Smith County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Smith County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Smith County, Texas | |||||||||
| Map | |||||||||
 Location in the state of Texas, United States Genealogy | |||||||||
 Location of Texas in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | April 11, 1846 | ||||||||
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| County Seat | Tyler | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for James Smith, a general during the Texas Revolution. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Smith County Courthouse
100 N Broadway Avenue
Tyler, TX 75702-1018
Phone: 903.535.0630
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903,
marriage records from 1848, probate records from 1847,
court and land records from 1846[2]
County Clerk
200 East Ferguson Ste. 300
Tyler 75702
Phone: 903-590-4670
District Clerk
100 N. Broadway Rm 204
Tyler 75702
Phone: 903-590-1660
Smith County, Texas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1903 | 1846 | 1903 | 1846 | 1846 | 1847 | 1829 |
General compliance by the 1930s. | ||||||
History[edit | edit source]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1846--Smith County was created 11 April 1846 from Nacogdoches County.
- County seat: Tyler [4]
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:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Cherokee • Gregg • Henderson • Rusk • Upshur • Van Zandt • Wood
Resources[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
- 1865 - 1870 Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870 - FamilySearch (images) - How to Use this Collection
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 |
| Linkpendium | WorldCat | Tombstone Project |
| BillionGraves (name) | Cemeteries of TX | |
| GenWeb Archives | Texas Cemeteries | |
| BillionGraves | TX Gravestones | |
| TXGenWeb | Interment | |
| Names in Stone | FamilySearch Places | |
| See Texas Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Additional Cemetery Sources
- Smith County Cemetery Photographs ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Smith County Military Grave Markers/Markings ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Confederate Soldiers Buried in Smith County
- Texas Escapes Listing of Texas cemeteries with transcriptions and pictures.
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 4,292 | ||
| 1860 | 13,392 | 212.0% | |
| 1870 | 16,532 | 23.4% | |
| 1880 | 21,863 | 32.2% | |
| 1890 | 28,324 | 29.6% | |
| 1900 | 37,370 | 31.9% | |
| 1910 | 41,746 | 11.7% | |
| 1920 | 46,769 | 12.0% | |
| 1930 | 53,123 | 13.6% | |
| 1940 | 69,090 | 30.1% | |
| 1950 | 74,701 | 8.1% | |
| 1960 | 86,350 | 15.6% | |
| 1970 | 97,096 | 12.4% | |
| 1980 | 128,366 | 32.2% | |
| 1990 | 151,309 | 17.9% | |
| 2000 | 174,706 | 15.5% | |
| 2010 | 209,714 | 20.0% | |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | |||
- 1850 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1850 and 1860 Federal Censuses, Smith County, TX ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
- 1860 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1870 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society and USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1870 Federal Census, Smith County, TX ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
- 1880 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1880 Smith County, Texas U. S. Census Index for 1880 & 1880 Mortality Schedule ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
- 1890 Tax Record Abstract, Smith County, TX [census substitute] ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
- 1900 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1900, 1910, 1920 Smith County, Texas, U. S. Census Indexes: 1900, 1910 & 1920 ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
- 1910 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1920 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1930 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1930 Smith County, Texas U. S. Census Indexes for 1930 ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
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.
- Presbyterian Beginnings in Smith County ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- St. James Baptist Church History ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Mt. Zion Baptist Church ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Lane's Chapel Methodist Church History and Records ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Texas Christian Church Directory ~ ChurchAngel
- Catholic Parishes in Texas
List of Churches and Church Parishes
City Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1972 Smith County 1972 from Historic Map Works
- 1981 Smith County 1981 from Historic Map Works
Court[edit | edit source]
- 1846-1909 Affidavits of Death and Heirship ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1847-1857 Abstract District Court Minutes Smith County ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
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.
- Deed/Land Records ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical for USGenWeb Archives Project
- Original Surveys/Land Patents of Smith County, Texas ~ transcription ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Smith 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.
- Chronological History of Smith County, 1983 compiled by Donald W. Whisenhut for the Smith County Historical Society
- A History of Tyler and Smith County, 1948 by Albert Woldert. Read the book on line from The Portal to Texas History.
- Tyler & Smith County, Texas: An Historical Survey, 1978 by Robert W. Glover. Read the book online from The Portal to Texas History.
- Historical Atlas of Smith County, 1965
- A History of Smith County, Texas, North Texas State Teachers College Thesis by William R. Ward, 1944, overview of the history of Smith County. Read the thesis online from The Portal to Texas History.
- The Bullard Area-Its History and People, 1800–1977 by the Bullard Community Library Commission.
- Smith County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
- Some Biographies of Old Settlers ~ excerpts from publication ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- A History of Smith County ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Texas Land Survey Maps for Smith County, Texas Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
- 1853, 1872, 1880, 1905 Smith County Maps: 1853 1872 1880 1905 from the Portal to Texas History.
- 1877, 1885, 1889, 1898, 1902, 1907, 1912, 1919 City of Tyler, Sanborn Insurance Maps. Scroll down the page until you get to Tyler. There are several sheets to each map.
- 1903 Smith County Map from Historic Map Works.
- 1914 Map of Angelina, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Houston, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith & Trinity at www.rootsweb.com
- 1939 Smith County General Highway Map
- 1961 Smith County General Highway Map
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Military[edit | edit source]
- 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 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]
- 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
- 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 Smith County, Texas Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- TX Newspaper Abstracts (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Smith County, Texas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
- Home Town News - Texas Newspaper Index with links
- Newslink - Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
- The Olden Times - Historic Texas News Online
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
- Boomtown, Bridge and Baseball - The Troup Banner, 1928-1939 Troup, Smith County, Texas ~ book ~ Abstracted and Compiled by Judy Womack for East Texas Genealogical Society
- Obituaries Recorded in Lindale News & Troup Banner, Smith County, Texas ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
- Obituaries Recorded in Tyler, Texas Newspapers 1905-1915 ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Sociiety
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 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 including interactive search function
- Obituaries from the Lindale News and the Troup Banner, Smith County, Texas by Lorene West Conaway ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
- Obituaries from Tyler newspapers, Smith County, Texas, 1905-1915 by Lorene West Conaway and Ruby Renfro Neilson ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
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
- 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- Smith County Court Records Inquiry ~ Smith County Judicial Search, then select Civil Records, then select Search by Party at upper left to show critical dates for a specific probate and where the record is stored
- Smith County Wills and Probate ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~ Ancestry.com (subscription)
Schools[edit | edit source]
- Tyler, TX High School: 1940 Basketball Team Photo with names of individuals
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 ($) — index and images
- 1890 Tax Record Abstract, Smith County, TX ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Certified birth and death certificates or birth and death verifications can be ordered online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. Copies can also be obtained from the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred and are often less expensive.
Marriages records can be obtained from the county the marriage occurred. Only marriage verifications can be obtained from the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health.
See Texas Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Texas.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1903 - 1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 - FamilySearch (images and index) - How to Use this Collection
- 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 - FamilySearch (index only) - How to Use this Collection
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — 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 $
- 1846-1899 Marriage Records of Smith County, Texas 1846-1899 - East Texas Genealogical Society
- 1879-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records at Ancestry.com — index & images, ($)
- 1900-1926 Marriage Records of Smith County, Texas 1900-1926 - East Texas Genealogical Society
- 1966-2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005 ~ Hidden Ancestors
- 1966 - 2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 - FamilySearch - FamilySearch record collection - How to Use this Collection
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death[edit | edit source]
Online Death Indexes and Records
- 1890-1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 - FamilySearch with images - How to Use this Collection
Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976. The name index has been created by Family Search and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903. - 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 - FamilySearch (index) - How to Use this Collection
- 1964-1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
- 1977-1986 Texas Deaths 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 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 $
- 1850-1930USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850 - 1930
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Smith County Historical Society
125 South College Ave.
Tyler TX 75702
Telephone Number: 903-592-5993
Fax: 903-526-0924
Website
East Texas Genealogical Society
PO Box 6967
Tyler TX 75711-6967
website
Tyler Public Library
201 S College Ave
Tyler, TX 75702
Telephone Number: 903-593-7323
Website
Whitehouse Community Library
107 Bascom Rd
Whitehouse, TX 75791
Telephone Number: 903-839-2949
Website
Cameron-J Jarvis Troup Municipal Library
102 S Georgia
PO Box 721
Troup, TX 75789
Telephone Number: 903-842-3101
Website
Library Catalog
Lillie Russell Memorial Library
200 E Hubbard St
Lindale, TX 75771
Telephone Number: 903-882-1900
Website
Bullard Community Library
211 W Main St
Bullard, TX 75757
Telephone Number: 903-894-6125
Website
Noonday Community Library
16662 CR 196
Tyler, TX 75703
Telephone Number: 903-939-0540
Facebook
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]
- Smith County ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Smith County TXGenWeb
- TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
\*USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records.
- FamilySearch Catalog — The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Smith, Texas" in "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_County,_Texas. accessed 11/26/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Smith County, Texas. Page 673 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Smith 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).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Smith County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_County,_Texas, Last accessed 22 August 2019.
