Caldwell County, Texas Genealogy

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

Texas Online Genealogy Records

Description
The county was named for Mathew Caldwell, a ranger captain who fought in the Battle of Plum Creek against the Comanches and against Santa Anna's armies during the Texas Revolution. Caldwell was also a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage and land records from 1848 and court records; District Clerk has divorce records

County Clerk

P.O. Box 906 Lockhart 78644 Phone: 512-398-1810

District Clerk

P.O. Box 749 Lockhart 78644 Phone: 512-398-1806

Caldwell County Website

This is the third courthouse built on this site. The cornerstone was laid on August 15, 1893, and the building was completed on March 19, 1894. Built by the architectural firm of Martin, Byrnes, and Johnston, the structure features mansard roofs and a high central tower with a four-way Seth Thomas clock. The three-story edifice is built of Muldoon limestone with red Pecos sandstone trim. Although originally equipped with electricity, the courthouse had no indoor plumbing. Broom closets were later converted into restrooms. It is said that when the first water bill was received, the county judge was so shocked at the charges that he padlocked the restrooms. After a ten year effort involving hundreds of people in the county, a complete historic restoration was completed in the spring of 2000.

History
1831-1835--The first settlers received land grants from the Mexican government between 1831 and 1835.

Parent County
1848--Caldwell County was created 6 March 1848 from Gonzales and Bastrop Counties.
 * County seat: Lockhart

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

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
Bastrop •  Fayette  •  Gonzales  •  Guadalupe  •  Hays  •  Travis

African American

 * 1865 - 1870 (images) - How to Use this Collection

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

Census

 * 1850 Federal Census - USGenWeb Archives Project

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Kyle United Methodist Church
 * First Lockhart Baptist Church
 * St. Anthony's Catholic Church
 * First Christian Church
 * St. Paul's United Church of Christ
 * First Baptist Church
 * Grace Evangelical Church
 * FamilySearch Places

Court

 * Huntsville Penetentiary Convict Ledger 1849-1899 -  USGenWeb Archives Project

Land

 * Original Land Owners of Texas -  USGenWeb Archives Project

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906 - 1989  — index and images

Local Histories

 * Plum Creek Almanac Index - USGenWeb Archives Project

Maps

 * Texas Land Survey Maps for (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * 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

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry — 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 — index and images $
 * Confederate Pensions - Texas State Library and Archives

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Lockhart Post-Register
 * Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * Index to Probate Book A - USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Taxation

 * 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast ($) — index and images

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1840 - 1981 — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1903 - 1935 (images and index) - How to Use this Collection
 * 1903 - 1997 (index only) - How to Use this Collection
 * Caldwell County Birth Records from the Caldwell County TXGenWeb site
 * 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index

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 — index $
 * 1837 - 1965 — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1837 - 1973 — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1837 - 1977 — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1837 - 1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry — index $
 * 1848 - 2001 Caldwell County Marriages 1848-2001 from the Caldwell County TXGenWeb site
 * 1966 - 2010 — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1966 - 2010 - FamilySearch record collection - How to Use this Collection*1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death

 * 1890 - 1976 with images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1903 - 1973 — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry — index and images $
 * 1903 - 2000 (index) - How to Use this Collection
 * 1964 - 1998 (no images) - How to Use this Collection
 * 1977 - 1986 — index - How to Use this Collection

Divorce

 * 1968 - 2010 — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry — index $
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Societies and Libraries
Caldwell County Genealogical and Historical Society 215 S. Pecan Luling 78648

FamilySearch Centers

 * Bastrop Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Hill Country Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Kyle Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Seguin Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Stone Oak Texas FamilySearch Center


 * New Braunfels Public LIbrary - an affiliate library
 * San Marcos Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Caldwell County TXGenWeb site
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
 * USGenWeb Archives Project - transcriptions