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CERTAIN PUBLIC RECORDS
MAINTAIN IN THE COUNTY CLERKS OFFICE
DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
EXCERPTS FROM PAPER READ BY MR. W. E. BARD, DEPUTY COUNTY CLERK
AMONG RECORDS TO BE FOUND IN THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, SECOND FLOOR,
ADMINISTRATIVE AND RECORDS BUILDING, DALLAS, ARE THOSE OF MARKS AND BRANDS; ES-
TRAY; ABSTRACTS OF JUDGEMENTS; CHATTEL MORTGAGES; FEDERAL TAX LIENS; TRADE MARKS;
LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS; PAWNBROKER BONDS; DENTAL LICENSES; NURSES' REGISTER; BIRTHS;
DEATHS; MARRIAGES; WILLS AND OTHER PROBATE ITEMS, ETC.
BIRTH RECORDS, COMPULSORY BEGINNING 1903, INCLUDE BOTH COUNTY AND CITY UNTIL
1910, WHEN THE CITY ORGANIZED ITS OWN RECORD. A CARD INDEX OF BIRTHS GIVES THE
NAME OF CHILD, NAMES OF PARENTS, SEX, COLOR, DATE OF BIRTH, VOLUME AND PAGE ON
WHICH RECORDED. EACH VOLUME IS ALSO INDEXED. BOOK A CONTAINS VOLUNTARY REGIS-
TRATIONS PRIOR TO 1903. OTHER BIRTH RECORDS ARE IN VOLUMES 1 TO 63. EVIDENCE OF
BIRTH OR DEATH PRIOR TO 1903 AND NOT PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED MAY BE FILED WITH THE
COUNTY CLERK.
COPIES OF BIRTH CERTIFICATES WITHIN DATES AND LIMITS SPECIFIED ARE FURNISHED
AT A MINIMUM PRICE OF FIFTY CENTS. UPON ESTABLISHMENT OF SATISFACTORY PROOF OF
BIRTH OR DEATH, DELAYED BIRTH AND DEATH CERTIFICATES ARE NOW ISSUED FOR +1.50 AND
DULY RECORDED. THEY MUST BE CERTIFIED BY THE COUNTY JUDGE.
NO DEATH RECORDS WERE REGISTERED PRIOR TO 1903. A CARD INDEX OF DEATHS
GIVES THE NAME OF DECEASED, SEX, COLOR, AGE, DATE OF DEATH, VOLUME AND PAGE ON
WHICH RECORDED. DEATH RECORDS ARE IN VOLUMES 1 TO 26, EACH INDEXED.
THE OLDEST MARRIAGE RECORDS IN OUR OFFICE ARE IN VOLUME A-B, FOLLOWED BY
SINGLE LETTERS, C THROUGH Z. THESE COVER 1847 (A) - 1906. LATER RECORDS,
VOLUMES 1 THROUGH 137, COVER 1907 TO THE PRESENT DATE. ALL VOLUMES ARE DOUBLE-
INDEXED BY NAMES OF MEN AND OF WOMEN. A CARD INDEX FOR BOTH IS ALSO KEPT.
DEED RECORDS CONTAIN NOT ONLY DEED RECORDS PROPER, BUT THOSE OF RELEASE OF
LIEN; CONVEYANCE OF LIEN; RELEASE OF JUDGEMENT; BILL OF SALE; OIL AND GAS LEASE;
AFFIDAVIT; POWER OF ATTORNEY; CERTIFIED COPY, ETC.
DEED RECORDS BEGIN WITH AN ALPHABETICAL SERIES, VOLUMES A TO Z. VOLUMES 1
TO 4720 FOLLOW. RECORDS WERE FIRST HANDWRITTEN, THEN TYPED, NOW PHOTOSTATED,
COPIES ARE ALSO MADE FOR THE PUBLIC. DEED RECORD INDEXES ARE IN LOOSE-LEAF
VOLUMES, INDEXED BY GRANTOR AND GRANTEE, FILED SEPARATELY, AND CORPORATIONS ARE
SEPARATED FROM INDIVIDUALS.
THE PROBATE DEPARTMENT HANDLES WILLS AND OTHER TESTAMENTARY DOCUMENTS INw
VOLVED IN SETTLEMENT OF ESTATES, GUARDIANSHIP RECORDS AND ADMINISTRATION OF
ESTATES OTHERWISE, WITH RECORDS INVOLVED. ALL ORIGINAL PAPERS ARE RETAINED,
WHICH PERMITS IDENTIFICATION OF SIGNATURES OF DECEASED PERSONS.
THE FIRST WILLS RECORDED IN DALLAS COUNTY ARE SAID TO HAVE BEEN RECORDED IN
1858 (B). THE OLDEST WILL BOOKS ARE HANDWRITTEN, CONTAINING COPIES OF LAST WILLS
AND TESTAMENTS, DATES OF PROBATION, AND SUPPORTING AFFIDAVITS. BOOKS WERE
DESIGNATED BY LETTERS, A-B THROUGH Z, THE FIRST THREE CONTAINING INDEXES, OTHERS
INDEXED IN SEPARATE VOLUMES. ORIGINALLY, NUMEROUS RECORD BOOKS WERE INVOLVED
w WILL BOOKS, PROBATE MINUTES, PROBATE DOCKET RECORDS, BOND OATHS, INVENTORY
AND APPRAISEMENT, ETC. EVENTUALLY, THESE WERE COMBINED INTO PROBATE MINUTES
FOUND IN VOLUMES 1 THROUGH 509.
13.