Howard County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Howard 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

Description
The county was named for Volney E. Howard, a U.S. Congressman from Texas. The County is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Howard County Courthouse 300 main Street PO Box 1468 Big Springs, TX 79721; Phone: 915.264.2213

County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage records from 1882, probate records from 1884 and land records; District Clerk has divorce and court records from 1883

County Clerk

P.O. Box 1468 Big Spring 79721 Phone:432-264-2213 Fax: 432-264-2215

District Clerk

P.O. Box 2138 Spring 79721 Phone: 432-264-2213 Fax: 915-264-2256

History
1870--The first settlers arrived in 1870.

Parent County
1876--Howard County was created 21 August 1876 from Bexar Land District.
 * County seat: Big Spring

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:

Neighboring Counties
Borden •  Dawson  •  Glasscock  •  Martin  •  Mitchell  •  Scurry  •  Sterling

African American

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

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Sources
 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Cemetery Junction ~  Links to cemetery transcriptions

Census

 * 1880 Howard County Census
 * 1900 Federal Census Index
 * 1920 Federal Census

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Howard County Churches ~  TXGenWeb
 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas
 * FamilySearch Places

Land

 * Land Survey Abstracts ~  USGenWeb Archives Project

Local Histories

 * Howard County Family Group Sheets ~  TXGenWeb
 * Texas Museums ~  List of all museums in Texas  ~  Hidden Ancestors

Maps

 * 1914 Map ~ TXGenWeb
 * Historical Maps ~ From the Republic to the Turn of the Century ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site.

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 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
 * Howard County Military ~ TXGenWeb

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
 * 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

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

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~ Ancestry.com (subscription)

Taxation

 * 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at findmypast ($) — index and images

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
 * 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 $
 * 1966-2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966-2005- Hidden Ancestors
 * 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 $
 * 1903-2000 Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1964-1998 Texas Death Index 1964-1998 [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 $


 * 1850-1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850 - 1930
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Societies and Libraries
Genealogical Society of the Big Spring Howard County Library Big Spring, TX 79720 Website

Howard County Library 500 S Main St Big Spring, TX 79720 Telephone Number: 432-264-2260 Website


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

Family History Centers

 * Big Spring Texas Family History Center

Websites

 * Howard County, TXGenWeb
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * Howard County Archives ~  TXGenWeb
 * Howard County ~ TXGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records.
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.