Henderson County, Texas Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Athens
Organized: August 4, 1846[1]
Parent County(s): Houston, Nacogdoches
Neighboring Counties
AndersonCherokeeEllisFreestoneKaufmanNavarroSmithVan Zandt
See County Maps
Courthouse
Texas, Henderson County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Tx-henderson.png

County Information

Description

The county was named for James Pinckney Henderson, the first Attorney General of the Republic of Texas, and Secretary of State for the republic. He later served as the first Governor of Texas. The county is located in the northeast area of the state.[2]

County Courthouse

Henderson County Courthouse
125 N. Prairieville St
Athens, TX 75751
Phone: 903-675-6120
Henderson County Website

County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage records from 1880, probate records from 1860, court records from 1910 and land records from 1846. [3]

Henderson 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[4]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1903 1880 1903 1910 1846 1860 1829
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1903. General compliance by the 1930s.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

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:[6]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
Ghost towns

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

History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Henderson County, Texas online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Texas Cemeteries for more information.


Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1850 1,237
1860 4,595 271.5%
1870 6,786 47.7%
1880 9,735 43.5%
1890 12,285 26.2%
1900 19,970 62.6%
1910 20,131 0.8%
1920 28,327 40.7%
1930 30,583 8.0%
1940 31,822 4.1%
1950 23,405 −26.5%
1960 21,786 −6.9%
1970 26,466 21.5%
1980 42,606 61.0%
1990 58,543 37.4%
2000 73,277 25.2%
2010 78,532 7.2%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".


Church Records

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

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

  • 1837 The first permanent settlements were established in 1837.

Maps and Gazetteers

Kaufman CountyVan Zandt CountySmith CountyCherokee CountyAnderson CountyFreestone CountyNavarro CountyEllis CountyTX HENDERSON.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Military Records

Texas Revolution

Mexican-American War

Civil War

Civil War service men in Henderson County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in this county:

World War I

Naturalization and Citizenship

Newspapers

Obituaries

Other Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

Probate records of Texas counties were kept by the probate clerk, usually in "probate minutes."

School Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

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

Marriage

Death

Divorce

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

Libraries

Museums

Societies

Henderson County Historical Commission
207 N. Prairieville St.
Athens, TX
Website

Henderson County Historical Society
PO Box 1412
Athens, TX
Website

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm#HENDERSON
  2. Wikipedia contributors, "Henderson County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henderson_County,_Texas. accessed 10/07/2019
  3. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Henderson County, Texas. Page 666 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  4. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Henderson 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.
  5. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. Wikipedia contributors, "Henderson County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henderson_County,_Texas, accessed 5 June 2019.