Wilcox County Genealogy

Wilcox County genealogy records go back to 1857, the year this county was formed from parts of Dooly, Irwin, and Pulaski counties. The Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Abbeville keep marriage records, wills, estate files, land deeds, and court cases that cover over 165 years of local history. Researchers tracing family lines in south-central Georgia will find the Wilcox County courthouse to be a key resource. Records here document the families who settled in this farming region between the Ocmulgee and Alapaha river basins.

Wilcox County Probate Court Records

The Wilcox County Probate Court is the main place to find marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses go back to 1857. The court also holds wills, letters of administration, guardianship papers, and estate inventories. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses in Wilcox County.

You can request records by mail or visit the courthouse in Abbeville. Send a written request with the full name of the person you are looking for and the approximate date of the record. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order to cover fees. Copy fees are typically $1 per page. Certified copies cost more. Call ahead to check current prices. Staff at the Probate Court can help you locate older records if you give them enough detail to narrow down the search. Some of the oldest records from the late 1850s and 1860s may be in fragile condition, so patience is important when working with the clerks on these files.

Note: Wilcox County was formed just before the Civil War, so records from the early years may have gaps due to wartime disruption.

Wilcox County Online Genealogy Records

The Wilcox County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer genealogy resource with cemetery transcriptions, census data, and family records shared by other researchers.

This site connects you with others working on Wilcox County family lines. Volunteers post courthouse records, cemetery readings, and census extracts. It is a solid starting point for new researchers.

The Georgia court system offers electronic access through the E-Access portal. This tool lets you search court records from participating counties. Not all counties are fully online, but the database grows each year. For Wilcox County, check this portal first to see what is available before making a trip to Abbeville.

Free online tools include FamilySearch, which has Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960, probate records from 1742 to 1990, and death records from 1914 to 1943. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has over one million pages of old newspapers. Search for obituaries, legal notices, and family announcements in papers that served the Wilcox County area.

Wilcox County Superior Court Genealogy

The Wilcox County Superior Court Clerk holds land records, divorce files, and civil and criminal case records. Deed books date to 1857. These show property sales, gifts, and transfers between family members. Land records are some of the most useful genealogy tools in rural counties like Wilcox. They name neighbors and adjoining landowners, which helps place families on a map.

Divorce records from the Superior Court often list children by name, give ages or birth dates, and describe property splits. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Wilcox County are open to the public. You can visit the clerk's office in the courthouse in Abbeville during business hours. Tax digests are also at this office. They list property owners each year and work well as a census substitute for years when the federal count is missing or damaged. For the 1860 and 1870 periods, tax records can fill big gaps in your family tree.

Court minutes from the Superior Court can reveal details about ancestors involved in lawsuits, property disputes, or criminal cases. These records sometimes include testimony that mentions family relationships, occupations, and residences.

Vital Records for Wilcox County

Georgia started statewide vital records in 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For Wilcox County births and deaths before that year, you need church registers, cemetery records, and family Bibles. The Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. These are searchable by name and county.

Birth certificates from the state office cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy. Death certificates are the same price. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are restricted to the named person, parents, grandparents, adult siblings, adult children, spouses, or legal guardians. Death certificates have fewer restrictions, which makes them more accessible for genealogy. The Georgia Department of Public Health handles state-level vital record requests.

Wilcox County marriage records date to 1857. The Probate Court holds these files. The state only has marriage records from 1952 to 1996. For marriages outside that window, contact the Wilcox County Probate Court directly. Always call first to confirm what is available and what the current fees are.

Research Tips for Wilcox County

Start with what you know. Write down all names, dates, and places for your Wilcox County family. Then work backward one generation at a time. Census records are usually the best next step. Wilcox County first shows up in the 1860 federal census, just three years after the county was formed.

Wilcox County was created from Dooly, Irwin, and Pulaski counties in 1857. If your ancestors were in this part of Georgia before that year, check those parent counties. Georgia has 159 counties, and boundaries changed often during the 1800s. The Virtual Vault has a free resource called "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" that shows which county covered a specific area in any given year. This is critical for Wilcox County research because the borders shifted multiple times.

The Georgia Archives in Morrow holds pre-1900 Wilcox County records on microfilm. Marriage records, estate files, deed books, and court minutes are all on film. The search room gives free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Fold3. The archives are at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260, open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, public record copy fees are capped at 10 cents per page for standard documents at public agencies. Court records may have different fee structures set by local rules. Always confirm the total cost before you pay.

• Check cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions when vital records are not available
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Look at Family Bible records on microfilm at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Vanishing Georgia photo collection for Wilcox County images
• Review estate records when birth or death dates are unknown

Cities in Wilcox County

Wilcox County includes Abbeville, the county seat, along with smaller communities like Rochelle, Pineview, and Pitts. All genealogy records for these areas are kept at the Wilcox County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in Abbeville. No cities in this county meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Wilcox County. If your ancestors moved within south-central Georgia, check neighboring county records as well. Boundary changes were common during the 1800s, and families often crossed county lines.