Wilkinson County, Georgia Genealogy

United States Georgia  Wilkinson County

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

County Courthouse
Wilkinson County Courthouse PO Box 250 Irwinton, GA 31042 Phone: (478) 946-2221 Clerk Superior Court has some divorce records and land records from 1852 Wilkinson County Superior Court P.O. Box 250 Irwinton, GA 31042 Telephone: (478) 946-2221 Fax: (478) 946-1497 Wilkinson County Probate Court P.O. Box 201 Irwinton, GA 31042 Telephone: (478) 946-2222 Fax: (478) 946-3810

Parent County
1803--Wilkinson County was created 11 May 1803 from Creek Indian Lands. County seat: Irwinton

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Georgia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Georgia County Boundary Maps" (1758-1932) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
1828, 1854, 1864, and 1924. The courthouse at Irwinton burned 16 March 1828. All of the county courthouse records were lost.

7 February 1854 the courthouse burned down and all county records in it were destroyed. Both the Baptist and Methodist churches were burned along with the courthouse. After the fire, many of the church members and citizens of Wilkinson came up with the idea to have a common church that would be shared among Presbyterians, Baptists and Methodists. Therefore the Union church was created and called the Irwinton Free Church, now called Union Church. William O. Beall deeded one acre to the church and a building was completed in 1856. Each religion would rotate when they would meet each month. The Methodists were to use the church the first and third week of each month, the Presbyterians the second week and the Missionary Baptists the fourth week.

During the American Civil War sometime between 23 and 26 November 1864 Wilkinson County's courthouse was razed by divisions of the Fifteenth and Twentieth Corps of the Union Army on their march to the sea. Very few of the county's probate records before the Civil War are available. Nevertheless, some other types of records survived.

Last, another fire burned the county's courthouse 15 February 1924. Early reports indicated little record loss, but it is telling that there are still significant gaps in Wilkinson County's records between 1864 and 1924.

Deeds starting in 1854 still survive. Superior Court minutes begin in 1864.

Neighboring Counties
Baldwin • Bleckley • Johnson • Jones • Laurens • Twiggs • Washington

Cemeteries
Listing of cemeteries in Wilkinson. This website provides cemetery listings and person search capabilities.

Local Histories

 * Davidson, Victor. History of Wilkinson County. n.p.: John Ball Chapter, D.A.R., c1930. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps

 * Maps of Georgia (1758-1932)



Civil War

 * - 3rd Battalion, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Companies F and I
 * - 3rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Companies F and I
 * - 14th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company B
 * - 49th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Company A
 * - 57th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Confederate), Companies D, I and K
 * - Georgia USGenWeb Archives Project

Probate Records
Online Probate Records


 * 1742–1992 Georgia Wills and Probate Records 1742-1992 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1742–1990 at FamilySearch.org images


 * 1817-1860 - Wilkinson County, Georgia Wills 1817-1860 (abstracts) at Georgia Pioneers $
 * 1820-1853 - Index to Wilkinson County, Georgia Annual Returns and Estates 1820-1853 at Georgia Pioneers $

Vital Records
See also How to order Georgia Vital Records

Marriage Records

 * 1785-1950 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1808-1967 - at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1828-1978 - Georgia Marriage Records from Select Counties 1828-1978 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1699-1944 - Georgia Marriages 1699-1944 at Ancestry.com— index $

Death Records

 * 1933-1998 - at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1914-1927 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1928-1939 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1919-1998 - Georgia Deaths 1919-1998 at Ancestry.com — index $

Genealogy Societies and Libraries
Wilkinson County Historical Society PO Box 1076 Gordon, GA 31031-1076 Phone: 478-946-2723 Website

Savannah River Valley Genealogical Society c/o Hart County Library, Benson St. Hartwell, GA 30643 Website

Wiregrass Genealogical Society 45 25th Ave. Eastman, GA 31023 Website

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Websites

 * Wilkinson County, GA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Georgia Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Georgia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Wilkinson County, Georgia Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Georgia Pioneers ($)
 * Georgia Pioneers ($)