Barbour County
Alabama Genealogy & History Network

Welcome to Barbour County ALGHN

Welcome to the Barbour County Alabama Genealogy & History Network website providing free information to genealogical and historical researchers.

To share your Barbour County, Alabama genealogy or history information, send an email to alghn@outlook.com - we will be pleased to include it here. If you have information to share for other Alabama Counties, visit the Alabama Genealogy & History Network state website and choose the appropriate county.

About Barbour County, Alabama...

Barbour County was established on December 18, 1832, from former Creek Indian homelands and a portion of Pike County. The Creek were removed to territory west of the Mississippi River. The fertile land was developed by southern migrants as large cotton plantations dependent on slave labor. Due to the number of slaves, the population was soon majority black, a proportion that continued for decades. In the 21st century, the population has a slight white majority, but blacks make up more than 46% of the residents, which results in highly competitive politics.

In 1833, Louisville was chosen as the first county seat for Barbour County. The county seat was moved in 1834, after an eleven-member committee selected Clayton because of its central geographic location. Its boundaries were altered in 1866 and 1868. The Election Riot of 1874 occurred near Comer.

By the 1870s, the city of Eufaula had surpassed Clayton in size, sparking debate about whether the county seat should be moved to the county's commercial center or remain at its geographic center. Reaching a compromise, the legislature passed Act No. 106 on February 12, 1879, to establish county courts in both Eufaula and Clayton. Today, two county courthouses continue to operate in Barbour County.

As a center of the planter elite class, Barbour County has produced more Alabama governors than any other county in the state. Six elected governors as well as two acting governors have lived in the county. In 2000, the Barbour County Governors' Trail was established by an act of the Alabama Legislature to honor the eight distinguished men and women who have served as governor from the county.

The county has a total area of 905 square miles, of which 885 square miles is land and 20 square mile (2.2%) is water. The population recorded in the 1840 Federal Census was 12,024. The 2010 census recorded 27,457 residents in the county.

Neighboring counties are Russell County (northeast), Quitman County, Georgia (east), Stewart County, Georgia (east), Clay County, Georgia (southeast), Henry County (south), Dale County (south), Pike County (west), Bullock County (northwest). Communities in the county include the county seat Clayton, as well as Clio, Eufaula, Bakerhill, Blue Springs, Louisville, Batesville, Teals Crossroads, Elamville, and Spring Hill.

Barbour County, Alabama Records

Alabama Genealogy & History Network has many records on our county websites - marriage records, cemetery listings, etc. Please visit the county or counties of interest to you.

Birth Records - The Alabama Department of Public Health maintains records of births from 1908 to present. This was the year Alabama began keeping official birth records. You can obtain official copies of birth certificates by visiting the birth record page on their website and following the instructions. Since there are no official birth records before 1908 for births prior to that date you will need to determine birth information from census records, bible records, baptismal records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

Death Records - The Alabama Department of Public Health maintains death records after 1908 on file. This was the year Alabama began keeping official death records. You can obtain official copies of death certificates by visiting the death record page on their website and following the instructions. Since there are no official death records before 1908 for deaths prior to that date you will need to determine death information from census records, bible records, funeral home records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

Marriage Records - We have thousands of county marriage records on our county websites. These dates will assist you greatly in obtaining a copy of the original marriage license. The Alabama Department of Public Health can provide you with information for marriages that took place from 1936 to present by by visiting the marriage record page on their website and following the instructions.

All existing county marriage records for any date not listed above (and for the dates listed above for that matter) may be obtained from the county's Probate Office in which the marriage was held.

Divorce Records - The Alabama Department of Public Health maintains divorce records from 1950 to present. You can obtain official copies of devorce records by visiting the divorce record page on their website and following the instructions. Records for divorces occuring before 1950 may be obtained from the Circuit Clerk in the county where the divorce took place.