Researching a company’s history requires gathering information from a variety of sources. The Texas State Library and Archives collections contain business information created or collected by local, state, and federal agencies. The following resources may be helpful as you develop your research strategy.
Texas. Secretary of State. Texas Secretary of State’s Biennial Report.Austin, 1904
of Texas Secretary of State (SOS) The Corporate Section collects information about corporations, limited liability partnerships, and non-profit organizations.
- SOS Business Service
We provide instructions and forms for requesting current company information. - use Texas State Comptroller Search for taxable entities Find public company information submitted to Texas SOS, including mailing address, SOS registration date, management, ownership, and registered agents.
Texas Secretary of State’s Biennial Report Contains a list of legal entities or entities submitted to the legal entity section. The information in these lists will become more detailed as the years go by, but these reports do not contain the text of the Charter.
- A digitized copy of the report, covering the years 1881-1930, is available at: Hattie Trust . Not all reports and years are digitized or available.
- 1882-1934 printed copies Available through TSLAC. To borrow these publications or request an interlibrary loan (ILL) scan, please contact your local library.
- of world cat record lists the libraries where printed versions of these reports are available. You can directly check availability in these libraries.
index and register The company’s materials from 1871 to 1928 are part of the collection of the Texas State Archives. To request a search of these volumes, please send an email to: ref@tsl.texas.gov Please enter the company name you want to search.
Most US publicly traded companies are required to file an annual shareholder report with the US government. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Detailed financial and operational information may be included in these reports.
Texas Manufacturers Directory (1932-1999)
List manufacturers in Texas. Standard Industry Classification (SIC) Code, describes the main business activities of the company. The list includes contact information, number of employees, and sales figures. Created by the University of Texas at Austin Office of Business Research.
- print a copy Years 1932 through 1999 (exclusive) are available through TSLAC.
- of world cat record Lists nearby libraries that may have available copies.
American Manufacturers Thomas Register (print edition 1905-2006)
Business listings with financial ratings organized by product and state.
- Some electronic versions can be viewed or searched. Hattie Trust .
- of world cat record Lists nearby libraries that may have available copies.
Search for a list of current Texas manufacturers and suppliers by industry or company name. thomas net online .
Texas Almanac (1857-present)
Features include company listings, state company and manufacturer information, and industry statistics.
- Digitized problem Texas Almanac 1857-2004-2005 (not including these) are available at Portal to Texas History, sponsored by the University of North Texas.
- Print a copy of the Texas Yearbook The latest issue after 1857 (not included) is available onsite at TSLAC.
- world cat Lists nearby libraries that may have available copies.
Texas Business Review (1927-2011)
Data and Analytics for Texas Manufacturers. Complements special subjects related to Texas business and economy. Published by the Office of Business Research, University of Texas at Austin. Search or browse the full text of the issue. Texas Scholar Works .
There are other general business directories for specific types of industries and businesses. These directories are often national and organized by state. You can search our business directory. online library catalog or via world cat .
Contact your local public or academic library for general business or industry directories or information on accessing reference databases and resources. Some business reference databases are TexShare database program. Access to the TexShare database is available to the Austin, Texas library and his registered TSLAC patrons. Check with your local library for available databases.
corporate website It may include detailed company information such as recent financial and annual reports, press releases and corporate contacts. If you know the name of the company and it is currently in operation, you can use your favorite search engine or business directory to find his website for the company.
Historical newspapers and city directories Information about the area being researched may include business listings and advertisements.our Newspaper research and city directory search Guides include resources available on TSLAC and other repositories, as well as online databases searchable by name and keyword.
History of the published area You can include information about local businesses and industries. Search the history of your county or region. online library catalog again WorldCat.org . To borrow or request scans of publications of interest to you through ILL, please contact your local library. Find Texas Libraries Find out about your field of study and inquire about local history collection and research services.
Other state authorities may provide information about certain Texas businesses.
property recordDocumentation, including surveys and deeds, may be available from the county clerk’s office where the property is located.
Historical maps may show the location of a business or include details of buildings and areas from a particular period of time.
our Property History Research Guide Provides a variety of state and local resources for researching the history of real estate and buildings.
Texas business and industry statistics are available from the following state and federal sources:
business research guide It may be useful for general business and industry research.
US Library of Congress Historical company research guide contains helpful details about finding historical print and digital collections. While not specific to Texas, this guide will help you strategize business research in your own community.
