Upshur County Death Index

Upshur County death records are maintained by the County Clerk in Gilmer and cover all deaths registered in the county going back to 1903. This page covers how to search the Upshur County death index, request certified death certificates, understand the Texas access rules, and use free online tools for genealogy research involving Upshur County deaths.

Upshur County Clerk and Death Records

The Upshur County Clerk in Gilmer is the local custodian of vital records for the county, including certified death certificates. Gilmer is the county seat and the main community in this Northeast Texas county. The clerk's office maintains the Upshur County death index and can issue certified copies of death records going back to 1903. Call the Upshur County Clerk in Gilmer for current office hours and contact details before submitting any request.

In-person visits to the clerk's office in Gilmer are the fastest way to get a certified death certificate. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and the required fee. Staff can search the death index and issue certified copies while you are there. Mail requests are also accepted. Include a copy of your photo ID, a check or money order payable to the Upshur County Clerk, and the decedent's name, approximate date of death, and your relationship to the deceased. Allow several business days for processing after the office receives your request.

The fee for a certified death certificate from the Upshur County Clerk is $21.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. If you order through the state DSHS office, the fee is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy. State orders take longer and are mailed from Austin. Online state ordering is available at txapps.texas.gov.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit in Austin maintains state-level copies of all death certificates registered in Texas, including those from Upshur County, and can issue certified copies through mail or online ordering.

Both the Upshur County Clerk and DSHS can issue certified death certificates for Upshur County deaths, and either copy is legally valid.

Requesting Upshur County Death Certificates

In-person requests are the fastest option. Go to the Upshur County Clerk in Gilmer with your photo ID and the fee. Staff will search the index and issue certified copies the same day in most cases. This method works best when speed matters.

Mail requests take longer but are suitable when in-person visits are not practical. Use the VS-142 Death Certificate Application from DSHS. Include a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order payable to the Upshur County Clerk. Include the decedent's full name, approximate death date, and your relationship to them. Mail to the Upshur County Clerk in Gilmer. Allow processing time after delivery.

Online ordering through the state at txapps.texas.gov is available for anyone who prefers not to contact the county directly. DSHS processes orders in Austin and mails certified copies. Processing takes 20 to 30 business days on average. If you need a record quickly, the county clerk option is the better choice.

Note: Search fees are charged even when no record is found. This is required by Texas law and the fee is not refundable.

Access Rules for Upshur County Death Records

Texas death records less than 25 years old are restricted. Only qualified applicants can get certified copies. A qualified applicant is an immediate family member of the person on the record. That means a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with documentation showing their authority can also request restricted records. Government agencies and organizations with a direct tangible need may also qualify.

After 25 years from the date of death, the record is public and anyone can request a copy. All requesters must show valid government-issued photo ID for every transaction. The rule is found in Texas Government Code Section 552.115. This applies equally to county clerk records and state-held records. Falsifying a vital records application is a felony in Texas with penalties of 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

Historical Research in Upshur County

Upshur County death records from 1903 are part of the statewide Texas death index. Several counties were formed from the original Upshur County territory in the 1800s, which means some ancestral research may involve checking neighboring county records for earlier generations. For the 1903-onward period, free online indexes are a strong starting point.

The FamilySearch Texas Death Index covers 1903 to 2000 at no cost. Ancestry's Texas Death Index covers the same range with over 7 million entries. Both databases provide the decedent's name, county, date, and certificate number, which you can use to request a full copy from the county or the state. The Texas State Library holds microfilmed death indexes from 1903 to 1973 for in-person research in Austin. The Library of Congress Texas vital records guide offers further context on how to work through the state's vital records system.

Communities in Upshur County

Upshur County's main community is Gilmer, the county seat. No cities in the county meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Death records for all parts of Upshur County are filed with the Upshur County Clerk in Gilmer.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Upshur County in Northeast Texas. Check the location of the death event to confirm which county holds the record.

Camp County • Titus County • Morris County • Harrison County • Gregg County • Smith County • Wood County