Grayson County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Grayson County, Texas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
County Information
Description
The county was named for Peter Wagener Grayson, an attorney general of the Republic of Texas. The county is located in the northeast area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse
Grayson County Courthouse
200 S. Crockett
Sherman, Texas 75090
Phone: 903-813-4352
Grayson County Website
Grayson County, Texas Record Dates
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 |
| 1900 | 1846 | 1900 | 1846 | 1846 | 1846 | 1829 |
Record Loss
|
Boundary Changes
|
Populated Places
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 | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 2,008 | — |
| 1860 | 8,184 | 307.6% |
| 1870 | 14,387 | 75.8% |
| 1880 | 38,108 | 164.9% |
| 1890 | 53,211 | 39.6% |
| 1900 | 63,661 | 19.6% |
| 1910 | 65,996 | 3.7% |
| 1920 | 74,165 | 12.4% |
| 1930 | 65,843 | −11.2% |
| 1940 | 69,499 | 5.6% |
| 1950 | 70,467 | 1.4% |
| 1960 | 73,043 | 3.7% |
| 1970 | 83,225 | 13.9% |
| 1980 | 89,796 | 7.9% |
| 1990 | 95,021 | 5.8% |
| 2000 | 110,595 | 16.4% |
| 2010 | 120,877 | 9.3% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records
- See Texas Church Records for more information.
Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
Directories
- 1887-1888 Morrison & Formby's General Directory of the City of Sherman 1887-1888
- 1893-1894 Sherman - Denison City Directory 1893- 1894
- 1898-1899 Maloney's Denison-Sherman City Directory, 1898 - 1899
- 1899-1900 Maloney's Denison - Sherman City Directory, 1899-1900
- 1910-1911 R.L. Polk Co.'s Sherman City Directory, 1910 - 1911
- 1912-1913 R.L. Polk Co.'s Sherman City Directory, 1912 - 1913
- 1918 R.L. Polk Co.'s Sherman City Directory, 1918
- 1923 R.L. Polk Co.'s Sherman City Directory, 1923
- 1925 R.L. Polk Co.'s Sherman City Directory, 1925
- 1935 Worley's Sherman City Directory, 1935
- 1940 History and Business Guide of Sherman & Grayson County, 1940
- 1947-1948 Worley's Sherman City Directory, 1947-8
- 1948 History and Business Guide of Sherman & Grayson County,1948
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- 1973 Grayson County Rural Directory 1973
- 1976 Sherman - Denison City Directory 1876
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
|
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
- See Texas Land and Property for more information.
- Land Records are kept in the Grayson County Clerk's Office.
- Very early records made during the Republic of Texas are found in Fannin County's Courthouse and in the Texas State Archives.
- 1908 Grayson County, Texas Plat Book This book has biographical sketches as well as detailed maps with land owners. It even shows the location of individual houses around the countryside. Some cemetery locations are visible in this book.
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Grayson County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.
- See Texas Local Histories for more information.
The first courthouse was constructed in 1847 and torn down in 1858.
This old photograph had this statement attached; "I, J.P. Loving, do hereby certify that the above photograph is a true picture of the first court house built in the present town of Sherman, Texas, and that it was customary for juries trying cases in said court house to retire to the shade of the old Pecan tree, then standing on the public square to consider their verdict" signed Jesse P. Loving.
The pecan tree he mentioned was used as a bank of sorts. People would hang their saddlebags and other personal property on or under the old pecan tree and they knew everything would be safe on their reurn. Even bags of gold were left there undisturbed. No one is ever known to have violated the sanctity of this 'bank'.
Grayson County is located at the top of Texas and is home to the famed Preston Road. This road was a major pioneer road, crossing the Red River into Texas. Just to the east of the Preston Road was the Shawnee Trail, the first cattle drive road in Texas. This cattle trail crossed the Red River in a natural rock formed cattle shute and herds passed through the Indian Nations in Oklahoma to reach the railheads in Kansas.
The Butterfield Overland Mail route also passed through Grayson county, this land was a vital link for pioneers entering the West.
Above is an Old Bois d' Arc Tree in a field of Indian Blanket Flowers. This area of Texas is a rich land, beautiful with rolling hills, prairie grasses; native pecan, oak, hackberry, elms, black walnut, chinaberry, blackjack, and more, and of course our famous Bois d'arc trees forrest the land.
Bois d'arc trees were a cash crop in the 1800's, used as a windbreak and a living livestock fence, this tree originated in Grayson County and its neighbor to the east, Fannin County, Texas and is one of the few trees left in the world that is prehistoric. It was ironic for the American Soldiers from Texas to have to break through the Bois d'arch hedges of France and Germany in WWI and WWII. Every one of the trees that impeded our tanks and troops, came from 'back home'. This tree is called by many names, hedgeapple, horseapple, Texas orange, Osage Orange, ironwood and other names. It was of course named for its main historical use, 'Wood of the Bow'. Bows made of Bois d'arc wood were found anciently deep in South America. The Natives traded the bows and the wood far and wide.
Grayson County is home to the two Americans' to receive France's highest honor, and the French Legion of Honor. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was born in Denison, Grayson County and Thomas V. Munson, who saved Europe's grape and wine industry by his research and development of using grafts of our Texas native grapevine stock to save them from extinction.
Lake Texoma, one of largest reservoirs in the United States was a project involving placing a large dam just North of Denison,Texas in the 1940's and is a very popular vacation spot today. It is the home of two wildlife habitats. This lake ended most of the flooding from the Red River.
Grayson County is a beautiful place to live.
- Read about early Grayson County, Texas
- Read More about Grayson County, Texas
- Articles about Grayson County History
Parent County was Fannin County - Grayson County was formed May 17, 1846 County seat: Sherman [5]
Grayson County Frontier Village in Denison, Texas is a place where Grayson County history is brought to life. It also houses a database of Katy Railroad Workers and has a research center in the museum building. They are glad to help patrons with their genealogical search.
- A history of Grayson County, Texas / Mattie Davis Lucas (Mrs. W. H. Lucas) and Mita Holsapple Hall (Mrs. H. E. Hall) 1936
- 1830's-1870 An Illustated History of Grayson County, Texas , by Graham Landrum, 1960- Included in this book is a "pioneer index" that covers people from the 1830's to 1870.
- Ancestors and Decendants of Grayson County, Texas - by the Grayson County Genealogical Society 1980
- A Biographical Souvenir of Texas, 1889 This book contains biographical sketches of families written by themselves. It contains a lot of Grayson County people.
- Glimpses of Grayson County From the Early Days, 1894
- 1896 Black Friday at May 15, 1896 at The Sherman Cyclone
- Denison, The Texas-Gateway, Busy, Progressive City with Golden Opportunities, 1908
- Grayson County, Texas Plat Book, 1908 ( Includes biographical sketches and all land owners)
- Online Books about Grayson County and Grayson County people.
- 1879-1899 The Old Settlers Association of Grayson Co. Vol 1.1879-1899
- 1989-1944 The Old Settlers Association of Grayson Co. Vol 2.1898-1944
- 1911-1925 The Old Settlers Association of Grayson Co. Vol 3.1911-1925
- 1926-1960 The Old Settlers Association of Grayson Co. Vol 4.1926-1960
- Sherman Texas Indelible Photographs 1890
- 1926-1946 Grayson County, Texas in the Depression and War 1929 - 1946 by David Park
- A HISTORY OF TEXAS AND TEXANS by Frank W. Johnson
- 1979 and 1981 History of Grayson County, Texas ( 2 Vols 1979 &1981) by Grayson County Frontier Village
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Texas Land Survey Maps for Grayson County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
- Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site
- Maps of Grayson County & Texas
- 1897 Map of 1897 Grayson County, Texas with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
Texas Revolution
- 1835 - 1845 Index to the Military Rolls of the Republic of Texas 1835-1845 at Texas State Historical Association
- 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- Grayson County Military history is a proud one.Useful links and information.
Mexican-American War
- 1845-1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War at Ancestry ($) — index
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- Historical Research Center - Hillsboro, Tx., has one of the worlds best Confederate Research & Civil War collections.
World War I
- 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
World War II
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- All about Grayson County, Newspapers
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
- 1800s-Current Texas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
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 ($) — index & images
- All Probate records, insanity hearings and guardianship records are in the County Clerk's Office. Email the clerk's office for details about the record you are requesting.
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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
- See Texas Taxation for more information.
- 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast ($) — index & images
- Tax Rolls are available through interlibrary loan and also through any FSC near you 1846-1910.Many of them are online, here is a page of links.
- Tax records are kept in the County Clerks Office with more recent records in the Tax Assessors Office.
- City of Denison (Land) Tax records are being placed online. this is an ongoing project by the Denison, Texas Genealogical Society's Online Document Project
Vital Records
Vital Records of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths were recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. Copies can be obtained from the County Clerk's office, or order certified copies online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. See Texas Vital Records for more information.
Birth
- 1840-1981 Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Key to Texas County Codes; Also at: Ancestry ($)
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926-1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Marriage
- 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — 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
- 1837-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1837-1973 Texas Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index at Ancestry ($) — index
- 1846-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death
- 1903-1973 Texas Deaths and Burials, 1903-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- 1964-1998 Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1977-1986 Texas Deaths, 1977-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Divorce
- 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1968-2011 Texas Divorces at Ancestry ($) — index
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Research Facilities
Archives
FamilySearch Centers
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
- Gainesville Texas FamilySearch Center
- McKinney Texas FamilySearch Center
- Donald W. Reynolds Library - an affiliate library
- Sherman Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Sherman Public Library
421 N. Travis
PO Box 1106
Sherman, TX 75090-0190
Website
Denison Public Library
Historical Genealogical Society
300 W. Gandy St.
Denison, TX 75020
Website
Museums
Societies
Denison Genealogical Society
111 RC Vaughn Dr
Denison, TX 75021
Facebook
Grayson County Courthouse Genealogical Records
421 N. Travis
Sherman TX 7509
Website
Websites
- Grayson TX GenWeb part of TXGenWeb
- Grayson USGWArchives part of USGWArchives Texas Counties
- Grayson County, Texas - Official County Website
- Frontier Times Magazine
- Historic Texas
- Online books about Grayson County, Texas
- The Handbook of Texas Online - Searchable
- 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
References
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Grayson County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grayson_County,_Texas. accessed 08/09/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Grayson 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.
- ↑ Sherman, TX Grayson County Courthouse Burned by Mob, May 1930 http://www.gendisasters.com/texas/17865/sherman-tx-grayson-county-courthouse-burned-mob-may-1930
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Grayson County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grayson_County,_Texas, accessed 18 April 2019.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).