Russell County, Alabama Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named in honor of Colonel Gilbert C. Russell, who fought in the wars against the Creek Indians. The County 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.

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

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."

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- 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; index and images
 * 1828-1839; 1850-1873 Images of Wills 1828-1839; 1850-1873 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
 * 1830-1976  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and 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.

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.org - 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 ($)
 * 1800–1969 Alabama, Marriage Index, 1800–1969 Ancestry ($).
 * 1809-1920 Alabama, Compiled Marriages from Selected Counties, 1809-1920 Ancestry ($).  Contains about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.
 * 1809-1950  at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1816-1957  at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1818-1936  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * To 1825 Alabama, Compiled Marriages, 1802-1825 Ancestry ($). Contains over 12,000 names.
 * 1834-1895 Russell County Marriage Index 1834-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch

Death

 * 1881-1952  at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1881-1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 Ancestry ($). copies of church, civil, family, and other records of Alabama deaths and burials. varies depending on the original record.
 * 1908–1959 Index to Deaths Recorded by the State of Alabama Ancestry ($). The index includes name of the deceased, county of death, date of death, and the state certificate number (volume and page).
 * 1908-1974  at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - How to Use this Collection; index

Libraries
Phenix City-Russell County Library 1501 - 17th Avenue Phenix City, Alabama 36867 Phone:334-298-8452 Website

Chattahoochee Valley Community College Library 2602 College Drive Phenix City, Alabama 36869 Phone: 334-291-4978 Facebook Website

Societies
Genealogical Society of East Alabama P. O. Box 2892 Opelika, AL 36803 Publication: Tap Roots Website

Russell County Historical and Genealogical Society P. O. Box 245 or 825 N Kansas Street Russell, KS 67665 (785) 483-6640 E-mail: [mailto:rchs@russellks.net rchs@russellks.net] Facebook Website

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~ contains record transcriptions from Bibles, obituaries, court records and more.
 * Russell County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
 * 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.