Conecuh County
Alabama Genealogy & History Network

Welcome to Conecuh County ALGHN

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

To share your Conecuh 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 Conecuh County, Alabama...

Conecuh County was created by an act of the Alabama territorial legislature on February 13, 1818, and was named for the Creek term koha anaka meaning near canebrakes.

On July 27, 1813, the Battle of Burnt Corn Creek, one of the more significant battles of the Creek War of 1813-14, took place in what was then Conecuh County. In July 1813, Peter McQueen, a Creek warrior of the Red Stick faction, secured a cache of weapons from the British and Spanish at what is now Pensacola, Florida. U.S. troops ambushed McQueen and the Red Sticks on the banks of Burnt Corn Creek (for which the present town of Burnt Corn is named) but were then routed by a Red Stick counterattack. The Red Sticks considered the act a declaration of war and retaliated with the infamous Fort Mims Massacre. Although the actual site has not been located, most sources now place it in present-day Escambia County, which was part of Conecuh County until 1868.

The first settlers to Conecuh County arrived shortly after the battle and settled at present day Bellville. The Sepulga River, one of the largest tributaries of the Conecuh River, was vital to the economic prosperity of the county. During the antebellum period, settlers shipped corn, cotton, and timber down the river to Pensacola.

In 1859, work began on the Montgomery and Pensacola Railroad, whose lines passed through the center of Conecuh County. Completed in 1861, it later became part of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. In 1893 the Alabama Baptist State Convention opened the Louise Short Baptist Widows' and Orphans' Home for the destitute families of men killed in the Civil War. On June 14, 1923, it was moved to Troy and in 1938 was renamed the Alabama Baptist Children's Home.

Early settlers used the Sepulga River to float the bales of cotton and bushels of corn that grew in abundance in the county. During the antebellum period, 3,000 bales were shipped annually to Pensacola. The first grist and saw mills in the county were built around 1818. Timber was cut and transported on keelboats downriver for sale at Pensacola. Stock raising, particularly sheep, hogs, cattle, and goats, was also an important economic source during the nineteenth century. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, peanuts, sugar cane, and strawberries also became important supplemental crops. In 1859, work began on the Montgomery and Pensacola railroad, which was completed in 1861.

The county has a total area of 853 square miles, of which 850 square miles is land and 2.6 square miles(0.3%) is water. The population recorded in the 1820 Federal Census was 5,713. The 2010 census recorded 13,228 residents in the county.

Neighboring counties are Butler County (northeast), Covington County (southeast), Escambia County (south), and Monroe County (northwest).

Communities in the county include Evergreen, Castleberry, McKenzie (partially in Butler Co.), Repton, Belleville, Bermuda, Brooklyn, Centerville, Cohassett, Johnsonville, Lenox, Loree, Lyeffion, Mixonville, Nymph, Paul, Rabb, Range, Shreve, Skinnerton, and Spring Hill.

Conecuh 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.