Chambers County, Alabama Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Chambers County Courthouse 2 LaFayette Street, LaFayette, AL 36862, Phone: (334) 864-4348

Probate office has marriage records from 1833 probate and land records from 1843 Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records

Description
The County was named in honor of Henry H. Chambers, who served as a Senator from Alabama. The County has Lafayette as its seat and the County was created December 18, 1832. The County is located in the east central area of the state.

Parent County
There is no parent county because Chambers County was created from the 1832 Creek Cession. County seat: Lafayette

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
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

 * Harris County, Georgia
 * Lee
 * Randolph
 * Tallapoosa
 * Troup County, Georgia

Biography

 * Chambers County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project - free.

Cemeteries
The following web sites have additional information on Chambers county cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.


 * many have additional Chambers County cemeteries.

Census
State Census


 * 1866 - at FamilySearch — index

Local Histories

 * Richards, Evan Goodin. Reminiscenses of the Early Days in Chambers County. n.d. Digital version at - free;.


 * Valley Historical Scrapbook. West Point, Ga.: The Society, 1970. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)

Civil War
Civil War service men from Chambers 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 Chambers County.


 * - 7th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A
 * - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A "Cusseta Grays"
 * - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C "Tom Watt's Grays"
 * - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D "Yancey Grays"
 * - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E "Gilmore's Greys"
 * - 14th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F "Billy Gilmer Grays"
 * - 23rd Battalion, Alabama, Company E
 * - 37th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G and I
 * - 47th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D and I
 * - 60th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company K

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

World War I

 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch — index

Newspapers
The Valley Times News is located at 220 N 12th St. Lanett, Alabama. Phone # is 334-644-1101

The LaFayette Sun is located 116 LaFayette St., LaFayette, Alabama. Phone # is 334=864-8885

Probate Records

 * Chambers County Probate Records - Estate and Wills at USGenWeb.org. Includes a list of wills recorded in Will Book 3 1856/1872, wills at Chambers Co. AlArchives, and a few other transcripts of wills.

Online Probate Records
 * 1753 – 1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry — index and images $
 * 1809 – 1985 at FamilySearch — images


 * 1833 - 1856 - Images of Wills. Southeastern Genealogy ($)

Taxation

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

Vital Records
See also How to order Alabama Vital Records

Birth

 * 1881-1930 - FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free

Marriage

 * Chamber County Marriages at ALGenWeb - free.
 * 1733-2013 - Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 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.


 * 1824, 1833 - 1902, 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.


 * 1833 - 1925 - Chambers County Marriage Books 1-11 and C thru G Index 1833-1925 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1833 - 1900 "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.


 * 1812 - 1837 - Marriages. Southeastern Genealogy ($)

Death

 * 1881-1952 - FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free


 * 1881–1974 Index to Deaths and Burials 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.


 * 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 - FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - free


 * 1881 – 1952 at  FamilySearch


 * 1908 – 1974 at FamilySearch


 * 1881 – 1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry $


 * 1908 – 1959 Alabama Death Records at Ancestry $


 * Chamber County Deaths at ALGenWeb - free.

Voting Registers
Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Chambers County has one book.

Societies and Libraries
Chamber County Archives Cobb Memorial Archives 3419 20th Ave. Valley, AL 36854 334-768-2161 Website

City of Valley Archives P. O. Box 186 Valley, AL 36854 334-756-5220

Chattahoochee Valley Historical Society Inc. 3419 20th Ave Valley, AL 36854 334-768-2161 Publication: The Voice

The Cobb Memorial Archives 3419 20th Ave. Valley, Alabama 334-768-2052

Chambers H. Grady Bradshaw-Chambers C. Library 3419 20th Ave Valley, Alabama 334-768-2050 Website


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


 * Chambers County Records Online


 * Calhoun Co. AL


 * United States Resources: Alabama


 * Al Gen Web

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Family History Center Locator

Websites

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