Ward County, Texas Genealogy

United States Texas  Counties W  Ward County

Guide to Ward County Texas genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Courthouse
Ward County Courthouse 400 S Allen Street Monahans, TX 79756 Phone: 915.943.3294 County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, probate, court and land records Clk has from 1892 and military records; District Clerk has divorce records

History
Anglo-American settlement started in 1881.

Parent County
1887--Ward County was created 26 February 1887 from Tom Green County. County seat: Monahans

Neighboring Counties

 * Crane
 * Ector
 * Loving
 * Pecos
 * Reeves
 * Winkler

African American

 * 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

 * Barstow Cemetery - index
 * Monahans Cemetery -  photos
 * Pyote Cemetery - index
 * Tamarisk Cemtery - photos - USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Wilkes Cemetery -  photos
 * Tombstone Transcription Project ~ Partial transcription of cemetery tombstones ~ USGenWeb
 * Texas Historic Cemeteries ~ Partial indexes to historic cemeteries
 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Texas Escapes Listing of Texas cemeteries with transcriptions and lots of pictures.

Church

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

Land

 * Land Survey Abstract Indices of the Original Land Owners of Texas

Local Histories

 * History of Ward County ~  The Handbook of Texas Online
 * Texas Museums ~  List of all museums in Texas  ~  Hidden Ancestors

Maps

 * 1895 US Atlas Ward County
 * Historical Maps ~  From the Republic to the Turn of the Century  ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenweb site

Military

 * Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 - FamilySearch
 * Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 - FamilySearch
 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission
 * Draft Registration 1917-1918 - USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 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

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 including interactive search function

Probate

 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~  Ancestry.com  (subscription)
 * Texas, Probate Records, 1800-1990 (images) - FamilySearch

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * Births 1926-1949 - US Gen Web Archives Project
 * Births 1950-1995 - US GenWeb Archives Project
 * Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index)- FamilySearch

Original Birth Records on Microfilm

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005  ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas County Marriage Records, 1837-1977 - FamilySearch. Index to a variety of marriage records (registers, licenses, intentions to marry, etc.) from select counties in Texas.
 * Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973  ~  FamilySearch record collection
 * Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010  ~  FamilySearch record collection

Original Marriage Records on Microfilm

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images] Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976. The name index has been created by Family Search and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903.
 * Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
 * Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964

Original Death Records on Microfilm

Divorce

 * Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005   ~  Hidden Ancestors


 * US Gen Web Census Project ~ Texas 1850 - 1930

Societies and Libraries
Ward County Library 409 S Dwight St Monahans, TX 79756 Phone: (432) 943-3332

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Monahans Texas Family History Center
 * Society Hill ~  Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies

Web Sites

 * Ward County Archives - USGenWeb
 * Ward County TXGenWeb
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * Hidden Ancestors Information on Texas genealogy research as well as genealogy research in general.
 * USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records.