Clay County, Alabama Genealogy

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

Description
Clay County was created on 7 December 1866 and named after the statesman Henry Clay, the 9th United States Secretary of State. Its county seat is Ashland. It is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clay County Courthouse 25 County Square P.O. Box 816 Ashland, AL 36251 Phone: 256-354-7926 Clay County Website Probate Court has land records from 1861, probate records from 1865, marriage records from 1872. County Court has death records 1920-1940 and Voting Register 1903-1936.

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

Bible Records

 * Clay County, Alabama Bible Records at Access Genealogy
 * Clay County Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives Project

Biographies

 * Memorial Record of Alabama, Clay County. Madison, WI: Brant & Fuller, 1893. Pg. 644. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Clay County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project

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
List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * 1831-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images


 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1880-1883 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Funeral Homes

 * Benefield Funeral Home in Ashland and Lineville

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

 * Clay County Alabama History. By Wayne Scott Ray. London, Ontario: HMS Press, n.d. P. 127. Online at: Internet Archive
 * Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land, 1888. 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  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 — index and images- 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

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 index and some images Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Clay County has one book.
 * 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; images
 * 1830-1976 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1865-1899 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1866-1915 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1867-1944 (*); 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

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 Collection; index and some images
 * 1816-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * Clay County Marriages at ALGenWeb

Death

 * 1881-1952  at FamilySearch - 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
 * 1909 Clay County Death Records (index), 1909 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)

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

FamilySearch Centers

 * Birmingham Alabama FamilySearch Center
 * Columbiana Alabama FamilySearch Center
 * Birmingham Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Shelby County Museum and Archives - an affiliate library

Libraries
Ashland City Library 11 2nd Ave S PO Box 296 Ashland, AL 36251 Phone: 256-354-3427 Email: [mailto:ashlibrary4u@gmail.com ashlibrary4u@gmail.com] Website Facebook Public Library of Anniston - Calhoun County 108 E 10th St Anniston, AL 36201 Phone: 256-237-8501 Website Facebook Alabama Room collections include local history and genealogical records of Clay County.

Societies
Clay County Historical Society PO Box 998 Ashland, AL 36251 Phone: 205-601-9544 Email: [mailto:clayhistory@gmail.com clayhistory@gmail.com] Website Facebook Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society Nichols Memorial Library 1 Cabot Ave PO Box 8268 Gadsden, AL 35902 Email: [mailto:neagslib@comcast.net neagslib@comcast.net] Website Facebook

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