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Alabama Research Outline |
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Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Familysearch™
Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Courthouse Fires
Computer Networks And Bulletin Boards
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Federal Censuses
Colonial Censuses (1706–1795)
Territorial Censuses (1795–1810)
Census Substitutes
State Censuses (1820–1866)
Confederate Veterans’ Censuses (1907, 1921, 1927)
Church Records
Baptist
Episcopal
Methodist
Presbyterian
Roman Catholic
Court Records
Directories
Divorce Records
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
Nationwide Indexes
Web Sites About Your Family
History
State Histories
Local Histories
Land And Property
Patents, Tract Books, And Land Entry Case Files
County Land Records
Choctaw Lands Allotted East Of The Mississippi River (1837–1906)
Maps
Military Records
Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
War Of 1812 (1812–1815)
Indian Wars (1812–1814)
War Of Texas Independence (1835–1836)
Indian Wars (1836–1838)
Mexican War (1846–1848)
Civil War (1861–1865)
Spanish-american War (1898–1899)
World War I (1917–1918)
World War II (1941–1945)
Minorities
African-american
Italian Immigrants
Native Races
Creeks
Cherokees
Additional Cherokee Records
Choctaws
Chickasaw
Bibliography For Published Books And Articles
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Inventory On The Internet
Obituaries
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Taxation
Vital Records
County Records Of Births And Deaths
State Records Of Births And Deaths
County Marriage Records
State Marriage Records
Voting Registers
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions
ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES Most archives and libraries collect records about local residents (biographies, family histories, and local histories) and about nearby places (maps, gazetteers, and place-finding aids). They often compile reference helps and special indexes to important local sources. In many communities they serve as a meeting place for local historical and genealogical societies, and may be able to provide referrals to people who are willing to look up information in local records. Before you visit an archive or a library, contact them and ask for information on their collection, hours, services, and fees.
When one of these institutions is referred to elsewhere in this outline, return to this section for the address.
The Family History Library has copies of many of the records found in archives and libraries, but most repositories will have additional sources.
Many archives and libraries have helpful sources for locating information about Alabama, such as maps, gazetteers, and other place-finding aids. They frequently have collections of previous research, such as family and local histories and biographies. Many have record-finding aids, such as guides to their own collections or inventories of records housed elsewhere in the state. Archives and libraries near state boundaries usually collect records relating to the adjacent states.
The following archives, libraries, and societies have collections or services helpful to genealogical researchers:
Fires occurred in many county courthouses. If records are missing , you can often find cemetery records, censuses, church records, newspapers, Bible records, military service and pension records, delayed birth certificates, or records in neighboring counties that have similar information. Sometimes landowners registered their deeds after a courthouse fire. The following list shows when courthouses were damaged by fire:
Computers with modems are important for obtaining information from selected archives and libraries. In a way, computer networks themselves serve as a library. The Internet, certain computer bulletin boards, and commercial on-line services help family history researchers:
You can find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from Alabama in a variety of sources at local, state, national, and international levels. The list of sources is growing rapidly. Most of the information is available at no cost. Internet addresses are subject to change. The following sites link you to many more network and bulletin board sites:
FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service [Internet site]. [Salt Lake City]: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 22 March 1999 [cited 1 March 2000]. At www.familysearch.org, you can access the Family History Library Catalog, Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index, SourceGuide, lists of Family History Centers, web sites related to family history, and lists of researchers interested in similar genealogy topics. You can also learn about and order Family History Library publications.
Howells, Cyndi. “U.S.- Alabama- AL.” In Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet [Internet site]. Puyallup, Wash.: Cyndi Howells, 1 March 1999 [cited 1 March 2000]. Available at www.cyndislist.com/al.htm, this list has links to other Alabama genealogy sites and describes more resources than any other site on the Internet.
Stark, Gene.“Gendex- WWW Genealogical Index.” In Gendex [database online]. N.p.: G. Stark, 14 December 1999 [cited 1 March 2000]. Available at www.gendex.com/gendex/, this is a surname index of every personal genealogy site on the Internet known to the compiler, including over 12 million individuals.
“Alabama USGenWeb.” In The USGenWeb Project [Internet site]. N.p., 29 December 1999 [cited 1 March 2000]. Available at www.rootsweb.com/~algenweb/, this lists genealogical databases, libraries, bulletin boards, and other resources available on the Internet for each county, state, and country.
“United States Resources: Alabama” In RootsWeb [Internet site]. N.p., 30 November 1999 [cited 1 March 2000]. Available at www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/usa/al.html, this list of sites and resources includes a large, regularly updated research coordination list.
“ALGenExchange.” In Genealogical Exchange & Surname Registry [Internet site]. N.p., 1996–2000 [cited 1 March 2000]. Available at www.genexchange.com/al/index.cfm, this site includes searchable databases (church, cemetery, census, land, immigration, naturalization, and vital records); directories; historical accounts; mailing lists; queries; local surname researchers; and look-up volunteers.
For further details about using computer networks, bulletin boards, and news groups for family history research see the United States Research Outline (30972), 2nd ed., “Archives and Libraries” section.
Some Family History Centers have computers with FamilySearch. These computers do not have access to on-line services, networks, or bulletin boards. You can use these services at many public libraries, college libraries, and private locations.
Publications concerning archives in Alabama are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
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624 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130-0100
Telephone: 334-242-4435
Fax: 334-240-3433
Internet address: www.archives.state.al.us
E-mail: ndupree@archives.state.al.us
The mailing address is:
P.O. Box 300100
Montgomery, AL 36130-0100
The Department of Archives and History (closed Mondays) has the following records: federal and state censuses; vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce); county records (deeds, wills, and other probate records); land, military, and military discharge records (DD214s); surname files; city directories; African-American records (Reconstruction to the present); American Indian records; and immigration and naturalization records.
1557 St. Joseph Ave.
East Point, GA 30344
Telephone: 404-763-7477 or 7650
Fax: 404-763-7059
Internet address: www.nara.gov
E-mail: archives@atlanta.nara.gov
2100 Park Pl.
Birmingham, AL 35203
Telephone: 205-226-3665
Internet address: www.bham.lib.al.us/
E-mail: jpate@bham.lib.al.us
Special Collection Dept.
800 Lakeshore Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35229
Telephone: 205-726-2749
Fax: 205-726-2642
Internet address: www.daviswel.samford.edu/about/special/html
Local History Dept.
704 Government St.
Mobile, AL 36602-1499
Telephone: 334-208-7093
Fax: 334-208-5866
Internet address: www.mplonline.org
E-mail: mpllhg@acan.net
University of Alabama
500 Hackberry Ln.
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0266
Telephone: 205-348-0500
Fax: 205-348-1699
Internet address: www.lib.ua.edu/hoole/
E-mail: archives@bama.ua.edu
The mailing address is:
P.O. Box 870266
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0266
Special Collections Dept.
Ralph Brown Draughon Library
231 Mell St.
Auburn, AL 36849-5606
Telephone: 334-844-1700
Fax: 334-844-1703
Internet address: www.lib.auburn.edu/special/
E-mail: fostecd@lib.auburn.edu
The library has a large genealogical collection and a helpful worldwide web site.
To learn more about the history and record-keeping systems of Alabama counties, use the 14 inventories of county archives, published by the Historical Records Survey from 1938 to 1942. These were published for: Clay, Colbert, Conecuh, Cullman, Greene, Hale, Lauderdale, Lowndes, Madison, Marengo, Sumter, Talladega, Wilcox, and Winston counties. The Family History Library has the inventories for Colbert, Conecuh, Cullman, Hale, Lauderdale, Lowndes, Marengo, and Talladega counties. To find these in the Family History Library Catalog see:
ALABAMA, [COUNTY]- ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES
Courthouse Fires
Baker 1870
The above list was compiled from Research in Alabama by Wendy L. Elliott and Researching in Alabama: A Genealogical Guide by Marilyn Davis Barefield both cited in the “For Further Reading” section in this outline.
Butler 1853
Calhoun 1861, 1865
Cherokee 1882
Chilton 1870
Choctaw 1871
Clay 1875
Coffee 1877
Conecuh 1868, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1900
Coosa 1900
Covington 1839, 1847, 1878, 1895
Crenshaw 1898
Dale 1869, 1885
Fayette 1866, 1916
Franklin 1890
Geneva 1898
Greene 1868
Jackson 1864, 1920
Jefferson 1870
Lawrence 1859
Limestone 1862
Marengo 1848, 1965
Marion 1866, 1883
Mobile 1823, 1840, 1872
Monroe 1832
Morgan 1926, 1938
Pickens 1864, 1876
Pike 1828
Randolph 1897
Sumter 1901
Walker 1865, 1877, 1886, 1932
Winston 1891
Computer Networks and Bulletin Boards
ALABAMA- ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIESALABAMA, [COUNTY]- ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/8/2001]