Bailey County, Texas Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth, marriage, probate and court records from 1918 and land records from 1882; District Clerk has divorce records

County Clerk 300 South 1st Suite 200 Muleshoe, Texas 79347 Phone: 806-272-3044 Fax 806-272-3538

District Clerk 300 South 1st Muleshoe, Texas 79341 Phone: 806-272-3165

History
The Texas Constitution of 1876 set aside three million acres of land to erect a new State Capitol. In 1879, Texas made a contract exchanging the three million acres, including Bailey County, for the construction of the present Capitol in Austin. The three million acres eventually became part of the sprawling XIT Ranch from which the Y-L and Muleshoe Ranches of Bailey County were formed in 1902. The first recorded cattle drive took place in 1882 when Tom Lynch drove his cattle from New Mexico to Spring Lake.

Muleshoe wasn't the first settlement in Bailey County. Hurley was the first and was located about three miles northwest of Muleshoe. Hurley was named for New Mexico political leader, Patrick J. Hurley

Parent County
1876--Bailey County was created 21 August 1876 from Bexar Land District.
 * County seat: Muleshoe

The county was named for Peter J. Bailey, (1812-1836). Peter James Bailey, Alamo defender, the son of Gabriel and Sabra (Rice) Bailey, was born in Kentucky in 1812. He graduated from Transylvania University with a degree in law in 1834. In January 1836 he came to Texas in company with Daniel W. Cloud and others from Logan County, Kentucky. They took the oath of allegiance before John Forbes at Nacogdoches on January 14, 1836, and were enrolled in the Texas army. Bailey and Cloud were members of the Tennessee Mounted Volunteers. They perished with David Crockett in the battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836. For Bailey's service to Texas, his heirs received land parcels that are now in Archer, Baylor, and Hamilton counties.

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
Cochran • Hockley •  Lamb  •  Parmer •  Roosevelt County, New Mexico

African American

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

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

Church
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


 * Enoch

Land

 * Original Land Owners of Texas -  USGenWeb Archives Project

Maps
Texas Counties Map. 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 $
 * Bailey County Confederate Pension Applications - USGenWeb Archives Project

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Off-line Newspaper Information Online Newspapers Online Newspaper Abstracts Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form

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
 * Bailey County Births -  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index)- FamilySearch

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * 1802 - 2010 - Texas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * Bailey County Marriages- USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 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 - Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010-FamilySearch record collection

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
 * 1977 - 1986 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 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 or four million people who have died since 1964.

Divorce

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

Websites

 * 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.
 * USGenWeb Archives Project - transcriptions and photos
 * TXGenWeb Bailey County - transcriptions and information