Chambers County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Chambers 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 Thomas Jefferson Chambers, a major general in the Texas Revolution. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Chambers County Courthouse 404 Washington Anahuac, TX 77514 Phone: 409.267.8309

County Clerk has birth records from 1903, death records from 1908, marriage, probate court and land records from 1875 and divorce records from 1910 County Clerk

P.O. Box 728 Anahuac 77514 Phone: 409-267-8312 District Clerk

P.O. Drawer NN Anahuac 77514 Phone: 409-267-8276

History
1821--The first permanent settlement began in 1821 when the Spanish established a fortress at Anahuac and allowed American colonists to enter.

Parent County
1858--Chambers County was created 12 February 1858 from Jefferson and LibertyCounties.
 * County seat: Anahuac

The county was named for Thomas Jefferson Chambers, (1802-1865), a lawyer and land speculator, was born in Orange County, Virginia, on April 13, 1802, the youngest of twenty children of Thomas Chambers and the ninth of his second wife, Mary (Gore).

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Chambers County border changes.

Record Loss
1875--Chambers County Courthouse in Wallisville and most, if not all, county records were destroyed by fire on December 2, 1875.

1935--Chambers County Courthouse in Anahuac destroyed by fire on April 28, 1935. All records were saved.

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 ±Water surface only; land in adjacent county

Neighboring Counties
Galveston •  Harris  •  Jefferson  •  Liberty

African American

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

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

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Census
1840 Cove Census - TXGenWeb

Court

 * Petition of Settlers -  TXGenWeb

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906-1989 — index and images

Local Histories

 * Chambers County Families- index of names -  TXGenWeb
 * Chambers County: A Pictorial History, 1988 by Margaret S. Henson and Kevin Ladd.
 * Chambers County History from the Handbook of Texas Online
 * Chambers County Bibliography - TXGenWeb

Maps
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

Texas Revolution

 * 1842 Republic of Texas Militia 1842 - TXGenWeb

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 $
 * Chambers County in the Confederancy - TXGenWeb
 * Confederate Pension Applications Index - USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Confederate Indigent Families - USGenWeb Archives Project

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has Galveston newspapers from the early 1800's.
 * Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records


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

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Taxation

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

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1903 - 1935 (images and index) - How to Use this Collection
 * 1903 - 1997 (index only) - How to Use this Collection
 * Chambers County Births - USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 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 $
 * 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 Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976
 * 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 $
 * Chambers County Divorces - USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Societies and Libraries
Chambers County - Genealogy Trails

Chambers County Library System - Local History

FamilySearch Centers

 * Baytown Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Friendswood Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Houston Texas FamilySearch Center
 * League City Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Melbourne Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Pasadena Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Pine Trails Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Richmond Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Shadowdale Texas FamilySearch Center


 * Houston Public Library Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research - an affiliate library
 * Lawrence County Public Library - an affiliate library

Websites

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