Grimes County, Texas Genealogy

United States

Texas

Grimes County

Guide to Grimes County, Texas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Texas Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Anderson Organized: July 15, 1846 Parent County(s): Montgomery Neighboring Counties Brazos • Madison • Montgomery • Walker • Waller • Washington See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

The county was named for Jesse Grimes, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and early European-American settler of the county. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Grimes County Courthouse
270 FM 149 W
Anderson, Texas 77830
Phone: 936-873-4410
Grimes County Website

County Clerk has birth, death and court records from 1903, marriage and probate records from 1848 and land records from 1843

Grimes 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.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1903	1848	1903	1903	1843	1848	1829
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1903. General compliance by the 1930s.

Record Loss

1848--County records were destroyed by fire in late 1848. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. List of counties in the United States with Record Loss

Boundary Changes

Parent County(s): Created from Montgomery County on April 6, 1846. County Seat: Anderson Texas Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Texas Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Texas county 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:

Cities
Anderson (county seat) Bedias	Iola Navasota‡	Plantersville Todd Mission
Unincorporated communities
Apolonia Richards	Roans Prairie Shiro	Stoneham

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog Anderson Bedias Navasota Plantersville Prairie Plains Richards Stoneham

History Timeline

1873 Waller County was formed from territory in the southern part of Grimes County.

Resources

Biographies

• County Biographies Grimes County TXGenWeb

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Grimes County, Texas online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find a Grave BillionGraves Tombstone Transcription Project TX Gravestones Photo Project Cemeteries of TX USGenWeb Archives TXGenWeb Interment.net Names in Stone
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find a Grave FamilySearch Places
See Texas Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	4,008		—
1860	10,307		157.2%
1870	13,218		28.2%
1880	18,603		40.7%
1890	21,312		14.6%
1900	26,106		22.5%
1910	21,205		−18.8%
1920	23,101		8.9%
1930	22,642		−2.0%
1940	21,960		−3.0%
1950	15,135		−31.1%
1960	12,709		−16.0%
1970	11,855		−6.7%
1980	13,580		14.6%
1990	18,828		38.6%
2000	23,552		25.1%
2010	26,604		13.0%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

• Grimes County Census located on Grimes County TXGenWeb page.
• 1850 Grimes County Census USGenWeb Archives Project.
• 1850 Grimes County Slave Census USGenWeb Archives Project.
• 1860 Grimes County Census USGenWeb Archives Project.
• 1900 Russian Immigrants on 1900 census
• 1910 Russian Immigrants on 1910 census
• 1920 Russian Immigrants on 1920 census

Church Records

• See Texas Church Records for more information.

• Christian Church Directory for Texas at ChurchFinder (by Town/City)
• Catholic Parishes in Texas

Churches

• Grimes County ChurchesGrimes County TXGenWeb

Baptist

• Baptist Churches of Grimes County : Churches Organized Prior to the Civil War. 1936. By Joseph Eugene Boulet. Online at FamilySearch Digital Library.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
  

Directories

• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Funeral Homes

Ashford and Oliver Mortuary and Memorial Chapel in Jones Lewis Funeral Co. in Lindley-Robertson-Holt Funeral Home in Nobles Funeral Chapel, Inc in Navasota Psalms Funeral Home in

Land and Property Records

• See Texas Land and Property for more information.

• Austin's Colonists in Grimes County Part of Grimes County TXGenWeb site
• Original Land Owners of Grimes County From USGenWeb Archives for Texas
• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Grimes County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.

• See Texas Local Histories for more information.

• Grimes County was named for Jesse Grimes, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
• Grimes County TXGenWeb History and Maps
• Austin Colony Pioneers: Including History of Bastrop, Fayette, Grimes, Montgomery and Washington Counties, Texas. 1949. By Worth S. Ray. Austin, Texas : n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; At various libraries (WorldCat).
• Early History of Grimes County. 1930. By Eric L. Blair. Austin, Tex. : n.p. Online at: Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
• History of Grimes County, Land of Heritage and Progress, 1982, by Grimes County Historical Commission. At various libraries (WorldCat).
• Saga of Anderson - The Proud Story of a Historic Texas Community. 1957. By Irene Taylor Allen. New York : Greenwich Book Publishers. At various libraries (WorldCat).
• A brief Grimes County history at the Texas State Historical Association.
• History of the Grimes County Sheriff's Office

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Texas Land Survey Maps for Grimes County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
• Grimes County TXGenWeb Maps and History
• Texas Counties Map. Click on county to go to the county TXGenWeb website
• Texas DOT Map of Grimes County
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

Texas Revolution

• 1835 - 1845 Index to the Military Rolls of the Republic of Texas 1835-1845 at Texas State Historical Association
• Confederate Memorial Plaza in Anderson Grimes County TXGenWeb
• Confederate Memorial Statue in Anderson Grimes County TXGenWeb
• 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry ($) — index & images

Spanish-American War

• Spanish-American War Veterans in Grimes County "

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
• 12th Texas Infantry, Company D most appear to be from Grimes County
• Soldiers buried in Grimes County
• Grimes County Confederate Pension Applications

World War I

• 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Newspapers

• The Navasota Examiner
• Newspaper Articles from Grimes CountyGrimesCounty TXGenWeb
• 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

• Grimes County Obituaries Grimes County TXGenWeb
• Navasota Examiner Current Obituaries
• Bryan-College Station Eagle Current ObituariesMany obituaries from Grimes County are listed here
• USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project for Texas
• Obituary Daily Times

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
• Grimes County Probates, Wills, and Estate Records Grimes County TXGenWeb
• 1939-1957 Texas, Grimes County, Probate Records of Births, 1939-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

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

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 ($) — index
• 1951-1966 Texas, Grimes County, Marriage Records, 1951-1966 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death

• 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
• 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

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

• College Station Texas FamilySearch Center
• Brazos Valley African American Museum - an affiliate library
• Carnegie History Center - an affiliate library
• Waller County Library System - multiple locations - an affiliate library

Websites

• Grimes TX GenWeb part of TXGenWeb
• Grimes 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.