TITUS COUNTY HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

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Titus County, Texas: A Genealogical Overview

Nestled in the piney woods of Northeast Texas, Titus County is one of the state’s older counties, with its roots reaching back to the days of the Texas Republic. Its history was forged by Caddoan peoples, shaped by settlers from the American South who established a cotton-based plantation economy, and transformed by the Civil War and the later arrival of the railroad and lumber industries. For family historians, the county’s extensive records provide a rich source for tracing some of the earliest Anglo-American and African American families in Texas.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Titus County was originally a much larger territory from which two other counties were later carved, a critical fact for researchers whose ancestors lived in the region before 1875.

  • 1846: County Formed: Titus County was established on May 11, 1846, just months after Texas officially joined the United States.
  • Parent Counties: It was formed from territory taken from two of Texas’s oldest counties, Red River County and Bowie County. Any research on settlers in the area prior to 1846 must be conducted in the records of these parent counties.
  • Subsequent Formations: Titus County is a “mother county.” Its original vast territory was later divided to form two new counties in 1875:
    • Franklin County
    • Morris CountyFamily records before 1875 for residents of these two counties will be found in Titus County.
  • Name Origin: The county was named for Andrew Jackson Titus, an early and influential settler in the Red River region and a member of the state legislature.
  • County Seat History: The city of Mount Pleasant was chosen as the county seat upon the county’s formation in 1846 and has remained the center of government throughout its history.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: The region was the traditional homeland of the Caddo Confederacy, a highly developed agricultural society known for their distinctive mound-building culture.
  • Antebellum Settlement: Beginning in the late 1830s, during the Republic of Texas era, Anglo-American settlers began arriving in significant numbers. Most were from Southern states like Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. They brought with them enslaved African Americans and established a plantation economy centered on the cultivation of cotton.
  • The Civil War: With its economy and social structure tied to the institution of slavery, Titus County was strongly secessionist. It provided several companies of soldiers to the Confederate Army. While no major battles were fought in the county, it served as a vital source of supplies, particularly iron from local foundries, for the Confederate war effort.
  • Post-War Development: After Reconstruction, the county’s economy diversified. While cotton remained a key crop, the clearing of vast pine and hardwood forests gave rise to a significant lumber industry. The arrival of the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway (known as the Cotton Belt Route) in the 1870s was a major catalyst for growth, connecting Mount Pleasant to national markets and spurring the growth of new towns and businesses.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

As an older Texas county, Titus County has a rich collection of records that are centralized in the county seat of Mount Pleasant.

  • County Courthouse: The Titus County Courthouse, 100 W 1st St, Mt Pleasant, TX 75455, is the primary repository for historical records.
    • County Clerk: This is the most important office for genealogists. It holds the county’s land records (deeds), all probate records (wills, estate files), and vital records.
    • District Clerk: This office maintains the records of the district court, including civil and criminal case files and all divorce proceedings.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in Texas began in 1903. The Titus County Clerk holds the local birth and death registers from that time forward.
    • Marriage Records: The County Clerk’s office has a remarkably complete set of marriage records dating from the county’s formation in 1846 to the present.
  • Land Records: Given the county’s settlement during the Republic of Texas, land records are an especially valuable resource. The original grants from the Republic or the State of Texas are filed at the Texas General Land Office in Austin, but all subsequent deeds and land transactions from 1846 onward are held by the County Clerk.
  • Libraries and Societies:
    • Mount Pleasant Public Library: The library has a genealogy and local history collection that includes family histories, census records, and microfilm of local newspapers.
    • Titus County Historical Society and Museum: An essential stop for researchers seeking context, photographs, and information on pioneer families and local history.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Red River County (north)
    • Morris County (east)
    • Camp County (south)
    • Franklin County (west)

Please share any resources you have and will do lookups or links to resources you are aware of. Thanks