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Baldwin County, Alabama Genealogy

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

This article is about a southwest Alabama county. For other uses, see Baldwin
County Facts
County seat: Bay Minette
Organized: December 21, 1809
Parent County(s): Washington[1]
Neighboring Counties
Clarke • Escambia • Escambia (FL) • Mobile • Monroe • Washington
See County Maps
Courthouse
Baldwin County, Alabama Courthouse.jpg
Location Map
Baldwin County Alabama.png

County Information

Description

Baldwin County was created on 21 December 1809 and named in honor of Senator Abraham Baldwin, minister, patriot, politician, and Founding Father who signed the United States Constitution though he never lived in what is now Alabama. Its county seat is Bay Minette.[2] It is located in the southwestern area of the state.[3]

County Courthouse

Baldwin County Courthouse
312 Courthouse Square, Suite 10
Bay Minette, AL 36507
Phone: 251-937-9561

Fairhope Satellite Courthouse
1100 Fairhope Avenue
Fairhope, AL 36532
Phone: 251-928-3002

Foley Satellite Courthouse
201 East Section Avenue
Foley, AL 36535
Phone: 251-943-5061
Baldwin County Website

The Probate Court has marriage records from 1810, probate records from 1809 and land records from 1808.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court has divorce and court records.[4]

Baldwin 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 Government County Records[5]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1886 1810 1886 1811 1808 1809 1816
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1908. General compliance for births by 1927 and for deaths 1925.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in Baldwin County:[7]

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

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places
Ghost towns


History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Baldwin, Alabama online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Alabama Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1820 1,718 —
1830 2,324 35.3%
1840 2,951 27.0%
1850 4,414 49.6%
1860 7,530 70.6%
1870 6,004 −20.3%
1880 8,603 43.3%
1890 8,941 3.9%
1900 13,194 47.6%
1910 18,178 37.8%
1920 20,730 14.0%
1930 28,289 36.5%
1940 32,324 14.3%
1950 40,997 26.8%
1960 49,088 19.7%
1970 59,382 21.0%
1980 78,556 32.3%
1990 98,280 25.1%
2000 140,415 42.9%
2010 182,265 29.8%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Territory Census Returns

State Census

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

Court Records

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

The following articles have information concerning African American research:

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

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 Baldwin County see:

  • Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Baldwin 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. Digital version at HistoryGeo.com ($). Website includes surname index. FS Library Book 976.121 E7bg.

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Baldwin 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

WashingtonClarkeMonroeEscambiaEscambia, FLMobileAL BALDWIN.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Military Records

Multiple Wars

Civil War

Regiments. Men in Baldwin 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 Baldwin County:

- 21st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company F "Baldwin Rifles"
- 23rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company I
- 32nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C

Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battles were fought in Baldwin County.[9]

  • August 2-23, 1864 - Mobile Bay, also known as Passing of Forts Morgan and Gaines, (partly fought in Mobile County).
  • March 27-April 8, 1865 - Spanish Fort.
  • April 2-9, 1865 - Fort Blakely.
  • Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name.

World War I

World War II

Naturalization and Citizenship

Newspapers

Obituaries

Other Records

Voter Registration

Baldwin County has three books:

Periodicals

Probate Records

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records

Social Security Records

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.

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

Marriage

Death

Divorce

Research Facilities

Archives

Alabama Department of Archives and History
624 Washington Ave
PO Box 300100
Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: 334-242-4435
Email: mark.palmer@archives.alabama.gov
Website
Facebook

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

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

Daphne Public Library
2607 US Hwy 98
PO Box 1225
Daphne, AL 36526
Phone: 251-620-2500
Website
Facebook

Foley Public Library
319 E Laurel Ave (Hwy 98)
Foley, AL 36535-2680
Phone: 251-943-7665
Email: foleylibrary@gmail.com
Website
Facebook

Fairhope Public Library
501 Fairhope Ave
Fairhope, AL 36532
Phone: 251-928-7483
Email: director@fairhopelibrary.org
Website
Facebook

Museums

Societies

Baldwin County Genealogical Society
PO Box 108
Foley, AL 36536-0108
Email: BaldwinGenealogy@gmail.com
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.
  • Baldwin County at Linkpendium
  • Baldwin County at Alabama Genealogy
  • 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

References

  1. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Baldwin, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin_County,_Alabama 05/29/2017.
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  7. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Baldwin County, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin_County,_Alabama, accessed 24 September 2018.
  8. ↑ Coverage Table, "Alabama County Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)," FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Alabama_County_Marriages_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records), accessed 6 August 2012.
  9. ↑ National Park Service, Civil War Battles. Filter by state or battle name.
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