Bee County, Texas Genealogy

United States  Texas  Counties B  Bee County

County Courthouse
Bee County's first county seat was at Beeville (also known as Beeville-on-the-Medio), a small town on Medio Creek, about seven miles from current-day Beeville. In 1860, the county seat moved to Maryville. Within several months, town's name changed to Beeville. In 1860s records the town is often referred to as Beeville-on-the-Poesta to distinguish it from the first county seat.

Bee County has had four courthouses and one temporary courthouse. The first courthouse, built at Beeville-on-the-Medio, in 1858, had a dirt floor and a clapboard roof. The second Bee County Courthouse (the first one at Beeville) was built in 1860; it housed the county offices and a Masonic Lodge on the second floor. In 1878, a new courthouse was erected. It burned in January 1911. While a new courthouse was being built the auditorium of the Grand Opera House served as a temporary courthouse. The county's fourth and current courthouse opened in 1912, and has been remodelled several times since its construction. With the aid of $3.8 million in state funding, the 1912 Courthouse was restored and rededicated in 2006.

County Clerk Mirella Escamilla Davis 105 W. Corpus Christi St., Rm. #108 Beeville, TX 78102 (361) 362-3245 FAX: (361) 362-3247

History

 * Family Histories of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * Historic Places of Bee County, Texas ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * History of Bee County, Texas ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb

Parent County
1857--Bee County was created 8 December 1857 from Goliad, Karnes, Live Oak, Refugio, and San Patricio Counties. County seat: Beeville

The county was named for Barnard E. Bee Sr., (1787-1854). Barnard E. Bee, attorney, soldier, and statesman, was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1787, the son of Thomas B. Bee, member of the Royal Privy Council in colonial South Carolina and of the Continental Congress, lieutenant governor of South Carolina, and justice of the United States Circuit Court of South Carolina during the administration of George Washington.

Populated Places
Towns and Cities: |  | | Papalote

Neighboring Counties

 * Goliad
 * Karnes
 * Live Oak
 * Refugio
 * San Patricio

Resources

 * Local Resources of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * Volunteer look-ups of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb

Cemeteries

 * Cemeteries of Bee County, Texas Complete list of Cemeteries in Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * Tombstone Transcription Project ~ Partial transcription of cemetery tombstones ~ USGenWeb
 * Texas Historic Cemeteries ~ Partial indexes to historic cemeteries
 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Cemetery Junction ~  Links to cemetery transcriptions

Church

 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas

Court

 * County Records of Bee County Census, Land, Miscellaneous Records ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * Land Deeds of Bee County Partial List of Land Deeds~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * Miscellaneous Records-Probate Book "A"~ Complete List ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb

Land

 * Land Deeds of Bee County Partial List of Land Deeds~ Bee County, TXGenWeb

Local Histories

 * Bee County Centennial, 1858–1958, by Grace Bauer.
 * Historical Story of Bee County, Texas, 1973, by Camp Ezell. Read text version of this book online at beeville.net.
 * A History of Bee County, 1939, by Mrs. I. C. Madray.
 * History of Bee County, Texas, 1960, by Joseph Gustav Rountree.
 * Family Histories of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * Historic Places of Bee County, Texas ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * History of Bee County, Texas ~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * |Texas Museums ~  List of all museums in Texas  ~  Hidden Ancestors

Maps

 * Historical Maps ~  From the Republic to the Turn of the Century  ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site

Military

 * Veterans of Bee County, Texas~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * Military Resources ~ Links to research Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Fallen Heroes ~  Partial Index of casualties from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Honoring Our Veterans ~ Partial index of veterans from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors

Obituaries

 * Obituaries of Bee County, Texas~Partial Listing~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * Obituary Resources ~ Links to research and locate obituaries ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project ~  Texas
 * Afrigeneas ~ African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
 * Obituary Depot ~ Texas Newspaper Citations
 * Obituary Project ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Obituary Daily Times ~ Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function

Probate

 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~  Ancestry.com  (subscription)

Vital Records

 * Vital Records of Bee County, Texas~Partial Listing of Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce Records~ Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
 * 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.
 * Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005  ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005   ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * USGenWeb Census Project ~ Texas 1850 - 1930

Societies and Libraries

 * Joe Barnhart Bee County Library 110 W Corpus Christi St Beeville, TX 78102 Phone: (361) 362-4901 Website


 * Family History Center Beeville Texas 1100 E Crockett St Beeville, Texas Phone: 361-358-7313 Hours: W 7pm-8:30pm


 * Society Hill ~  Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies

Web Sites

 * Bee County, TXGenWeb
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * Hidden Ancestors Information on Texas genealogy research as well as genealogy research in general.
 * Cyndi's List ~ Texas
 * Cyndi's List ~ Texas