Samplings of Texas Genealogical Research Materials Available in the Rosenberg Library and the
Galveston and Texas History Center (GTHC)
The Galveston and Texas History is a manuscript repository with a limited number of genealogical materials. The following selected sources can be found in the GTHC or in the general library's collections.
Census
| F 385 .F37 1959 Ready Ref |
Mullins, Marian Day, ed. The First Census of Texas, 1829-36 to which are added Texas Citizenship
lists, 1821-1845 and other early records of the Republic of Texas.
|
| F 385 .M84 Ready Ref |
Mullins, Marian Day. ed. Republic of Texas Poll Lists for 1846. |
| F 390 .W59 |
White, Gifford, ed. 1840 Census of the Republic of Texas. |
| U.S. Census (Texas only) |
1850 - indexed, microfilm on Mezzanine, paperbacks in GTHC Reading Room |
| U.S. Federal Census Records (United States) |
1790-1930 – check library website. www.rosenberg-library.org , click on Library Services then go to Online Databases. |
We recommend you visit the Clayton Genealogical Library in Houston to access census indexes. Their website is: http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/clayton/
Tax Records
| Reading Room |
Galveston County Tax Assessor’s Abstracts: 1880-1914. Original ledger books divided by Galveston city lots and out lots. |
| MSS# 83-0013. Microfilm |
Galveston County Tax Rolls: 1838-1922. Arranged chronologically then alphabetically by last name. |
Vital Statistics
Vital Statistics Office
4700 Broadway
Galveston, TX 77550
(409) 763-8531
| F 385 .G72 |
Gracy, Sumner, and Gentry. Early Texas Birth Records, 1838-78. |
| |
|
| F 394.25 .G2 R4 v. 1 |
Galveston City Sexton. Record of Interments, 1859 -1872, Indexed by Peggy Gregory. |
| F 394.25 .G2 R4 v. 2. |
Galveston City Sexton. Record of Interments, May 1878 – Nov. 1882. Indexed by Lorena H. Gould. |
| Microfilm |
City of Galveston. Record of Interments, 1866 – 1881.
Indexed. Original ledger book |
| Microfilm |
City of Galveston. Mortuary Records, 1875 – 1926.
Book 1: Jan 1, 1875 – Dec 31, 1886
Book 2: Jan 1, 1887 – Aug 9, 1894
Book 3: Aug 10, 1894 – Mar 30, 1900
Book 4: Mar 30, 1900 – Dec 31, 1903
Book 5: Jan 1, 1904 – Jan 31, 1910
Book 6: Feb 1, 1910 – May 31, 1918
Book 7: June 1, 1918 – Dec 31, 1926 |
| F 394 .G2E E2 1990 Ready Ref. |
Galveston County Genealogical Society. Early Texas Death and Legal Records From Joseph Franklin’s Diary and John Griffin’s Sexton Records. Joseph Franklin’s Diary Parts 1 and 2, (1838-1908) and Galveston City Sexton Part 3, (1847-1851). |
| MSS # 86-0005. Microfilm |
City of Galveston. [Death certificates], ca. 1880-1910. Alphabetized by last name. |
Cemetery Records
| MSS# 77-0033 |
Cahill Cemetery records, 1923 – 1951. |
|
MSS# 85-0025 |
[Episcopal Cemetery Register], 1848 – 1994. |
| MSS# 87-0033 |
W. K. Herbert & company records, 1919 – 1968. (Includes Rosewood Cemetery Association). |
| F 392 .G 25 G2. GTHC Ready Ref. |
Texas City Ancestry Searchers. Galveston County Tombstones Inscriptions:
Volume 1: Alta Loma Cemetery; Fairview Cemetery, League City; San Leon Cemetery; City Cemetery, Dickinson; Episcopal Cemetery, Dickinson; Mainland Cemetery, Hitchcock; Perthuis Cemetery, Hitchcock; Campbell’s Cemetery, Texas City.
Volume 2: Campbell’s Cemetery, Texas City (revised); Evergreen Cemetery, Arcadia: Grace Memorial Cemetery, Alta Loma; La Marque Cemetery; High Island Cemetery; Bolivar Cemetery.
Volume 3: Galveston County Memorial Park Cemetery burial records before 1952 (Hitchcock). |
| F 394.25 .G2 M3 1994 |
McBee, Linda and Doug. [Broadway Cemeteries Galveston, Texas] [Cover Title]:
Book 1, Vol. 1: Oct 1900 – March 1910, A-J
Book 1, Vol. 2: Oct 1900 – March 1910, K-z
Book 2, Vol. 1: 1910 – 1920, A-K
Book 2, Vol. 2: 1910 – 1920, L-Z
Book 2, Vol. 3: 1920 – 1930, A-K
Book 2, Vol. 3: 1920 – 1930, L-Z |
| F 394.25 .G2 L3 1992. GTHC Ready Ref. |
McBee, Linda, compiler. Lakeview Cemetery Record, Galveston Texas:
Vol. 1: 1887 – 1908
Vol. 2: 1908 – 1917
Vol. 3: 1917 – 1929 |
| F 394.25 .G2 C6 1991 |
McBee, Linda, compiler. Confederate Veterans “Rest in Peace” Galveston, Texas. |
|
|
| F 394.25 .G2 J4 1995 |
Beal, Bertha Ellen, compiler. Johnston – Young Funeral Service, [1947 – 1950]. |
Passenger Lists
| HE 601 .U5 S5. GTHC Ready Ref. |
Galveston County Genealogical Society. Ships Passenger Lists, Port of Galveston, 1846 – 1871. (GTHC, also in reference stacks on 2nd floor) |
| HE 601 .U5 P3 1985. GTHC Ready Ref. |
Blaha, Albert, compiler. Passenger Lists for Galveston, 1850 – 1855. These lists were accumulated from German newspapers and newsletters. There is no name index, however, the lists are in chronological order. |
| F 395 .G3 K6 1995. GTHC Ready Ref. |
Konecny, Lawrence, compiler. The Galveston-Bremen Project: 1865 – 1896. Immigration from Bremen and Bremerhaven to Galveston, Texas 1865-1896, an analysis by year and by voyage. Information gathered from newspapers. It is not a complete list of immigrants for this time period. |
| F 395 .G3 F53 1994. GTHC Ready Ref. |
Kleinecke, Charles, Jr., compiler. Fisher – Miller and GEC Forever: July 1844 – Feb 1846. From the original ship lists contained in the Texas State Archives at Austin, TX (the Fisher Colony Papers). |
| CS 68 .B32 |
Baca, Leo. Czech Immigration Passenger Lists, Vol. 1, 2, 3, 6. Includes pictures and information about the ships. |
| F 395 .G3 G41 |
Geue, Chester W. and Ethel. New Homes in a New Land: German Immigration to Texas, 1844 – 1847. |
There are no official Galveston passenger lists for the years 1872 – 1894.
We recommend you search for naturalization records for the immigrants in the district clerk’s office of the county courthouse where they settled.
National Archives. See also http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/natural.html (web site).
Texas Seaport Museum, Galveston Immigration Database is located at:
http://www.tsm-elissa.org/immigration-login.htm Access is by password to the database and it is free. Sign up and use their information.
Immigrant Ships Transcriber’s Guild Database is located at:
http://istg.rootsweb.com/ The information can be accessed by Port of Arrival, Port of Departure, Ship name, Chronologically, and Ship’s Captain.
Microfilm on Mezzanine Passenger Lists for the Port of Galveston, 1895 – 1948. Indexed.
City Directories
| Galveston City Directories: |
1856 – 1860; 1866-1938; Microfilm
1938 – Present; Books in Reading Room |
| Houston City Directories: |
1879 – 1984; Reading Room [not inclusive] |
| Alvin City Directories: |
1967 – 1991; Reading Room |
| Clear Lake City Directories: |
1964 – 1979; Reading Room |
| Texas City/La Marque City Directories: |
1963 – 1993: Reading Room |
Church/Temple Records
| MSS# 83-0005. Microfilm |
First Baptist Church records, 1840 – 1883. |
| MSS# 83-0006. Microfilm |
First Lutheran Church records (written in German), 1850 – 1946. |
| MSS# 76-0039 |
First Presbyterian Church Papers, 1868 – 1976. |
| MSS# 89-0012 |
Grace Episcopal Church Records, 1875 – 1955. |
| BX 4603.G2 S24 1984 |
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Galveston, Texas: baptismal, confirmation, marriage, and death records, 1860 – 1952. |
| MSS# 83-0008. Microfilm |
Temple B’Nai Israel Congregation, 1869 – 1953. |
| MSS# 86-0006 |
Trinity Episcopal Church Records, 1865 – 1944; (Portions have been microfilmed). |
| MSS# 89-0023 |
Zion Lutheran Church Records, [1896 – 1945]. |
School Records
| MSS# 78-0018 |
[Scholastic Census: 1900-1912]. Includes all children enrolled in Galveston School District. Separated by City, County, and Race. Microfilm in History Center, records arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by last name. |
| MSS# 95-0010 |
Galveston School District Records:
Ball High School, 1886 – 1892
First District School, 1884 – 1888 (later Rosenberg School)
Grammar School, 1881 – 1888, 1882 – 1885
Second District School, 1881 – 1884
West District colored School, 1885 – 1891, 1892 – 1902 |
Newspapers
Two indexes to proper names and subjects:
1. Dynix computer under heading “Community Resources:” 1880 – Sep 7, 1900; 1993 – present.
2. Card catalog newspaper Index in History Center, ca. 1910s – 1992.
Newspapers on microfilm on Mezzanine level include: [] = scattered issues
Flake’s Bulletin: [1861 – 1872]
Galveston Daily News: [1863-69]; 1870 – present
Galveston News: [1846 – 1863]
Galveston Tri-Weekly News: [1855 – 1873]
Galveston Tribune: 1885 – 1965. [Only small portion has been microfilmed.]
The City Times (African-American); [1900-1927]
Indianola Bulletin: [1853 – 1860]
Indianola Courier: [1859 – 1861]
Indianola Times: April 21, 1866
Indianola Weekly Bulletin: [1871 – 1872]
Texas City Times: [May 1, 1909 – Jan 31, 1913]
Texas City Daily Times: [1913 – 1914]
Texas City Star: [Oct – Dec 1914]
The Provost Guard and Texas City Messenger: [Jan 9, 1914 – July 2, 1915]
The History Center also has several newspaper collections that have not been microfilmed. See the index in the History Center for a complete list of newspaper holdings.
Genealogy Website
Finding Aids in Galveston & Texas History Center
Thesaurus File (guide to the primary sources): Check the subject or proper name in this file first. There will be a two-letter code telling you where to look next.
MI = Manuscript Index: contains information regarding the manuscript collections, such as private, business and organizational papers.
SF = Subject File: miscellaneous VF = Vertical Files arranged alphabetically by name or subject. Good source of basic information. The newspaper index includes HM=Historical Mounts that are now incorporated into the Vertical Files.
PH = Photos: divided by Galveston subjects, streets, and individual names. See the blue binders for more detailed information.
MP = Maps: guide to maps, indexed by subject, name, and date.
BI = Biographical Index: short biographical sketches of prominent people in Galveston and Texas found
in books.
OH = Oral Histories: approximately 150 oral history interviews, most of which are transcribed
and available.
HH = Historic Homes Index: programs written by the Galveston Historical Foundation for the annual
Historic Homes Tour.
Galveston and Texas History Center, Rosenberg Library, 2310 Sealy Avenue, Galveston TX 77550
Voice (409) 763-8854 ext. 127 | Fax (409) 763-0275
GTHC WebTeam GTHC, Rosenberg Library.
