Calhoun County, Alabama Genealogy

United States

Alabama

Calhoun County

Guide to Calhoun 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: Anniston Organized: December 18, 1832 Parent County(s): Creek Cession Neighboring Counties Cherokee  • Cleburne  • Etowah  • St. Clair  • Talladega See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption This page is available for adoption

County Information

Description

Calhoun County was originally named Benton County in honor of Thomas Hart Benton. Name was changed to Calhoun, in honor of John C. Calhoun, in 1858. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse

Calhoun County Courthouse
25 W 11th St.
Anniston, AL 36201
Phone: 256-231-1750
Calhoun County Website

Probate Judge has marriage records 1834-1979.
Registrar in Chancery has divorce records.
Clerk Circuit Court has Court Records.

Calhoun 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
1919	1834	1919	1835	1832	1891	1816
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1908. General compliance for births by 1927 and for deaths 1925.

Record Loss

Calhoun County had destructive courthouse fires in 1861, 1865, and 1932. 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

1832--Calhoun County (orginially named Benton County) was created 18 December 1832 from the Creek Cession of 1832. County seat: Anniston 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 Calhoun County:

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

Cities
Anniston (county seat) Glencoe Jacksonville	Oxford Piedmont	Southside Weaver
Towns
Hobson City	Ohatchee
Unincorporated communities
Allsop Angel Asberry Bethel Betta-Life Blue Mountain Blue Pond Boiling Spring Boiling Springs Bonny Brook Booker T City Brutonville Burns Burns Crossroad Cedar Springs Chosea Springs Colvins Gap Colwell Couch Crystal Springs De Soto Manor DeArmanville Duke Eastaboga Eulaton Four Mile Francis	Grayton Greenwood Hallingworth Halls Chapel Harmony Hicks Holley Crossroads Hollingsworth Holly Springs Ingram Wells Iron City Joseph Springs Knightens Crossroads Knoxville Ladiga Laney Leatherwood Leydens Mill Lowrimores Crossroads Macon Maxwellborn Merrellton Middleton Mitchellville Morrisville Mount Olive	Mount Polk New Liberty Oak Level Old Davisville Peaceburg Philadelphia Pleasant Ridge Possum Trot Post Oak Prices Prickettville Rabbittown Ragan Chapel Reads Mill Roy Webb Sulphur Springs Tarsus Tredegar Trinity Union Vigo Vinnette Webster Chapel Wellington West Point West Wellington Whitesides Mill
Census-designated places
Alexandria Bynum Choccolocco	Nances Creek Saks	West End-Cobb Town White Plains
Ghost towns
Minden	Tooktocaugee

Resources

Biographies

• Biographies of many notable residents of Calhoun County were published in Memorial Record of Alabama (1893). Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Begins on page 584.
• Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Calhoun County (Town of Oxford) begins on page 112.
• Calhoun County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Calhoun, Alabama online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find A Grave BillionGraves USGW Tombstone Transcription Project Interment.net Alabama Gravestones
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.	%±
1840	14,260	—
1850	17,163	20.4%
1860	21,539	25.5%
1870	13,980	−35.1%
1880	19,591	40.1%
1890	33,835	72.7%
1900	34,874	3.1%
1910	39,115	12.2%
1920	47,822	22.3%
1930	55,611	16.3%
1940	63,319	13.9%
1950	79,539	25.6%
1960	95,878	20.5%
1970	103,092	7.5%
1980	119,761	16.2%
1990	116,034	−3.1%
2000	112,249	−3.3%
2010	118,572	5.6%
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
  

Court Records

• Benton County Final Record, 1837–1840 [Circuit Court]. Bound and stored in the Alabama Room at the Anniston-Calhoun County Public Library--Main.

Directories

Calhoun County, Alabama Online Historical Directories - identifies historical city, county, business and other directories available online on both and pay-to-access websites.

• 1931 Polk's Anniston City Directory, 1931 at FamilySearch Digital Library

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

The following have information concerning African American research.Both should be used:

• African American Genealogy (US) has more information about the kinds of records
• Alabama Cultural Groups has information specific to Alabama African Americans.

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 Calhoun County see:

• Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Calhoun County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2007. This is a definitive work and can be used as an index to land grants. Arphax Publishing ($). Website includes surname index. FHL Book 976.163 E7bg.

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Calhoun 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.

• Lower Piedmont Country: The Uplands of the Deep South. By H.C. Nixon with new introduction by Sarh N. Shouse. University, Ala.: University of Alabama Press, 1984, 1946.
• Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Calhoun County begins on page 111.
• Possum Trot, Rural Community. By H. C. Nixon. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1941.

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
• Family Maps of Calhoun County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
• FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- 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 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 Calhoun 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 Calhoun County:

- 1st Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company E

- 1st Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company H "Sandy Williams' Guards"

- 2nd Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company A

- 2nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A and I

- 3rd Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company G, Floyd Bush Rangers

- 7th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B

- 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D "Alexandria Rifle Company"

- 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G "Pope Walker Guards"

- 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H "Choccolocco Rifles"

- 22nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E

- 25th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company I

- 30th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B and E

- 31st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D

- 44th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K

- 48th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company I and K

- 50th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A, formerly Company A, 2nd Battalion

- 51st Regiment, Alabama Partisan Rangers, Company A and D

- 58th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F

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

archived and digitized newspapers available online on both and pay-to-access websites.

• 1837-1895 Jacksonville Republican
• 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
• 1929-1976 Anniston Star at Ancestry ($).
• Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
• Alabama Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical

Other Records

Voting Registration

• 1834-1981: Alabama Voter Registration and Poll Tax Cards, 1834-1981 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index and images

Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. See Calhoun County at Register.

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; index and images
• 1830-1976 Alabama Estate Files, 1830-1976 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

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 ($). Calhoun County is in District 3.

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.

Vital Record Substitutes

• A collection of obituaries and death notices from various funeral homes in the Calhoun County area has been put together by GenealogyBuffs:

Calhoun County, Alabama Obituary and Death Notices Collection

Birth

• 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

• 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
• 1800-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry $
• 1809-1920 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties) at Ancestry $
• 1809-1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and some images
• 1815, 1833-1868, 1936-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry ($); Index.
• 1816-1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index
• 1818-1936 Alabama County Marriages, 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry ($); Index. Contains over 12,000 names.
• 1834-1927 Calhoun County Marriage Books B2-N Index 1834-1927 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

Death

• 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 ($); Index.
• 1908-1959 Index to Deaths recorded by the state of Alabama at Ancestry ($); Index
• 1908-1974 Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Research Facilities

Archives

• Alabama Department of Archives and History
  P.O. Box 300100
  624 Washington Ave.
  Montgomery, AL 36130
  (334) 242-4435
  website

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

• Anniston Alabama Family History Center
  

Libraries

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

• Public Library of Anniston-Calhoun County
  Alabama Room
  108 E. 10th Street
  Anniston, Alabama 36201
  Phone: 256-237-8501
  E-mail: alroom@anniston.lib.al.us
  Website

Societies

• AlaBenton Genealogical Society
  108 E. 10th Street
  Anniston, AL 36202
  Website
  

• Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society
  P O Box 8268
  Gadsden, AL 35902
  Website

Websites

• Alabama Genealogical and Historical Resources on the Net
• Calhoun County, AL Genealogy Trails
• Calhoun County Tracking Your Roots
• USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
• USGenWeb Archives Project ~ contains record transcriptions from Bibles, obituaries, court records and more.
• Calhoun County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
• Calhoun County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• Jacksonville State University Yearbook Digital Project: The Library is currently digitizing the entire run of the Jacksonville State University yearbooks. The yearbooks began publication in 1926 under the name Teacola (some volumes spelled "Teacoala"), which they held until 1933, when the title changed to the Mimosa. The Mimosa was not published immediately preceding and during World War II, so there are no volumes for the years 1934-1947. Print copies of the yearbooks can be found in the Library's reference collection on the 5th floor, and also in closed stacks in the 10th floor Alabama Gallery.
• 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.
• Web Sites at RootsWeb - Calhoun AL

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.