Russell County, Alabama Genealogy

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

Description
Russell County was created on 18 December 1832 and was named for Colonel Gilbert C. Russell, who fought in the wars against the Creek Indians. Its county seat is Phenix. It is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Russell County Courthouse 501 14th St Phenix City, Alabama 36867 Phone: 334-298-0516 Fax: 334-297-6250 Russel County Website County Health Department has birth and death records. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records. Judge of Probate has marriage probate and land records.

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

Bible Records

 * Russell County Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives Project

Biographies

 * Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. Pg. 214. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.

Census Records
State Census


 * 1855   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1866  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * 1831-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Funeral Homes

 * Battle and Battle Funeral Home in Phenix City
 * Colonial Funeral Home and Crematory in Phenix City
 * Stovall Funeral Home in Hurtsboro
 * Striffler-Hamby Mortuary Phenix City
 * Taylor Funeral Home in Phenix City
 * Vance Brooks Funeral Home in Phenix City

Land and Property Records
The FamilySearch Catalog has a collection of images of Russell County land records entitled, "Deed and mortgage records, 1833-1904; general index, 1836-1908."

Online Land Indexes and Records

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - 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
Multiple Wars
 * ca.1918-ca.1962  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
 * 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 - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1907, 1921, 1927  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History


 * - 6th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H [subsequently, Company C]
 * - 6th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company J "Russell Volunteers" [subsequently, Company F]
 * - 15th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A (Cantey Rifles)
 * - 17th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G
 * - 33rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K
 * - 34th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company I and K
 * - 37th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D
 * - 39th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E
 * - 45th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D and F

World War I
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 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 - How to Use this Collection; 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
 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Other Records
Voter Registration
 * 1834-1981  at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and some images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1753–1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1809-1985 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1826-1915 (*); Probate and County Courts at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1828-1873 Images of Wills 1828-1839; 1850-1873 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
 * 1830-1976 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1837-1942 (*); Probate and County Courts at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1838-1847 (*); Orphans' and County Courts at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1838-1942 (*); Probate and County Courts at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1843-1848 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1900 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1865-1866 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). Russell County is in District 2.

Birth

 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, and some images

Marriage

 * 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
 * 1800-1969 Alabama, U.S., Marriage Index, 1800-1969 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1802-1825 Alabama, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1802-1825 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1809-1920 Alabama, U.S., Compiled Marriages from Selected Counties, 1809-1920 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1809-1950  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1816-1957  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1818-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1834-1895 Russell County Marriage Index 1834-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

Death

 * 1881-1952  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1974 Alabama, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1908-1959 Alabama, U.S., Death Index, 1908-1959 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1908-1974  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Births, 1909-1913; deaths, 1909-1941
 * Delayed birth certificates, 1943-1962
 * Marriage records and licenses, 1834-1950

Archives
Alabama Department of Archives and History 624 Washington Ave PO Box 300100 Montgomery, AL 36104 Phone: 334-242-4435 Email: [mailto:mark.palmer@archives.alabama.gov mark.palmer@archives.alabama.gov] Website Facebook

FamilySearch Centers

 * Columbus Georgia FamilySearch Center
 * Chattahoochee Valley Public Library - Columbus - an affiliate library
 * Chattahoochee Valley Public Library - Mildred L Terry Branch - an affiliate library

Libraries
Chattahoochee Valley Community College Learning Resource Center Owen Hall 2602 College Drive Phenix City, AL 36869 Phone: 334-230-5184 Email: [mailto:lrc@cv.edu lrc@cv.edu] Website Facebook Phenix City-Russell County Library 1501 17th Avenue Phenix City, AL 36867 Phone: 334-297-1139 Email: [mailto:pcrcl1501@gmail.com pcrcl1501@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Genealogical Society of East Alabama 205 South 10th Street PO Box 2892 Opelika, AL 36803-2892 Email: [mailto:gsofea@gmail.com gsofea@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Russell County ALGenWeb.
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * USGenWeb Archives Project. Record transcriptions from Bibles, obituaries, court records and more.
 * Russell 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.