Walker County, Alabama Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Records burned 1877 Probate Judge has marriage and probate records

Description
The County was named after Senator John Walker, who represented the state of Alabama in the U.S. Senate from 1819 until 1822. The County has Jasper as its seat and the County was created December 26, 1823. The County is located in the west central area of the state.

Parent County
1823--Walker County was created 26 December 1823 from Marion and Tuscaloosa Counties. County seat: Jasper

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
Walker County had destructive courthouse fires in 1865, 1877, 1886, and 1932. See Research in Alabama: A Genealogical Guide  page 29 for suggested alternative sources to overcome this loss.

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

 * Blount
 * Cullman
 * Fayette
 * Jefferson
 * Marion
 * Tuscaloosa
 * Winston

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


 * Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.


 * Cemetery Records of Jefferson and Walker Counties, Alabama. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Society?, 1945. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes Chicksaw Cemetery, Coal City Cemetery, Easley Cemetery, Fike Cemetery, Holly Grove Cemetery, King Family Cemetery, Manasco Cemetery, and New Hope Cemetery.


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

Census
State Census


 * 1866 - at FamilySearch — index

Land and Property
To place a grant or deed on a map within context of see:


 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Walker County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2007. 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..

Local Histories

 * Dombhart, John Martin. History of Walker County: Its Towns and Its People. Thornton, Ark.: Cayce Pub. Co., c1937. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Walker 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 Walker County.


 * - 4th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry (Roddy's), Company K
 * - 22nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A
 * - 28th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E, F and L
 * - 43rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H, I and K
 * - 50th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K, formerly Co. "?", 5th Battalion

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)
 * 1907, 1921, 1927 - at FamilySearch — images

Periodicals

 * Walking Back in Time. Publication of the Walker County Genealogical Society. Digital versions at FamilySearch Books Online: |.

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

 * 1847 - 1840's Walker County tax record, digitized by - free.
 * 1865-1866 - U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). Walker County is in District 3.

Vital Records
See also How to order Alabama Vital Records

Birth Records

 * 1881-1930 - at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection. - free.


 * Walker County Births at ALGenWeb - free. These are contributed by researchers and is a growing database.


 * 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.


 * 1797, 1812, 1823, 1829, 1877-1879, 1881-1882, 1884, 1886, 1888-1889, 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.


 * 1875-1895 - Walker County Marriage Index 1875-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1877-1889 "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.


 * 1892-1897 - "Walker County Marriages, Book C 1892-1897," Walking Back in Time, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Sep. 2004):49; Vol. 15, No. 4 (Dec. 2004):72-73; Vol. 16, No. 1 (Mar. 2005):9; Vol. 16, No. 2 (June 2005):17-18; Vol. 16, No. 3 (Sep. 2005):39-40; Vol. 16, No. 4 (Dec. 2005):62-63. Digital version of Vol. 15 at ; and Vol. 16 at - both free.


 * Walker County Marriages at ALGenWeb - free. Some of these are from county records, and some are contributed by researchers and is a growing database.


 * 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

 * 1881-1952 - 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.


 * 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.


 * Walker County Deaths at ALGenWeb - 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. Walker County has two books:


 * Book 1
 * Book 2

Societies and Libraries
Walker County Genealogical Society P. O. Box 3408 Jasper, AL 35502-3408 Publication: Walking Back in Time


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

Libraries
The Carl Elliott Regional Library 205-221-2568 has the following libraries in Winston County:


 * Carbon Hill Public Library 215 2nd Street NW Carbon Hill, Alabama 35549 Telephone: 205-924-4254


 * Jasper Public Library 98 18th Street East Jasper, Alabama 35501 Telephone: 205-221-8512


 * Sumiton Public Library 416 State Street P. O. Box 10 Sumiton, Alabama 35148 Telephone: 205-648-7451

Family History Center
Family History Center Locator
 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Jasper Alabama
 * 1612 18th Ave Jasper, Walker, Alabama, United States Hours: T 5pm-9pm; Th 10am-2pm

Websites

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