Beckham County, Oklahoma Genealogy

United States Oklahoma  Beckham County Beckham County, Oklahoma genealogy and family history research page. Guide to genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

County Courthouse
Beckham County Courthouse 104 s. 3rd Sayre, Oklahoma. mailing address: P.O. Box 520 Sayre, OK Phone: 580.928-3383 Clerk Court has marriage, probate, land and court records

Parent County
1907--Beckham County was created 16 July 1907 from Roger Mills and Greer Territory. County seat: Sayre

Description
Beginning on the State line between Texas and Oklahoma at its intersection with the east and west center section line across township eleven (11) North; thence east along said section line to its intersection with the range line between ranges twenty-two (22) and twenty-three (23) West; thence north along the said range line to its intersection with the east and west center section line across township twelve (12) North; thence east along said section line to its intersection with the range line between ranges twenty (20) and twenty-one (21) West; thence south along said range line to its intersection with the township line between townships seven (7) and eight (8) North; thence west along said township line to its intersection with the center line of the North Fork or Red River; thence up along the center line of said river to its most westerly intersection with the township line between townships seven (7) and eight (8) North; thence west along said township line to its intersection with the range line between ranges twenty-three (23) and twenty-four (24) West; thence south along said range line to its intersection with the township line between townships six (6) and seven (7) North; thence west along said township line to its intersection with the State line between Texas and Oklahoma; thence north along said State line to the point of beginning. Sayre is hereby designated the County Seat of Beckham County. (A History of the State of Oklahoma, Volume 1, by Luther B. Hill, 1909, page 448)

Beckham was originally the southern portion of Roger Mills and a portion of Greer counties. These were placed together by the Constitutional Convention and a new county created, the name Beckham, in honor of a former governor of Kentucky, being given to it. The county is the second north from the Red River and borders on the Texas panhandle. The industries are based almost entirely upon agricultural products. The total area is approximately 1,000 square miles of which about two per cent is hill and timber land. (The Oklahoma Red Book, Volume II, Compiled by W. B. Richards, 1912).

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Oklahoma County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Oklahoma County Boundary Maps" (1819-1912) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Oklahoma - shows boundary changes for Oklahoma Counties
 * Oklahoma Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places/Localities
==== Populated Places ====

Cities

 * Elk City
 * Erick
 * Sayre (county seat)

Towns

 * Carter
 * Sweetwater
 * Texola

Unincorporated communities

 * Delhi
 * Hext
 * Mayfield
 * Retrop

Neighboring Counties

 * Collingsworth County, Texas
 * Custer
 * Greer
 * Harmon
 * Kiowa
 * Roger Mills
 * Washita
 * Wheeler County, Texas

American Indians
Census
 * 1851 - 1959 Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Indian Censuses and Rolls, 1851-1959 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1895 - 1914 U.S., Native American Citizens and Freedmen of Five Civilized Tribes, 1895-1914 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1898 - 1914 Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Dawes Census Cards for Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * Dawes Final Rolls - Oklahoma Historical Society

Land and Property
 * 1884 - 1934 Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Land Allotment Jackets for Five Civilized Tribes, 1884-1934 at Ancestry — index and images ($) *1889 Oklahoma County Plats 1889 - Oklahoma Historical Society


 * For more information see Indians of Oklahoma

State Census Records

 * 1890 Oklahoma Territorial Census 1890 - Oklahoma Historical Societ
 * 1890 and 1907 Oklahoma Territorial Census, 1890 and 1907 at Ancestry — index and image ($)

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for Oklahoma starting in 1860. For links to Federal census indexes, see Oklahoma Census.

Land
Online Land Records

For more information see Oklahoma Land and Property
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796 - 1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1861 - 1936 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1936 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images
 * 1889 Oklahoma County Plats, 1889 - Oklahoma Historical Society
 * El Reno Homesteader Filings - Oklahoma Historical Society

Revolutionary War

 * 1775 - 1783 - at FamilySearch - images only
 * For more nationwide Revolutionary War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

Civil War

 * http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9236 Oklahoma, Confederate Pension Index, 1915-1955] at Ancestry — index (free)
 * For more nationwide Civil War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

WWI

 * For more nationwide World War I databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

WWII

 * Oklahoma Military Deaths - Oklahoma Historical Society
 * For more nationwide World War II databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

Newspapers
Oklahoma Newspapers Online Oklahoma Newspaper Catalogs
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Oklahoma newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Oklahoma newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * Oklahoma State Historical Society - catalog of known Oklahoma newspapers; lists repositories that have the newspapers
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

Probate
Online Records
 * 1801 – 2008 Oklahoma Wills and Probate Records 1801-2008 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1887 – 2008 Oklahoma Probate Records 1887-2008 at FamilySearch — images

School Records

 * 1895 - 1936 at | FamilySearch — index and images

Vital Records
See also How to order Oklahoma Vital Records, order electronically online or download an application for Oklahoma Birth Certificate or Death Certificate Applications to mail.

Births
Online Birth Records Indexes and Images
 * Early Oklahoma Birth Records

Marriage
Online Marriage Records Indexes and Images
 * 1841 - 1927 Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Marriage, Citizenship and Census Records, 1841-1927 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1870 - 1930 at FamilySearch Index only. *1870 - 1930 Oklahoma, Select Marriages, 1870-1930 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1870 - 1930 Oklahoma, Marriages, 1870-1930 at My Heritage index ($)
 * 1889 - 1951 Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, Marriage Index, 1889-1951
 * 1890 - 1995 at FamilySearch Index and images
 * OKGenWeb Oklahoma Marriages

Deaths
Online Death Records Indexes and Images
 * Obituaries Listed in the Oklahoman - Oklahoma Historical Society — index only
 * 1935 - 2014 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1936 - 2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry, incomplete ($}
 * 1936 - 2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry, incomplete ($}

Divorces
Online Divorce Records Indexes and Images
 * 1923 - 1942 Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, Divorce Index, 1923-1942

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Web Sites

 * Beckham County, OK History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Oklahoma Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Oklahoma Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.