Monroe County, Alabama Genealogy

United States

Alabama

Monroe County

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

Alabama Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Monroeville Organized: June 29, 1815 Parent County(s): Creek Cession, Washington Neighboring Counties Baldwin  • Butler  • Clarke  • Conecuh  • Escambia  • Wilcox See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption This page is available for adoption

County Information

Description

The County was named in honor of James Monroe, fifth President of the United States.The county is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse

Monroe County Courthouse Square
65 North Alabama Avenue
Monroeville, AL 36460
Phone: 251-743-2283
Fax: 251-575-5933
Monroe County Website

Courthouse Fire destroyed all records prior to 1833
Probate Judge has marriage probate and land record from 1832

Monroe County, Alabama Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Major Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1881	1832	1908	1833	1832	1832	1816
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1908. General compliance for births by 1927 and for deaths 1925.

Record Loss

Monroe County had a destructive courthouse fire in 1833. See Research in Alabama: A Genealogical Guide page 28 for suggested alternative sources to overcome this loss. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.

Boundary Changes

1815--Monroe County was created 29 June 1815 from Washington County and the Creek Cession of 1814. When created, Monroe County comprised all the Creek Indian lands ceded by the treaty of Fort Jackson in 1814. It was reduced in size by the creation of the Alabama counties of Montgomery County, Conecuh County, and Wilcox County. This particular county was named in honor of James Monroe (1758-1831), 5th U.S. President. County seat: Monroeville Interactive Map of Alabama County Formation History (1799-1980) - animated maps illustrating Alabama county boundary changes Alabama Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library

Populated Places

The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in Monroe County:

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

Cities
Monroeville (county seat)
Towns
Beatrice Excel	Frisco City	Vredenburgh
Unincorporated communities
Axle Buena Vista Burnt Corn Chestnut Chrysler Drewry Eliska Finchburg Fountain Franklin Goodway Halls Crossroads Hixon Homewood Hybart	Jeddo Kalem Manistee Mexboro Mexia Mexia Crossing Mineola Monroeton Mount Pleasant Natchez Old Salem Old Texas Ollie Packards Bend Palmers Crossroads	Perdue Hill Pine Orchard Pineville Renson Riley River Ridge Scotland Scratch Ankle Tinela Tunnel Springs Turnbull Valley Estates Wainwright West Monroeville
Census-designated places
Megargel	Peterman	Uriah
Ghost towns
Claiborne	Nadawah

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Monroe, Alabama online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Findagrave.com ALGenWeb ALGenWeb Archives Tombstone Project Billion Graves
TombstoneTranscriptions in Print (Often more complete)	Family History Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com Billion Graves Alabama Cemeteries FamilySearch Places
See Alabama Cemeteries for more information

The following web site has additional information on Monroe county cemeteries.

• Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	8,838	—
1830	8,782	−0.6%
1840	10,680	21.6%
1850	12,013	12.5%
1860	15,667	30.4%
1870	14,214	−9.3%
1880	17,091	20.2%
1890	18,990	11.1%
1900	23,666	24.6%
1910	27,155	14.7%
1920	28,884	6.4%
1930	30,070	4.1%
1940	29,465	−2.0%
1950	25,732	−12.7%
1960	22,372	−13.1%
1970	20,883	−6.7%
1980	22,651	8.5%
1990	23,968	5.8%
2000	24,324	1.5%
2010	23,068	−5.2%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

State Census

• 1866 Alabama State Census, 1866 at FamilySearch

Church Records

Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Alabama denominations, view the Alabama Church Records wiki page.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

• See obituary abstracts from the African-American newspaper, The Eagle, in the Newspaper section below.  Section below also contains community news, marriage and birth announcements.
• Slaves and owners recorded in the Philadelphia Baptist Church Minutes, Tunnel Springs, Monroe Co, AL - 1840-1899.

Land and Property Records

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See Alabama Land and Property for additional information about early Alabama land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.

To place a grant or deed on a map within context of Monroe County see:

• Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Monroe County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2009. This is a definitive work and can be used as an index to land grants. Digital version at HistoryGeo.com ($). Website includes surname index. FHL Book 976.125 E7b.

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Monroe County. The histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Alabama Local Histories.

Early Settlers Along the Old Federal Road in Monroe Conecuh Counties This book includes Monroe county genealogy and history, and Conecuh county genealogy.

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
• Family Maps of Monroe County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
• FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records

Civil War
Regiments. Men in Monroe County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a large regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Monroe County:

- 1st Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company E "J. Powell's Dragoons"

- 1st Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company H "Sandy Williams' Guards"

- 2nd Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company H

- 2nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C

- 3rd Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company B [formerly, Co. "M", Wirt Adams' Cavalry]

- 4th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry (Russell's), Company A [formerly 3rd TN Cavalry]

- 5th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company D "Monroe Guards"

- 17th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H

- 23rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E

- 36th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F and G

- 42nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A and H

- 42nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H

• 1861-1865 - Alabama Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch
• 1861-1865 - Alabama Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch
• 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 - Alabama, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880 at FamilySearch
• 1880-1930 - Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications, ca. 1880-1930's at FamilySearch
• 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch

World War I

• 1917-1919 - Alabama, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch

World War II

• 1940-1945 - Alabama, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

• Alabama Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both and pay-to-access websites.
• Obituaries & Death Notices published in The Eagle, 1891-1914 - an African-American newspaper of the county. Provided via Afrigeneas.com
• Community News published in The Eagle, 1891-1914 - an African American newspaper.Also marriage announcements and birth announcements.

Other Records

Voting Records

• 1834-1981: Alabama Voter Registration and Poll Tax Cards, 1834-1981 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index and images

Probate Records

Online Probate Records

• 1753 – 1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry
• 1809 – 1985 Alabama Probate Records, 1809-1985 at FamilySearch

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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

Alabama tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Alabama Taxation.

• 1816 Inhabitants of Alabama in 1816. Broken Arrow Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, 1955. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Includes Monroe County.
• 1865-1866 - U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). Monroe County is in District 1.

Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Alabama State Department of Health , the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred or order electronically online $.

For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Alabama.

Birth

• 1881 – 1930 Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch.org
• 1881-1930 - Alabama, County Birth Registers, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch — index, and some images
• Monroe County Births at ALGenWeb

Marriage

• 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
• 1800–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry $
• 1809–1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch.org
• 1816–1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch.org
• 1825, 1833-1838, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry– ($); . This collection is comprised of indexes created by several agencies - the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, and Hunting For Bears.
• 1833-1838 "Alabama Marriages, 1809–1920" at Ancestry – ($); . 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.
• 1833-1895 - Monroe County Marriage Books A and B Index 1833-1895. Batch M593381 at FamilySearch
• 1881-1895 - Monroe County Marriage Books C and D Index 1881-1895. Batch M593382 at FamilySearch
• Marriages at ALGenWeb
• 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.

Death

• 1881-1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry– ($); . Volunteers extracted the details in this index from microfilmed copies of church, civil, family, and other records of Alabama deaths and burials. details vary depending on the original record. Note that the number of available records can vary widely by county, and this database does not necessarily represent a comprehensive set of death records for the state during this time.
• 1881 – 1952 Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch.org
• 1908 – 1974 Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch.org
• 1908–1959 Index to Deaths Recorded by the State of Alabama at Ancestry – ($); . The index includes name of the deceased, county of death, date of death, and the state certificate number (volume and page).
• 1908-1974 - Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch Historical Records Collections. Deaths at ALGenWeb

Research Facilities

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Libraries

• Monroe Alabama Family History Center
  

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Monroe County. For state-wide library facilities, see Alabama Archives and Libraries.

Monroe County Public Library
121 Pineville Road
Monroeville, Alabama 36460
Phone: 251-743-3818
Website

Museums

Monroe County Heritage Museum
31 N. Alabama Ave.
Monroeville, AL 36460
251-575-7433
Website

Monroe County Heritage Museums
P. O. Box 1637
31 North Alabama Avenue
Monroeville, Alabama 36460
Phone: 344-575-7433
Website

Publication: Quarterly Newsletter

Websites

• Monroe County, ALGenWebe genealogical resources; part of the national USGenWeb Project
• Monroe Co. AL
• 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.
• Monroe County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• FamilySearch Catalog – 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.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.