Although my direct line doesn't go through Texas, I have a side-branch that left Tennessee and settled in the area around present-day Groesbeck, as part of the Sterling C. Robertson colony. While searching for more information on my Texas ancestors, I discovered the Web site for Republic of Texas Claims.

The records include claims for payment or other restitution made by citizens to the Republic from 1835 to 1846. There also are post-1846 records relating to pensions. The files can contain a variety of documents, including vouchers, financial accounts, military records, or letters.

The claims database is online, and fully searchable. Enter at least a surname to begin your search. I plugged in Faulkenberry, and got two hits-both for members of my family. The results page gives the microfilm reel number which contains the documents, just in case you're located in or traveling through Austin.

For those of you who aren't in Texas, great news! You no longer have to order a copy of the claim because the State of Texas has digitized the claims and put them on the Web as PDF documents. Once you find a claim, you can print a copy of the original, or download for use in your genealogy software.

Other Texas sites:

• Handbook of Texas Online
www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online