Colbert County, Alabama Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Probate Judge has marriage records from 1877 land records from about 1867 Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records

Description
The County was named named in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, Chickasaw Indian chiefs. The County has Tuscumbia as its seat and the County was created February 6, 1867. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

History
Colbert County was created on 6 February 1867, out of part of Franklin County. It was abolished 29 November of 1867, re-established 24 January 1870.

Parent County
1867--Colbert County was created 6 February 1867 from part of Franklin County. County seat: Tuscumbia

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
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Neighboring Counties



 * Franklin
 * Lauderdale
 * Lawrence
 * Tishomingo County, Mississippi

Biographies

 * Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. Digital version at . begins on page 103.


 * Colbert County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project - free.

Cemeteries
The following web site has additional information on Colbert county cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.


 * Pickwick Landing Reservoir Cemeteries Douthat, James L. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press.


 * Additional Colbert County cemeteries are included in Alabama Cemetery Records and  at FamilySearch Books Online - free.

Census
State Census


 * 1866 - at FamilySearch — index

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

Local Histories

 * Clary, Martin. The Facts about Muscle Shoals. New York: Ocean Pub. Co., 1924. Digital version at Ancestry ($).


 * Leftwich, Nina. Two Hundred Years at Muscle Shoals: Being an Authentic History of Colbert County, 1700-1900: With Special Emphasis on the Stirring Events of the Early Times. Tuscumbia, Ala., 1935. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)

Civil War
Civil War service men from Colbert 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 Colbert County.


 * - 4th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry (Roddy's), Company C

Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 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)
 * 1871-1880 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927 - at FamilySearch — images

World War I

 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch — index

Newspapers
Alabama Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.

Periodicals

 * Valley Leaves. 1966–. Published by the Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1568, Huntsville, Alabama 35807. . Website identifies articles relating to (click "Search by County").

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1753 – 1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry $
 * 1809 – 1985 at FamilySearch

Research Guides

 * Inventory of the County Archives of Alabama: Colbert County. Birmingham, Ala.: The Survey, 1939. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Vital Records
See also How to order Alabama Vital Records

Birth

 * 1881 – 1930 at FamilySearch

Marriage

 * 1733-2013 - Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry $. 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.


 * 1870-1872, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry $. 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.


 * 1809 – 1950 at FamilySearch


 * 1816 – 1957 at FamilySearch


 * 1800 – 1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry $


 * 1809 – 1920 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties) at Ancestry $

Death

 * 1881–1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry $ 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 $. The index includes name of the deceased, county of death, date of death, and the state certificate number (volume and page).


 * 1908-1974 - FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free


 * 1881 – 1952 at FamilySearch


 * 1908 – 1974 at FamilySearch


 * 1881 – 1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry $


 * 1908 – 1959 Alabama Deaths, 1908-59 at Ancestry $

Voting Registers
Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Colbert County has two books listed, but only Book 1 is accessible at this time.

Book 1

Societies and Libraries
Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society P. O. Box 1568 Huntsville, Alabama 35807 Publication: Valley Leaves Website

Natchez Trace Genealogical Society P. O. Box 420 Florence, AL 35631 Publication: Natchez Trace Traveler Website

Tennessee Valley Historical Society P. O. Box 149 Sheffield, AL 35660 Publication: Journal of Muscle Shoals History Website

Colbert Florence/Lauderdale Public Library 256-764-6564 Website

Sheffield Public Library 256-386-5633


 * List of Alabama Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies


 * COLBERT COUNTY ALABAMA


 * CEMETERIES


 * Colbert Co. AL


 * United States Resources: Alabama


 * Al Gen Web

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Family History Centre Locator

Websites

 * Colbert County, AL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * 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.
 * Colbert County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Colbert County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Colbert County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)