Bosque County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Bosque 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 the Bosque River, which runs through the center of the county north to south. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1902, marriage, probate and land record from 1854 and court records; District Clerk has divorce records

County Clerk

P.O. Box 617 Meridian 76665 Phone: 254-435-2201 Fax: 254-435-2152

District Clerk

P.O. Box 674 Meridian 76665 Phone: 254-435-2334 Bosque County Website

Bosque County has had three courthouses. The first, a one-story log cabin built in the center of town was used until a larger frame courthouse was built in 1869. The 1869 courthouse burned in 1871, causing county government to be conducted from a tent until 1875 when the present three-story stone courthouse was completed.

History
Settled mostly by Norwegians in the western part of the county and Germans in the eastern part of the county.

Parent County
1854--Bosque County was created 4 February 1854 from Milam and McLennan Counties.
 * County seat: Meridian

The county was named for the Bosque River, a name deriving from Spanish for "woods"

Record Loss
1871--The Bosque County Courthouse, built in 1869, burned.

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
Coryell •  Erath  •  Hamilton  •  Hill  •  Johnson  •  McLennan  •  Somervell

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

Church

 * Bosque County Churches - Past and Present from the Bosque County TXGenWeb site

Lutheran

 * Records of St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Cranfills Gap, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906 - 1989  — index and images

Local Histories

 * Bosque County: Land and People (A History of Bosque County, Texas), 1985, by the Bosque County History Book Committee, includes introductory material about the history and geography of the area, community histories, and family histories with genealogical information. Read the book on line from The Portal to Texas History.
 * Bosquerama, 1854–1954: Centennial Celebration of Bosque County, Texas, 1954 by the Bosque County Centennial Association.
 * A History of Bosque County, 1954 by William C. Pool.
 * Bosque Territory, 1964 by William C. Pool.

Maps

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


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

Military

 * Military and War information from the Bosque Co TXGenWeb site
 * Military Pensions from the Bosque Co 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 $
 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission

World War I

 * 1917-1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Newspapers from the Bosque Co TXGenWeb site

Obituaries
Obituaries from the Bosque Co TXGenWeb site

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 Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 FamilySearch
 * Births from the Bosque Co TXGenWeb site
 * 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1997 Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index only) - FamilySearch

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 - Marriages from the Bosque Co TXGenWeb site
 * 1837 - 1977 - Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966 - 2000 - 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
 * 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1964 - 1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images]
 * 1977 - 1986  at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968-2010  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $

Societies and Libraries
Central Texas Genealogical Society, Inc. c/o Waco-McLennan County Library 1717 Austin Avenue Waco, Texas 76701 Website

Bosque Valley Heritage Society PO Box 159 Valley Mills 76889

Bosque County Historical Commission 101 North Main Street PO Box 534 Meridian TX 76665 Website

website

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.