Franklin County, Alabama Genealogy

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

Description
Franklin County was created on 6 February 1818 and was named for Benjamin Franklin, a famous statesman, scientist, and printer. Its county seat is Russellville. It is located in the northwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Franklin County Courthouse 410 North Jackson Ave. PO Box 160 Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-8861 Franklin County Website Probate Judge has marriage, probate and land records from 1890; Clerk Circuit Court has court records from 1923 and divorce records

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

Bible Records

 * Bible Records at Franklin County ALGenWeb
 * Family Bible Records at Alabama Genealogy Trails
 * Franklin County Bible Records at Access Genealogy
 * Franklin County Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives Project - Alabama
 * Napier - Kinnard Bible Record at Alabama Genealogy Trails

Biographies

 * Distinguished Men, Women and Families of Franklin County, Alabama. By Robert Leslie James. Salem, MA: Higginson Book Company (reprint), n.d. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Memorial Record of Alabama, Franklin County. 1893. Madison, WI: Brant & Fuller, 1893. Pg. 1027. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

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

 * Akins Funeral Home in Russellville
 * Pinkard Funeral Homes in Russellville
 * Spry Memorial Chapel in Russellville

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * Facts and Fables About Franklin County. By Johnny Hester. n.p.: n.p., n.d. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. Pg. 102. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.

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
 * 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


 * - 1st Battalion, Alabama Artillery, Company F
 * - 2nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E
 * - 4th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry (Roddy's), Company E and L
 * - 5th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company E
 * - 16th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A
 * - 16th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E and H
 * - 27th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A, B and G
 * - 35th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B and K

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
 * Honor roll of Franklin County, Alabama men and women serving in the armed forces of the United States of America, October ... 1944.''Russellville, Alabama? : Franklin County Times and Franklin County Progress, 1944. FS Library Digital 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

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

Periodicals

 * Valley Leaves. 1966–. Published by the Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1568, Huntsville, Alabama 35807. . Website identifies articles relating to Franklin 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 - How to Use this Collection; images
 * 1830-1976 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1890-1930 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1890-1943 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

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$  Franklin County is in District 3.

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 Collectionindex, and some images
 * 1816-1957  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1818-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Death

 * 1881-1952  at Family Search - 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

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 Franklin County Archives 300 East Limestone St Russellville, AL 35653 Phone: 256-332-8827 Email: [mailto:archive@hiwaay.net archive@hiwaay.net] Website Facebook

FamilySearch Centers

 * Lawrence County Archives - an affiliate library

Libraries
Russellville Public Library 110 Lawrence St E Russellville, Alabama 35653 Phone: 256-332-1535 Email: [mailto:ruslib110@yahoo.com ruslib110@yahoo.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Natchez Trace Genealogical Society PO Box 420 Florence, AL 35631 Facebook Website Publication: Natchez Trace Traveler Russellville Heritage Preservation Society PO Box 1095 Russellville, AL 35653 Tennessee Valley Historical Society PO Box 149 Sheffield, AL 35660 Facebook Publication: Journal of Muscle Shoals History

Websites

 * 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.
 * Franklin County ALGenWeb. Record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * Franklin 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.