Morgan County, Alabama Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named after General Daniel Morgan, of Virginia. The County is located in the north-central location of the state.

County Courthouse
Morgan County Courthouse 302 Lee Street NE, 4th Fl Courthouse Decatur, Al 35601 Phone: 256-351-4790 Fax:  256-351-4880 Morgan County Website Probate Judge has marriage and probate records from 1818

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.

Biographies

 * Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Morgan County begins on page 62.
 * Morgan County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project

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


 * Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.
 * Douthat, James L. Wheeler Reservoir Cemeteries. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, at Mountain Press. $$

Census Records
State Census


 * 1866 at FamilySearch

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * 1865-1932 - in "Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950," at FamilySearch.org
 * Morgan County, Alabama, 1850 Federal Census. Compiled by Janet Baker Burks. - Hartselle, Ala. Marine/Walls Historical Publication, c1984. - ii, 146p. illF332.M8 B87 1984FHL book 976.193 X2b

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Alabama Maps and Blueprints Collection at Alabama Department of Archives and History – maps can be browsed by location or subject

Military Records
Civil War Civil War Battle Fought in Morgan County
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch
 * 1861-1865 Civil War Service Database at Alabama Department of Archives and History - index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
 * 1871-1880  at FamilySearch
 * 1880-1930  at FamilySearch
 * 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch
 * Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
 * 1864 - October 26-29 Decatur (partly fought in Limestone County)
 * Battle information from Civil War Battle Summaries by State, by the Heritage Preservation Services.

Map showing Civil War battles in Alabama.


 * - 1st Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company C
 * - 5th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company D, F and G
 * - 9th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E "Decatur Sons of Liberty"
 * - 12th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H "Magnolia Rifles"
 * - 27th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H
 * - 54th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H (formerly Co. "I", 1st AL, TN, and MS Infantry)

World War I
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch
 * 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Service Records at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
 * 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Gold Star Files at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images

World War II
 * 1940-1945  at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1940-1966 Alabama Active Military Service Reports at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images

Newspapers

 * Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
 * Morgan County, Alabama Obituary and Death Notices Collection by GenealogyBuffs.com - A collection of obituaries and death notices from various funeral homes in the Morgan County

Obituaries

 * Morgan County, Alabama Obituary and Death Notices Collection by GenealogyBuffs.com - A collection of obituaries and death notices from various funeral homes in the Morgan County

Voting Records

 * 1834-1981: at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index and images

Periodicals

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1753 – 1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry
 * 1809 – 1985 at FamilySearch
 * Morgan County Will Abstracts at USGenWeb.org

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

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

Birth

 * 1881-1930 - at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection
 * 1881-1930 - at FamilySearch — index, and some images
 * There is a growing list of Morgan County Births that have been submitted by descendants found at ALGenWeb

Marriage

 * 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
 * 1800 – 1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry $
 * 1809 – 1920 Alabama Marriages,1809-1920 (Selected Counties) at Ancestry $
 * 1809 – 1950 at FamilySearch.org
 * 1816-1957 - at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection. Incomplete.
 * 1818-1860 "Alabama Marriages, 1809–1920" at Ancestry – ($); . This database is a collection of marriage records from the state. Researchers will find the names of both bride and groom along with the marriage date. The county where the ceremony was performed is also provided. Containing about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.
 * 1821-1952 - in "Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950," at FamilySearch.org
 * 1821-1825, 1848-1853, 1856-1862, 1917, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry – ($); . 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.
 * Marriages at ALGenWeb
 * To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry– ($); . 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.

Death

 * 1881–1952 at FamilySearch.org
 * 1881–1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry - 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.
 * March to September 1902 Death Records Book C at ALGenWeb
 * 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 at FamilySearch.org

Archives
Morgan County Archives 624 Bank Street Decatur, AL 35601 Phone:256-351-4726 Website

Family History Centers

 * Decatur Alabama Family History Center

Libraries
Decatur Public Library 504 Cherry St. NE Decatur, Alabama 35601 256-353-2993 Website


 * The Alabama Room has local histories, microfilmed newspapers, census records, directories, family histories, and more.

Societies
Morgan County Genealogical Society 624 Bank Street NE Decatur, Alabama 35601 Website

Hartselle Historical Society 307 College St NE P.O. Box 852 Hartselle, AL 35640 Facebook

Websites

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