Access Hart County Genealogy

Hart County genealogy records begin in 1853, when the county was formed from parts of Elbert and Franklin counties. Marriage licenses start in 1854. Probate, land, and court records also date to 1854. The Probate Court in Hartwell holds marriage records, wills, estate files, and guardianship documents. The courthouse at 185 W. Franklin Street in Hartwell is where most genealogy research starts. Hart County sits in the northeast corner of Georgia along the South Carolina border, and its records are valuable for tracing families in this area.

Hart County Probate Court Records

The Hart County Probate Court is the primary source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses start in 1854. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and marriage licenses in Hart County.

Visit the courthouse at 185 W. Franklin Street in Hartwell to search records in person. The phone number is 706-376-2024. For mail requests, send a written request with the names and dates you need, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment for fees. Staff are available to help with basic lookups.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are on file. Certified copies cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy. These fees are standard across all Georgia counties.

The county was formed in 1853, but records start in 1854. Some early documents may have taken time to file after the county organized. For anything before 1853, check Elbert County and Franklin County.

Hart County Genealogy Records Online

The Hart County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run genealogy resource with cemetery records, census data, and family documents shared by researchers.

Volunteers post records they find at courthouses, cemeteries, and archives. This is a useful way to connect with others researching Hart County families.

You can also search Hart County court records through the state's E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Document viewing is $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each page after that. This lets you search from home.

Hart County Superior Court Genealogy

The Hart County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records from 1854. Land deeds are a key genealogy source. They show property transfers, name neighbors, and often list family members as witnesses or heirs. Deed books in Hart County cover the county's full history.

Divorce records often contain names of children, property details, and birth dates. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are open to the public. You can get copies in person or by mail from the clerk in Hartwell.

Civil lawsuits, estate disputes, and guardianship cases are worth checking too. They often name several family members and can fill holes when vital records are unavailable.

Vital Records for Hart County Genealogy

Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are available from the Hart County Probate Court or the Georgia Department of Public Health. Certified copies cost $25 for the first and $5 for each extra copy.

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 have fewer restrictions. For records before 1919, check the Probate Court, church records, or cemetery inscriptions.

The Georgia Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. FamilySearch also has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 indexed at no cost.

Research Tips for Hart County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Then work backward. Census records are a strong next step. Federal census data for Hart County starts in 1860. The 1890 census was destroyed. Tax digests help fill that gap.

Pre-1900 Hart County records are on microfilm at the Georgia Archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and Fold3 is available in the search room.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Review Family Bible records at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Georgia Historic Newspapers for obituaries
• Look at estate records for family names and dates

Hart County borders South Carolina. Families often crossed state lines. If your trail goes cold in Hart County, check Anderson County, South Carolina. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help track where your family was counted. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, copy fees from public agencies are capped at 10 cents per page.

Cities in Hart County

Hart County includes Hartwell, Royston, and Bowersville. All genealogy records are maintained at the Hart County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Hartwell. No cities in Hart County meet the population threshold for individual city pages.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Hart County. Families in northeast Georgia often moved between counties and across the South Carolina line, so check neighboring records too.