A Webb Roberts Library, Box 22, 000-2#, Fort Worth, Texas 76122.

A collection of Baptist records maintained outside the state is at Samford University Library, Birmingham, Alabama 35229. The collection includes books, church and association minutes, church and association histories, and nineteenth-century Southern Baptist newspapers, many of which are indexed.

Bridwell Theology Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275-0476 houses records for Methodists.

Texas Cemetery Records - 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).

   Cemetery records and gravestone inscriptions are a rich source of information for family historians. Cemetery and other sources of information associated with death include:

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Texas Land Records - Texas land records were created under various governmental jurisdictions in the course of including Spain, Mexico, and both the Republic and State of Texas. Eleven land districts, each encompassing a number of counties, were established in 1836 under the Republic of Texas, and a central General Land Office was organized at Austin. The first district office was located near the Red River. The others were at San Augustine, Liberty, Nacogdoches, Matagorda, Washington-on-the Brazos, Cameron, Bastrop, Gonzales, San Antonio, and Victoria. A system of land districts continued when Texas became a state with previous grants being acknowledged. Nearly 150,000,000 acres of state public land in Texas were disposed of after 1836. Texas is not a federal public land state, consequently, there are no federal government original land records. Texas' General Land Office continues to maintain its own archives and records division, housing all early land grants including those dated in the 1700s and original grants issued by both republic and state governments. Indexes to the original land records are maintained by the General Land Office, Stephen F. Austin State Office Building, Room 800, 1700 North Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78701-1495 (512-463-5277). Correspondence requests for index entries for an individual name with arrival date and county is a service provided for a minimum fee, with normal response time about two weeks. Among the various types of original grants were:

See Also Researching in Land Records - Land records provide two types of important evidence for the genealogist. Prior to the Civil War, more than eighty-five percent of all Americans owned or leased land. Therefore, almost every researcher, whether a seasoned professional or weekend hobbyist, has required land records to document the existence, association, or movement of an individual or ancestral family. Most beginning genealogists underestimate the importance of using land records to pin persons to specific locales. In the South, which has far fewer vital records than New England, the land records are even more crucial to genealogical success. For answers to these and other questions, researchers look to Land records......

Headright grants. Issued to encourage immigration but were not awarded to black or native Americans. Organized in several classes, these headright grants were issued between 1836 and 1842 to individuals and families who settled in Texas.

• Class 1 are Spanish or Mexican grants issued to settlers whose arrival was before 2 March 1836. Land allotted was one league and one labor per family or one-third league for unmarried men.
• Class Headright 2 grants were given to those who arrived after 2 March 1836 and before 1 October 1837. They received 1,280 acres per family or half that for unmarried men with a requirement of three years residence.
• Class 3 grants for headrights are dated from 2 October 1837 to 1 January 1840, with the same acreage allotments as Class 2 Grants.
• Class headrights 4 grants were issued between 1 January 1840 and 1 January 1842; acreage given was equal to that of the Class 2 and Class 3 grants. Those awarded equivalent to Class 3 Headrights included colonists in Peters, Mercer, Castro, and Fisher-Miller colonies.

Pre-emption (squatter) grants. Issued between 22 January 1845 and 1854 for no more than 320 acres. Minimum requirement was residence on a particular parcel for three consecutive years after 22 January 1845. After 1854 the acreage limit was 160 for married men and for single men half that after 1870. The last pre-emption grant was issued in 1898.

Bounty grants. Issued from 1837 through 1888 for various acreage in payment for military service to the Republic. The number of acres granted varies as several legislatures modified requirements. Participants in any battle qualified. Later donation lands were awarded to widows and surviving (as of 1881) veterans. Eligibility was limited to one grant. Scrip, a means of awarding or selling public land, was granted disabled Confederate veterans, railroads, canals, roads, mills, and factories.

Contracted granted. Both the Republic and State of Texas contracted with various individuals to establish colonies in Texas and receive payment in land. Large grants were made directly to contractors, although individual grants of 640 acres were also given to heads of families and 320 acres to single men.

Miller's work, cited below, gives a complete account of the acquisition and disposition of public land in Texas to 1970. Fraudulent claims and legislation enacted to address these problems are discussed in Miller's volume.

A series of The First Settlers in [County], Texas volumes were compiled by Gifford E. White. These entries were copied from originals in the General Land Office and often include maps. Most were published by Ingmire Publications, St. Louis, Missouri, between 1981-84. A few were published elsewhere. The state land office has microfilmed copies of federal land sales to individuals up through the 1900s. Only original sales are maintained by state; all other subsequent sales are under county jurisdiction. See Also:

• Abstract of Land Claims, Compiled From the Records of the General Land Office. Arranged alphabetically in districts, lists grants from Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, and the state.
• Abstracts of Land Titles of Texas Comprising the Titled, Patented, and Located Lands in the State. County arrangement for the period 1833 to 1877.
• An Abstract of the Original Titles of Records in the General Land Office. 1838.Covers headright grants for 1791 to 1836.
• Abstract of All Original Grants and Locations Comprising Texas Land Titles to August 32, 1945. 8 vols. Supplements A, B, C, D, E, F, G, & H. 8 vols. This set is somewhat difficult to locate. The General Land Offices does sell out-of-print volumes on microfiche. The first volume has been reprinted as Texas Land Title Abstracts Volume 1-A. Paris, Tex.: The Wright Press, 1984.
• History and Disposition of Texas Public Domain.
• Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in the Chihuahuan Acquisition. Covers the counties of El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Reeves, Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio, and Brewer in Texas plus six more in adjacent New Mexico.
• Abstract of valid land claims: Compiled from the records of the General Land Office and Court of Claims, of the state of Texas.
• Nacogdoches headrights: A record of the disposition of land in east Texas and in other parts of that state, 1838-1848.
• Bounty and Donation Land Grants of Texas, 1835-1888.
• The Public Lands of Texas 1519-1970. Excellent source describing land records and land history in Texas.
• Texas Confederate Scrip Grantees, C.S.A.
• Republic of Texas Second Class Headrights, March 2, 1836-October 1, 1837.
• History of Texas Land. Austin, Tex
• Royal land grants north of the Rio Grande, 1777-1821;: Early history of large grants made by Spain to families in jurisdiction of Reynosa which became ... after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848. Concerns suits recorded in deed books containing the chain of title and lines of descent and heirship for the counties of Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, Kenedy, Brooks, Kleberg, and Nueces.
• Spanish Archives of the General Land Office of Texas.
• History of The Texas Family Land Heritage Registry. 10 vols. These are accounts of farms which have been in agricultural production for a century or more in the same family (not limited to agnate descents) and as such are rich in genealogical detail.
• Guide to Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in South Texas.
• Character Certificates in the General Land Office of Texas.
• Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families from the Originals in the General Land Office, Austin, Texas.

Once land was initially granted, all succeeding land transactions fall under the jurisdiction of the county in which the land is located at the time each record is created. County boundaries have changed over time as have county names.By law, all deeds are indexed by grantor and by grantee. Transcribed deeds from parent counties may be maintained in separate volumes. County land transactions, including deeds and mortgages, are located at the respective county clerk's office.

Century farm records for those families who worked the same land for 100 years or more are available on microfilm at Department of Agriculture, “Century of Agriculture Program,” P. O. Box 12847, Austin, TX 78711

• Texas Land Grants
• Land Records from All States
• Search County Property Records
• Search County Land Patents

Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"

   Prior to the Civil War, more than eighty-five percent of all Americans owned or leased land. Therefore, almost every researcher, whether a seasoned professional or weekend hobbyist, has required land records to document the existence, association, or movement of an individual or ancestral family. While many researchers may feel a sense of historical excitement when finding an ancestor in a land deed, many also fail to understand the importance of such a document and how land can be used to make vital links between generations; they are not aware that it can bridge distant origins and help solve even the most difficult problems. E. Wade Hone, In Land and Property Research in the United States

U.S. House of Representative Private Claims, Vol. 1, Vol. 2 or Vol. 3

   The right to own land has always been one of the great incentives for living in the United States. Yet researchers often overlook the importance of land records as a source of family history information. Written evidence of people’s entitlement goes back in time further than virtually any other type of record family historians might use.

   Land records meet the needs of researchers in different ways and contain a variety of genealogical and historical data. They are a major source of information for many family histories and provide primary source material for local history as well. They are closely related to probate and other official court records and should be investigated in connection with them. Land and property are leading issues in the settlement of estates, and the majority of civil cases in the courts deal with real and personal property. Although land records rarely yield vital statistics, in many instances they provide the only proof of family relationships. Often they include the names of heirs of an estate (including daughters’ married names and a widow’s subsequent married name) and refer to related probates and other court cases by number and court name. In some places where other records are scarce, the land records take on extra importance. Occasionally these documents disclose former residences and more often provide the new address of the grantors or heirs at the time of the sale of the property.

   Land records provide two types of important evidence for the family historian. First, they often document family relationships. Second, they place individuals in a specific time and place, allowing the researcher to sort people and families into neighborhoods and closely related groups. One of land records’ most important qualities is that they are sometimes the only records that allow us to distinguish one person of a common name from another.

   The National Archives has bounty-land warrant files, donation land entry files, homestead application files, and private land claim files relating to the entry of individual settlers on land in the public land states. There are no land records for the original thirteen states or for Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Hawaii. Records for these states are maintained by state officials, usually in the state capital. Searching for the record of a particular land grant from the federal government requires contacting both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Archives (NARA).

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Texas Military Records - The largest collection of military and related records pertaining to Texans is housed in the Texas State Archives, Adjutant General Record Group. Since 1919 military discharge records are filed at the local county courthouse. An extensive array of military records, too numerous to list here, have been published. The list would include Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veterans who died in Texas, as well as, World War I and II veterans.

See Also Researching in Military Records - 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.......

Earliest Texas military records begin in 1835. War of Independence veterans, or widows or heirs were eligible for bounty and donation land grants and pensions from the Texas government. Published lists are available of soldiers and sailors of the Republic of Texas, participants in battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto, and of men in the Texas Rangers, minutemen, and home guard units. Lists of those who served in the Indian Wars have been published.

In addition to the National Archives military records, other military records are housed in the Texas State Archives and Library include Confederate claims, 1861-65; Confederate home records, 1886-1954; Confederate indigent families list, 1863-65; general service records, 1836-1902; muster rolls, 1836-1917; and payment records, 1836-46. Under the Adjutant General Record Group in the state archives are many additional records, including various muster rolls from 1836 through 1911 and service records 1836-1902. Records may be as little as one small piece of paper or as large as a complete file. Among the numerous printed sources exist for Texan veterans, are the following few:

• War of 1812 Veterans in Texas. From notes compiled by Mae Wynne McFarland, this is a compilation of names, places, and dates associated with veterans of the War of 1812. Original material is in the library of the Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, arranged alphabetically.
• Texas Frontiersman, 1839-1860: Minute Men, Militia, Home Guard, Indian Fighter. Contains officers index and alphabetically arranged entries taken from military records.
• Texas Ranger Service Records, 1830-1846. Includes index of officers.
• Texas Rangers: Frontier Battalion, Minute Men, Commanding Officers, 1847-1900. 6 vols. Each volume separately indexed.
• Index to Applications for Texas Confederate Pensions. Rev. ed.
• Cumulative Index: The Confederate Veteran Magazine 1893-1932. 3 vols. Every name index to the Confederate Veteran. Includes a comprehensive list of Confederate military organization arranged by local designations.

The site U.S. Wars list conflicts dating from earliest to 1865. Wars covered that are availibele are:

Search Revolutionary War 1775-83 Service Records, Rejected Pensions, Loyalists Records, 1775-1783 Pay Rolls, Courts-Martial, Officers, Pension Index, 1841 Pensioner Census

Below is a list of online resources for Texas in the Revolutionary War. Email us with websites containing information on Texas in the Revolutionary War by clicking the link below:

• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804

Civil War -  A large collection of Confederate pension applications is available at the Texas State Library and Archives in Austin. These are arranged in numerical order and are indexed. Both indigent veterans and widows of veterans were allowed pensions. The applications contain some genealogical information. Copies can be obtained through correspondence once the assigned number is known. Confederate script was awarded veterans who were permanently disabled or killed, entitling the veteran or his widow to 1,280 acres.

Search Civil War Soldiers, Service Records, Regiments, General Officers, Battle Summaries, Pension Index: 1861-1934, CSA Field Officers and the War of the Rebellion

Below is a list of online resources for Texas in the Civil War. Email us with websites containing information on Texas in the Civil War by clicking the link below:

• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Texas (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Texas (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Texas (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from Texas units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier.
• Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67 from the State of Texas (The National Archives): NARA M1003. View, Print Copy & Save Original Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson, 1865-67, by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.

Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"

   Military and pension records are among the most useful sources available to genealogists because of the detail they offer. These records are important because they may provide an ancestor’s date of birth, place of residence, the names and addresses of family members, and other details that can round out a picture of his or her life. Judith Prowse Reid, Head, Local History and Genealogy, Library of Congress

   Military records have originated at the federal, state, and local levels. Whether created in time of war or in time of peace, these records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served in the military forces of the United States. Almost every American family, in one generation or another, has seen one or more of its members serve in America’s armed forces. From regimental histories, which provide blow-by-blow accounts of a unit’s participation in military actions, to the personal details contained in the service and pension files of individual men and women, military records provide valuable information concerning a large and significant portion of the American population. And because military records have been preserved and made available at and through a number of research institutions, much information awaits the well-prepared researcher.

How to Find Military Records
   To locate military records for any individual, it is essential to know when and where in the armed forces he or she served and whether that person served in the enlisted ranks or was an officer. (If you don’t have that identifying information, some potential solutions are discussed below.)
As in any research project, it is important to study carefully whatever is already known about the subject of interest. Families and communities frequently pass down stories of military heroes from generation to generation. In most cases, these stories retain some fact, but, with the passage of years and in the process of retelling, accuracy fades. At any rate, family stories should not be overlooked for clues at the start of a military search.

   When and where did the individual live? Did the family keep evidence of military service? Certificates, letters, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs, medals, swords, and other memorabilia kept in private collections may provide the basic facts needed to begin searching in military record collections.

Military Time Lines
   Creating a historical time line can be especially useful for determining if and when the subject might have served in the military. By compiling a chronological list of the known dates and places of residence of an individual from birth through adulthood, it is frequently easy to discover the possibility of military service. Was the individual the right age to be eligible for the draft or to serve voluntarily in the Civil War? Is it likely that the person served on the Northern rather than the Southern side, or vice versa? For records from the colonial period to more recent military engagements, the place of residence is key to finding an individual’s records.

Evidence of Military Service in Hometown Records
   There are a number of public records that are potentially valuable in discovering the military history of a veteran. It has been a long-standing American tradition to foster patriotism by honoring local sons and daughters who have defended the ideals of their country. Hometown military heroes are frequently noted on public monuments, and local newspaper files may yield surprisingly detailed accounts of a community’s well-known and less-famous military personnel.

Military History
   Commercial enterprises and historically oriented groups and institutions have regularly published local histories. As a rule, these histories will include glowing accounts of the area’s involvement in military activities. Some volumes provide biographical sketches of military leaders, while others attempt to list all of the community’s participants in various military conflicts. Locally focused histories have been published at various times for virtually every state and county in the United States. Do not overlook them as an important research aid. P. William Filby’s A Bibliography of American County Histories is a list of five thousand such sources.

   In addition to the standard histories, local public libraries and historical societies usually preserve and make available other types of publications that document the military history of the geographical areas they serve. Historical agencies collect biographies, letters, diaries, journals, and all sorts of memorabilia from military units and servicemen and -women. The personal accounts found in some collections are a fascinating means of stepping back in time. Firsthand accounts afford a better understanding of the day-to-day drudgery, loneliness, fears, and satisfactions of military life.

Evidence of Military Service in Cemeteries
   Cemeteries provide yet another local source of information regarding individuals who served in the armed forces. Almost every cemetery in the United States contains some evidence of military events and veterans. Cemetery records and grave markers frequently identify military dead by name, rank, and unit designation. If a man or woman died elsewhere while in the service, the body was frequently brought home for burial; cemetery records often note the place and date of death.

Evidence of Military Service in Court Records
   Court records are yet another potential source for identifying those who served in the military. Most counties formally recorded and indexed the names of their citizens who were discharged from the military. In some local courts, “military discharges” will be found indexed separately, and in others the military records may be oddly interspersed with deeds, naturalizations, or other categories of documents. The contents of military records may vary greatly from one courthouse to another. Some will provide biographical information, while others may simply list names and the event or names and date of certificate issue.

Military Records in the National Archives
   Federal military documents that have been classified as archival material are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration. Not all records created by military agencies are judged to be permanently valuable. Generally, only records of historical or administrative importance are kept.

   A wonderful array of federal military records are available in major libraries and archives and through microfilm rental programs. (Heritage Quest, a division of AGLL, Inc., PO Box 329, Bountiful, UT 84011-0329, is a source of rental microfilms.) With sufficient identifying information, you may request a search of the registers of enlistments or the compiled military service records. The minimum information required for a search is (1) the soldier’s full name, (2) the war in which he or she served or period of service, and (3) the state from which he or she served. For the Civil War, you must also indicate whether the person served in Union or Confederate forces. A separate copy of the form must be used for military service, pension, and bounty-land warrant applications. Submit requests for information about individuals who served in the military before World War I on NATF form 80 (Order for Copies of Veterans Records). Write to the National Archives and Records Administration, General Reference Branch, Washington, DC 20408 to obtain copies of NATF form 80. Always ask for “all records” for an individual.

   Make requests for information about U.S. Army officers separated from the service after 1912 on standard form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records) and send it to the Military Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132.

U.S. Military Records
   By far the most comprehensive study of military records and how to use them is found in James C. Neagles’s U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present. Neagles’s guide addresses primary and secondary military sources and accessibility, including the following information-rich sources:

Records of state militias and the National Guard
Records of the army, navy, and other branches of the U.S. military
Records of the military academies
Post-service records
Pensions
Bounty-land grants
Bonuses and family assistance
Soldier’s homes
Military burials
Military installations
Censuses of veterans
Conscription
Civilian affairs

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Texas Vital Records - Between 1873-6 some births were recorded by county's district clerks. Many of these were included in Early Texas Birth Records, 1838-1878 (Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978) by Alice Duggan Gracy, Jane Duggan Sumner, and Emma Gene S. Gentry. Beginning in 1903 the county clerk began to register all births and deaths, although compliance was not universal at first. Large cities with vital records offices maintained their own series of birth and death records. Justices of Peace also recorded birth records.

See Also Researching in Vital Records - Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century.......

Mandatory recording of births and deaths began in 1903 copies of records, registered in the counties, maintained at Bureau of Vital Statistics, Texas Department of Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756. Statewide indexes were microfilmed by the Texas State Library (see Archives, Libraries and Societies), but are additionally available at many genealogical libraries. The birth index covers 1903-76 and is alphabetized by year. The death index is alphabetical within broader periods of time: 1903-40; 1940-5; 1946-55; then annually for 1956-73. The Genealogy Section of the Texas State Library provides limited correspondence service by checking indexes for a particular name for a small fee. If a birth or death record is not found at the state level, it is prudent to check the proper municipal or county office.

Probated, or delayed birth registrations were sometimes submitted to the respective county court for probate matters. These were then forwarded to the State Bureau of Vital Statistics. Microfilm indexes to delayed birth records may have included Texas residents born elsewhere, many of whom were seeking Social Security registration. The bureau ended delayed birth registration in 1959.

Marriage records prior to 1836, if extant, may be in custody of the Roman Catholic church. Beginning with the date of organization most counties maintain marriage records. These are presently in the jurisdiction of the respective county clerk where the license was issued. Statewide recording of marriages began in January 1966, but certified copies are not available through the state office. Black marriages were frequently recorded in separate volumes.

Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution have compiled many marriage records for Texas. These are available in the DAR Library in Washington, D.C., and on microfilm through the FHL.

Consult the County Resource section in this chapter and the Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records in Texas, (N.p.: Historical Records Survey, 1941) to determine availability of vital records in municipal and county offices.

Divorce records have been maintained statewide by the Bureau of Vital Statistics since January 1968, but certified copies are not available from this facility. Divorce records are kept under the jurisdiction of the respective clerk of the district court. During the first years of the Republic of Texas, divorces were granted by special acts of Congress, but in 1841 district courts took over this responsibility, with some exceptions. After statehood, district courts had full jurisdiction over divorces.

• Ordering Vital Records Online - Getting documents by mail can take a long as six weeks or more. Through VitalChek Express Certificate Service you can get Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed, Sealed, & Delivered in as few as three business days!
  

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Facts on Birth Records - Most early birth records contain very little biographical information. Typical early New England town and church records, for example, give little information beyond the name of the child, date and place of birth, and parents’ names. Some localities listed only the name of the father.

While early birth records can be discouragingly lacking in information, by the mid-nineteenth century birth records in the United States began to include more information. Even though births were not widely recorded during the early years of America’s existence, the records that do exist may be the only source of a birth date for an individual and should always be consulted.

Delayed births are also important vital registrations that you should consider for obtaining biographical information. When Social Security benefits were instituted in 1937, individuals claiming benefits had to document their birth even if the state of their birth did not require registration when they were born. Individuals who were not registered with state or county agencies at the time of their birth often applied for a delayed birth registration. Obtaining passports, insurance, and other benefits also required proof of age.

Applications were accompanied with full name, address, and date and place of birth; father’s name, race, and place of birth; and evidence to support the facts presented. The evidence could be in the form of a baptismal certificate, Bible record, school record, affidavit from the attending physician or midwife, application for an insurance policy, birth certificate of a child, or an affidavit from a person having definite knowledge of the facts. Delayed birth records are usually filed and indexed separately from regular birth registrations, and it may be necessary to request a separate search for them.

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• Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-10, 1926-29 - 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.
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