Search Upshur County Obituary Records
Upshur County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Gilmer, Texas. Located in the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas, Upshur County has vital records dating from 1903.
Upshur County Overview
Upshur County Clerk Death Records
The Upshur County Clerk's office in Gilmer is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Upshur County from 1903 to the present are held here. The clerk accepts in-person and mail requests. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, records less than 25 years old require qualified applicant status. Records 25 years or older are open to the public.
Upshur County lies in the rolling Piney Woods of Northeast Texas between Longview and Tyler. Gilmer is the county seat. The county has a mix of timber production, oil and gas, and small-scale agriculture. Lake Gilmer and other area lakes provide recreation. Upshur County is known locally for producing sweet onions -- a crop the area has grown since the early 20th century. The DSHS online system is available for certified death certificate requests from Upshur County.
| Office | Upshur County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 730, Gilmer, TX 75644 |
| Phone | (903) 843-3230 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | upshurcounty.org |
Searching Upshur County Obituaries
Order Upshur County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Upshur County from 1903. For genealogy, FamilySearch at familysearch.org and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov are the main free resources. Legacy.com at legacy.com carries obituary notices from the Gilmer Mirror and area Northeast Texas papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Upshur County death records from 1903. Online ordering avoids a trip to the Gilmer courthouse.
Requesting Upshur County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Upshur County Clerk, P.O. Box 730, Gilmer, TX 75644. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Upshur County Obituary Records
Upshur County death records from the early 1900s document the farming, logging, and ranching families who settled the Northeast Texas Piney Woods. The county was organized in 1846 and named for Abel P. Upshur, U.S. Secretary of State under President Tyler. Early settlers from the Deep South established cotton farms in the river bottoms and pine timber operations on the uplands. The discovery of oil in the early 20th century brought new workers and changed the social makeup of the county. Many early families came from Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, and genealogical connections to the antebellum South run deep. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Upshur County entries.
The Upshur County Clerk's website provides information on vital records requests and county services in Gilmer.
The Upshur County Clerk in Gilmer maintains death certificates and vital records for this Northeast Texas county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Upshur County Death Records
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 193.003, death certificates must be filed within 10 days. Records under 25 years are restricted per Chapter 193. Older records are public. Section 193.007 covers delayed registration. The DSHS at dshs.texas.gov/vs/death maintains the statewide index including Upshur County.
Upshur County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (903) 843-3230, order online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, search at FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov. Obituaries appear on Legacy.com.
Nearby Counties
Upshur County is located in Northeast Texas between Longview and Tyler.