Texas, Matagorda County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is in This Collection?
The collection consists of records from Matagorda County in Bay City, Texas. It includes District Court, Divorce, and Naturalization Records. This collection is being published as images become available.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
You may find any of the following:


 * Name of Petitioner
 * Name of Court
 * Date and place of Birth
 * Occupation
 * Where Petitioner emigrated from
 * Date of Emigration
 * Full name of spouse
 * Sometimes date of marriage
 * Spouse' Birthplace
 * Place of Residence
 * Names of children, children's birth dates and birth places
 * Date of Naturalization
 * Date of Arrival
 * Names of Witnesses
 * Date Signed

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * The location or date of the event

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page:
 * 1) Select Record Type
 * 2) Select Volume or Case No.
 * 3) Select Year Range to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record, if you can, to verify the information and to find additional information.

I Found Who I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other church and vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in censuses. Witnesses were usually family members.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.

I Can’t Find Who I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county.
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Check the info box above for additional FamilySearch websites and related websites that may assist you in finding similar records..

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Texas.
 * Texas Guided Research
 * Texas Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

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