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.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named in honor of Colonel Gilbert C. Russell, who fought in the wars against the Creek Indians.[2] The County is located in the east central area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
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.[4]
Russell County, Alabama Record Dates[edit | edit source]
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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1934 | 1833 | 1934 | 1832 | 1832 | 1837 | 1816 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in Russell County:[7]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.
| Cities | ||
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| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web site has additional information on Russell county cemeteries.
- Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.
- Cemetery Records of Jefferson and Walker Counties, Alabama. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Society?, 1945. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes Pine Grove Cemetery (Phenix City, Ala.).
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 13,513 | — |
| 1850 | 19,548 | 44.7% |
| 1860 | 26,592 | 36.0% |
| 1870 | 21,636 | −18.6% |
| 1880 | 24,837 | 14.8% |
| 1890 | 24,093 | −3.0% |
| 1900 | 27,083 | 12.4% |
| 1910 | 25,937 | −4.2% |
| 1920 | 27,448 | 5.8% |
| 1930 | 27,377 | −0.3% |
| 1940 | 35,775 | 30.7% |
| 1950 | 40,364 | 12.8% |
| 1960 | 46,351 | 14.8% |
| 1970 | 45,394 | −2.1% |
| 1980 | 47,356 | 4.3% |
| 1990 | 46,860 | −1.0% |
| 2000 | 49,756 | 6.2% |
| 2010 | 52,947 | 6.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
Church Records[edit | edit source]
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
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
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.
The FamilySearch Catalog has a collection of images of Russell County land records entitled, "Deed and mortgage records, 1833-1904; general index, 1836-1908."
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Russell 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.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
Regiments. Men in Russell 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 Russell County:
- - 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
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 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 - How to Use this Collection
- 1880-1930 Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications, ca. 1880-1930's at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
World War I
- 1917-1919 Alabama, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
World War II
- 1940-1945 - Alabama, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Records
- 1753 – 1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry
- 1809 – 1985 Alabama Probate Records, 1809-1985 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1828 - 1839; 1850 - 1873 Images of Wills 1828-1839; 1850-1873 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Alabama tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Alabama Taxation.
- 1865-1866 - U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). Russell County is in District 2.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
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 $.
For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Alabama.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1930 Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection
- 1881-1930 - Alabama, County Birth Registers, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch — index, and some images - How to Use this Collection
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
- 1800–1969 Alabama, Marriage Index, 1800–1969 Ancestry ($). This collection is comprised of indexes created by several agencies - the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, and Hunting For Bears.
- 1809-1920 Alabama, Compiled Marriages from Selected Counties, 1809-1920 Ancestry ($). 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.
- 1809-1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection
- 1816-1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection
- To 1825 Alabama, Compiled Marriages, 1802-1825 Ancestry ($). Contains over 12,000 names. Each entry includes groom, bride, marriage date, county, and state. Every name is indexed so you can search for one name, or two names that are linked.
- 1834-1895 Russell County Marriage Index 1834-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch [8]
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1952 Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection
- 1881-1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 Ancestry ($). 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.
- 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 Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch Historical Records Collection - How to Use this Collection
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
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.
Local Centers and Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Russell County. For state-wide library facilities, see Alabama Archives and 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
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Genealogical Society of East Alabama
P. O. Box 2892
Opelika, AL 36803
Publication: Tap Roots
Website
Russell County Historical Commission
1040 Broad Street
Phenix City, AL 36867
Phone:334-297-8225
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- 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)
- 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.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, "Russell County, Alabama Genealogy and History", http://genealogytrails.com/ala/russell/ 6/26/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Russell, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_County,_Alabama 6/26/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Russell County, Alabama. Page 37 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 33.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Russell County, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_County,_Alabama, accessed 26 October 2018.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/c/cf/Igialabamals.pdf.
