Houston County, Alabama Genealogy
Guide to Houston County, Alabama ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Houston County was created on 9 February 1903 and was named in honor of George Smith Houston, a governor of Alabama.[2] Its county seat is Dothan.[3] It is located in the southeastern area of the state.
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Houston County Courthouse
114 North Oats Street
PO Drawer 6406
Dothan, AL 36302
Phone: 334-677-4800
Houston County Website
Health Department has birth, death and burial records
Probate Office has marriage, probate and land records from 1903
Clerk Circuit Court has court records from 1903
Registrar in Chancery has divorce records from 1903 [4]
Houston 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 |
| 1908 | 1903 | 1908 | 1903 | 1903 | 1903 | 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 Houston 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 | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Houston County Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives Project
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1910 | 32,414 | — |
| 1920 | 37,334 | 15.2% |
| 1930 | 45,935 | 23.0% |
| 1940 | 45,665 | −0.6% |
| 1950 | 46,522 | 1.9% |
| 1960 | 50,718 | 9.0% |
| 1970 | 56,574 | 11.5% |
| 1980 | 74,632 | 31.9% |
| 1990 | 81,331 | 9.0% |
| 2000 | 88,787 | 9.2% |
| 2010 | 101,547 | 14.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1855 Alabama State Census, 1855 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1866 Alabama State Census, 1866 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
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.
- 1831-1994 Alabama, Church Records, 1831-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court 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.
- Houston County, Alabama Loose Papers at Alabama Genealogical Society – index; links to FamilySearch images
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Houston County, Alabama Online Historical Directories at Online Historical Directories - Google Sites
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
- 1865-1872 Alabama, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Family First Funeral Care in Dothan
- Hammond and Son Funeral Home in Dothan
- Horace Williams Mortuary in Dothan
- Pearly Gates Funeral Home in Dothan
- Scott's Chapel Hill Mortuary in Dothan
- Southern Heritage Funeral Home and Crematory in Dothan
- Sunset Memorial Park Funeral Home in Dothan
- Unity Funeral Home in Dothan
- Ward-Wilson Funeral Home in Dothan
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.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Houston 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: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Alabama Maps and Blueprints Collection at Alabama Department of Archives and History – maps can be browsed by location or subject
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Multiple Wars
- ca.1918-ca.1962 Alabama, Military Discharge Records, ca.1918 - ca.1962 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
- 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; index & images
- 1880-1930 Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications, ca. 1880-1930s at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
World War I
- 1917-1919 Alabama, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 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 - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 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]
- 1800s-Current Alabama, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 1908-15, 1926, 1928-36, 1943-51 The Dothan Eagle (Dothan, Ala.) at Ancestry $
- Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voter Registration
- 1834-1981 Alabama Voter Registration and Poll Tax Cards, 1834-1981 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and some images
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1753-1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- 1809-1985 Alabama Probate Records, 1809-1985(*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images; coverage may vary
- 1830-1976 Alabama Estate Files, 1830-1976(*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images; coverage may vary
- 1902-1929 Wills, 1902-1929(*); Judge of Probate at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1904-1930 Estate Records (Houston County, Alabama), 1904-1930(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
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.
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 $.
For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Alabama.
- Houston County Vital Records at ALGenWeb
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1930 Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1881-1930 Alabama, County Birth Registers, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, and some images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1733-2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 1800-1969 Alabama, U.S., Marriage Index, 1800-1969 at Ancestry ($)
- 1802-1825 Alabama, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1802-1825 at Ancestry ($)
- 1809-1920 Alabama, U.S., Compiled Marriages from Selected Counties, 1809-1920 at Ancestry ($)
- 1809-1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collectionindex, and some images
- 1816-1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection]; index
- 1818-1936 Alabama County Marriages, 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1903-1931 Houston County Marriage Books 1-8 Index 1903-1931 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch[8]
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1881-1952 Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1881-1974 Alabama, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry ($)
- 1908-1959 Alabama, U.S., Death Index, 1908-1959 at Ancestry ($)
- 1908-1974 Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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
- Dothan Alabama FamilySearch Center
- Enterprise Alabama FamilySearch Center
- Eufaula Alabama FamilySearch Center
- Marianna Florida FamilySearch Center
- Ozark Alabama FamilySearch Center
- Eufaula Carnegie Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Houston County. For state-wide library facilities, see Alabama Archives and Libraries.
Dothan Houston Library
Ashford Branch
305 6th Avenue
Ashford, AL 36312
Phone: 334-899-3121
Website
Dothan Houston Library
Main Branch
445 North Oates Street
Dothan, AL 36303
Phone: 334-793-9767
Email: dhcls@dhcls.org
Website
Facebook
Dothan Houston Library
Westgate Branch
535 Recreation Road
Dothan, AL 36303
Phone: 334-699-2950
Website
Houston-Love Memorial Library
212 W Burdeshaw St
Dothan, AL 36303
Phone: 334-793-9767
Facebook
Troy University-Dothan Campus
500 University Drive
Dothan, AL 36304
Phone: 334-983-6556
Email: arichards154275@troy.edu
Website
Facebook
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Southeast Alabama Genealogical and Historical Society
PO Box 246
Dothan, AL 36302-0246
Phone: 334-794-8378
Email: rdvalky@aol.com
Publication: Wiregrass Roots SEAGHS Magazine
Websites[edit | edit source]
- 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.
- Houston County ALGenWeb. Record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
- Houston 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); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Houston, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_County,_Alabama 06/06/2017.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Houston County, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_County,_Alabama, accessed 17 October 2018.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/0/06/Igialabamadj.pdf.