Access Lamar County Genealogy Records

Lamar County genealogy records are held at the courthouse in Vernon, where the Probate Court has files dating back to the county's formation in 1867. This Northwest Alabama county sits along the Mississippi border and was created from parts of Marion and Fayette counties after the Civil War. The Lamar County Probate Court maintains marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and land records. The county health department provides birth and death certificates through the state ViSION system. Researchers will also find court records at the Circuit Clerk's office, which is part of the 24th Judicial Circuit that includes Pickens and Fayette counties. Family historians tracing roots in this part of Alabama can access a solid set of records in Vernon.

What Genealogy Records Are Available

Lamar County holds records from 1867 to the present. The county formed just after the Civil War, so it does not have the very old records you find in some Alabama counties. But that also means it avoided the courthouse fires that destroyed records in other places. Most Lamar County records are intact from the start.

The probate court is the main hub for genealogy records. Marriage licenses, wills, and estate files live there. Land deeds and property transfers are also kept at the courthouse. The circuit court has divorce records and civil case files. Vital records come from the county health department.

Types of records available in Lamar County:

• Birth records from 1908 to present
• Death records from 1908 to present
• Marriage records from 1867 to present
• Divorce records from the Circuit Court
• Wills and probate files from 1867
• Land deeds and property records
• Tax records and voter lists
• Court case files
• Military discharge records

For events before 1867, you need to check Marion County and Fayette County. Lamar was carved from those two counties. If your ancestor lived in this area before 1867, their records would have been filed in one of those parent counties. Some of those early records still survive, so it is worth checking both.

Lamar County Probate Court

The Lamar County Probate Court in Vernon handles marriage licenses, wills, and estate matters. The probate judge also serves as the head of county government in Alabama. This office is your first stop for most genealogy research in the county.

Marriage records go back to 1867 when the county formed. Alabama marriage records are public. Anyone can request a copy without proving a family tie. The office has indexes by bride and groom name, which makes searching fairly straightforward. Early marriage bonds and licenses often include the ages of both parties and sometimes the names of parents or witnesses.

Probate records include wills, inventories, and estate settlements. When someone died with property, the court handled the distribution. These files are rich with family details. A will might name all children, a spouse, and even grandchildren. Inventories list personal items that can give you a sense of how your ancestors lived. Sale bills show who bought items at estate sales, which sometimes reveals neighbors or relatives.

Land records at the probate court show property transfers. Deeds, mortgages, and land grants are all here. These records can prove when a family arrived in the county or when they left. They also show relationships. A father might deed land to a son. Siblings might divide an inherited farm.

Staff at the probate office can help you search their indexes. They are used to genealogy requests. Bring as much information as you can about the person you are researching. Full name, approximate dates, and any family members you know about will speed up the search.

Lamar County Health Department

The Lamar County Health Department issues vital records. Through the Alabama ViSION system, staff can pull birth, death, marriage, and divorce records from anywhere in the state. You do not need to visit the county where the event happened. This makes the local health office a convenient one-stop shop for vital records.

Birth and death records in Alabama start in 1908. That is when the state began requiring registration. Before that year, there are no official state records. You have to rely on church records, cemetery logs, and family documents for earlier vital events. Some families kept birth dates in a family bible. Churches often recorded baptisms. Cemeteries have gravestone dates.

There are rules about who can get vital records. Birth certificates less than 125 years old are restricted. Only the person named, a parent, or a legal representative can get a certified copy. Death records less than 25 years old also have limits. After those time periods, the records open to anyone for genealogy purposes.

Walk-in requests are usually processed the same day. Bring a valid photo ID and know the details of the record you need. The name on the record, approximate date, and place of the event help the staff find it quickly. If you are ordering a restricted record, bring proof of your relationship or legal authority.

Lamar County Circuit Court

The Lamar County Circuit Court handles civil and criminal cases. For genealogy, the most useful records here are divorce files and civil lawsuits. The circuit court is part of the 24th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Pickens County and Fayette County.

Divorce records can be very helpful for family research. They often include the marriage date, names of children, and details about property. A divorce file might reveal a maiden name or show when someone moved to the county. Alabama divorce records from circuit courts are public. Anyone can request copies.

Civil case files sometimes involve family matters too. Land disputes between relatives, guardianship cases, and estate contests all end up in circuit court. These records can show family relationships and disagreements. Even criminal cases occasionally mention family members as witnesses or associates.

Some court records are available online through AlacourtAccess. Go to pa.alacourt.com and select Lamar County. The system shows case index information. For full documents, you need to contact the court or visit in person. There is a small fee for online searches.

How to Search Records

Searching Lamar County genealogy records takes some planning. You can search online, visit in person, or request records by mail. Each method works better for different types of records. Start with what you know and work backward through time.

Online searches give you a starting point. FamilySearch at familysearch.org has free indexed records, including Alabama census data and some vital records. Their collection grows as volunteers add more. Ancestry at ancestry.com has a larger collection but requires a subscription. Many public libraries offer free Ancestry access.

For court records, use AlacourtAccess. The site shows case index data for Lamar County. You can see names, case types, and filing dates. Full documents require a trip to the courthouse or a paid request. This is still useful for finding what records exist before you make the trip.

For vital records, you have three main options:

• Visit the Lamar County Health Department in person
• Send a mail request to the health department
• Order online through VitalChek at vitalchek.com

VitalChek is the state's online partner. You can order birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. They charge a service fee on top of the state fee. It is the fastest option if you cannot travel to Vernon. Call 1-888-279-9888 if you prefer to order by phone.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery holds state-level records. Some Lamar County records are there too, especially older land grants and military files. Their website at digital.archives.alabama.gov has digitized newspapers and documents. Plan a trip to Montgomery if you need deep research into old records.

Online Resources

Several websites have Lamar County genealogy records or can help you find them. Some are free. Others charge a fee. Here are the main sites to check when researching Lamar County families.

FamilySearch at familysearch.org is free and has a growing Alabama collection. You can search census records, some vital records, and church records. Create a free account to save your work and use all the tools. Volunteers add new records regularly, so check back if you do not find something the first time.

Ancestry at ancestry.com has the largest collection of Alabama records. It requires a paid subscription. Check your local library first. Many Alabama libraries offer free Ancestry access to patrons. The Bevill State Community College library in Hamilton might have access.

The Alabama Department of Archives has digital records online. Go to digital.archives.alabama.gov to browse their collection. Old newspapers, photographs, and government files are there. Search for Lamar County to see what is available. Newspaper archives often have birth, marriage, and death notices.

Find A Grave at findagrave.com has cemetery records. Volunteers photograph gravestones and upload the data. Search for Lamar County Alabama to find local cemeteries. Gravestone photos can confirm birth and death dates. Some entries include family information from relatives who added details.

USGenWeb has volunteer pages for every county. The Lamar County page at algenweb.net/lamar may have transcribed records, cemetery lists, and lookups. Quality varies since it depends on volunteers, but it is free and sometimes has items you will not find elsewhere.

In-Person Research

A trip to Vernon lets you access records that are not online. Staff can help you search and suggest sources you might miss on your own. Plan your visit for a weekday when all offices are open.

The Lamar County Courthouse is in the center of Vernon. The probate court and circuit clerk are both there. Arrive early for the best service. Bring a notebook, pencil, and your research notes. Staff can pull files for you to review. You may want to take photos of documents if allowed.

The Vernon Public Library is another stop. Small town libraries often have local history collections with items not found elsewhere. Family histories, cemetery transcriptions, and old photographs might be on the shelves. The library may also offer free access to Ancestry or other genealogy databases.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery is about three hours from Vernon. If you need state-level records or very old documents, this is the place. Their research room has the largest collection of Alabama historical records. Plan to spend a full day there. Staff can guide you to the right collections.

Bevill State Community College in Hamilton, about 30 minutes east, has a library with Alabama materials. College libraries sometimes have resources that small town libraries lack. Call ahead to see if they allow public access and what genealogy resources they have.

Local Research Tips

Lamar County formed in 1867 from Marion and Fayette counties. This matters for genealogy because records before that date are not in Lamar County. If your family was in this area before 1867, you need to search Marion County or Fayette County records. Those are the parent counties.

The county sits in the hill country of Northwest Alabama. It was not plantation land. Farms here were smaller. The population included fewer enslaved people before the Civil War compared to the Black Belt counties further south. After the war, freedmen and their families appear in Lamar County records. Check Freedmen's Bureau records at the National Archives for African American genealogy in this period.

The Mississippi border runs along the west side of the county. Families crossed back and forth. If you cannot find your ancestor in Alabama records, check Mississippi. Lamar County, Mississippi is just across the line. Yes, both states have a Lamar County. Make sure you are searching the right one.

Churches kept their own records. Baptist and Methodist churches were common in this area. Baptism, marriage, and burial records from churches can fill gaps in civil records, especially before 1908 when state vital records began. Contact local churches directly or check with the Alabama Baptist Historical Society for Baptist church records.

Cemeteries are scattered across the county. Many families had small burial grounds on their land. Find A Grave and BillionGraves have user-submitted photos and transcriptions. The local historical society may have additional cemetery surveys. Gravestones provide birth and death dates and sometimes show family relationships.

Military records survive at the state and federal level even when local records are thin. Confederate service records, pension applications, and muster rolls are at the National Archives and the Alabama Department of Archives. World War I and World War II draft cards are searchable online. These records often include birthplace, family details, and physical descriptions.

Cities and Towns in Lamar County

Lamar County has several small towns. None have populations over 50,000. All residents use the Lamar County Probate Court in Vernon for marriage licenses and the county health department for vital records. There are no separate city-level offices for genealogy records.

Vernon is the county seat and the largest town. Sulligent, Kennedy, and Millport are other communities in the county. Each has its own history and character, but all genealogy records are centralized at the county level in Vernon. Local churches and cemeteries in these towns may have additional records worth checking.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lamar County. If your family lived near a county line, check records in both places. Families often crossed lines for church, trade, or marriage. Lamar was created from Marion and Fayette, so those counties hold the pre-1867 records for this area.

Lamar County, Mississippi and Monroe County, Mississippi also border Lamar County, Alabama to the west. Families crossed the state line regularly. If your ancestor lived near the western edge of the county, Mississippi records may hold useful information.