Presidio County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Presidio 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 the ancient border settlement of Presidio del Norte. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Presidio County Courthouse PO Box 789 Marfa, TX 79843 Phone: 915.729.4812 County and District Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage and land records from 1875, divorce and court records from 1886, probate records from 1884 and military records from 1944

County and District Clerk

P.O. Box 789 Marfa 79843 Phone: 432-729-3857

Built-in 1886, the courthouse at Marfa, Texas is the only courthouse building that has ever served Presidio County. The Second Empire Style stone and brick building was designed by Alfred Giles and built for a cost of $60,000. The courthouse dome was restored in 2004.

Presidio County Courthouse 320 N. Highland St. Marfa, TX 79843 432-729-4670 County Clerk's office County of Presidio government website

Inventory of records of Presidio County housed in the Presidio County courthouse in Marfa, 1981, describes the records of the County Clerk, District Clerk, Tax Assessor-Collector, Justice of the Peace, Sheriff, County Judge, County Treasurer, and County Surveyor that are available at the courthouse. Read the book on line from the Portal to Texas History.

Parent County
1850--Presidio County was created 3 January 1850 from Bexar Land District.
 * County seat: Marfa

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:

Neighboring Counties
Brewster •  Jeff Davis

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

Local Histories

 * Presidio County History from the "Handbook of Texas Online"
 * 1535-1946 History of Marfa and Presidio County, 1535–1946, 2 vols., Austin: Nortex, 1985. Written by Cecilia Thompson.
 * Gray Ghosts of far west Texas: a history of Confederate veterans and their families who settled in the Texas counties of: Brewster, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Pecos, Reeves, Terrell, 2 volumes. Written by Verna A. Bonner.

Maps

 * 1862-1932 Presidio County, Texas Maps 1862-1932 from the Presidio County TXGenWeb site

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Mexican-American War

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

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * Presidio County, Texas World War II Dead, soldiers killed in action or died while serving, from the Presidio County TXGenWeb site

Newspapers

 * The Big Bend Sentinel Newspaper, Marfa, Texas

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1840 - 1981 Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 - FamilySearch
 * 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 - 2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010 FamilySearch record collection

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890 - 1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images]
 * 1903 - 1973  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1964 - 1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 Texas, Death Index, 1964-1998 - FamilySearch Historical Records Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates
 * 1977 - 1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968 - 2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005 (index) - Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968 - 2010  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $

Societies and Libraries
Big Bend Genealogical Society PO Box 1251 Alpine, Texas 79831 Website

Marfa and Presidio County Museum 110 W. San Antonio St Marfa, TX 79843 Telephone Number: 432-729-4140

Marfa City Municipal Library 115 E Oak St Marfa, TX 79843 Telephone Number: 432-729-4631

Presidio Library Oreilly St Presidio, TX 79845 Telephone Number: 432-229-3317

Websites

 * Presidio County TXGenWeb site maps, history, cemetery information, and more.
 * Presidio County Texas Old Photos
 * — The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.d