Oldham County, Texas Genealogy

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

Texas Online Genealogy Records

Description
The county was named for Williamson Simpson Oldham, Sr., a Texas pioneer, and Confederate Senator. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Oldham County Courthouse PO Box 469 Vega, TX 79092-0469 Phone: 806.267.2667 County Clerk has birth records from 1917, death records from 1918, marriage, divorce records from 1881, burial and probate records from 1887, court records  from 1911 and land records from 1878

County and District Clerk

P.O. Box 360 Vega 79092 Phone: 806-267-2667

The town of Tascosa was chosen as the county seat when Oldham County was organized in 1880. The county's first courthouse, a two-story brick building, was built in 1884. In 1915, the county seat was moved to Vega and a second courthouse built. Although remodeled, the 1915 courthouse is in use today. The 1884 courthouse in Tascosa now serves as the Julian Bivins Museum.

County Government Website

Parent County
1876--Oldham County was created 21 August 1876 from Bexar Land District, but was not organized until 1880.
 * County seat: Vega

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
Deaf Smith •  Hartley  •  Moore  •  Potter  •  Quay County, New Mexico  •  Randall

African American

 * 1865-1870 Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records(images) - FamilySearch
 * Texas African American Griots ~ USGenWeb
 * AfriGeneas ~ African Ancestored Genealogy

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

Additional Cemetery Sources


 * 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.

Census

 * 1910 Census ~ TXGenWeb
 * 1920 Census ~ TXGenWeb
 * 1930 Census ~ TXGenWeb

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas
 * FamilySearch Places

Land

 * Texas Land Grant Search Texas General Land Office
 * Original Land Owners of Oldham County USGenWeb Archives

Local Histories

 * Oldham County, 1981, by the Oldham County Historical Commission.
 * Maverick Town: The Story of Old Tascosa, 1946; enlarged ed. 1968, by John L. McCarty.
 * Oldham County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
 * Texas Historic Sites Atlas Texas Historic Commission
 * Portal To Texas History

Maps

 * Texas Counties Map. Texas Genweb site

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 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
 * Oldham County Military Oldham County TXGenWeb
 * Index to Military Roles for the Republic of Texas TSHA

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 - US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 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
 * Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
 * 1890 Veterans Schedule TXGenWeb
 * Confederate Military Pension Applications USGenWeb Archives

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Oldham County WW 1 Draft Applicants USGenWeb Archives

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

 * Oldham County Obituaries ~ TXGenWeb
 * 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
Online Probate Records


 * 1800–1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800–2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records Ancestry.com (subscription)

Birth

 * 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index)- FamilySearch

Marriage

 * 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 - 2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005 Hidden Ancestors
 * 1966 - 2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010 FamilySearch record collection

Death

 * 1890 - 1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 - (with images) - FamilySearch Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976.
 * 1903 - 1973  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1903 - 2000 Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 - (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1964 - 1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 - (no images) - Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates
 * 1977 - 1986  at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1850 - 1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850 - 1930
 * 1968 - 2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005 Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $

Societies and Libraries
Oldham County Court House PO Box 360 Vega, TX 79092-0360 website

Oldham County Public Library 914 Main Vega, TX 79092 Telephone Number: 806-267-2635 Website


 * Society Hill ~  Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies

Websites

 * Oldham County Archives ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Oldham County TXGenWeb site
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records.
 * — The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.