Marengo County, Alabama Genealogy

United States

Alabama

Marengo County

Guide to Marengo County, Alabama ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Alabama Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Linden Organized: February 6, 1818 Parent County(s): Choctaw Cession Neighboring Counties Choctaw  • Clarke  • Dallas  • Greene  • Hale  • Perry  • Sumter  • Wilcox See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption This page is available for adoption

County Information

Description

The County was named in honor of a battlefield near Turin, Italy, where the French defeated the Austrians on June 14, 1800.The County is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Marengo County Courthouse
101 East Coats Avenue #104
PO Box 480566
Linden, AL 36748
Phone: 334-295-2224
Fax: 334-295-2092
Marengo County Website

Probate Judge has marriage, probate and land records. Registrar in Chancery has divorce records.
Clerk circuit Court has court records.

Marengo County, Alabama Record Dates

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.

Known Beginning Dates for Major Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1881	1819	1906	1917	1820	1818	1816
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1908. General compliance for births by 1927 and for deaths 1925.

Record Loss

Marengo County had destructive courthouse fires in 1848 and 1965. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.

Boundary Changes

1818 Marengo County was created 6 February 1818 from the Choctaw Cession of 1816. County seat: Linden Interactive Map of Alabama County Formation History (1799-1980) - animated maps illustrating Alabama county boundary changes Alabama Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library

Populated Places

The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in Marengo County:

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.

Cities
Demopolis	Linden (county seat)
Towns
Dayton Faunsdale	Myrtlewood Providence	Sweet Water Thomaston
Unincorporated communities
Aimwell Alfalfa Calvary Campground Clay Hill Consul Coxheath Dixons Mills Doyle Exmoor Half Acre Half Chance Hampden	Hill Top Hoboken Hugo Jefferson Lasca Magnolia Marengo McKinley Miller Moores Valley Moscow Nicholsville	Octagon Old Spring Hill Pin Hook Pope Rembert Salt Well Shiloh Siddonsville Surginer Vangale Vineland Wayne
Census-designated places
Nanafalia	Putnam
Ghost towns
Aigleville

Resources

Bible Records

• Marengo County Bible Records at Alabama Genealogy
• Marengo County Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives Project

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Marengo, Alabama online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find A Grave BillionGraves USGW Tombstone Transcription Project Interment.net
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Catalog WorldCat.org
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find A Grave BillionGraves FamilySearch Places
See Alabama Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	2,933	—
1830	7,700	162.5%
1840	17,264	124.2%
1850	27,831	61.2%
1860	31,171	12.0%
1870	26,151	−16.1%
1880	30,890	18.1%
1890	33,095	7.1%
1900	38,315	15.8%
1910	39,923	4.2%
1920	36,065	−9.7%
1930	36,426	1.0%
1940	35,736	−1.9%
1950	29,494	−17.5%
1960	27,098	−8.1%
1970	23,819	−12.1%
1980	25,047	5.2%
1990	23,084	−7.8%
2000	22,539	−2.4%
2010	21,027	−6.7%
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

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

• FamilySearch Places
  

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Ward and Branch Records

• Magnolia

Court Records

• 1841-1867 Circuit Court Case Files and Estate Records (1841-1867), Marengo County, Alabama(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1867-1870 Apprentice Records, 1867-1870(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

• 1861 Tharin's Marengo County Directory(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

• 1865-1872 Alabama, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Funeral Homes

• Curry Funeral Home in Demopolis
• Kirk Funeral Home in Demopolis
• Lark and Scott Mortuaryin Demopolis

Land and Property Records

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.

To place a grant or deed on a map within context of Marengo County see:

• Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Marengo County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2008. This is a definitive work and can be used as an index to land grants. Digital version at HistoryGeo.com ($). Website includes surname index. FHL Book 976.1392 E7b.

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Marengo 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.

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
• Family Maps of Marengo County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
• 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

Military Records

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

• 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 - 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 Marengo 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 Marengo County:

- 1st Battalion, Alabama Artillery, Company F

- 4th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D(Canebrake Rifle Guards)

- 11th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A

- 11th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D "Canebrake Legion"

- 21st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A "Washington Light Infantry"

- 21st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C "Marengo Rifles"

- 21st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E "Chamberlain Rifles or Woodruff Rifles"

- 21st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G

- 23rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C

- 43rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A, B and E

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 Alabama Active Military Service Reports at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
  

Newspapers

• Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
• 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Other Records

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. Marengo County has three books, with working links to two:

• Marengo County Voting Registration Book 2
• Marengo County Voting Registration Book 3

Probate Records

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1753-1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry ($)
• 1809-1985 Alabama Probate Records, 1809-1985(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
• 1819-1898 Wills, Estates, Petitions 1819-1865; 1841-1898 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
• 1820-1929 Minutes, 1820-1929(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1820-1936 Will Records, 1820-1936(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1823-1930 Miscellaneous Records, 1823-1930 (Marengo County, Alabama)(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1830-1976 Alabama Estate Files, 1830-1976(*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1870-1964 Guardians' Letters, 1870-1964(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1911-1914 Child Labor Affidavit Register, 1911-1914(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• Inventory of the County Archives of Alabama: Marengo County at Ancestry ($)

Social Security Records

• 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

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 $

Vital Records

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

• 1881–1930 Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch.org - 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

• 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
• 1800-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 Ancestry ($)
• 1809-1920 Alabama, Compiled Marriages from Selected Counties, 1809-1920 Ancestry ($)
• 1809-1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
• 1816-1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1818-1851, 1923, 1926, 1929, 1936-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 Ancestry ($)
• 1818-1895 Marengo County Marriage Index 1818-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
• 1818-1936 White Marengo County Marriages
• 1818-1936 Alabama County Marriages, 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• To 1825 Index to Marriages Ancestry ($)

Death

• 1881-1952 Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1881-1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 Ancestry ($)
• 1906-1913 Marengo County Death Index 1906-1913 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
• 1908-1959 Alabama, Death Index, 1908-1959 Ancestry ($)
• 1908-1974 Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - How to Use this Collection; index

Research Facilities

Family History Centers

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

• Demopolis Alabama Family History Center

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Marengo County. For state-wide library facilities, see Alabama Archives and Libraries.

Demopolis Public Library
211 East Washington Street
Demopolis, Alabama 36732
Phone: 334-289-1595
Website

Their genealogy collection is found in theGwyndolyn Collins Turner Reading Room. This includes local and state histories, newspapers, family files, census records, and more.

Societies

Marengo County Historical Society
P. O. Box 159
407 N Commissioners Ave
Demopolis, AL 36732
(334) 289-9644
Email: marengohistory@bellsouth.net
Website
Facebook

Websites

• USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
• Marengo Co. AL
• United States Resources: Alabama
• USGenWeb Archives Project ~ contains record transcriptions from Bibles, obituaries, court records and more.
• Marengo County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
• Marengo County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• ALGenWeb
• Marion County ALGenWeb
• 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.

Due to contractual agreements, some images and/or databases on FamilySearch.org may only be viewed at a Family History Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.