Chattahoochee County Genealogy

Chattahoochee County genealogy records date back to 1854 when the county was formed from parts of Muscogee and Marion counties. The Probate Court in Cusseta holds marriage licenses, wills, and estate files from the county's start. The Superior Court Clerk keeps land deeds, divorce records, and civil case files. Much of Chattahoochee County is now within the boundaries of Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), which has affected the county's population and record keeping over the years. Cusseta remains the county seat and the place to find all county-level genealogy records.

Chattahoochee County Probate Court Records

The Chattahoochee County Probate Court in Cusseta holds marriage records, wills, estate inventories, and guardianship files from 1854 forward. This is the primary source for marriage licenses and estate documents in the county.

You can visit the courthouse in Cusseta to search records in person. Mail requests are accepted too. Include the names and approximate dates you are looking for, along with a check or money order for the search fee. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and marriage licenses. Standard copy fees are usually $1 per page for plain copies.

Chattahoochee County has always been one of Georgia's smallest counties by population. The records here tend to be less voluminous than those in larger counties, but that can actually make research easier since there are fewer people to sort through.

Note: Chattahoochee County was formed from Muscogee and Marion counties. For records before 1854, check those parent counties. Muscogee County records in Columbus go back to 1828.

Chattahoochee County Genealogy Online

The Georgia Probate Courts Directory lists contact details for the Chattahoochee County Probate Court and all other county courts in the state.

Use this directory to find the phone number, address, and other contact details for the Cusseta courthouse.

Free online resources for Chattahoochee County genealogy include FamilySearch, which has Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960 and probate records from 1742 to 1990. The Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online at no cost. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has old newspapers that may include Chattahoochee County items.

Chattahoochee County Land and Court Genealogy

The Superior Court Clerk in Chattahoochee County maintains land records, divorce files, and court case records from 1854 to the present. Deed books show property transfers and name buyers and sellers. These are helpful for placing ancestors in specific locations within the county.

Divorce records can name children, list property, and give ages or birth dates. Court minutes from civil and criminal cases sometimes mention witnesses and family members. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are public and open to inspection. The Georgia Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71 limits standard copy fees to 10 cents per page for letter or legal size documents.

The military presence at Fort Moore has a significant impact on Chattahoochee County. Many families lived in the county because of the base. Military service records, which are federal records, can be accessed through the National Archives at Atlanta in East Point, Georgia, or through online databases at the National Archives website.

Vital Records for Chattahoochee County

Georgia began statewide birth and death registration in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. The county health department issues birth and death certificates from that year forward. Before 1919, very few formal vital records exist for Chattahoochee County.

Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for additional copies. Death certificates cost the same. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are restricted to the person named, parents, grandparents, adult siblings, adult children, spouses, or legal guardians. Death certificates are available more broadly.

For records before 1919, check cemetery transcriptions, church records, and family Bibles. The Georgia Archives has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online through the Virtual Vault for free. FamilySearch.org has indexed Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 as well.

Note: Marriage records at the state level cover only 1952 to 1996. For all other years, the Chattahoochee County Probate Court is the source for marriage records.

Research Tips for Chattahoochee County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places for your family. Then work backward one generation at a time. Census records for Chattahoochee County are available from 1860 forward since the county was created in 1854.

The 1890 census for Georgia was destroyed. Use tax digests to fill that gap. For records before 1854, check Muscogee County and Marion County records. Pre-1900 Chattahoochee County records are on microfilm at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. The address is 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org access is available in the search room.

The Chattahoochee Valley Public Libraries in Columbus have a genealogy room with birth and death indexes for Muscogee County dating back to 1890. Since Chattahoochee County was carved from Muscogee County, some of your ancestors may appear in those Columbus records, especially the earlier ones.

• Check Muscogee County records for ancestors before 1854
• Search military records if ancestors were connected to Fort Moore
• Review cemetery records and church records for missing vital dates
• Use tax digests when census records are missing

Cities in Chattahoochee County

Cusseta is the county seat and the main community in Chattahoochee County. All genealogy records are held at the Chattahoochee County courthouse in Cusseta. No cities in Chattahoochee County meet the population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Chattahoochee County. Check neighboring county records if your ancestors moved within this part of west Georgia.