Gaines County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Gaines County, Texas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for James Gaines, a merchant who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence and was born in Culpeper County, Virginia in 1779. The county is located in the west-central area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Gaines County Courthouse
101 S Main St
Seminole, TX 79360
Phone: 432-758-4013
Gaines County Website
County Clerk has birth, death and court records from 1903, marriage and probate records from 1848 and land records from 1843.[2]
Gaines County, Texas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1905 | 1905 | 1905 | 1905 | 1905 | 1905 | 1829 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
|
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog
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 | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 8 | ||
| 1890 | 68 | 750.0% | |
| 1900 | 55 | −19.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,255 | 2,181.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,018 | −18.9% | |
| 1930 | 2,800 | 175.0% | |
| 1940 | 8,136 | 190.6% | |
| 1950 | 8,909 | 9.5% | |
| 1960 | 12,267 | 37.7% | |
| 1970 | 11,593 | −5.5% | |
| 1980 | 13,150 | 13.4% | |
| 1990 | 14,123 | 7.4% | |
| 2000 | 14,467 | 2.4% | |
| 2010 | 17,526 | 21.1% | |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | |||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- See Texas Church Records for more information.
- Christian Church Directory for Texas at ChurchFinder (by Town/City)
- Catholic Parishes in Texas
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
|
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
- See Texas Land and Property for more information.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Gaines County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.
- See Texas Local Histories for more information.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site.
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Mexican-American War
- 1845-1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War at Ancestry — index ($)
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
World War I
- 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- World War I Draft Registrations (A-L) - Gaines County, TXGenWeb site
- World War I Draft Registrations (M-Z) - Gaines County, TXGenWeb site
World War II
- World War II Enlistment Records - Gaines County, TXGenWeb site
Korean War
- Korean War Dead - Gaines County, TXGenWeb site
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Seminole Sentinel
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
- 1800s-Current Texas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
These newspapers are not in Gaines County but contain news about its residents:
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records of Texas counties were kept by the probate clerk, usually in "probate minutes."
- See Texas Probate Records for more information.
- 1800-1990 Texas Probate Records, 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
- 1800-2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index ($) click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
- See Texas Taxation for more information.
- 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast — index & images ($)
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths were recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. Copies can be obtained from the County Clerk's office, or order certified copies online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. See Texas Vital Records for more information.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1840-1981 Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Key to Texas County Codes; Also at: Ancestry ($)
- 1905-1933 Gaines County Births - Gaines County, TXGenWeb site
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926-1995 at MyHeritage — index ($)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1814-2011 Texas Marriage Collection at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1837-1965 Texas Marriages, 1837-1965 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1837-1965 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1973 Texas Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1890-1976 Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1903-1973 Texas Deaths and Burials, 1903-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1910-1974 Gaines County Deaths - Gaines County, TXGenWeb site
- 1964-1998 Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1977-1986 Texas Deaths, 1977-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1968-1978 Gaines County Divorces - Gaines County, TXGenWeb site
- 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1968-2011 Texas Divorces at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Permian Basin Genealogical Society
311 W. 4th
Odessa, TX 79761
Website
Texas State Genealogical Society
2028 E. Ben White Blvd. #240-2700
Austin, TX 78741
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Gaines TX GenWeb part of TXGenWeb
- Gaines USGWArchives part of USGWArchives Texas Counties
- Frontier Times Magazine
- Historic Texas
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Gaines County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaines_County,_Texas. accessed 08/09/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Gaines County, Texas. Page 664 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Gaines County, Texas . Page 658-677 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library 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.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Freestone County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freestone_County,_Texas, accessed 9 April 2019.
