Marion County, Alabama Genealogy
Guide to Marion County, Alabama ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Marion County, Alabama | |
| Map | |
 Location of Alabama in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | February 13, 1818 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Hamilton |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Marion County Courthouse 132 S. Military Street Hamilton, AL 35570 Phone: (205) 921-7451 Marion County Website |
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 County Courthouse
- 3 History
- 4 Places/Localities
- 5 Resources
- 6 Societies and Libraries
- 7 Marion County Alabama Genealogy Websites
- 8 Marion County Alabama Genealogy References
County Information
Marion County, Alabama Record Dates
| | ||||||
| Birth | Marriage | Death | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1909 | 1885 | 1909 | 1887 | 1887 | 1885 | 1816 |
| | ||||||
County Courthouse
Probate Judge has birth and death records 1909 -1919; marriage records from 1885, land records from 1887; and military discharge records from 1920 [2]
Description
The County was named in honor of Francis Marion of South Carolina, general in the American Revolutionary War. The County has Hamilton as its seat and the County was created February 13, 1818.[3] The County is located in the northwest area of the state.[4]
History
The county is named after "The Swamp Fox" Revolutionary War Brigadier General Francis Marion (c1732-1795).[5]
Parent County
1818--Marion County was created 13 February 1818 from Tuscaloosa County.
County seat: Hamilton [6]
Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Alabama county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Alabama County Boundary Maps" (1799-1980) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss
Marion County had destructive courthouse fires in 1866, and 1883. See Research in Alabama: A Genealogical Guide page 28 for suggested alternative sources to overcome this loss.[7]
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
- Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.
- Arlene Eakle, When the Records are Gone in the Tennessee Genealogy Blog.
- Michael John Neill, Burned Counties in Family History Circle.
Places/Localities
Populated Places
Neighboring Counties
Resources
Cemeteries
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The following web site has additional information on Marion county cemeteries.
- Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.
Census
| Marion County, Alabama | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 4,058 | — |
| 1840 | 5,847 | 44.1% |
| 1850 | 7,833 | 34.0% |
| 1860 | 11,182 | 42.8% |
| 1870 | 6,059 | −45.8% |
| 1880 | 9,364 | 54.5% |
| 1890 | 11,347 | 21.2% |
| 1900 | 14,494 | 27.7% |
| 1910 | 17,495 | 20.7% |
| 1920 | 22,008 | 25.8% |
| 1930 | 25,967 | 18.0% |
| 1940 | 28,776 | 10.8% |
| 1950 | 27,264 | −5.3% |
| 1960 | 21,837 | −19.9% |
| 1970 | 23,788 | 8.9% |
| 1980 | 30,041 | 26.3% |
| 1990 | 29,830 | −0.7% |
| 2000 | 31,214 | 4.6% |
| 2010 | 30,776 | −1.4% |
State Census
- 1866 - Alabama State Census, 1866 at FamilySearch — index
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.
Court Records
Land and Property
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 Marion County, Alabama Genealogy see:
- Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Marion County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2006. This is a definitive work and can be used as an index to land grants. Digital version at HistoryGeo.com ($). Website includes free surname index. FHL Book 976.189 E7b.
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Marion County, Alabama Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Alabama Local Histories.
Maps
for more resources
- Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
- Family Maps of Marion County, Alabama Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
Military
Civil War
Civil War service men from Marion County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Marion County.
- - 5th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company E, F, H and K
- - 16th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G and K
- - 26th Regiment, Alabama Infantry (O'Neal's), Company F, G and H
- - 42nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K
Online Records
- 1861-1865 - Alabama Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 - Alabama Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
- 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
- 1907, 1921, 1927 - Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch — images
- 1881 Pensions. Southeastern Genealogy ($)
Newspapers
Finding More Alabama Newspapers
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Marion County, Alabama Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Marion County, Alabama Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Transcription of the following newspapers:
Marion County Herald - (1887 - 1890)
The Guin Dispatch - (1888-1889)
The Hamilton Free Press - 1893 - 1894
The Hamilton News Press - 1895
Marion County News (1896 - 1899)
Marion County Democrat (1903-1904)
Marion County Republican - (1908)
Marion county articles from various newspapers around the country - 1838 - 1900
Marion County articles from various newspapers around the country - 1901 - ?
Probate Records
Probate records are held by the Marion County, Alabama Genealogy Probate Court. Most records are housed at the Marion County, Alabama Genealogy Courthouse. Many records are on microfilm at the Family History Library.
See the wiki page Alabama Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their places of residence.
Record types: Wills, dower records, personal property sales, settlement records, orphans’ records, and bonds.
Online Probate Records
- 1753 – 1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1809 – 1985 Alabama Probate Records, 1809-1985 at FamilySearch — images
Taxation
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 ($). Marion 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. See also How to order Alabama Vital Records
Birth Records
- 1881-1930 - Alabama, Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free
- 1881 – 1930 Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch.org — index
Marriage Records
- 1733-2013 - Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- Marion County Marriages at ALGenWeb - free
- To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry – ($); Index. contains over 12,000 names. Each entry includes groom, bride, marriage date, county, and state. Every name is indexed so you can search for one name, or two names that are linked.
- To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry – ($); Index. contains over 12,000 names. Each entry includes groom, bride, marriage date, county, and state. Every name is indexed so you can search for one name, or two names that are linked.
- 1861, 1865, 1886-1901,1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry – ($); Index. This collection is comprised of indexes created by several agencies - the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, and Hunting For Bears.
- 1861, 1865, 1886-1901,1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry – ($); Index. This collection is comprised of indexes created by several agencies - the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, and Hunting For Bears.
- 1887-1900 "Alabama Marriages, 1809–1920" at Ancestry – ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage records from the state. Researchers will find the names of both bride and groom along with the marriage date. The county where the ceremony was performed is also provided. Containing about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.
- 1887-1900 "Alabama Marriages, 1809–1920" at Ancestry – ($); Index. This database is a collection of marriage records from the state. Researchers will find the names of both bride and groom along with the marriage date. The county where the ceremony was performed is also provided. Containing about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.
- 1809 – 1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch.org — index/images
- 1816 – 1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1800 – 1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1809 – 1920 [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4192 Alabama Marriages,
- 1809-1920 (Selected Counties)] at Ancestry.com — index $
Death Records
- 1881-1952 - Alabama, Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free
- 1881–1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry – ($); Index. Volunteers extracted the details in this index from microfilmed copies of church, civil, family, and other records of Alabama deaths and burials. details vary depending on the original record. Note that the number of available records can vary widely by county, and this database does not necessarily represent a comprehensive set of death records for the state during this time.
- 1881–1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry – ($); Index. Volunteers extracted the details in this index from microfilmed copies of church, civil, family, and other records of Alabama deaths and burials. details vary depending on the original record. Note that the number of available records can vary widely by county, and this database does not necessarily represent a comprehensive set of death records for the state during this time.
- 1908–1959 Index to Deaths Recorded by the State of Alabama at Ancestry – ($); Index. The index includes name of the deceased, county of death, date of death, and the state certificate number (volume and page).
- 1908–1959 Index to Deaths Recorded by the State of Alabama at Ancestry – ($); Index. The index includes name of the deceased, county of death, date of death, and the state certificate number (volume and page).
- 1908-1974 - Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free
- 1881 – 1952 Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1908 – 1974 Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1881 – 1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1908 – 1959 [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5188 Alabama Deaths,
- 1908-59] at Ancestry.com — index $
Vital Record Substitutes
- Obituaries and death notices from the transcribed newspapers at The USGenWeb Archives - free.
- Marriage notices from the transcribed newspapers at The USGenWeb Archives - free.
Voting Registers
Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Marion County has one book.
Societies and Libraries
Marion County Genealogical Society
P. O. Drawer 1527
Winfield, AL
35594
Link
Marion County Historical Society
P. O. Box 492
Hamilton, AL
35570
Link
Libraries
Winfield Public Library
185 Ashwood Drive
Winfield, Alabama 35594
Telephone: 205-487-2484
- The library has a genealogy section.
Marion Clyde Nix Public Library
205-921-4290
Family History Centers
Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.
Marion County Alabama Genealogy Websites
- 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.
- Marion County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
- Marion County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Marion County Genealogy Trails - contains transcriptions, newspaper transcriptions, obituaries and marriages from newspapers and much, much more
Marion County Alabama Genealogy References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Marion County, Alabama. Page 37 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 33.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Marion County p. 38. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, "Marion County, Alabama Genealogy and History", http://genealogytrails.com/ala/marion/ 6/08/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Marion, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_County,_Alabama 6/08/2017.
- ↑ "Francis Marion," Wikipedia.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Marilyn Davis Barefield, Researching in Alabama: a Genealogical Guide (Birmingham, Alabama : Birmingham Public Library, 1998), 28. At various libraries (WorldCat). FHL Book 976.1 D27b 1998.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/c/cf/Igialabamals.pdf.
