Texas, Matagorda County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consista of records from Matagorda County in Bay City, Texas. It includes District Court, Divorce, and Naturalization Records. This collection is being published as images become available.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The content varies by record type. You may find any of the following:
 * Name of Petitioner
 * Name of Court
 * Date and place of Birth
 * Occupation
 * Where Petitioner emigrated from
 * Date of Emigration
 * Full name of spouse
 * Sometimes date of marriage
 * Spouse' Birthplace
 * Place of Residence
 * Names of children, children's birth dates and birth places
 * Date of Naturalization
 * Date of Arrival
 * Names of Witnesses
 * Date Signed

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The approximate date and type of event.
 * The name of the primary individual or individuals

Search the Collection
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the Record Category ⇒Select the Record Type, Volume or Case No., Year Range which takes you to the images

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the names, ages and residence church and census records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Occupations listed can lead you to employment records or other types of records such as military records.
 * The name of the officiator at a christening, marriage, or burial may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom, this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Related Websites
Matagorda County, Texas Family History and Genealogy

Related Wiki Articles
Matagorda County, Texas

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.
 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.