This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: TreviaWBeverly Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.texas.counties.bexar/2743.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Let's take the death record statement first. The HandyBook says 1903 for all Texas counties. As with anything, you have to do background research better than that. Large, old municipalities - Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, etc. - kept death records much earlier. The City of Houston began Births in July 1899 and death even earlier - April 1874. Now there's a trick to it ... if they were born or died within what was at the time of the event, the city limits of Houston. City of Houston Vital Records are at 8000 North Stadium Dr, 77054. You will need to check with the City of San Antonio to see when theirs began and where located. Bexar County was formed in 1836 - and they do have early records. It has been years since I visited but at that time John Odgen Leal was still living and the Bexar County Archivist - office in the basement of the courthouse with wonderful old records! At that time (1975) Robert D. Green was the county clerk and Carolyn Beson had prepared "A Guide to the Bexar County Archives in the Office of the County Clerk." In the years between then and now, no doubt some changes made --- https://www.county.org/resources/library/county_mag/county/193/1.html While investigating you are bound to come across "a sweet young thing" that does not know about old records ... don't take the first answer you get - ask for the person who has been there the longest (and that's not foolproof!). Keep asking! Hopefully someone in San Antonio will pick up and give a correct and full answer. Back to the usual 1903 answer for Texas birth records. In addition to larger cities keeping early records, don't forget the 'delayed' filings when social security came in .. so, once again, investigation needed beyond the normal answer..... You do not say where you are located! Near enough to do on site research yourself or do you need someone to help? If you need help, try RAOGK. Trevia Wooster Beverly Houston, Texas Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.