Butler County, Alabama Genealogy
Guide to Butler 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 Captain William Butler, who was born in Virginia, fought in the Creek War, and who was killed by native Americans near Butler Springs on the morning of 20 March 1818.[2]The county is located in the south-central area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Butler County Courthouse
700 Court Square,
Greenville, AL 36037
Phone: 334-382-7166
Butler County Website
Probate Judge has birth and death records 1894-1919, Marriage, probate and land records [4]
Butler 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 |
| 1894 | 1853 | 1894 | 1853 | 1853 | 1853 | 1816 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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1853 Butler County had a destructive courthouse fire in 1853. See Research in Alabama: A Genealogical Guide page 25 for suggested alternative sources to overcome this loss.[6] For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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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 Butler County:[8]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.
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| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Biographies of many notable residents of Butler County were published in Memorial Record of Alabama (1893). Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Begins on page 551.
- Little, John Buckner. The History of Butler County, Alabama: From 1815 to 1885: With Sketches of Some of Her Most Distinguished Citizens and Glances at Her Rich and Varied Resources. Cincinnati: Elm St. Print. Co., 1885. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
- Butler County Biographies at The USGenWeb Archives Project
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web site has additional information on Butler County cemeteries.
- Interment.net Alabama cemetery records by county.
- Alabama Cemetery Records may have additional Butler County cemeteries.
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 1,405 | — |
| 1830 | 5,650 | 302.1% |
| 1840 | 8,685 | 53.7% |
| 1850 | 10,836 | 24.8% |
| 1860 | 18,122 | 67.2% |
| 1870 | 14,981 | −17.3% |
| 1880 | 19,649 | 31.2% |
| 1890 | 21,641 | 10.1% |
| 1900 | 25,761 | 19.0% |
| 1910 | 29,030 | 12.7% |
| 1920 | 29,531 | 1.7% |
| 1930 | 30,195 | 2.2% |
| 1940 | 32,447 | 7.5% |
| 1950 | 29,228 | −9.9% |
| 1960 | 24,560 | −16.0% |
| 1970 | 22,007 | −10.4% |
| 1980 | 21,680 | −1.5% |
| 1990 | 21,892 | 1.0% |
| 2000 | 21,399 | −2.3% |
| 2010 | 20,947 | −2.1% |
| 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]
The following have information concerning African American research.Both should be used:
- African American Genealogy (US) has more information about the kinds of records
- Alabama Cultural Groups has information specific to Alabama African Americans.
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.
To place a grant or deed on a map within context of Butler County see:
- Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Butler County, Alabama: with Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More. Norman, Okla.: Arphax Pub. Co., 2006. This is a definitive work and can be used as an index to land grants. Website includes surname index. FHL Book 976.137 E7bg.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Butler 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.
- Little, John Buckner. The History of Butler County, Alabama 1815 to 1885. Cincinnati, Ohio: Elm St. Printing, 1885. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
- Little, John Buckner. The History of Butler County, Alabama: From 1815 to 1885: With Sketches of Some of Her Most Distinguished Citizens and Glances at Her Rich and Varied Resources. Cincinnati: Elm St. Print. Co., 1885. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
- Family Maps of Butler County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
- 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 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 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 — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
Regiments. Men in Butler 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 Butler County:
- - 1st Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company E "J. Powell's Dragoons"
- - 1st Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company H "Sandy Williams' Guards"
- - 1st Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company I
- - 2nd Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, Company E
- - 7th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F
- - 8th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F "Greenville Guards"
- - 9th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G "Jeff Davis Rangers"
- - 17th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company B and K
- - 17th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C (Butler Rifles)
- - 18th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F (Tom Watts Rifles)
- - 33rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C, D and H
- - 58th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E
- - 59th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H and I
- - 60th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company H
- - 61st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C
World War I
- 1917-1919 Alabama, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 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 - Alabama, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1940-1966 Alabama Active Military Service Reports at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voting Records[edit | edit source]
- 1834-1981: Alabama Voter Registration and Poll Tax Cards, 1834-1981 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index and images
Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. For Butler County see Register.
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
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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Alabama tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Alabama Taxation.
- 1865-1866 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). Butler County is in District 1.
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 $.
For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Alabama.
Vital Record Substitutes
- A collection of obituaries and death notices from various funeral homes in the Butler County area has been put together by GenealogyBuffs: Butler County, Alabama Obituary and Death Notices Collection at ALGenWeb
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1930 Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1881-1930 - Alabama, County Birth Registers, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch — index, and some images - How to Use this Collection
- 1894-1920 Butler County Marriage Index 1894-1920 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch[9]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
- 1800-1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry $
- 1809-1920 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties) at Ancestry $
- 1809-1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1816-1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry– ($); Index. contains over 12,000 names. Each entry includes groom, bride, marriage date, county, and state. Every name is indexed so you can search for one name, or two names that are linked.
- 1853-1870 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920at Ancestry– ($); Index. 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.
- 1853-1870, 1913, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry– ($); Index. This collection is comprised of indexes created by several agencies - the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, and Hunting For Bears.
- 1853-1929 Butler County Marriage Books 1-6, K-O Index 1853-1929 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1952 Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1881-1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry– ($); Index.
- 1894-1920 Butler County Marriage Index 1894-1920 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
- 1906-1910 Greenville Death Index 1906-1910. Batch B545461 at FamilySearch
- 1908-1914 Greenville Death Index 1908-1914. Batch B545468 at FamilySearch
- 1908-1959 Index to Deaths recorded by the state of Alabama at Ancestry– ($); Index. The index includes name of the deceased, county of death and date, and state certificate number (volume and page).
- 1908-1974 Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
- Alabama Department of Archives and History
P.O. Box 300100
624 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-4435
website
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 Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Butler County. For state-wide library facilities, see Alabama Archives and Libraries.
- Greenville-Butler County Public Library
309 Fort Dale Street
Greenville, AL 36037
Phone: 334-382-3216
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
- Butler County Historical and Genealogical Society Inc.
309 Fort Dale Road
P O Box 561
Greenville, AL 36037
Phone: 334-383-9564
Email: historyroom@camelliacom.com
Website
- The Butler County Historical & Genealogical Society Research Room
309 Fort Dale Road
P O Box 561
Greenville, AL 36037
Phone: 334-383-9564
Email: historyroom@camelliacom.com
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Alabama Genealogical and Historical Resources on the Net
- 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.
- Butler County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
- Butler 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.
- Web Sites at RootsWeb - Butler AL
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, “Butler County, Alabama Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ala/butler/ 05/29/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Butler, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butler_County,_Alabama 05/29/2017.
- ↑ 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), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Marilyn Davis Barefield, Researching in Alabama: a Genealogical Guide (Birmingham, Alabama : Birmingham Public Library, 1998), 25. At various libraries (WorldCat). FHL Book 976.1 D27b 1998.
- ↑ 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, "Butler County, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butler_County,_Alabama, accessed 3 October 2018.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/8d/Igialabama.pdf.
