Alabama, Madison County Chancery and Circuit Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection contains records of disputed estates and divorces included in the records of the Madison County Chancery Court and the Madison County Circuit Court.

For a list of localities currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content


The key genealogical facts differ between court files and may include any of the following:


 * Name of interested parties
 * Associated event dates such as marriage, divorce, death. or probate
 * Names of relatives and heirs such as spouse, minor children, and dependents
 * Names of witnesses
 * Name of court
 * Type of event
 * Date of court hearing
 * Residences
 * Lists or property disputed
 * Document and recording dates
 * Occupations

How to Use the Record
To begin your search, it is helpful to know:


 * The place of residence
 * The approximate date of the event
 * The names of the principle parties

Search the Collection
Compare the information you find in the probate records to what you already know about your ancestors to determine which record is about your ancestor. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:


 * Use the records to identify heirs and relatives.
 * Use the information to approximate birth and death dates.
 * Use the occupations listed to find other types of records, such as employment or military records.
 * Use the residences to locate other records such as vital records, census, church, and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Watch for information regarding adoptions, guardianship of any minor children and dependents, and land transactions.
 * Compile the entries for others with the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have resided in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * There is some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes created by the court or local historical and genealogical societies.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Related Websites

 * Chancery Clerk Website
 * Alabama Wills

Related Wiki Articles

 * Madison County, Alabama
 * Alabama

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Information about creating source citations for FamilySearch Historical Collections is listed in the wiki article Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record Found in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.
 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.