Brooks County, Texas Genealogy

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



Description
The county was named for James Abijah Brooks, a Texas Ranger and legislator. The County is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Brooks County Courthouse

P.O.Box 515 Falfurrias, TX 78355 512-325-5604 FAX: 512-325-5678

County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, probate and court records from 1911

County Clerk

P.O. Box 427 Falfurrias, TX 78355 Phone: 361-3258-5604 (Ext. 153)

District Clerk

P.O. Box 534 Falfurrias, TX 78355 Phone: 361-325-5604 (Ext. 169) Brooks Country Website

History
1883--Mexican colonists settled the area before 1883. The first Ango- Americans arrived in 1883.

Parent County
1911--Brooks County was created 11 March 1911 from Starr, Zapata, and Hidalgo Counties.
 * County seat: Falfurrias

The county was named for John Brooks, who worked to establish the county. State Representative John Abijah Brooks, succeeded in having Brooks County separated from Starr County, with Falfurrias as the county seat. The initial plans were to name the new county Falfurrias County, but in the end it was decided to name it Brooks in honor of John Brooks, who worked diligently for its formation.

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

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
Duval •  Hidalgo •  Jim Hogg  •  Jim Wells  •  Kenedy  •  Kleberg  •  Starr

African American

 * 1865 - 1870 Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870(images) - FamilySearch

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

Church

 * Bailey County Catholic Churches
 * First Baptist Church Muleshoe
 * First United Methodist Church
 * 1st Assembly of God Parsonage
 * Church of Christ
 * Calvary Baptist Parsonage

Land

 * Original Land Owners of Texas - USGenWeb Archives Project

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906-1989 — index and images

Maps
Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site

Military

 * Brooks County Military from the TXGenWeb site

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — 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.com — index and images $
 * Civil War Pension Applications - USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Civil War Union Regiment
 * TX Civil War Message Board
 * Muster Rolls - Republic of Texas
 * Co K 2nd Texas Cavalry

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * Brooks County Casualties World War II - Army &amp; Air Force - Access Genealogy

Vietnam War

 * US Army Company A-31st Batt. FT Carson CO 1957-1958

Newspapers

 * Muleshoe Journal

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1840 - 1981  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index) - FamilySearch
 * Brooks County Births, from the Brooks County TXGenWeb site

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 1973 Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973 - FamilySearch record collection
 * 1837-1977 Texas County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 - FamilySearch Index to a variety of marriage records (registers, licenses, intentions to marry, etc.) from select counties in Texas.
 * 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966-2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010 - FamilySearch record collection
 * Brooks County Marriages - transcriptions - USGenWeb Archives Project

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890 - 1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images] Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976.
 * 1903 - 1973 Texas Deaths and Burials 1903 - 1973 - (index) Familysearch
 * 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]
 * 1977 - 1986  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * Brooks County Deaths - transcriptions - USGenWeb Archives Project

Divorce

 * 1968 -2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index *Brooks County Divorces - transcriptions USGenWeb Archives Project

Societies and Libraries
Brooks County Historical Commission 604 W. Blucher Falfurrias, TX 78355

Brush Country Genealogical Society PO Box 291 Falfurias 78355-0291 Website

Ed Rachal Memorial Library 203 S. Henry Falfurrias TX 78355

Websites

 * Brooks County TXGenWeb
 * TXGenWeb Project
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.