Recommended Resources
Searching the online databases below can provide additional genealogical information relevant to your search:
A free digital encyclopedia sponsored by the Texas State Historical Association, organized by sections which highlight special projects and day to day history. You can navigate to the special project sections and search in specific topics or you can search through the general entries.
Using the Handbook of Texas you can find:
- The history and information about the county where the church is located.
- Information about individuals and their contribution to Texas history.
- Additional resources which may be valuable in your search, including a list of some local historical societies and archives.
The United Methodist Church's Archives and History site provides information from the Conference Journals that can be utilized in genealogical research.
From the United Methodist Church's Archives & History site you can:
- Access the Conference Memoirs:
- Memoirs are similar to obituaries and highlight the individual's achievements in the church.
- The Conference Memoirs have an index where you can search a specific name
- The result will provide the Journal name and page number for any memoirs similar to the name searched
- Access a list of Conference Archivist who may be able to provide information not found in the local church records including:
- Births
- Deaths
- Baptisms
- Other local membership information
This provides a direct Link to the Annual Conference Journal reports. The journals are not standardized, so the best way to search in this index is to type in the name of the individual in the “Search within this community and its collections” box and browse the search results.
The Annual Conference Journal reports allow you to locate information about:
- Who attended the annual meeting,
- Ordination dates for the minister and lay persons for that conference,
- Certification information for the lay members,
- Ministerial retirement dates.
A Brief History of Methodism in TexasA book by Homer S. Thrall which is currently in the public domain can be accessed for free and it may help you find information regarding the activities of Methodist preachers in Texas from as early as 1818 until 1871.
The Texas Historic Sites AtlasThe Texas Historic Commission maintains the Texas Historic Sites database where you can find the text and location of many state historic markers, including a large number of Methodist Churches with historical significance.
