1884-85-Map-of-Autauga-County-Alabama

Autauga County – Alabama History & Genealogy

Autauga County, Alabama, was established on November 21, 1818, from territory ceded by the Creek Nation in the 1814 Treaty of Fort Jackson and was among the original counties formed before Alabama achieved statehood in 1819. The county lies in central Alabama, bounded by the Alabama and Coosa Rivers, and includes the county seat of Prattville (established as seat in 1868 after prior seats at Washington and Kingston). It originally included parts of present-day Elmore and Chilton Counties before boundary reductions in 1866 and 1868. Autauga County began recording land deeds, probate records, marriage licenses, tax assessments, and federal census returns, from the 1820s onward. Early settlements include Washington (1817), Kingston (1830), and Prattville (1839), the latter founded by Daniel Pratt and noted for its industrial cotton gin manufacturing. Numerous unincorporated communities, such as Pine Level, Booth, Billingsley, Marbury, and Mulberry, were developed during the 19th century. The county remains an important area for researching Creek heritage, Alabama pioneer settlements, Civil War service, and industrial-era migrations.

One of the best online websites for research of Autauga County is found at Alabama Genealogy.

Here’s an overview of the genealogical records available for Autauga County, Alabama.

📜 Vital Records

  • Birth & christening: County birth registers (1871–1916) available on microfilm via FamilySearch and at the courthouse.
  • Marriage: Marriage licenses and bonds from 1839–1950 are indexed statewide.
  • Death & burial: Death certificates and burial indexes cover 1881–1974; additional death records (1908–1959) can be requested from state archives.

📝 Census & Population Records

  • Federal censuses: Regular decennial census returns are held from 1830 onward.
  • State censuses: Alabama enumerations from 1850, 1855, and 1866 are available.
  • Supplemental lists: Slave schedules, tax lists, mortality schedules, and Confederate veteran listings are indexed.

⚖️ Probate, Wills & Court Records

  • Probate files: Including wills, estate inventories, guardianships, and orphan’s court documents—cover 1830–1976 via FamilySearch and Alabama archives.
  • Chancery and debt suits, land confirmations, and court minutes are preserved in county and state repositories .

🌾 Land, Tax & Property

  • Deed books and land grants date to the 1820s, including early plats and boundary surveys.
  • Tax digests and poll lists offer annual snapshots of property ownership, head-of-household names, and economic status .

🪖 Military & Pension Records

  • Records include Confederate veteran files, pension applications (1862–1947), draft registrations and service lists from World War I and II .

⛪ Church & Cemetery Records

  • Denominational registers (Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist) document baptisms, marriages, and burials.
  • Local cemetery transcriptions, like Daniel Pratt Cemetery and Ivy Creek, Marbury, and Pine Level churchyards are available.

📰 Newspapers & Obituaries

  • Historic newspapers such as the Autauga Citizen and Prattville Progress offer obituaries, marriage and family announcements, and local event coverage. These are available through Newspapers.com, GenealogyBank, and local archives .

🌐 Maps, Gazetteers & Reference Works

  • Historic county maps and landownership plats (1860–1918) for Autauga County can be found online.
  • 19th-century gazetteers and period collections provide biographical sketches of early settlers.

📚 Local & Society Publications

🏛️ Archival Access

  • County: Originals kept at the Autauga County Courthouse (Prattville) and probate office.
  • State: Microfilm and digital copies housed at the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) and FamilySearch centers.

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