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A Brief History of Alabama

    FACT: Genealogy is the STORY of our ancestors, our FAMILY. It is NOT simply a series of names and dates. In order to better uncover the story of our ancestors lives, sometimes it helps to understand the history of what was going on where they lived. It may explain WHY they moved to that place, or why they moved away from it. Knowing the history of our ancestors lives helps to bring their story to life, and provides clues to help us find MORE information about them.

    Not being historians ourselves, we compile a selection of history, using a variety of online and print sources, such as Encyclopaedia Britannica, Compton's Encyclopedia, and Wikipedia. We hope these historical compiliations are helpful in providing research clues and understanding of how your ancestors lived.

GenealogyForum.com - A Brief History of Alabama




The Political Divisions of Alabama
CountyDate FormedParent CountyCounty Seat
AUTAUGA21 Nov 1818MontgomeryPRATTVILLE
BAINE
This county was discontinued in 1867, and the land incorporated into Etowah County in 1868.   See Etowah
BAKER
This county was created in 1868. The name was changed to Chilton County in 1874.   See Chilton
BALDWIN21 Dec 1809Washington, FloridaBAY MINETTE
BARBOUR18 Dec 1832Creek Nation, PikCLAYTON
BENTON
Created in 1832, its name was changed to Calhoun County on 29 January 1858.   See Calhoun
BIBB7 Feb 1818Originally CahawbaCENTREVILLE
BLOUNT6 Feb 1818Creek NationONEONTA
BULLOCK5 Dec 1866Barbour, Macon, Montgomery, PikeUNION SPRINGS
BUTLER13 Dec 1819Monroe, ConecuhGREENVILLE
CAHAWBA
This county was created in 1818. The name was changed to Bibb County two years later.   See Bibb
CALHOUN18 Dec 1832Creek Nation, originally BentonANNISTON
CHAMBERS18 Dec 1832Creek NationLAFAYETTE
CHEROKEE9 Jan 1836Cherokee NationCENTRE
CHILTON30 Dec 1868Autauga, Bibb, Perry, ShelbyCLANTON
CHOCTAW29 Dec 1847Sumter, WashingtonBUTLER
CLARKE10 Dec 1812Mississippi TerritoryGROVE HILL
CLAY7 Dec 1866Randolph, TalladegaASHLAND
CLEBURNE6 Dec 1866Calhoun, Randolph, TalladegaHEFLIN
COFFEE29 Dec 1841DaleELBA
COLBERT6 Feb 1867FranklinTUSCUMBIA
CONECUH13 Feb 1818MonroeEVERGREEN
COOSA18 Dec 1832Creek NationROCKFORD
COTACO
Created in 1818 - named for a local Indian chief, it was renamed Morgan County in 1821.   See Morgan
COVINGTON17 Dec 1821briefly renamed JonesANDALUSIA
CRENSHAW30 Nov 1866Butler, Coffee, Covington, Pike, LowndesLUVERNE
CULLMAN24 Jan 1877Blount, Morgan, WinstonCULLMAN
DALE22 Dec 1824Covington, HenryOZARK
DALLAS9 Aug 1814Creek NationSELMA
DECATUR
Formed 17 December 1821 from Jackson County, Abolished 28 December 1824 for want of minimal area. Territory was divided between Jackson and Madison counties.   See Jackson and Madison
DEKALB9 Jan 1836Cherokee NationFORT PAYNE
ELMORE15 Feb 1866Autauga, Coosa, Montgomery, TallapoosaWETUMPKA
ESCAMBIA10 Dec 1868Baldwin, ConecuhBREWTON
ETOWAH7 Dec 1866originally BaineGADSDEN
FAYETTE20 Dec 1824Tuscaloosa, MarionFAYETTE
FRANKLIN6 Feb 1818Cherokee & Chickasaw NationsRUSSELLVILLE
GENEVA26 Dec 1868Dale, Henry, CoffeeGENEVA
GREENE13 Dec 1819Marengo, TuscaloosaEUTAW
HALE30 Jan 1867Greene, Marengo, Perry, TuscaloosaGREENSBORO
HANCOCK
Formed in 1850, it's name was changed to Winston in 1858.   See Winston
HENRY13 Dec 1819ConecuhABBEVILLE
HOUSTON09 Feb 1903Dale, Geneva, HenryDOTHAN
JACKSON13 Dec 1819Cherokee NationSCOTTSBORO
JEFFERSON13 Dec 1819BlountBIRMINGHAM
JONES
This county was created on 4 February 1867. It was abolished on 3 November 1867. Almost a year later, on 8 October 1868, Sanford County was created from what had been Jones County. In 1877, the name was changed to Lamar County   See Lamar
LAMAR04 Feb 1867Marion, Fayette, PickensVERNON
LAUDERDALE06 Feb 1818Cherokee & Chickasaw NationsFLORENCE
LAWRENCE06 Feb 1818Cherokee & Chickasaw NationsMOULTON
LEE05 Dec 1866Chambers, Macon, Russell, TallapoosaOPELIKA
LIMESTONE06 Feb 1818Cherokee & Chickasaw NationsATHENS
LOWNDES20 Jan 1830Butler, Dallas, MontgomeryHAYNEVILLE
MACON18 Dec 1832Creek NationTUSKEGEE
MADISON13 Dec 1808Cherokee & Chickasaw NationsHUNTSVILLE
MARENGO06 Feb 1818Choctaw NationLINDEN
MARION13 Feb 1818TuscaloosaHAMILTON
MARSHALL09 Jan 1836Blount, Jackson, Cherokee NationGUNTERSVILLE
MOBILE01 Aug 1813West FloridaMOBILE
MONROE29 Jun 1815Creek Nation WashingtonMONROEVILLE
MONTGOMERY06 Dec 1816MonroeMONTGOMERY
MORGAN06 Feb 1818Cherokee NationDECATUR
PERRY13 Dec 1819MontgomeryMARION
PICKENS19 Dec 1819TuscaloosaCARROLLTON
PIKE07 Dec 1821Henry, MontgomeryTROY
RANDOLPH18 Dec 1832Creek NationWEDOWEE
RUSSELL18 Dec 1832Creek NationPHENIX CITY
SAINT CLAIR20 Nov 1818ShelbyPELL CITY
SANFORD
Established on 8 October 1868, Sanford County was created from what had been Jones County. In 1877, the name was changed to Lamar County.   See Lamar
SHELBY07 Feb 1818MontgomeryCOLUMBIANA
SUMTER18 Dec 1832Choctaw NationLIVINGSTON
TALLADEGA18 Dec 1832Creek NationTALLADEGA
TALLAPOOSA18 Dec 1832Creek NationDADEVILLE
TUSCALOOSA07 Feb 1818Cherokee & Choctaw NationsTUSCALOOSA
WALKER20 Dec 1824Marion, TuscaloosaJASPER
WASHINGTON04 Jun 1800Mississippi TerritoryCHATOM
WILCOX13 Dec 1819Monroe, DallasCAMDEN
WINSTON12 Feb 1850WalkerDOUBLE SPRINGS

Online Sources for Genealogical Research in Alabama

    GenealogyForum.com Alabama File Library  


    Alabama Historical Association  


    Alabama Genealogy and Historical Societies  


    Alabama GenWeb  


    USGenWeb Archives - Alabama  


    Records Room - Alabama Records  


    Rootsweb Mailing Lists - Alabama Genealogy  


    The National Archives at Atlanta  


    Alabama Department of Archives and History  


    Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness  


    Family Search Wiki of Alabama Genealogy  


    Cyndi's List - Alabama Websites  


    Bureau of Land Management - Southeastern States  


    Access Genealogy - Alabama  


    Genealogy Trails - Alabama  


    Auburn University: Archives & Special Collections  


    Montgomery County Archives  


    Morgan County Archives  


    Atlas of Historical County Boundaries  


    University of South Alabama Archives  


    Auburn University Libraries  






Addresses for Research in Alabama
Alabama Historical Association
Pebble Hill
Auburn University, AL 36849-5637
Auburn University
Archives and Special Collections
(AUM Library Tower, 8th Floor - location)
PO Box 244023 - mailing
Montgomery, AL 36124
(334) 244-3213
Auburn University Libraries
231 Mell Street
Auburn, AL 36849
(334)844-4500 OR (800)446-0387
Email libwebm@auburn.edu


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