Lamar County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Lamar 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

County Information
The county was named for Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, the second president of the Republic of Texas. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lamar County Courthouse 119 North Main Street Paris, TX 75460-4265 Phone: 903.737.2420 County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage, probate, court, and land records 1843; District Clerk has divorce records

County Clerk

119 N. Main St. Paris 75460 Phone: 903-737-2420

District Clerk

119 N. Main St. Rm. 306 Paris 75460 Phone: 903-737-2427

Parent County
1840--Lamar County was created 17 December 1840 from Red River County.
 * County seat: Paris

History of Paris and Lamar County

Boundary Changes
The area of present Lamar County was within the boundaries of Red River County at the time of the Republic of Texas. By 1840, population growth necessitated a new county, and legislation was introduced by representatives from Red River County. Wright, who had served in the Third Congress as a representative from Red River County, was a major promoter of the founding of Lamar County, which was established by act of the Fifth Congress of the republic on December 17, 1840, and organized by election on February 1, 1841. At the time, the county included much of what is now Delta County. In 1870, Delta County was formed, and Lamar County was reduced to its present size.

See an interactive map of Lamar County border changes.

Record Loss
1916--Most records of the district clerk were destroyed in a courthouse fire in March 1916. Birth, death and marriage records were not lost. Approximately 1500-2000 dwellings, the Paris City Hall, and the entire business district were destroyed including the Paris Daily Advocate and Paris Morning News newspapers. Most likely, issues of these newspapers prior to March 1916 are unavailable.

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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Neighboring Counties
Bryan County, Oklahoma •  Choctaw County, Oklahoma  •  Delta  •  Fannin  •  Franklin  •  Hopkins  •  Red River

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

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court

 * Addresses for Lamar County

Land

 * Land Records for Lamar County

Maps

 * Texas Land Survey Maps for (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * Lamar County, Maps
 * 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

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

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
 * Civil War in Lamar County

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Wikipedia has a list of online newspaper archives for Texas.
 * The Paris News
 * Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has The Paris News from 1925 that covered local news on Lamar County residents.

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1800–1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800–2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 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


 * 1840-1981 Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1977 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index) - FamilySearch
 * 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 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010 - FamilySearch record collection
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

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. The name index has been created by FamilySearch 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 Texas, Death Index, 1964-1998 - FamilySearch Historical Records 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
Lamar County Genealogical Society 1125 Bonham St. Paris, TX 75460 in the old Santa Fe Depot Website

Lamar Historical Society Website

Family History Centers

 * Paris Texas Family History Center

Websites

 * Lamar 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.