Access Webster County Genealogy

Webster County genealogy records date back to 1853, when the county was created from Stewart County in southwest Georgia. The Probate Court in Preston holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps land deeds, divorce files, and civil case records. Webster County is one of Georgia's smallest counties by population, and the courthouse in Preston is a quiet place to do research. For records before 1853, check Stewart County, which was the parent county.

Webster County Probate Court Records

The Webster County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses go back to 1853. The court also keeps wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These records are important for tracing family lines in this part of southwest Georgia.

You can visit the courthouse at 6330 Hamilton Street in Preston to search in person. The court takes mail requests too. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment by check or money order. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and marriage licenses. Certified copies cost $2.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each page after that.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are also available through the Probate Court. The first copy costs $25. Each extra copy is $5. These fees are the same across all 159 Georgia county offices.

Webster County Superior Court Genealogy

The Webster County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records, divorce files, and civil case records from 1853. Land deeds are useful for tracking family connections. They show who owned property, who sold it, and who lived nearby. In a small county like Webster, these records can quickly map out a family network.

Divorce records often list children, property, and ages. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are open to the public. You can request copies in person or by mail from the courthouse in Preston. Tax digests maintained by the Superior Court are helpful for years when census records are missing.

Georgia lost its 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1890 federal census data. Webster County tax records from those periods can serve as substitutes. Civil case files, including estate disputes and property lawsuits, often name multiple family members.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Open Records Act caps copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard documents.

Vital Records for Webster County Genealogy

Georgia did not start statewide vital records until 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For Webster County births and deaths before 1919, you need county-level sources. Church records, cemetery transcriptions, and family Bibles are key alternatives.

Birth certificates from 1919 onward are available from the Georgia Department of Public Health or the Webster County Probate Court. 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 and are easier to get for genealogy research.

The Georgia Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. FamilySearch.org also has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 indexed at no cost. These free databases are solid starting points for Webster County research.

Webster County Genealogy Records Online

The Georgia Probate Courts Directory lists contact info, hours, and services for the Webster County Probate Court and all 159 county probate offices in the state.

From this directory you can find phone numbers, addresses, and links for probate courts across Georgia. It is a good starting point when you need to contact Webster County about genealogy records.

You can also search Webster County records through the state's E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Documents cost $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 per additional page. Other free resources include FamilySearch, which has Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960 and death records from 1914 to 1943. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has over one million pages of old newspapers with obituaries and legal notices.

Genealogy Research Tips for Webster County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Then work backward one generation at a time.

Census records are a great next step. Federal census data from 1860 to 1940 covers Webster County. The 1850 census would list your ancestors under Stewart County. For years where census data is missing, use Webster County tax digests. The Georgia Archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260 is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Fold3 is available in the search room.

• Check cemetery records when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Look at Family Bible records on microfilm at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Vanishing Georgia collection for historical photos
• Review estate and guardianship records for family details

Webster County was formed from Stewart County in 1853. If your ancestors lived here before that year, check Stewart County records. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help track where your family was counted over time.

Note: Pre-1900 Webster County records are on microfilm at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. Post-1900 records are at the courthouse in Preston.

Cities in Webster County

Preston is the county seat and largest community in Webster County. All genealogy records for this county are maintained at the Webster County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Preston. No cities in Webster County meet the population threshold for a separate city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Webster County. If your ancestors moved within southwest Georgia, check neighboring county records. Webster was carved from Stewart County in 1853.