Marcia Snyder Holland, TX M44as@aol.com Marcia, the Handy Book For Genealogists, published by Everton Publishers, Inc., tells you all these things and a ton of other things too. I could not survive without this reference; mine is falling apart from usage! Which reminds me to get the latest edition. It gives you information as to what is kept in which department for every County Court in Every State, the address to write, from what counties that particular county was cut, etc.. I am sure it is available on the web in several places; it would not be hard to find. My home situation, now that I am in my mid 70s, is such that I can not be away from home more than an hour, so going to LDS and the Public Library is no longer an option for me. This book and the Internet is all I have. If anyone knows a place to rent microfilm that mails it direct to a persons home (not interlibrary loan), I would like to know that! Here is the Handy Book entry for Galveston: "Galveston's parent county from which organized was Brazoria. Co Clk has b & d rec from 1903 to 1910 - 1941 to 1951, m, pro & Ind rec from 1838, civ ct rec from 1875; County Seat is Galveston 77550" At the start of the Chapter on TEXAS there is a very brief history of interest only to family genealogists, with things like "In 1820, the white settlers of Texas could be counted in four digits." 1820 - 1830 settlers came from Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. "By 1830 more than 20,000 Americans had become tillers of Texas soil." "From 1903 to 1909 attendants filed reports of birth and death with the county clerk. About 1916 some of the county clerks, but not all, transmitted to the Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756, their records of 1903-1909 births and deaths. In 1910 the Bureau of Vital Statistics commenced receiving records on timely filed reports of birth and death. From 1911 to 1929 the law did not require a local registrar of an incorporated city or town to file a copy of a certificate with the county clerk, but did require that the original records be forwarded to the Bureau of Vital Statistics. From 1911 to 1927 the county clerk continued to record and transmit to the Bureau certificates of births and deaths occurring outside the limits in an incorporated city or town. Since 1927 justice precincts have become registration districts. The precinct registrars receive and transmit to the Bureau of Vital Statistics certificates of birth and death and they are required to file a copy with the county clerk. From 1929 to 1951 the city registrars, serving incorporated cities or towns having a population of 2,500 or more, received and transmitted to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, certificates relating to births and deaths occurring inside the city limits and were also required to file a copy of the certificate with the county clerk. Since 1951, the city registrars, in cities having an ordinance requiring that a copy of the certificate be filed in the office of the city registrar, do not file a copy with the county clerk. The original certificate is transmitted to the Bureau of Vital Statistics by the city registrars and justices of the peace. Copies of marriage applications were not filed with the Bureau of Vital Statistics until January 1, 1966. For a marriage record filed prior to that time, contact the County Clerk of the county in which the license was obtained. reports of divorce or annulment of marriage were not filed with the Bureau of Vital Statistics until January 1, 1968. For events occurring prior to that time applications should be made to the District Clerk of the county in which the decree was issued." There follows two full pages of Genealogical Archives, Libraries, Societies, and Publications, with their names and snail mail addresses. Then follows a full page about the Printed Census Records and Mortality Schedules for Texas. Indexes: 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 Printed Census Records (Counties): Galveston is listed showing the 1850 Census. Mortality Schedules (Printed): State - 1850, 1860. Counties 1860: Galveston is listed. Other printed census records: 1829 - 1836. 1821 - 1845 Texas Citizens Lists and other early records of the Republic of Texas (National Genealogical Society Special Publication No. 22) Then it lists the Valuable Printed Sources: Atlas and Gazetteer, Maps, Place Names, Guides to Genealogical Research, Histories, Genealogical Sources, Source Index. I do not know how anyone gets along without this reference, and there are probably others, but if they are, they are not well enough known for me to know about them. There is nothing worse than writing for a record, waiting eight weeks only to be told that those records are kept at another place. And unfortunately, often the person redirecting you is incorrect and your are again referred to another place and another eight weeks lost. WOW, I just reread this, and did not intend it to be a sales pitch for the Handy Book, but I have seen so many posts on mailing lists which indicate that so many good folks need help knowing what information is available and where it is located. I hope this helps someone. And Texas is just one of 50 states; Galveston just one of a ton of counties! It is all in that book! Get it! Your genealogical library has copies on the shelf; your LDS FHC usually has copies. Norm Ricker At 12:30 PM 11/16/1999 -0500, you wrote: Hi, I just read about a Galveston Co census. Could someone please tell me about what census years are available, where, and how it is arranged or indexed? Also are the censuses on microfilm and available on interlibrary loans? We have been researching my husband's g-gf and g-gm who lived in Galveston from 1866 through 1886. She was Anna (Annie LOBERT) who came from Germany to Galveston around 1868. She worked as a Governess until her marriage to Shadrach G. (S.G.) ETHERIDGE. He was a cotton broker during those years. Any help and answers would be very appreciated. Thanks. Marcia Snyder Holland, TX M44as@aol.com