Whether mapping your genealogy or locating property records, referring to a comprehensive list of missing courthouse records can save you time and resources. By tracing births, deaths, marriages and property ownership, a clear picture of the past can be painted. Unfortunately, gaps in the timeline are inevitable, as uncontrollable factors lead to total record destruction – nearly halting any attempt to dig further. This complete list of Texas county courthouses with missing records will help you quickly identify any potential roadblocks during your search.
County Courthouse Fires 1846-1865
Though not all details of each event are available, the following courthouses suffered damaging fires in a 20-year span:
- 1846 - As the first recorded courthouse fire after Texas joined the Union in December, 1845, San Patricio County Courthouse lost all court documents and records. Prior to the turn of the century, San Patricio County Courthouse would experience two additional fires, destroying many birth and death records, though property, probate and other court records are available.
- 1848 - Late in the year, Grimes County Courthouse was destroyed by a fire, resulting in the significant loss of records. Though some records, such as land, marriage, and probate, are still available, many were lost in the fire of 1848.
- 1849 - A result of the 1836 Convention, Jasper County and its courthouse were erected. In October 1849, the courthouse and all records therein were destroyed by a fire.
- 1850 - While many land, probate, marriage and court records are available for Gillespie County, countless were irreparably damaged in July 1850 when a fire consumed the building.
- 1855 - Texas county courthouses enjoyed five fire-free years before the Navarro County Courthouse was devastated by fire in October 1855. Fortunately, the only records destroyed were those of the district clerk.
- 1863 - Zapata County, located a short distance from the Mexican border, set the stage for military action in 1863. Collateral damage, among other structures, was the Zapata County Courthouse. Very little, if any, records were recovered after the fire.
- 1863 - The first of three fires to occur at the Hamilton County Courthouse, the fire of September 1863 destroyed all records kept there at the time. Subsequent fires, in 1877 and 1886, have left gaps in documentation. Currently, no records for Hamilton County are available prior to 1870.
- 1865 - Though land records dated as early as 1835 are available for Madison County, court, marriage and probate records date back to the early 1870’s. In 1865, the Madison County Courthouse experienced its first structure fire, during which all records were lost. A short eight years later, the courthouse burned down again, resulting in total loss of probate, court, and marriage records.
- 1865 - July 1865 was the month Karnes County Courthouse was enveloped in flames. The aftermath revealed destruction of the building and its contents, as most county records were burned.
A mere two decades after Texas joined the Union, more than 10 county courthouse fires led to the complete destruction of courthouse records, including property records, vital records and probate documents. Nearly forty Texas county courthouses remain on our complete list of courthouses with missing records. Stay tuned to learn about all of them!
* Some information courtesy of Genealogy Inc.
