Smith County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Smith 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 Smith, a general during the Texas Revolution. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Smith County Courthouse 100 N Broadway Avenue Tyler, TX 75702-1018 Phone: 903.535.0630 County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage records from 1848, probate records from 1847, court and land records from 1846

County Clerk

200 East Ferguson Ste. 300 Tyler 75702 Phone: 903-590-4670

District Clerk

100 N. Broadway Rm 204 Tyler 75702 Phone: 903-590-1660

Parent County
1846--Smith County was created 11 April 1846 from Nacogdoches County.
 * County seat: Tyler

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

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
Cherokee •  Gregg  •  Henderson  •  Rusk  •  Upshur  •  Van Zandt  •  Wood

African American

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

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

Additional Cemetery Sources
 * Smith County Cemetery Photographs ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Smith County Military Grave Markers/Markings ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Confederate Soldiers Buried in Smith County
 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Texas Escapes Listing of Texas cemeteries with transcriptions and lots of pictures.

Census

 * 1850 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
 *  1850 and 1860 Federal Censuses, Smith County, TX ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
 * 1860 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1870 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society and USGenWeb Archives Project
 *  1870 Federal Census, Smith County, TX ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
 * 1880 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1880 Smith County, Texas U. S. Census Index for 1880 &amp; 1880 Mortality Schedule  ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
 * 1890 Tax Record Abstract, Smith County, TX'' [census substitute] ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
 * 1900 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1900, 1910, 1920 Smith County, Texas, U. S. Census Indexes: 1900, 1910 &amp; 1920 ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
 * 1910 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1920 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1930 Census ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1930 Smith County, Texas U. S. Census Indexes for 1930 ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society

Church

 * Presbyterian Beginnings in Smith County ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
 * St. James Baptist Church History ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Mt. Zion Baptist Church ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Lane's Chapel Methodist Church History and Records ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas

City Directories

 * 1972 Smith County 1972 from Historic Map Works
 * 1981 Smith County 1981 from Historic Map Works

Court

 * 1846-1909 Affidavits of Death and Heirship ~ transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical Society for USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1847-1857 Abstract District Court Minutes Smith County ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society

Land

 * Deed/Land Records ~  transcription ~ East Texas Genealogical for USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Original Surveys/Land Patents of Smith County, Texas ~ transcription ~ USGenWeb Archives Project

Local Histories

 * Chronological History of Smith County, 1983 compiled by Donald W. Whisenhut for the Smith County Historical Society
 * A History of Tyler and Smith County, 1948 by Albert Woldert. Read the book on line from The Portal to Texas History.
 * Tyler &amp; Smith County, Texas: An Historical Survey, 1978 by Robert W. Glover. Read the book online from The Portal to Texas History.
 * Historical Atlas of Smith County, 1965
 * A History of Smith County, Texas, North Texas State Teachers College Thesis by William R. Ward, 1944, overview of the history of Smith County. Read the thesis online from The Portal to Texas History.
 * The Bullard Area-Its History and People, 1800–1977 by the Bullard Community Library Commission.
 * Smith County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
 * Some Biographies of Old Settlers ~  excerpts from publication  ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * A History of Smith County ~  USGenWeb Archives Project

Maps

 * Texas Land Survey Maps for (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * 1853, 1872, 1880, 1905 Smith County Maps: 1853 1872 1880 1905 from the Portal to Texas History.
 * 1877, 1885, 1889, 1898, 1902, 1907, 1912, 1919 City of Tyler, Sanborn Insurance Maps. Scroll down the page until you get to Tyler. There are several sheets to each map.
 * 1903 Smith County Map from Historic Map Works.
 * 1914 Map of Angelina, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Houston, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith &amp; Trinity at www.rootsweb.com
 * 1939 Smith County General Highway Map
 * 1961 Smith County General Highway Map

Military

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

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 - US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — index $

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Home Town News -  Texas Newspaper Index with links
 * Newslink -  Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
 * The Olden Times  -   Historic Texas News Online
 * Boomtown, Bridge and Baseball - The Troup Banner, 1928-1939 Troup, Smith County, Texas ~ book ~ Abstracted and Compiled by Judy Womack for East Texas Genealogical Society
 * Obituaries Recorded in Lindale News &amp; Troup Banner, Smith County, Texas ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
 * Obituaries Recorded in Tyler, Texas Newspapers 1905-1915 ~ book ~ East Texas Genealogical Sociiety

Obituaries

 * 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
 * Obituaries from the Lindale News and the Troup Banner, Smith County, Texas by Lorene West Conaway ~ East Texas Genealogical Society
 * Obituaries from Tyler newspapers, Smith County, Texas, 1905-1915 by Lorene West Conaway and Ruby Renfro Neilson ~ East Texas Genealogical Society

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Smith County Court Records Inquiry ~ Smith County Judicial Search, then select Civil Records, then select Search by Party at upper left to show critical dates for a specific probate and where the record is stored
 * Smith County Wills and Probate ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~ Ancestry.com (subscription)

Schools

 * Tyler, TX High School: 1940 Basketball Team Photo with names of individuals

Taxation

 *  1890 Tax Record Abstract, Smith County, TX ~ East Texas Genealogical Society

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 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 $
 * 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 $
 * 1846-1899 Marriage Records of Smith County, Texas 1846-1899 - East Texas Genealogical Society
 * 1900-1926 Marriage Records of Smith County, Texas 1900-1926 - East Texas Genealogical Society
 * 1966-2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005 ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * 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. The name index has been created by Family Search 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 $
 * 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.
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005     Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * 1850-1930USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850 - 1930

Societies and Libraries
Smith County Historical Society 125 South College Ave. Tyler TX 75702 Telephone Number: 903-592-5993 Fax: 903-526-0924 Website

East Texas Genealogical Society PO Box 6967 Tyler TX 75711-6967 website

Tyler Public Library 201 S College Ave Tyler, TX 75702 Telephone Number: 903-593-7323 Library Website Library Catalog

Whitehouse Community Library 107 Bascom Rd Whitehouse, TX 75791 Telephone Number: 903-839-2949 Library Website

Cameron-J Jarvis Troup Municipal Library 102 S Georgia PO Box 721 Troup, TX 75789 Telephone Number: 903-842-3101 Library Website Library Catalog

Lindale Library 200 E Hubbard St Lindale, TX 75771 Telephone Number: 903-882-1900 Library Website Library Catalog

Bullard Community Library 211 W Main St Bullard, TX 75757 Telephone Number: 903-894-6125

Noonday Community Library 16662 CR 196 Tyler, TX 75703 Telephone Number: 903-939-0540

Family History Centers

 * Tyler Texas Family History Center
 * Society Hill ~  Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies

Websites
\*USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records.
 * Smith County ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Smith 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.