St. Clair County, Alabama Genealogy

Guide to St. Clair 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 probate and land records from 1800 Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records

Description
The County was named after General Arthur St. Clair, who came to America from Scotland as an officer in the British Army in the French and Indian War. He settled in America and served as a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He also was the only Governor of the Northwest Territory. The County has Ashville as its seat and the County was created November 20, 1818. The County is located in the central area of the state.

Parent County
1818--St. Clair County was created 20 November 1818 from Shelby County. County seat: Ashville

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 St. Clair County:

Neighboring Counties

 * Bibb
 * Chilton
 * Coosa
 * Jefferson
 * Saint Clair
 * Talladega

African American

 * 1914-1936 - in "Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950," at FamilySearch.org - free.

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


 * Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.


 * Some St. Clair County cemeteries are included in Alabama Cemetery Records at FamilySearch Books Online - free.


 * Ivison, Hazle R. Collins. Index to Alabama Cemeteries: Blount County, Coosa County, St. Clair County, Talladega County, Winston County. n.d. Digital version at - free.

Census
State Census


 * 1866 - at FamilySearch — index

Court Records
The Northern Judicial District county seat is Ashville. The Southern Judicial District county seat is Pell City.

Maps

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)

Civil War
Civil War service men from St. Clair 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 St. Clair County.


 * - 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A "Ashville Guards"
 * - 10th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F "Coosa Valley Guards"
 * - 25th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D and H
 * - 30th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H
 * - 51st Regiment, Alabama Partisan Rangers, Company E
 * - 58th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A, C, G and I

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
 * 1880-1930 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927 - at FamilySearch — images

World War I

 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch — index

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1753 – 1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1809 – 1985 at FamilySearch — images

Taxation

 * 1865-1866 - U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). St. Clair County is in District 3.

Vital Records
See also How to order Alabama Vital Records

Birth Records

 * 1881 – 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index

Marriage Records

 * 1733-2013 - Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $


 * 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.


 * 1819-1895 - St. Clair County Marriage Index 1819-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1819-1826, 1828-1853, 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.


 * 1819-1852 "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.


 * 1899-1936 - in "Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950," at FamilySearch.org - free.


 * 1809 – 1950 at FamilySearch.org — index/images


 * 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

 * 1881-1895 - St. Clair County Death Index 1881-1895. Batch at FamilySearch - 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.


 * 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 - at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection. - free.


 * 1881 – 1952 at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 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 $

Voting Registers
Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. St. Clair County has one book.

Societies and Libraries
Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society P. O. Box 8268 Gadsden, AL 35902 Publication: Northeast Alabama Settlers Website Shelby

St. Clair Historical Society P. O. Box 1570 Ashville, Alabama 35953 Publications: Cherish: The Quarterly Journal of the St. Clair County Historical Society

Ashville Museum &amp; Archives St. Clair County Courthouse P. O. Box 1570 Ashville, AL 35953 205-594-2128 Website 


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

Libraries
Trussville Public Library 201 Parkway Dr. Trussville, Alabama 35173 Telephone: 205-655-2022

Pell City Library 1923 1st Avenue North Pell City, Alabama 35125 Telephone: 205-884-1015

St. Clair County Public Library 205-594-3954

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Family History Centre Locator

St. Clair County Alabama Genealogy Websites

 * St. Clair 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.
 * St.Clair County ALGenWeb~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Saint Clair County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Saint Clair County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)