Find Wood County Obituary Records
Wood County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Quitman, Texas. Located in the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas, Wood County has vital records dating from 1903.
Wood County Overview
Wood County Clerk Death Records
The Wood County Clerk's office in Quitman is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Wood 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.
Wood County lies in the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas, west of Tyler and south of Sulphur Springs. Quitman is the county seat. Lake Fork, one of the most celebrated bass fishing lakes in Texas, is located in the county and draws anglers from across the state. The county also includes Lake Quitman. Cattle, hay, and timber are the primary agricultural activities. The county has seen some population growth as retirees and rural residents move to the lakeside areas. The DSHS online system is available for certified death certificate requests from Wood County.
| Office | Wood County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 338, Quitman, TX 75783 |
| Phone | (903) 763-2711 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Searching Wood County Obituaries
Order Wood County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Wood 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 Wood County Democrat and area Northeast Texas papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Wood County death records from 1903. Online ordering avoids a trip to the Quitman courthouse.
Requesting Wood County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Wood County Clerk, P.O. Box 338, Quitman, TX 75783. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Wood County Obituary Records
Wood County death records from the early 1900s reflect the farming and timber families who settled the post oak belt and pine timber country of Northeast Texas. The county was organized in 1850 and named for George Tyler Wood, a governor of Texas. Early settlers came from the Deep South to farm cotton in the creek bottoms and harvest timber from the pine and hardwood forests. The Sabine River forms part of the county's eastern boundary. Many long-established families in the county trace their roots to antebellum migration from the Carolinas, Georgia, and Tennessee. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Wood County entries.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains the statewide death record index that includes Wood County entries from 1903 to the present.
The Wood County Clerk in Quitman maintains death certificates and vital records for this Northeast Texas county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Wood 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 Wood County.
Wood County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (903) 763-2711, 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
Wood County is located in the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas.