Lee County, Florida Genealogy

Guide to Lee County Florida Genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. 

County Courthouse
Lee County Courthouse 2115 2nd St; Fort Myers, FL 33901 Ph. 941.335.2283 Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate court and land records.

Parent County
1887--Lee County was created 13 May 1887 from Monroe County. County seat: Fort Myers The county was named for Robert E. Lee, Confederate general in the American Civil War.

Description
The county was named for Robert E. Lee, general in the American Civil War. The County Seat is Fort Myers and the county was created 1887. The County is located in the Southwest area of the state.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Florida county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Florida County Boundary Maps" (1821-1997) 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 this county:

Neighboring Counties

 * Charlotte - Charlotte County was established April 23, 1921 named for the Bay of Charlotte Harbor. Punta Gorda is the only incorporated city in Charlotte County.
 * Collier - Collier County was created in 1923 from Lee County. It was named for Barron Collier, an advertising mogul and real estate developer from New York City.
 * Glades - Glades County was created in 1921 and is named for the Florida Everglades. The Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation is located in the county.
 * Hendry - Hendry County was formed from Lee County on May 11, 1923 and named for Major Francis A. Hendry, one of the first settlers. Hendry County is the site of the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.

African American

 * African American Griots Project
 * Afrigeneas - African Genealogy

Cemeteries
The following web site may have additional information on Lee County cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Florida cemetery records

Census

 * 1783 Spanish Census USGenWeb
 * 1821 Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
 * 1823 Census/Tax List Index USGenWeb
 * 1880 Census African Born Blacks and Mulattos USGenWeb
 * Federal Census Information from National Archives USGenWeb
 * State Census Information from Florida State Archives USGenWeb
 * Census of Pensioners Revolutionary Military Service USGenWeb

Land
Florida Territorial Land Records

Maps

 * Lee County Florida maps University of Southern Florida.
 * 1821-1997 Maps of Florida
 * 1870 Gray's Atlas Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
 * 1882 Rand McNally Panhandle Portion of StateUSGenWeb
 * Exploring Florida, FCIT Maps University of South Florida

Military

 * Lee County Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Florida State Military Files USGenWeb
 * Florida state pension records from various wars Pension Transcriptions USGenWeb

Civil War

 * 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)
 * 1885 - 1955 - at FamilySearch — images only

World War I

 * 1917 - 1918 - Lee County Civilian Draft Registration (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * Lee County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Abram - Evans (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lee County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Farabee - Kurtz (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lee County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Lamb - Rutledge (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lee County World War II Army Enlistees, Names Sadler - Yuhant (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Korean War

 * Lee County Korean War Casualties (Genealogy Trails)
 * Florida Casualties in the Korean Conflict distantcousin.com

Vietnam War

 * Lee County Vietnam War Casualties (Genealogy Trails)
 * Florida Casualties in the Vietnam War distantcousin.com

Newspapers

 * News-Press 2442 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33901- 239.335.0200
 * Microfilm for the Fort Myers News-Press from 1884 to the present can be found at the Fort Myers Regional Library 2450 First Street Fort Myers, Florida 33901
 * USGenWeb Archives Early Florida Newspapers at the Florida State Library

Obituaries

 * Florida Obituaries USGenWeb Archives Obituary transcriptions from Florida counties
 * 1930 and 1997 Obituary Index Lee County Genealogical Society Online searchable database www.lcgsfl.org/cpage.php Lee County Genealogical Society. Society volunteers will be happy to help you with your request for an obituary copy.

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1784 – 1990 Florida Probate Records 1784-1990
 * 1810 – 1974 Ancestry.com $ Florida Wills and Probate Records 1810-1974
 * Florida State Archives $

Voter Registration
1885-1909 "Voter Registration Records, Town of Fort Myers and Lee County, Florida 1885-1909".'' A limited printing was done with copies being donated to the Fort Myers Regional Library, the Southwest Florida Museum of History, the Southwest Florida Historical Society, the State Library of Florida, and the Lee County Genealogical Society.

Birth Records

 * 1880 - 1935 at FamilySearch — index

Death Records

 * 1877 - 1939 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1900 - 1921 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1877 - 1998 at FamilySearch — index

Divorce Records

 * 1927 - 2001 Florida, Divorce Index, 1927-2001 at Ancestry.com - index $

Marriage Records

 * 1802 - 1998 - Florida, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1837 - 1974 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1830 - 1993 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1830 - 1957 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1822 - 1875 and 1927 - 2001 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1887 - 1924 - Lee County, Florida Marriages 1887-1924 (Lee County Genealogical Society)
 * Collier County Marriages (Florida GenWeb Project)
 * Florida State Archives

Societies and Libraries

 * Lee County Genealogical Society, Inc. PO Box 150153 Cape Coral, FL 33915-0153 Telephone: 239-246-5185 E-mail:[mailto:GenHelp@LCGSFL.org GenHelp@LCGSFL.org] Website
 * Bonita Springs Genealogy Club PO Box 366471 Bonita Springs, FL 34136 Website
 * Southwest Florida Pioneers Historical Society PO Box 274 Boca Grande, FL 33921 Website
 * Lee County Library System
 * Florida Historical Society
 * Florida State Genealogical Society

Family History Centers
Fort Myers Regional Library 2450 First Street Ft Myers Florida 33901 Phone: 239-533-4626 website Fort Myers Regional Library

Websites

 * Florida Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Florida Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Lee County (FLGenWeb)
 * State of Florida
 * Lee County, Florida (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Lee County, Florida Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Lee County (FLGenWeb Project, Inc.)
 * My Florida Roots
 * Lee County, Florida (Genealogy Trails)
 * Lee County FL Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)