Brewster County, Texas Genealogy
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Guide to Brewster County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Brewster County, Texas | |||||||||
| Map | |||||||||
 Location in the state of Texas | |||||||||
 Location of Texas in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | February 2, 1887 | ||||||||
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| County Seat | Alpine | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
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| Address | Brewster County Courthouse 201 W Ave East Alpine, TX 79830 Phone: 915.837.3366 Brewster County Website | ||||||||
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Places / Localities
- 3 Resources
- 4 Societies and Libraries
- 5 Websites
- 6 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for Colonel Henry Percy Brewster, a Secretary of War for the Republic of Texas. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
County Clerk has birth, probate, military, and court records from 1900,
marriage records from 1887, death records from 1903 and land records
from 1800: District Court has divorce records[2]
County Clerk
P.O. Box 119
Alpine 79831
Phone: 432-837-3366
District Clerk
P.O. Box 1024
Alpine 79831
Phone: 432-837-6216
Brewster County Website
Brewster County, Texas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1900 | 1887 | 1903 | 1900 | 1800 | 1900 | 1829 |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Places / Localities[edit | edit source]
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[4]
| Cities | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Jeff Davis • Pecos • Presidio • Terrell
Resources[edit | edit source]
- Look-Up Volunteers of Brewster County ~ Brewster County, TXGenWeb
African American[edit | edit source]
- 1865 - 1870 Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870(images) - FamilySearch
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.
| Tombstone Transcriptions Online | Tombstone Transcriptions in Print | List of Cemeteries in the county |
| FindAGrave | Family History Library | FindAGrave |
| TX Gravestones | WorldCat | Tombstone Project |
| BillionGraves (name) | Cemeteries of TX | |
| USGW Archives | Texas Cemeteries | |
| BillionGraves | Linkpendium | |
| TXGenWeb | Epodunk | |
| See Texas Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Additional Cemetery Sources
- Cemeteries of Brewster County~Brewster County, TXGenWeb~ Complete List
- Elm Grove Cemetery - Hidden Ancestors ~ transcription and photographs
- African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
- Cemetery Junction ~ Links to cemetery transcriptions
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 710 | ||
| 1900 | 2,356 | 231.8% | |
| 1910 | 5,220 | 121.6% | |
| 1920 | 4,822 | −7.6% | |
| 1930 | 6,624 | 37.4% | |
| 1940 | 6,478 | −2.2% | |
| 1950 | 7,309 | 12.8% | |
| 1960 | 6,434 | −12.0% | |
| 1970 | 7,780 | 20.9% | |
| 1980 | 7,573 | −2.7% | |
| 1990 | 8,681 | 14.6% | |
| 2000 | 8,866 | 2.1% | |
| 2010 | 9,232 | 4.1% | |
Church[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death/burial date and place. For general information about Texas denominations, view the Texas Church Records wiki page.
- Churches of Brewster County Complete list of churches~Brewster County, TXGenWeb
- Texas Christian Church Directory ~ Church Angel
- Catholic Parishes in Texas
Court[edit | edit source]
Land[edit | edit source]
After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions, including deeds and mortgages, have been recorded by the county. You can obtain copies of these land records by writing to the county clerk at the county courthouse. For more information, see Texas Land and Property.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists microfilm copies of deeds, trust deeds, and mortgages of many counties.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1906 - 1989 Texas, Naturalization Records, 1906-1989 — index and images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Brewster County, Texas Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Texas Local Histories.
- Mirages, Mysteries and Reality: Brewster County, Texas, the Big Bend of the Rio Grande, 1972, by Clifford B. Casey.
- A Most Singular Country: A History of Occupation in the Big Bend, 1990, by Arthur R. Gomez.
- Brewster County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
- Texas Museums ~ List of all museums in Texas ~ Hidden Ancestors
Maps[edit | edit source]
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- 1920 Brewster County Texas General Land Office map, online from The Portal to Texas History
- 1939 Brewster County Texas General Land Office map, online from The Portal to Texas History
- Historical Maps ~ From the Republic to the Turn of the Century ~ Hidden Ancestors
Military[edit | edit source]
- Military Resources ~ Links to research Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom Hidden Ancestors
- Fallen Heroes Partial Index of casualties from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
- Honoring Our Veterans ~ Partial index of veterans from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
Mexican-American War[edit | edit source]
- 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — index $
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 1861 - 1865 - Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861 - 1865 - Texas, Civil War Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1838 - 1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1917 - 1920 - Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Brewster County, Texas Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- TX Newspaper Abstracts (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Census Diggins 1830-1930
- Do a Brewster County, Texas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
- Alpine Avalanche Newspaper, serving Big Bend and the Davis Mountains since 1891
- Home Town News - Texas Newspaper Index with links
- Newslink - Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
- The Olden Times - Historic Texas News Online
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Obituaries of Brewster County ~Brewster County, TXGenWeb
- Obituary Resources ~ Links to research and locate obituaries ~ Hidden Ancestors
- USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project ~ Texas
- Afrigeneas ~ African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
- Obituary Depot ~ Texas Newspaper Citations
- Obituary Project ~ Hidden Ancestors
- Obituary Daily Times ~ Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries (Ancestry)
Probate[edit | edit source]
Probate records of Texas have been kept by the probate clerk in each county courthouse. You can obtain copies of the records from the clerk's office. In most counties, all information pertaining to a probate case is recorded in the "probate minutes."
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their places of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records.
See the Wiki page Texas Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Online Probate Records
- 1800 – 1990 Texas Probate Records 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — images
- Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records Ancestry.com (subscription)
- Texas Land Title Abstracts ~ Ancestry.com (subscription)
- 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Texas tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Texas Taxation.
1846-1910 Texas County Tax Rolls lists FHL films with county tax lists. The lists vary by county and year. Most records are between the years of 1846 - 1910.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Certified birth and death certificates or birth and death verifications can be ordered online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. Copies can also be obtained from the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred and are often less expensive. You can also order them online through a third party company.
Marriages records can be obtained from the county the marriage occurred. Only marriage verifications can be obtained from the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health.
See Texas Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Texas. *Vital Records of Brewster County ~ Marriage Records 1966-2002, Death Records 1910-2008, Divorce Records 1968-1996, Births 1904-1934
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1840 - 1981 Texas Births and Christenings 1840-1981 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
- 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index) - FamilySearch
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Online Marriage Indexes and Records
- 1802-2010 - Texas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1814 - 1909 and 1966 - 2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1837 -1973 [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1681052 Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973 FamilySearch record collection
- 1837 - 1977 Texas County Marriage Records, 1837-1977 - FamilySearch ndex to a variety of marriage records (registers, licenses, intentions to marry, etc.) from select counties in Texas.
- 1837 - 1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1837 - 1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1966 - 2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005 Hidden Ancestors
- 1966 - 2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966 -2010 FamilySearch record collection
Death[edit | edit source]
Online Death Indexes and Records
- 1890 - 1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images]
Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976. - 1903 - 1973 https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1681049 Texas Deaths and Burials 1903 - 1973] FamilySearch.org/ FamilySearch.org] — index
- 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1903 - 2000 Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
- 1964 - 1998 *https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://www.familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1375599 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998] [no images] Name index
- 1977 - 1986 Texas Deaths 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1850 - 1930 USGenWeb Census Project ~ Texas 1850 - 1930
- 1968 - 2005 Texas Divorce Records - 2005 Hidden Ancestors
- 1968 - 2010 Texas Divorce Index 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Big Bend Genealogical Society
300 John Rd W
Alpine 75830-2032
Website
Brewster County Historical Commission
PO Box 1620
Alpine, TX 79831
Website
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.
- For current information about a center near you, go to the Family History Center Map
- Alpine Public Library 203 N 7th St Alpine, TX 79830 Phone: (432) 837-2621Website
- Big Bend Genealogical Society, Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio Counties
- Museum of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas
- Brewster County Historical Commission
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Brewster County Texas Old Photos Old photographs and postcards of people and places in Alpine and other parts of Brewster County.
- TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Brazos County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_County,_Texas. accessed 07/25/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Brewster County, Texas. Page 659 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Brewster County, Texas . Page 658-677 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 655-665.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Brewster County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_County,_Texas, accessed 26 March 2019.
Brewster County; 201 W Ave E; Alpine, TX 79830; Ph. 915.837.3366 Details: (Co Clk has b, pro, mil & ct rec from 1900, m rec from 1887, d rec from 1903 & land rec from 1800: Dis Ct has div rec)
