R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

Georgia
Research Outline
   

Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Land And Property
Maps
Military Records
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Periodicals
Probate Records
Taxation
Vital Records
Voting Registers
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

GAZETTEERSLook this term up in the glossary.

Several guides to places in Georgia have been published, including:

Hemperley, Marion R. Cities, Towns, and Communities of Georgia Between 1847-1962. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1980. (FHL book 975.8 E2h.)

Krakow, Kenneth K. Georgia Place-Names. Macon, Ga.: Winship Press, 1975. (FHL book 975.8 E2k.)

Sherwood, Adiel. A Gazetteer of the State of Georgia. 1827. Reprint, Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1939. (FHL book 975.8 E5s; film 928236 item 8; 1829 edition on film 164709.)


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GENEALOGYLook this term up in the glossary.

Most archivesLook this term up in the glossary., historical societiesLook this term up in the glossary., and genealogical societiesLook this term up in the glossary. have special collections and indexes of genealogical value. These must usually be searched in person. Two outstanding manuscript collections of compiled genealogies are:

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Genealogical Collection. This collection consists of transcripts of Bible records, cemetery records, church records, marriages, deaths, obituaries, and wills. It was microfilmed in 1970 and 1971 at the DAR Library in Washington, D.C., and is available on 22 films at the Family History Library (FHL films 848243 item 5—). A smaller collection was filmed in 1938-1957 at Atlanta (FHL films 006986-88). A third collection of alphabetically arranged compiled genealogies was filmed at Atlanta in 1962 (FHL films 288404-05 and 288184-91).

The Leon S. Hollingsworth Genealogical Card File. This 45,000-card file indexes Georgia censuses, wills, deeds, tax records, marriages, military records, cemetery records, newspapers, and family Bibles. It was microfilmed at the R.J. Taylor, Jr., Foundation in Atlanta and is now at the Georgia Department of Archives and History and the Family History Library. This collection is listed in the Family History Library Catalog under UNITED STATES - GENEALOGY (FHL films 1528052—). A list of the surnames mentioned in the collection and the number of cards for each name is Leon S. Hollingsworth Genealogical Card File: An Introduction and Inventory (Atlanta: R.J. Taylor, Jr., Foundation, 1979; FHL book 975 D2L).

Some major published genealogical collections for Georgia include:

Huxford, Folks. Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia. 9 vols. Homerville, Ga.: F. Huxford, 1951-93. (FHL book 975.8 D3h.)

Austin, Jeannette Holland. The Georgians: Genealogies of Pioneer Settlers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1984. (FHL book 975.8 D2ag.)

Gnann, Pearl R. Georgia Salzburger and Allied Families. Revised. [Savannah: Mrs. C. LeBey and Georgia Genealogical Reprints, 1970.] (FHL book 975.8 D2g 1970.)

Early legislative minutes, petitions, papers of governors, sales of confiscated loyalist estates, assembly and council of safety journals, and executive council minutes are in:

Candler, Allen D. The Revolutionary Records of the State of Georgia. 3 vols. Atlanta, Ga.: The Franklin-Turner Co., 1908. (FHL book 975.8 N2c.) Vol. 2 on film 962538. This has records from 1777-84 and is indexed.

Candler, Allen D., et al. The Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, 1732-1784. 32 vols. Atlanta, Ga.: State Printers, 1904-89. (FHL book 975.8 N2g; vols. 1-26 on films 944117-27.) This has records of the Governor and Council, House of Assembly, correspondence, etc. There are every-name indexes beginning with volume four.


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HISTORYLook this term up in the glossary.

The following important events in the history of Georgia affected political boundaries, record-keeping, and family movements.

1732

King George II of England granted a charter for the colony of Georgia as a place of refuge.

1733

James Oglethorpe founded the city of Savannah.

1734

German-speaking SalzburgersLook this term up in the glossary. began to settle at Ebenezer, in present-day Effingham County.

1752

The charter was surrendered and Georgia became a crown colony.

1788

Georgia became a state.

1802

Georgia relinquished its claims to lands west of the Chatahoochee River. These lands became part of Mississippi and Alabama.

1784-1820

Thousands of Americans moved to Georgia seeking inexpensive land. The first land lottery was held in 1805.

1861

Georgia seceded from the Union. It was readmitted in 1870.

A detailed history of Georgia's counties and early settlers is in George Gillman Smith, The Story of Georgia and the Georgia People, 1732-1860, 2d ed. 1901, Macon, Ga: G.G. Smith, 1901; FHL book 975.8 H2sg; film 908502).

References to additional historical materials are found in:

Dorsey, James E. Georgia Genealogy and Local History: A Bibliography. Spartanburg, S.C.: The Reprint Co., 1983. (FHL book 975.8 D23d.)

Simpson, John Eddins. Georgia History: A Bibliography. Metuchen, N.J.: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1976. (FHL book 975.8 H23s.)

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