Alabama History: Difference between revisions

== State Histories Useful to Genealogists ==

Good genealogists strive to understand the life and times of their ancestors. In this sense, any history is useful. But certain kinds of state, county, and local histories, especially older histories published between 1845 and 1945, often include biographical sketches of prominent individuals. The sketches usually tend toward the laudatory, but may include some genealogical details. If these histories are indexed or alphabetical, check for an ancestor's name. Some examples for the State of Alabama are:  

*''Memorial Record of Alabama: A Concise Account of the State’s Political, Military, Professional and Industrial Progress, Together With the Personal Memoirs of Many of its People.'' <ref> ''Memorial Record of Alabama: A Concise Account of the State’s Political, Military, Professional and Industrial Progress, Together With the Personal Memoirs of Many of its People.'' Two Volumes. Madison, Wisconsin: Brant and Fuller, 1893. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=filmhitlist&amp;columns=*%2C0%2C0&amp;filmno=934817 book 976.1 H2m; film 934817].) </ref>

*''Alabama History: An Annotated Bibliography'' <ref> Brown, Lynda W. ''Alabama History: An Annotated Bibliography''. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1998. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;titleno=730251&amp;disp=Alabama+history%2C+an+annotated+bibliogr%20%20&amp;columns=*,0,0 book 976.1 H2bL].) </ref> This contains information about American Indian tribes; European exploration and colonization; territorial and formative periods; and Antebellum, Confederate, Reconstruction, and later periods. Each chronological period is subdivided into subjects, such as education, arts, diaries, industry, migrations, and religion.

*''The Territorial Papers of the United States'' <ref> United States. Department of State. ''The Territorial Papers of the United States''. 26 volumes. National Archives Microfilm Publication, M0721. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1934–1962. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;titleno=42234&amp;disp=The+territorial+papers+of+the+United+Sta%20%20&amp;columns=*,0,0 book 973 N2udt; films 929376–91].) See volumes five and six on Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;titleno=42234&amp;disp=The+territorial+papers+of+the+United+Sta%20%20&amp;columns=*,0,0 film 929379] </ref> for records of the Territory of Mississippi, which included present-day Alabama. These volumes cover 1798 to 1817 and include lists of residents for 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812 (lists of aliens in 1812), 1814, and 1815. Volume 18 on Family History Library <ref> [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;titleno=42234&amp;disp=The+territorial+papers+of+the+United+Sta%20%20&amp;columns=*,0,0 film 929386] </ref> has records pertaining to the Territory of Alabama, including land sales, employment and dismissal, commission, power of attorney, postmaster correspondence, government business, court, election candidate, and Indian affairs records. Each volume is indexed.

*''French and Spanish Records of Louisiana: A Bibliographical Guide to Archive and Manuscript Sources''. <ref> Beers, Henry Putney. ''French and Spanish Records of Louisiana: A Bibliographical Guide to Archive and Manuscript Sources''. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Louisiana State University, 1989. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;titleno=591607&amp;disp=French+and+Spanish+records+of+Louisiana%20%20&amp;columns=*,0,0 book 976.3 H23b].) </ref> Section III discusses the history, government, and land and church records of the area of Louisiana that is in present-day Alabama.

*''History of Alabama and Incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, From the Earliest Period'' <ref> Pickett, Albert James. ''History of Alabama and Incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, From the Earliest Period''. Sheffield, Alabama: R.C. Randolph, 1896. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&amp;titleno=192476&amp;disp=History+of+Alabama+and+incidentally+of+G%20%20&amp;columns=*,0,0 book 976.1 H2p; film 924406].) </ref> This book lists historical events in chronological order, from the early history to about 1820.