Find Genealogy in Greer County
Greer County genealogy records carry a unique history. This part of southwest Oklahoma was once claimed by both Texas and Oklahoma Territory. The famous Greer County dispute ended in 1896 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the area belonged to Oklahoma. That gives Greer County some of the most unusual genealogy records in the state. Land files go back to 1886, and the courthouse in Mangum holds marriage, divorce, and court records from 1901. A fire in December 1901 destroyed some early courthouse files, so researchers need to know about the gaps. The local genealogical society has worked hard to fill in what was lost through microfilm and newspaper extracts.
Greer County Overview
Greer County Courthouse Records
The Greer County Courthouse in Mangum houses all genealogy records for the area. The County Clerk handles land records and can be reached at 580-782-2329. The Court Clerk manages marriage, divorce, probate, and other case files at 580-782-3665. Marriage, divorce, probate, and court records all begin in 1901.
A courthouse fire in December 1901 destroyed some early records. Because of this, files from before that date may be incomplete or missing entirely. This is a well-known problem for Greer County genealogy researchers. Some pre-1901 records were saved, and others have been reconstructed from newspapers and other sources. Land records survived better than court files since they go back to 1886 when the area was still part of Greer County, Texas.
Standard Oklahoma copy fees apply. Requests can be mailed to the courthouse at P.O. Box 207, Mangum, OK 73554. Include full names, date ranges, and the type of record you need.
| Court Clerk | Greer County Courthouse, P.O. Box 207, Mangum, OK 73554 |
|---|---|
| County Clerk Phone | 580-782-2329 (land records) |
| Court Clerk Phone | 580-782-3665 (marriage, divorce, probate) |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Greer County Microfilm Collection
The Greer County Genealogical and Historical Society built a major microfilm collection in 1993 and 1994 with help from the Utah Genealogical Society. The set includes 114 rolls of film covering a wide range of records. This collection is one of the best resources for Greer County genealogy, especially for the period around the 1901 fire.
The microfilm includes marriage indexes, probate packets from 1901 to 1930, selected divorce packets from 1901 to 1930, bill of sale records from 1886 to 1899, civil appearance dockets from 1896 to 1932, commissioner minute books, court journals, deed indexes, election board precinct registers, guardianship records from 1902 to 1929, naturalization records, and school district records. That is a lot of ground to cover. The collection was originally at the Margaret Carder Library in Mangum and is now housed at the Old Greer County Museum.
Some old Greer County, Texas records from 1886 to 1896 are at the Oklahoma Historical Society on microfilm. These cover the period when the area was claimed by Texas. If your ancestor settled in the area before 1896, you may need to check both Oklahoma and Texas records.
Greer County OKGenWeb Resources
The Greer County OKGenWeb page has a searchable marriage database, cemetery listings, and census records for free.
Volunteers compiled marriage extracts from old newspapers including the Mangum Star, Sun Monitor, and Greer County Weekly. These newspaper marriage records from 1898 to 1906 are especially important because some courthouse marriage records from that period were destroyed in the 1901 fire. Check this site before visiting the courthouse.
Searching Greer County Genealogy Online
The Oklahoma State Courts Network lets you search court cases in Greer County by name or case number. It covers divorce filings, probate cases, and civil matters. The OK2Explore portal handles birth and death record searches. Birth records for Greer County begin in 1912 and death records start the same year. That is later than most Oklahoma counties because the area had a different administrative history.
Oklahoma vital records fall under Title 63, Section 1-323 of state law. The state health department manages birth and death certificates. The Open Records Act, Title 51, Sections 24A.1 through 24A.33, makes most county records available to anyone who asks.
The Gateway to Oklahoma History has digitized newspapers from the Mangum area. Old newspaper obituaries, marriage notices, and legal proceedings are often the only record of events that happened before or during the 1901 fire. The Bureau of Land Management has original land patents for the region.
Note: The Margaret Carder Library in Mangum has a microfilm reader and genealogical society holdings, but staff time for lookups is limited.
Greer County Genealogy Societies
The Greer County Genealogical and Historical Society is at the Old Greer County Museum and Hall of Fame, 222 West Jefferson, Mangum, OK 73554. Call (580) 782-2851 to ask about their microfilm collection and research help. The museum itself has exhibits and documents from the county's history.
The Southwest Oklahoma Genealogical Society at PO Box 148, Lawton, OK 73502 also serves Greer County. Two funeral homes in the area may have historical records useful for genealogy: Lowell Tims Funeral Home in Granite and Mangum, and Ray and Martha's Funeral Home in Mangum. The Oklahoma Genealogical Society and the National Archives at Fort Worth are good state-level and federal resources for Greer County research.
Cities in Greer County
Greer County includes Mangum, Granite, and Willow. All genealogy records for these towns are held at the Greer County Courthouse in Mangum. No cities in the county meet the population threshold for a separate page.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Greer County in southwest Oklahoma. Remember that Harmon County was carved out of Greer County in 1909, so older records may be at either courthouse.