Dougherty County Genealogy Search

Dougherty County genealogy records date back to 1853, when the county was created from Baker County in southwest Georgia. The Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Albany hold marriage licenses, wills, estate papers, land deeds, and court case files that can help you trace your family. Albany is the largest city in southwest Georgia, and Dougherty County records cover a wide range of families who settled along the Flint River. Whether your ancestors were early settlers, Civil War era residents, or 20th century arrivals, the courthouse in Albany has the records you need.

Dougherty County Probate Court Genealogy

The Dougherty County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. This office holds marriage licenses from 1853 to the present. It also keeps wills, letters of administration, guardianship records, and estate inventories. These records are essential for anyone tracing family lines in Dougherty County.

You can visit the courthouse in Albany to search records in person. Staff can help you find what you need. The court also accepts mail requests. Send a written request with the names and dates you are looking for, plus the search fee. Copies are a small charge per page. Certified copies cost more. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses in Dougherty County. This is where most genealogy searches in the county should begin.

The Georgia Probate Courts Directory provides contact details for all county probate courts in Georgia, including Dougherty County.

Use this directory to find addresses, phone numbers, and office hours for the Dougherty County Probate Court and nearby counties.

Note: Fees for copies and searches can change, so call ahead to confirm current costs before your visit or mail request.

Dougherty County Records and Genealogy

The Dougherty County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records from 1853 to the present. Deed books and plat maps help you see where your ancestors owned land. Divorce records often name children, list property, and give ages or birth dates. These details are hard to find in other record types.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are open to the public. You can request copies from the Clerk of Superior Court in Albany. Land records are especially helpful for pre-1919 genealogy, when vital records did not yet exist at the state level. Tax digests from the 1850s and 1860s show who owned property in Dougherty County and can place your ancestors at a specific location and time.

During the Civil War, Dougherty County was part of the Confederate South. Military records, pension applications, and local court records from that era may name your ancestors. The Georgia Archives has Confederate pension applications available online through the Virtual Vault. These records often include age, birthplace, and military service details that are useful for genealogy.

Vital Records for Dougherty County Genealogy

Georgia began statewide birth and death registration in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For Dougherty County, pre-1919 vital records are limited. The county vital records office in Albany issues birth and death certificates from 1919 to the present. Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for extras. Death certificates are the same price.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are only available to close family members and legal guardians. Death certificates are more widely available and useful for genealogy work. For older records, check the Georgia Virtual Vault for death certificates from 1919 to 1943. FamilySearch also has indexed Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 for free.

When vital records are missing, estate records and church records can help. A will might name a spouse and children. A church baptism record might give a birth date. Cemetery inscriptions often show birth and death years. These sources are essential for Dougherty County genealogy before 1919.

Note: Marriage records from 1952 to 1996 were also filed with the Georgia Department of Public Health at the state level.

Dougherty County Genealogy Online Resources

Several free websites can help with Dougherty County genealogy research. FamilySearch has Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960, probate records from 1742 to 1990, and death records from 1914 to 1943. All of these are free to search and view. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has over a million pages of old Georgia papers. Obituaries, legal notices, and family announcements from Albany area newspapers can add important details to your research.

The Georgia Archives in Morrow has pre-1900 Dougherty County records on microfilm. The address is 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free access to Ancestry.com and Fold3 is available in the search room. For records after 1900, contact the courthouse in Albany.

Census records are another key tool. Federal census data for Dougherty County starts in 1860 (the county was formed in 1853). The 1850 census covered Baker County, which held this land before Dougherty was created. Remember that the 1890 federal census for Georgia was destroyed. Use tax digests and other local records to fill that gap.

• Check cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Review Family Bible records at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Vanishing Georgia photo collection for old images
• Look at Confederate pension applications for Civil War era families

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Georgia Open Records Act caps copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard documents from public agencies. Court records may have different fee structures set by local rules.

Cities in Dougherty County

Dougherty County's largest city is Albany. All genealogy records for this area are maintained at the Dougherty County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Albany.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Dougherty County. If your ancestors moved within southwest Georgia, check neighboring county records as well. County boundaries shifted over the years, so an ancestor in Dougherty County one decade might show up in a different county the next.