Chambers County, Alabama Genealogy
Guide to Chambers County, Alabama ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named in honor of Henry H. Chambers, who served as a Senator from Alabama.[2]The county is located in the east-central area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Chambers County Courthouse
2 LaFayette Street
LaFayette, AL 36862
Phone: 334-864-4341 or 334-864-4329
Fax: 334-864-9702
Email: commission.info@chamberscountyal.gov
District Court Phone: 334-864-4323
Chambers County Website
Chambers County Courthouse Annex
610 South Gilmer Avenue
Lanett, AL 36863
Probate office has marriage records from 1833 and probate and land records from 1843.
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records.[4]
Chambers County, Alabama Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1908 | 1833 | 1908 | 1833 | 1843 | 1843 | 1816 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in Chambers County:[7]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Chambers County, Alabama Bible Records at Access Genealogy
- Chambers County, Alabama Bible Records at Alabama Genealogy
- Chambers County Bible and Church Records at USGenWeb Project
- Chambers County Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives Project
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Biographies of many notable residents of Chambers County were published in Memorial Record of Alabama (1893). Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Begins on page 624.
- Chambers County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 17,333 | — |
| 1850 | 23,960 | 38.2% |
| 1860 | 23,214 | −3.1% |
| 1870 | 17,562 | −24.3% |
| 1880 | 23,440 | 33.5% |
| 1890 | 26,319 | 12.3% |
| 1900 | 32,554 | 23.7% |
| 1910 | 36,056 | 10.8% |
| 1920 | 41,201 | 14.3% |
| 1930 | 39,313 | −4.6% |
| 1940 | 42,146 | 7.2% |
| 1950 | 39,528 | −6.2% |
| 1960 | 37,828 | −4.3% |
| 1970 | 36,356 | −3.9% |
| 1980 | 39,191 | 7.8% |
| 1990 | 36,876 | −5.9% |
| 2000 | 36,583 | −0.8% |
| 2010 | 34,215 | −6.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1855 Alabama State Census, 1855 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1866 Alabama State Census, 1866 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Alabama denominations, view the Alabama Church Records wiki page.
- 1831-1994 Alabama, Church Records, 1831-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
- 1865-1872 Alabama, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Jeff Jones Funeral Home in LaFayette
- Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home in Lanett and Valley
- Silmon-Seroyer Funeral Home in LaFayette
- Unity Mortuary in Valley
- Vines Funeral Home in LaFayette
- Ward's Funeral Home in Valley
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Alabama Land and Property for additional information about early Alabama land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Chambers County. The histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Alabama Local Histories.
- Richards, Evan Goodin. Reminiscenses of the Early Days in Chambers County. n.d. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Librarye; FHL Book 976.1 A1 no. 55.
- Valley Historical Scrapbook. West Point, Ga.: The Society, 1970. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Alabama Maps and Blueprints Collection at Alabama Department of Archives and History – maps can be browsed by location or subject
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Multiple Wars
- ca.1918-ca.1962 Alabama, Military Discharge Records, ca.1918 - ca.1962 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Civil War Service Database at Alabama Department of Archives and History - index
- 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
- 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
- 1871-1880 Alabama, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1880-1930 Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications, ca. 1880-1930's at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
Regiments. Men in Chambers County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a large regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Chambers County:
- - 7th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A
- - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A "Cusseta Grays"
- - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C "Tom Watt's Grays"
- - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D "Yancey Grays"
- - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E "Gilmore's Greys"
- - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F "Billy Gilmer Grays"
- - 23rd Battalion, Alabama, Company E
- - 37th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G and I
- - 47th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D and I
- - 60th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K
World War I
- 1917-1919 Alabama, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Service Records at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
- 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Gold Star Files at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
World War II
- 1940-1945 Alabama, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1940-1966 [https:/ WWII/digital.archives.alabama.gov/digital/collection/p17217coll16 Alabama Active Military Service Reports] at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
Current Newspapers
- The Valley Times News is located at 220 N 12th St. Lanett, Alabama. Phone # is 334-644-1101
- The LaFayette Sun is located 116 LaFayette St., LaFayette, Alabama. Phone # is 334-864-8885
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voter Registration
- 1834-1981 Alabama Voter Registration and Poll Tax Cards, 1834-1981 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and some images
Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. See Chambers County at Register.
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1753-1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- 1809-1985 Alabama Probate Records, 1809-1985(*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1830-1976 Alabama Estate Files, 1830-1976(*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1833-1856 Images of Wills 1833-1856 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
- Chambers County Probate Records - Estate and Wills at USGenWeb.org. Includes a list of wills recorded in Will Book 3 1856/1872, wills at Chambers Co. AL Archives, and a few other transcripts of wills.
- Miscellaneous Records of Alabama : Cemetery and Bible Records(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Alabama tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Alabama Taxation.
- 1865-1866 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). Chambers County is in District 2.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Alabama State Department of Health , the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred or order electronically online $.
For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Alabama.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1930 Alabama, Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1881-1930 Alabama, County Birth Registers, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, and some images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 1802-1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry $. Contains over 12,000 names.
- 1809-1950 Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
- 1812-1837 Marriages at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
- 1816-1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1818-1936 Alabama County Marriages, 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1824, 1833-1902, 1936-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry $.
- 1833-1900 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 at Ancestry $. Contains about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.
- 1833-1925 Chambers County Marriage Books 1-11 and C thru G Index 1833-1925 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch[8]
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1952 Alabama, Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1881-1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry $.
- 1908-1959 Index to Deaths recorded by the state of Alabama at Ancestry $. The index includes name of the deceased, county and date of death, and state certificate number (volume and page).
- 1908-1974 Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
- Alabama Department of Archives and History
P.O. Box 300100
624 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-4435
website
- Cobb Memorial Archives
3419 20th Avenue
Valley, AL 36854
Phone: 334-768-2161
Website
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Chambers County. For state-wide library facilities, see Alabama Archives and Libraries.
- Chambers County Library has two branches:
- H. GRADY BRADSHAW LIBRARY
3419 20th Avenue
Valley, AL 36854
Phone: 334-768-2161
Email: askus@chamberscountylibrary.org
Website - LAFAYETTE PILOT PUBLIC LIBRARY
198 1st Street SE
LaFayette, AL 36862
Phone: 334-864-0012
Email: lafayette@chamberscountylibrary.org
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
- Chattahoochee Valley Historical Society Inc.
The Lanier Room
3419 20th Avenue
Valley, AL 36854
334-768-2050
Facebook
Website
- Genealogy Society of East Alabama
PO Box 2892
Opelika, AL 36803-2892
Email to: gsofea@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Alabama Genealogical and Historical Resources on the Net
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- Chambers County Births, Marriages, Deaths, Divorce USGenWeb Archives Project
- USGenWeb Archives Project ~ contains record transcriptions from Bibles, obituaries, court records and more.
- Chambers County AL Rootsweb
- Chambers County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
- Chambers County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Chambers County, Alabama Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ala/chambers/ 05/30/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Chambers, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambers_County,_Alabama 05/30/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Chambers County, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambers_County,_Alabama, accessed 4 October 2018.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/8d/Igialabama.pdf.
