Shelby County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Shelby 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 Isaac Shelby, a soldier in the American Revolution who became the first governor of Kentucky. The County is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Shelby County Courthouse 200 San Augustine Street PO Box 1987 Center, Texas 75935-3945 Phone: 936.598.6361

County Clerk has birth, marriage, probate, court and land records from 1882, death and burial records from 1903; District Clerk has divorce records

County Clerk

P.O. Box 1987 Center 75935 Phone: 936-598-6361 Fax: 936-598-3701

District Clerk

P.O. Box 1953 Center 75935 Phone: 936-598-4164

History


1750-1826 The county is named after Kentucky's First Governor Isaac Shelby.

1841-1844 This county was the scene of the Regulator-Moderator War.

Parent County
1836--Shelby County was created 17 March 1836 from Old Mexican Municipality.
 * County seat: Center

Record Loss
1882 The Shelby County courthouse burned May 31, 1882 destroying all records. Tax lists were forwarded to Austin so still exist. Deed records were "reconstructed" by the county commissioners.

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
DeSoto Parish, Louisiana •  Nacogdoches  •  Panola  •  Rusk  •  Sabine  •  Sabine Parish, Louisiana  •  San Augustine

Resources
Shelby County TXGenWeb site

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

Lutheran

 * Records of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Shelby County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Local Histories

 * Shelby County History from the Shelby County TXGenWeb site

Maps

 * 1914 Map of Angelina, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Houston, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith &amp; Trinity at www.rootsweb.com
 * 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

Military

 * 1835 - 1836 Texas Muster Rolls 1835-1836 - TXGenWeb
 * 1838 - 1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — index $

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 at FamilySearch — index and images

Vietnam War

 * Vietnam Virtual Wall - Texas

Newspapers

 * Shelby County Today online news
 * 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 $

Taxation

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

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records
 * 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 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.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 $
 * 1966-2010
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890-1976 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.
 * 1903-1973 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1964-1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005  (index)  -  Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Societies and Libraries
Shelby County Historical Society Museum and Genealogy Research Library PO Box 1542 230 Pecan Street Center, TX; 75935 Telephone Number: 936-598-3613 Website

Shelby County Historical Society Museum and Library Timpson Area Genealogical and Heritage Society 520 Austin St PO Box 726 Timpson, TX 75975 Telephone Number: 936-254-2966 E-mail:[mailto:timpsgen@sbcglobal.net timpsgen@sbcglobal.net] Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Athens Texas Family History Center
 * Longview Texas Family History Center
 * Shreveport Louisiana Family History Center
 * Tyler Texas Family History Center


 * Shreve Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * Tyler Public Library - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Shelby County TXGenWeb
 * 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.