Genealogy Resources (Texas)

County records include various kinds of public records such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, school records, naturalization, taxes, mortgages and liens, land abstracts, civil and criminal district court proceedings, and much more. Public records like this can be useful tools for tracking your ancestors in genealogical research.

The Newton Gresham Library has a collection of county records for the Texas counties of Walker, Anderson, Freestone, Grimes, Houston, Leon, Madison, Montgomery, and Trinity. Some material dates as far back as 1835, but the majority covers the late 1800s and early 1900s. Our records are not comprehensive; we will not have the same kinds of records in all counties, and the years covered will vary widely between counties. Be aware also that we have only a very few records of any type dated more recently than 1950; more recent public records are better obtained from the county courthouses.

Individual records have not been listed, but you can see what record types and date ranges are available for each county by consulting the Guide to Texas County Records at SHSU, available at the Library Service Desk and online. Some records will be available on microfilm in the Micro-forms Room on the first floor of the Library. Other records are the original print; to use these, ask for help at the Library Service Desk on the second floor between 8am and 5pm, Monday through Friday. You may also contact the Library Service Desk or Special Collections department to arrange an appointment.

To find county records for other counties, consult County Records Available on Microfilm from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, available at the Library Service Desk and online. Students, faculty, and staff at SHSU may borrow these microfilm records by requesting them through Interlibrary Loan on the Library's website.

Guide to Texas County Records at SHSU

Other TX County Records from the State Library & Archives