Bee County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Bee County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Bee County, Texas | |||||||||
| Map | |||||||||
 Location in the state of Texas, United States Genealogy | |||||||||
 Location of Texas in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | December 8, 1857 | ||||||||
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| County Seat | Beeville | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
| Address | Bee County Courthouse 105 W Corpus Christi Street Beeville, TX 78102-5684 Phone: 361.362.3245 Bee County Website | ||||||||
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for Barnard E. Bee, Sr., a secretary of state of the Republic of Texas. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903,
marriage, probate and land records from 1858 and court
from 1876; District has divorce records[2]
County Clerk
105 W. Corpus Christi St. Rm. 103
Beeville 78102
Phone: 361-362-3245
Fax: 361-362-3247
District Clerk
P.O. Box 666
Beeville 78104
Phone: 361-362-3242
Bee County Website
Bee County, Texas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1903 | 1858 | 1903 | 1876 | 1858 | 1858 | 1829 |
History[edit | edit source]
- Family Histories of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- Historic Places of Bee County, Texas ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- History of Bee County, Texas ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- Bee County Courthouse History - historictexas.net
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1857--Bee County was created 8 December 1857 from Goliad, Karnes, Live Oak, Refugio, and San Patricio Counties.
County seat: Beeville [4]
The county was named for Barnard E. Bee Sr., (1787-1854). Barnard E. Bee, attorney, soldier, and statesman, was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1787, the son of Thomas B. Bee, member of the Royal Privy Council in colonial South Carolina and of the Continental Congress, lieutenant governor of South Carolina, and justice of the United States Circuit Court of South Carolina during the administration of George Washington.
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
No boundary changes since the county's formation in 1857[5]
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1888-- The second Bee County Courthouse (old courthouse), used at the time as a Masonic Lodge, burned in May 1888, nine years after it had served its usefulness as a courthouse. No record loss, as the records were safely stored in the new Courthouse that had opened in 1879.[6]
1911-- The third Bee County Courthouse, built in 1879, burned on January 15, 1911. Most of the county records were saved from the fire. [7]
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:[8]
| Cities | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Goliad • Karnes • Live Oak • Refugio • San Patricio
Resources[edit | edit source]
- Local Resources of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- Volunteer look-ups of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
African American[edit | edit source]
- 1865 - 1870 Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870(images) - FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- Texas African American Griots ~ USGenWeb
- AfriGeneas ~ African Ancestored Genealogy
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 |
| Billion Graves (name) | Cemeteries of TX | |
| USGW Archives | Texas Cemeteries | |
| Billion Graves (cemetery) | Linkpendium | |
| TXGenWeb | African American Cemeteries | |
| D'Addezio | FamilySearch Places | |
| See Texas Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 910 | ||
| 1870 | 1,082 | 18.9% | |
| 1880 | 2,298 | 112.4% | |
| 1890 | 3,720 | 61.9% | |
| 1900 | 7,720 | 107.5% | |
| 1910 | 12,090 | 56.6% | |
| 1920 | 12,137 | 0.4% | |
| 1930 | 15,721 | 29.5% | |
| 1940 | 16,481 | 4.8% | |
| 1950 | 18,174 | 10.3% | |
| 1960 | 23,755 | 30.7% | |
| 1970 | 22,737 | −4.3% | |
| 1980 | 26,030 | 14.5% | |
| 1990 | 25,135 | −3.4% | |
| 2000 | 32,359 | 28.7% | |
| 2010 | 31,861 | −1.5% | |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | |||
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.
- Texas Christian Church Directory ~ ChurchAngel
- Catholic Parishes in Texas
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court[edit | edit source]
- County Records of Bee County Census, Land, Miscellaneous Records ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- Land Deeds of Bee County Partial List of Land Deeds~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- Miscellaneous Records-Probate Book "A"~ Complete List ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
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.
- Land Deeds of Bee County Partial List of Land Deeds~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
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 Bee 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.
- Bee County Centennial, 1858–1958, by Grace Bauer.
- Historical Story of Bee County, Texas, 1973, by Camp Ezell. Read text version of this book online at beeville.net.
- A History of Bee County, 1939, by Mrs. I. C. Madray.
- History of Bee County, Texas, 1960, by Joseph Gustav Rountree.
- Family Histories of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- Historic Places of Bee County, Texas ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- History of Bee County, Texas ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- Bee County History & Photographs - HistoricTexas.net
- List of all museums in Texas ~ Hidden Ancestors
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Historical Maps ~ From the Republic to the Turn of the Century ~ Hidden Ancestors
- Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Military[edit | edit source]
- Veterans of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
- 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]
Off-line Newspaper Information
Online Newspapers
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
Online Newspaper Abstracts
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Bee County, Texas Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- TX Newspaper Abstracts (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Bee County, Texas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Obituaries of Bee County, Texas~Partial Listing~ Bee 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 ~ (Ancestry) Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function
Probate[edit | edit source]
Probate records of Texas, United States Genealogy 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 Indexes and Records
- 1800 – 1990 Texas Probate Records 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — images
- Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records 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 1846-1910 at findmypast ($) — index and images
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Certified birth and death certificates or birth and death verifications can be ordered online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. Copies can also be obtained from the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred and are often less expensive.
Marriages records can be obtained from the county the marriage occurred. Only marriage verifications can be obtained from the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health.
See Texas Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Texas.
- Vital Records of Bee County, Texas~Partial Listing of Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce Records~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1840 - 1981 Texas Births and Christenings 1840-1981 at FamilySearch.org — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index
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 - 1965 - Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1837 - 1973 - Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — index
- 1837 - 1977 - Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — 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
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death[edit | edit source]
Online Death Indexes and Records
- 1890- 1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976.
- 1903 - 1973 Texas Deaths and Burials 1903-1973 at 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 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images]
- 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 1968- 2005 Hidden Ancestors
- 1968 -2010 Texas Divorce Index 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
South Texas Genealogical Society, Inc.
PO Box 754
Beeville, TX 78104-0754
Joe Barnhart Bee County Library
110 W Corpus Christi St
Beeville, TX 78102
Telephone Number: 361-362-4901
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Bee County, TXGenWeb
- Society Hill ~ Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies
- TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
- Bee County USGenWeb Archives Project. Name indexes and other information.
- FamilySearch Catalog The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
- Cyndi's List ~ Texas
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Bee County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_County,_Texas. accessed 07/25/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Bee County, Texas. Page 658 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Bee 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.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ BEE COUNTY Handbook of Texas Online http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcb05
- ↑ Beeville, TX Old Courthouse & Masonic Lodge Fire, May 1888 at gendisasters.com http://www.gendisasters.com/texas/22094/beeville-tx-masonic-lodge-old-courthouse-fire-may-1888
- ↑ Beeville, TX Bee County Courthouse Fire, Jan 1911 at gendisasters.com http://www.gendisasters.com/texas/22095/beeville-tx-bee-county-courthouse-fire-jan-1911
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Bee County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_County,_Texas, accessed 26 March 2019.
