Leon County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Leon County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Texas Online Genealogy Records

Description
The county was named for Martín De León, the founder of Victoria, Texas. The County is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Leon County Courthouse PO Box 98 Centerville, TX 75833-0098 Phone: 903.536.2352 County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage records from 1885, probate records from 1846, court and land records

County Clerk

P.O. Box 98 Centerville 75833 Phone: 903-536-2352

District Clerk

P.O. Box 39 Centerville 75833 Phone: 903-536-2227

The original Courthouse and County Seat was at Leona. It was organized July 13, 1846. The first court was held at the home of Moses Campbell and then a log courthouse was built. After a heated battle, which included the killing of one man and the wounding of another, the County Seat was moved to Centerville in October 1850.

History
Named for: This county was named for Martin de Leon, a native of Tamaulipas, Mexico who was born in 1765.

Parent County
1846--Leon County was created 17 March 1846 from Robertson County.
 * County seat: Centerville

Record Loss
1885--A fire on the night of November 9, 1885 destroyed the courthouse, resulting in the loss of many records. Though land and probate records dated prior to 1885 are available, nearly all of the court’s marriage records were lost.

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
Anderson •  Brazos  •  Freestone  •  Houston  •  Limestone  •  Madison  •  Robertson

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

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Local Histories

 * A Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas, 1883. Digital book on line from the Portal to Texas History.

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.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military

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

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

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Online Newspapers
 * Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Taxation

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

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1840-1981 Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 - FamilySearch
 * 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 $
 * 1895-1910 Marriage Records Brides 1895-1910 and various years indexed by brides - Leon County.
 * 1895-1910 Marriage Records Grooms 1895-1910 and various years indexed by grooms - Leon County.
 * 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 $
 * 1966-2010 at FamilySearch
 * 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 $
 * 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 Records1968-2005 (index) - Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Societies and Libraries
Leon Co. Genealogical Society PO Box 400 Centerville, TX 75833 Telephone Number: 903-536-2710 Hours of operation: 1PM to 4PM Monday through Friday Website

Family History Centers

 * College Station Texas Family History Center
 * Georgetown Texas Family History Center
 * Killeen Texas Family History Center
 * Lufkin Texas Family History Center
 * Rockdale Texas Family History Center
 * Waco Texas Family History Center
 * Woodville Texas Family History Center


 * Carnegie History Center - an affiliate library
 * Central Library - an affiliate library
 * East Waco Library - an affiliate library
 * Huntsville Texas Public Library - an affiliate library
 * South Waco Library - an affiliate library
 * Waco-McLennan County Library - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Leon 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.