Search Johnson County Genealogy

Johnson County genealogy records date back to 1858, when the county was created from Emanuel, Laurens, and Washington counties in central Georgia. The Probate Court in Wrightsville holds marriage licenses, wills, estate records, and guardianship files spanning more than 160 years. The Superior Court Clerk maintains land deeds, divorce records, and civil case files that help piece together family connections. If your ancestors lived in or near Wrightsville, Johnson County courthouse records are where you should start your research.

Johnson County Probate Court Records

The Johnson County Probate Court is the main office for marriage and estate records used in genealogy. Marriage licenses start in 1858 and continue to the present. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, estate inventories, and annual returns. These records provide the core documentation for most Johnson County family research.

Visit the courthouse in Wrightsville to search records in person. Staff can guide you through the indexes and record books. Mail requests are accepted as well. Send a letter with the names, dates, and details you need along with a check or money order for fees. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has full jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses in Johnson County. Standard copies cost about $1 per page. Certified copies are more. Always call ahead to verify current fees.

Note: Johnson County was formed from Emanuel, Laurens, and Washington counties, so check those counties for pre-1858 family records.

Johnson County Superior Court Genealogy

The Superior Court Clerk in Johnson County holds land records, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records from 1858 to the present. Land deeds are some of the most revealing genealogy records available. They show property transfers between generations, sales between neighbors, and divisions of inherited land. Plat maps give physical details about where farms and homesteads were located.

Divorce records are another helpful source for genealogy. They often list children, divide property, and include birth dates or ages. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most Georgia court records are public. The Georgia Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71 caps copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard letter or legal size documents. You can request copies in person or by mail from the Clerk of Superior Court in Wrightsville.

The Civil War affected Johnson County significantly. Records from the 1860s may have gaps or damage. Some property records and court minutes from that period may be incomplete, so check multiple sources when researching Civil War era families in Johnson County.

Vital Records for Johnson County Genealogy

Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. Birth and death certificates from 1919 onward are available through the Johnson County Health Department or the Georgia Department of Public Health. Birth certificates cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy. Death certificates cost the same.

For records before 1919, check other sources. The Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. FamilySearch has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943. Cemetery inscriptions, church records, and old newspaper obituaries are your best options for the years between 1858 and 1919 when the county existed but the state did not keep vital records.

Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are only available to the person named, parents, grandparents, adult siblings, adult children, spouses, or legal guardians. Death certificates are less restricted and more available for genealogy work.

Johnson County GAGenWeb Genealogy

The Johnson County GAGenWeb page is a free genealogy resource run by volunteers. It includes cemetery transcriptions, census data, family trees, and other records shared by researchers focused on Johnson County families.

Volunteers post records from courthouses, libraries, and archives. Bible records, old photographs, and transcribed documents are common contributions that you might not find anywhere else.

Additional free resources include FamilySearch with Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960 and probate records from 1742 to 1990. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has over a million pages of Georgia newspapers with obituaries, legal notices, and family announcements.

Note: Confederate pension applications from Georgia are available through FamilySearch and the Virtual Vault, which can help identify Johnson County veterans and their families.

Research Tips for Johnson County

Start with the facts you have. List names, dates, and places for your Johnson County family. Work backward one generation at a time. Census records are usually the most productive step. Federal census data from 1820 to 1940 is at the Georgia Archives through Ancestry.com, free in the search room.

The 1860 census would be the first to show Johnson County as its own entity. Before that, your family would appear in Emanuel, Laurens, or Washington County. The 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1890 censuses for Georgia were destroyed. Tax digests from those years can fill the gaps. The Georgia Archives is at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260, open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Pre-1900 Johnson County records are on microfilm at the Georgia Archives. For post-1900 records, go to the Wrightsville courthouse. The Archives search room provides free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Fold3.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Review Family Bible records at the Georgia Archives
• Look at Emanuel, Laurens, and Washington county records for pre-1858 ancestors
• Use the Vanishing Georgia photo collection for old images

Georgia has 159 counties with borders that shifted frequently. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" which shows which county held your ancestor at different times.

Cities in Johnson County

Johnson County includes the city of Wrightsville, which serves as the county seat. All genealogy records for cities in Johnson County are maintained at the Johnson County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Wrightsville. No cities in Johnson County meet the population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Johnson County. Since it was formed from Emanuel, Laurens, and Washington counties, pre-1858 records for your family may be in one of those parent counties.