Polk County, Georgia Genealogy
Guide to Polk County, Georgia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Tax Records
- 2.27 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information
Description
The County was named for James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th President of the United States (1845–1849). The County is located in the northwestern area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Polk County Courthouse
PO Box 268
Cedartown, GA 30125-0268
Phone: 770-749-2100
Polk County Website
Probate Court has birth, marriage, death and probate records.
Clerk Superior court has divorce, court and land records from 1852.[3]
Polk County, Georgia 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.
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| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1852 | 1852 | 1852 | 1860 | |||
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Record Loss
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1864 During the American Civil War the courthouse at Cedartown was burned November 1 or 2. Most county records survived.[4] |
Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Georgia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Georgia County Boundary Maps" (1758-1932) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places
The following are locations in Polk County, Georgia:
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
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The following web site may have additional information on Polk County cemeteries.
- Interment.net Georgia cemetery records
Census Records
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 Georgia denominations, see the Georgia Church Records wiki page.
LDS Ward and Branch Records
- Polk
Court Records
Directories
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
Genealogies
Guardianship
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 Georgia Land and Property for additional information about early Georgia land grants from the government. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions (generally buying and selling deeds) were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Polk County, Georgia 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 Georgia Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers
Migration
Military Records
- Georgia USGenWeb Archives Project
Civil War
Online Records
- 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 Georgia Civil War Service Records of Union 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)
Regiments. Service men in Polk County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Polk County:
- - 20th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company D
- - 21st Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company D
- Carter, Larry D. 2012. Polk County, Georgia the first one-hundred years. [S.l.]: L.D. Carter. (page 227-328; 581-638) 975.8375 H2
World War I
- 1920-1929 Georgia, World War I, Statement of Service Cards, 1920-1929 at FamilySearch — index and images
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
Obituaries
Other Records
Voting Records
- 1867-1868 Georgia, Reconstruction Registration Oath Books, 1867-1868 at FamilySearch — index
Periodicals
Probate Records
Colonial courts kept some early probate records. From 1777 to 1798 and since 1852, the court of ordinary or register of probates has kept probate and guardianship records. The inferior court handled probate and guardianship matters from 1798 to 1852.
Many probate records to the 1930s and 1940s are at the Georgia Department of Archives and History and the Family History Library on microfilm.
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 place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records (not all years).
Online Probate Records
- 1742-1990 Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1742-1992 Georgia Wills and Probate Records 1742-1992 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
- 1848-1911 Wills, 1848-1911 (digital images) Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1848-1936 Index to Will Book A, 1848-1936 Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1860-1893 Index to Annual Returns and Vouchers, 1860-1893 Georgia Pioneers ($)
School Records
Tax Records
Taxes were levied on free white males over 21 and all slaves up to age 60. These persons are referred to as "polls." Tax listings, or digests, of a county generally list the taxable landowners and other polls and the amount of tax. The records for each county are divided by militia district.
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 Georgia 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 Georgia.
Birth
Marriage
- 1560-1993 Georgia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index ($)
- 1699-1944 Georgia Marriages 1699-1944 at Ancestry— index ($)
- 1754-1960 Georgia Church Marriages, 1754-1960 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1785-1950 Georgia County Marriages 1785-1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1787-1962 Georgia, Church Marriages, 1787-1962 at FamilySearch — index
- 1808-1967 Georgia Marriages 1808-1967 at FamilySearch — index
- 1824-1850 Marriages 1824-1850 Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1828-1978 Georgia Marriage Records from Select Counties 1828-1978 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
- 1852-1888 Polk County Marriage Books A and B Index 1852-1888. Batch M713521 at FamilySearch[6]
- 1884-1895 Polk County Marriage Books C and D Index 1884-1895. Batch M713522 at FamilySearch
- 1885-1886 Marriages from Newspapers Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 1891-1895 Polk County Marriage Book D Index 1891-1895. Batch M713523 at FamilySearch
Death
- 1914-1927 - Georgia Deaths 1914-1927 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1919-1998 - Georgia Deaths 1919-1998 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1928-1942 - Georgia Deaths, 1928-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1933-1998 - Georgia Death Index 1933-1998 at FamilySearch — index
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
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.
Libraries
Museums
Societies
- Polk County Historical Society
205 N College St.
PO Box 203
Cedartown, GA 30125-2603
Email: staff@polkhist.org
Website
Websites
- Polk County GAGenWeb
- Polk County, GA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Georgia Genealogy Network Community on Google+
- Georgia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
- Polk County, Georgia Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Georgia Pioneers ($)
- 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
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Georgia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Polk County, Georgia" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polk_County,_Georgia accessed 5 Nov 2018
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Georgia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Paul K. Graham, Georgia Courthouse Disasters (Decatur, Georgia: Genealogy Co., 2013), 49-50. At various libraries (WorldCat).
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Georgia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/5/53/Igigeorgiamz.pdf.
