Cass County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Cass County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. 

Description
The county was named for Lewis Cass, a U.S. Senator from Michigan who had favored the annexation of Texas to the United States. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Cass County Courthouse PO Box 468 Linden, TX 75563 Phone: 903.756.5071

County Clerk has some delayed birth records from 1873, death records 1903-1933, marriage, probate and land from 1846, school census 1932-1971 and military discharge records from 1917; District Court has divorce and court records

County Clerk

P.O. Box 449 Linden 75563 Phone: 903-756-5071 Fax: 903-756-8057

District Clerk

P.O. Box 510 Linden 75563 Phone: 903-756-7514 Fax: 903-756-5253

Parent County
1846--Cass County was created 25 April 1846 from Bowie County.
 * County seat: Linden

The county was named for Lewis Cass, U.S. senator from Michigan. The county was originally named Cass County in honor of Lewis Cass, a United States Senator from Michigan who had favored the annexation of Texas. During the secession crisis Cass, who had formerly been known as a Northern man with Southern principles, resigned his post as secretary of state when President James Buchanan declined to defend the federal forts in Charleston, South Carolina. When word of his actions reached Texas, the name of the county was changed to Davis in honor of Jefferson Davis. The republican-controlled state legislature of 1871 changed the name back to Cass.

Boundary Changes
There is an indefinite boundary line between Cass and Marion Counties. They both share the extraction of natural resources and mineral tracts. The USGS has not defined the boundary line.

Record Loss
1933--Cass County Courthouse damaged by fire in August 1933. Courthouse rebuilt and enlarged.

Places / Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog



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:

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

Neighboring Counties
Bowie •  Caddo Parish, Louisiana  •  Marion  •  Miller County, Arkansas  •  Morris

African American

 * 1865 - 1870 Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870(images) - FamilySearch

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Additional Cemetery Sources


 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Texas Escapes Listing of Texas cemeteries with transcriptions and lots of pictures.

Church
Enon Church Enon Primitive Baptist Church was constituted 7 June 1845, by Elders Spencer, Edwards and Charles Jones, near Havana, in Cass County, fifteen miles west of Line Ferry, on Sulphur River, with the following members: T.J. Foster, Elizabeth Barcraft, Rebecca Kolbe, Malissa Henson, and Bythena Davis. Elders Edwards and Jones preached for thie church, til 1847, when Elder Mark Allen was chosen and served until 1850, at which time Elder Michael Burkhalter was chosen and served til 1860, when Elder Jacob Hering was called and served til 1878, when Elder J.W. Barley was called and served til 1882, at which time Elder J. W. Griffin was called and served til 1893. Elders J. W. and J. S. Griffin, have served the church since 1882. This church passed resolutions of non-fellowship for absolute predestination of all things, including sin and the no change doctrine. This church is one of the pioneer Churches, and desires credit for the stability in the faith and practice of the Primitive Baptists in Texas.


 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906 - 1989  — index and images

Local Histories

 * Texas Museums ~  List of all museums in Texas  ~  Hidden Ancestors

Maps

 * 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

Military

 * 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

 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — index $

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1838 - 1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Home Town News -  Texas Newspaper Index with links
 * Newslink -  Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
 * The Olden Times  -   Historic Texas News Online

Obituaries

 * 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 (Ancestry)

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records Ancestry.com (subscription)
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1840 - 1981  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index) - FamilySearch

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * 1802 - 2010 Texas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1814 - 1909 and 1966 - 2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1837 - 1965 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1837 - 1973 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837 - 1977 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837 - 1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966 - 2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005 Hidden Ancestors
 * 1966 - 2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010 FamilySearch record collection

Death

 * 1890 - 1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images] Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976.
 * 1903 - 1973 Texas Deaths and Burials 1903 - 1973 (index) FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 2000 Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1977 - 1986  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1964 - 1998 https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://hr-search-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1375599 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998] [[Texas, Death Index, 1964-1998 (FamilySearch)
 * 1977 - 1986  at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1850 - 1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850 - 1930
 * 1850 - 1930 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005 Hidden Ancestors
 * 1850 - 1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850 - 1930
 * 1968 - 2010  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $

Societies and Libraries
Cass County Genealogical Society PO Box 880 Atlanta 75551-0880 Website


 * Society Hill ~  Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies

Family History Centers

 * Queen City Texas Family History Center (Atlanta)

Websites

 * 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
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.