Cherokee County Death Index

Cherokee County death index records are held by the County Clerk in Rusk, Texas, with certified copies of death certificates available from 1903 to the present. The county is in east Texas and has a well-preserved record set with no known courthouse disasters. The clerk's office also holds school census records from 1940 to 1969, which can help with genealogy research in this part of the state.

Cherokee County Clerk Vital Records

The Cherokee County Clerk is in Rusk, Texas. Phone: 903-683-2350. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The clerk maintains death records from 1903 forward and also holds birth records from the same date, along with marriage records, land records, and probate files. The school census records from 1940 to 1969 are an unusual resource for this county and can help genealogists trace family members who lived in the county during that period.

Cherokee County was created in 1846 from Nacogdoches County and named for the Cherokee Indians who lived in the area. The county has been in east Texas since the state's earliest days as a county system. No courthouse fires or major record losses are on record, which means the death index is complete from 1903. The county's ties to timber and agriculture brought a mix of families over the decades, all of whom are represented in the death records maintained in Rusk.

Certified death certificates cost $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. The clerk only issues certified copies. All requesters need valid government-issued photo ID. The standard Texas access restrictions apply: records less than 25 years old go only to qualified applicants, while older records are public.

The Cherokee County government website provides contact information for the county clerk's office in Rusk and links to county services including vital records.

The Cherokee County Clerk's office in Rusk is the place to request certified copies of death certificates for events in the county.

Requesting Death Certificates in Cherokee County

In person is the fastest way to get a Cherokee County death certificate. Go to the county clerk's office in Rusk with valid photo ID and $21. The clerk can search the index and issue a certified copy the same day if the record is available. Staff are available weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Mail requests are also accepted. Write a request that includes the full name of the deceased, approximate date and place of death in Cherokee County, your relationship to the deceased, your mailing address, and the purpose of the request. Attach a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID. Send a check or money order for $21 payable to the Cherokee County Clerk, plus $4 for each additional copy. Do not send cash through the mail.

The state alternative is to order through the Texas vital records portal or by mailing a VS-142 form to DSHS in Austin. State fees are $20 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy. State mail orders take 25-30 business days on average. The county clerk is typically faster for records in Cherokee County.

Who Can Get Cherokee County Death Records

Death records from the last 25 years are confidential in Texas under Texas Government Code Section 552.115. Only qualified applicants can get those records. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member, legal guardian, or legal representative with documents showing their authority. Immediate family includes a spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, or adult child of the person on the record.

After 25 years from the date of death, the record is public. Anyone can request it with valid ID and the applicable fee. Government agencies and law enforcement with a direct and tangible interest in the record may also access it regardless of the 25-year restriction. All requesters must show government-issued photo ID accepted under the DSHS acceptable ID requirements.

Note: Knowingly making a false statement on a vital records application is a felony under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 195, Section 195.003, with penalties of 2-10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

Cherokee County Death Index Research

Online index databases are a good starting point before contacting the clerk. The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 and includes Cherokee County records. The Ancestry Texas Death Index covers the same range and shows certificate numbers, which speed up a request to the county clerk.

One thing that makes Cherokee County useful for east Texas genealogy is the school census records held by the clerk from 1940 to 1969. These records can show family members who were in the county during that period, helping you connect birth and death records to a specific household. The Texas State Library and Archives also holds statewide death index microfilm from 1903 to 1973 for public research.

For records older than 25 years, access is open to anyone. You can go directly to the Cherokee County Clerk in Rusk or order through the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office in Austin. Either office can issue a certified copy. County copies tend to come faster since Austin mails them out, while the county clerk can issue them in person the same day.

Cities in Cherokee County

Rusk is the county seat of Cherokee County. All death records for events in Cherokee County are held at the county clerk's office in Rusk. No cities in Cherokee County meet the qualifying population threshold for a separate city page.

Other communities in Cherokee County include Jacksonville and Alto. Death records for all Cherokee County areas are maintained by the county clerk in Rusk.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Cherokee County in east Texas. Contact the clerk in a neighboring county if you believe a death was registered elsewhere.

Rusk County • Nacogdoches County • Smith County • Anderson County • Houston County