Gillespie County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Gillespie County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Gillespie County, Texas | |||||||||
| Map | |||||||||
 Location in the state of Texas | |||||||||
 Location of Texas in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | February 23, 1848 | ||||||||
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| County Seat | Fredericksburg | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 History
- 3 Places / Localities
- 4 Resources
- 5 Societies and Libraries
- 6 Websites
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for Robert Addison Gillespie, a soldier in the Mexican–American War. The County is located in the central area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Gillespie County Courthouse
101 W Main Street PO Box 551
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
Phone: 830.997.6515
County Clerk has birth, marriage and probate records 1850, death records from 1902, land records from 1848 and court records from 1954;
District Clerk has divorce records[2]
County Clerk
101 West Main St., Unit 13
Fredericksburg 78624
Phone: 830-997-6515
Fax: 830-997-9958
District Clerk
101 West Main St., Rm 204
Fredericksburg 78624
Phone: 830-997-6517
Vital Records, Public Record Search Indexes from Gillespie County Courthouse
Gillespie County, Texas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1850 | 1850 | 1902 | 1954 | 1848 | 1850 | 1829 |
History[edit | edit source]
1849-- A cholera epidemic in 1849 took a heavy toll of the early settlers.
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1848--Gillespie County was created 23 February 1848 from Bexar and Travis Counties.
- County seat: Fredericksburg [4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1850--Courthouse and many county records were destroyed by fire in July 1850.
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 | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Blanco • Kendall • Kerr • Kimble • Llano • Mason
Resources[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
- 1865-1870-- Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records(images) - FamilySearch
- Texas African American Griots ~ USGenWeb
- AfriGeneas ~African Ancestored Genealogy
- Texas African American Genealogy ~ Access 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 |
| Linkpendium | WorldCat | Tombstone Project |
| BillionGraves (name) | Cemeteries of TX | |
| GenWeb Archives | Texas Cemeteries | |
| BillionGraves | TX Gravestones | |
| TXGenWeb | FamilySearch Places | |
| Names in Stone | ||
| See Texas Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Additional Cemetery Sources
- Access cemetery information for Gillespie County at Fredericksburg Genealogical Society. This index to burials includes a surname and maiden name search. Cemetery information is found by clicking on a cemetery name. Individual photos are accessed by clicking on the camera icon. There are some maps with cemetery section plans. This site includes about 3,500 cemetery photos and 50 cemeteries.
- 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. | %± | |
| 1850 | 1,240 | ||
| 1860 | 2,736 | 120.6% | |
| 1870 | 3,566 | 30.3% | |
| 1880 | 5,228 | 46.6% | |
| 1890 | 7,056 | 35.0% | |
| 1900 | 8,229 | 16.6% | |
| 1910 | 9,447 | 14.8% | |
| 1920 | 10,015 | 6.0% | |
| 1930 | 11,020 | 10.0% | |
| 1940 | 10,670 | −3.2% | |
| 1950 | 10,520 | −1.4% | |
| 1960 | 10,048 | −4.5% | |
| 1970 | 10,553 | 5.0% | |
| 1980 | 13,532 | 28.2% | |
| 1990 | 17,204 | 27.1% | |
| 2000 | 20,814 | 21.0% | |
| 2010 | 24,837 | 19.3% | |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | |||
- 1850 Census ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1860 Census ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
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
Lutheran[edit | edit source]
- Records of the American Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court[edit | edit source]
- Naturalization Records ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
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 Survey Abstract Indicies Gillespie County ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Gillespie 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.
- Books on Gillespie County ~ TXGenWeb
- Texas Museums ~ 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:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Military[edit | edit source]
- 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 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 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
- Civil War Pension Applications ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Confederate Indigent Families ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1917 - 1920 - Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — index and images
Korean War[edit | edit source]
- Korean War Casualties ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Gillespie County, Texas Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- TX Newspaper Abstracts (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Census Diggins 1830-1930
- Do a Gillespie County, Texas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
Access obituaries January 1, 1980 through December 31,2004 at the Fredericksburg Genealogical Society website. These obituaries came from two newspapers, The Fredericksburg Standard and The Fredericksburg Radio Post. The Pioneer Memorial Library has copies of Fredericksburg newspapers on microfilm, with issues beginning in 1890.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Access obituaries January 1, 1980 through December 31,2004 at the Fredericksburg Genealogical Society website. These obituaries came from two newspapers, The Fredericksburg Standard and The Fredericksburg Radio Post.
- Gillespie County Obituaries ~ 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 including interactive search function
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 Indexes and Records
- 1800–1990 Texas Probate Records at FamilySearch — images
- 1800–2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~ Ancestry.com (subscription)
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 ($) — index and images
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Certified birth and death certificates or birth and death verifications can be ordered online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. Copies can also be obtained from the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred and are often less expensive. You can also order them online through a third party company.
Marriages records can be obtained from the county the marriage occurred. Only marriage verifications can be obtained from the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health.
See Texas Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Texas.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1903-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates (images and index) - FamilySearch
- 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index (index) - FamilySearch
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — 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 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 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1966-2005 Texas Marriage Records - Hidden Ancestors
- 1966-2010 Texas, Marriages - 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 [with images] Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976. The name index has been created by FamilySearch and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903.
- 1903-1977 Texas Deaths and Burials (index) - FamilySearch
- 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1903-2000 Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
- 1964-1998 Texas Death Index [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
- 1977-1986 Texas Deaths at FamilySearch.org — index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records ~ Hidden Ancestors
- 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1968-2011 Texas Divorces at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Pioneer Museum and Gillespie County Historical Society
325 West Main Street
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
Telephone Number: 830-990-8441
E-mail:Memorial Library Pioneer Memorial Library
Website
Harper Library
23797 Us Hwy 290 West
Harper, TX 78631
Telephone Number: 830-864-4993
Website
Fredericksburg Genealogical Society (The organization dissolved in 2008, but still keeps a website with Gillespie County information)
Family History Centers
[edit | edit source]
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]
- Gillespie County Archives ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Gillespie 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, "Gillespie County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillespie_County,_Texas. accessed 08/09/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Gillespie County, Texas. Page 664 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Gillespie 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, "Gillespie County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillespie_County,_Texas, accessed 9 April 2019.
