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De Kalb County, Georgia
Genealogy, Facts and Records Resources
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DeKalb County was created from Fayette, Gwinnett, and Henry counties on Dec. 9, 1822 by an act of the General Assembly. Georgia's 54th county was named for Baron Johann DeKalb, who served as a major general in the Continental Army and was wounded in the Battle of Camden, South Carolina.
In 1853, Fulton County was created entirely from DeKalb County. Portions of DeKalb were used to create Campbell County (1828) and Cherokee County (1831) and were also transferred to the following existing counties: Coweta (1826), Gwinnett (1840), Milton (1859), and Rockdale (1875).
Decatur [named for U.S. naval hero Stephen Decatur; incorporated and designated county seat Dec. 10, 1823]. The first courthouse was a frame structure built in1823, followed by two other wooden buildings, both of which burned, one in 1842 and one in 1898. A fourth courthouse was built in 1916; it now houses the DeKalb Historical Society. In 1997, DeKalb County voters aproved a homestead option sales tax that included funds for an addition to the current courthouse. In January 2001, the county awarded a $32 million contract for construction of a seven-story addition on the back of the courthouse, There County Courthouse Was destroyed by fire in 1842 and in 1898. The 1842 fire detroyed all records
Cities and Towns Includes the cities of Avondale Estates, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Lithonia, Pine Lake and Stone Mountain. De Kalb County, Georgia History Books at Amazon.com. The Official County Government Website is located at http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us
- Submit a Website or Report Incorrect Information
- Historical Newspapers from Georgia (1752 - 1997) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
- Georgia State Genealogy Network - Facebook.com
- Family History Library
- Georgia Newspaper Archives
- the largest historical newspaper database online, contains nearly 100 million newspaper pages from 1759 to present. Every newspaper in the archive is fully searchable by keyword and date. It Features billions of articles from historical newspapers around the U.S. and the world, it makes exploring history and genealogy easy. Discover fascinating news in archived newspapers hundreds of years old - including obituaries, birth announcements, sports articles, comics, and more – to fill in the life stories you are interested in. All of thier historical newspapers are full-page and fully searchable
- Georgia Historical Records - Databases include Georgia Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Georgia Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Georgia Voter Lists & Census Records; Georgia Immigration & Emigration Records; Georgia Obituary Records; Georgia Military Records; Georgia Family Tree Records; Georgia Pictures; Georgia Stories, Memories & Histories; Georgia Directories & Member Lists and much more....
De Kalb County Court, Probate and Tax Records
See Also Georgia Court, Land, Tax & Probate Records and Marriage Records
De Kalb County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1842 and Land Records from 1842 and is located at 556 N. McDonough St. , STE 207, Decatur, GA 30030; Phone: (404) 371-2836, Fax: (404) 687-7163 . The Superior Court, Georgia's general jurisdiction trial court, has exclusive constitutional authority over felony cases, cases regarding title to land and equity, declaratory judgments, habeas corpus, mandamus, adoptions, name changes, divorces, child custody, and child support enforcement. The clerk is responsible for recording deeds and maintaining the chain of title to all property in the county.
De Kalb County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1842 , Probate Records from 1842 and is located at Courthouse, Decatur, GA 30030-3221; 404-371-2718 / FAX 371-7055 . The jurisdiction of Probate Court are all legal proceedings that deal with Wills, Estates, Guardianships of minor children, Involuntary Committals Hearings, Filing of Wills for saf, Issuance of Marriage License, ect... The office of the probate judge is the county office where the most significant genealogical records are created and maintained in Georgia.
None of Georgia's colonial tax records have survived. Surviving Georgia tax records begin on a county basis in the late 1780s. By 1783 Georgia tax laws provided for taxing land according to its quality and quantity, and male polls were white males over twenty-one. Other taxes were imposed on town lots, slaves, and free persons of color, buildings and improvements, merchandise, lawyers, and doctors. The poll tax on all adult males made Georgia tax digests good census substitutes and supplements.
Below is a list of online resources for De Kalb County Court Records. Email us with websites containing De Kalb County Court Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for De Kalb Co. Court Records
- Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
- De Kalb County, Georgia Court Books at Amazon.com
- Land Lotteries - Lands were given to Georgia citizens by lotteries from in 1805, 1807, 1820, 1821, 1827, 1832, 1832 (Gold), 1833. Where Georgians sold lots won in these lotteries, researchers will find that deeds may be valuable sources of genealogical information. Those deeds should have been recorded in the counties where the land was located, but in some cases references may be found in the counties where the owner resided. Land transaction between private individuals are recorded with the clerk of superior court in the appropriate county.
- Georgia Tax Index, 1789-99 - Online tax database for an index of tax records held by the state government from 1789-99.
- Georgia Marriages, 1699-1944
- Georgia Marriages to 1850
- Georgia Marriages, 1851-1900
- Index to Georgia Wills
- Land Grants to Georgia Revolutionary War Veterans
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which does not cover Georgia but does cover surrounding states. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
- Search Land Patents at Gov-Records.com
- Search Property Records at Gov-Records.com
De Kalb County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records
See Also Vital Records in Georgia
De Kalb County Health Department has Birth and Death Records since January 1919 and is located at 445 Winn Way, P.O. Box 987, Decatur, GA 30031-1701; (404) 294-3700. You may go to any county health department in the State of Georgia to obtain a certificates can be issued while you wait. Contact Clerk of Superior Court For County Divorce Records (See De Kalb County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Probate Judge For County Marriage Records (See De Kalb County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in county where license was issued.
Georgia State Vital Records, Center for Health Statistics Office is located at State Dept of Human Resources, 2600 Skyland Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319-3640 (404) 679-4730 info, (877) 572-6343; Fax: (404) 524-4278. They have the following records:
- Birth & Death Certificates: Birth records are available from 1919 to the present. For earlier records in Atlanta or Savannah or other cities or counties, write to the Vital Records Office (see above) in county where event occurred. Fees are listed below. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates.
- Death Certificates: Certified copies of death records are available from 1919 to the present. Death certificates are available to the general public. For earlier records in Atlanta or Savannah or other cities or counties, write to the Vital Records Office (see above) in county where event occurred. Fees are listed below. You can download an application online for Death Certificates. Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index
- Marriage Certificates: Centralized State records since June 9, 1952. Certified copies of marriage documents up to 1966 are issued at State office. Contact the De Kalb County Probate office for marriages in De Kalb County occurring before June 9, 1952, and all other counties will be forwarded to appropriate Probate Judge in county where license was issued.The state office does no record marriage license or applications after July 1, 1997.
Ordering Vital Records - You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Certificates to mail. Order Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records or Death Records.
Ordering Vital Records by Mail -The fee to search for a birth, Marriage or Death certificate is $10.00, which includes one certified copy of the certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." For each additional copy of the certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $5.00. Make certified checks and money orders should be made payable to "Vital Records, GA. DHR". Please do not send cash or checks. Fees are non refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service. Mail all Applications to:Vital Records, 2600 Skyland Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319-3640. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates or Death Certificates.
Below is a list of online resources for De Kalb County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing De Kalb County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for De Kalb Co. Vital Records
- Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research.
- Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com!
- Find thousands of historical Georgia newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
- Search Historical Newspapers (1690 - 1980)
- Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly
- Georgia Death Certificates, 1919-1927 - Georga Death Certificates and Images from 1919 through 1927. The collection also includes a number of certificates predating 1919, mostly from 1917 and 1918. Free from the Georgia State Archives
- Georgia Marriages, 1699-1944: This database contains marriage information from selected areas of Georgia from 1699-1944.
- Georgia Marriages to 1850: This database of Georgia marriages to 1850 contains over 165,000 names. Each entry includes groom, bride, marriage date, county, and state. Every name is indexed so you can search for one name, or two names that are linked.
- Georgia Marriages, 1851-1900: This collection of records contains marriage data from several Georgia counties between 1851 and 1900.
- Georgia Deaths, 1919-98: This database is an index of more than 2.7 million deaths recorded by the state of Georgia from 1919 to 1998
- De Kalb County, Georgia Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
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De Kalb County Census Records
See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Census Links for Georgia
Federal Population Schedules that exist for Georgia are 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. The 1820 census is the earliest enumeration of Georgia's population to have survived, making it necessary to substitute other lists for the missing censuses. Land lottery, military and tax lists, and other records, are available as census substitutes and supplements for the 1820 and earlier censuses.
The first three census schedules for Georgia (1790, 1800 & 1810) are missing. A total of seventeen volumes of 1790-1820 censuses were lost by the federal government, evidently before 1895, and the cause is unknown. Tax lists for various years for a few of the counties have been published.. These can be used as a substitution for the first three census schedules. Additionally, Wills, deeds, tax digests, court minutes, voter lists, and newspapers can be searched to locate ancestors during this period The 1820 schedules for Franklin, Rabun, and Twiggs Counties are missing.
Georgia conducted state censuses for various years from 1787 to 1866. Only a relatively few of these returns survive, and they are only lists of heads of households with some minor statistical information. The returns prior to 1852 have been published in various sources. Later census returns, when they survive, are almost all on microfilm at the Georgia Department of Archives and History . The Georgia Census, 1790-1890 contains the following indexes: 1790 Tax Substitute Index; 1792-1819 Tax Lists Index; 1800 Oglethorpe County Territorial Census Index; 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860 & 1870 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1838 & 1845 State Census Index; ,1860 Slave Schedule; 1890 Veterans Schedule.
There are many other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in the state of Georgia. There are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.
Below is a list of online resources for De Kalb County Census Records. Email us with websites containing De Kalb County Census Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for De Kalb Co. Census Records
- Census Records at Archives.com
- De Kalb County, Georgia Census Books at Amazon.com
- Census & Voter Lists
De Kalb County Military Records
See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Georgia
Below is a list of online resources for De Kalb County Military Records. Email us with websites containing De Kalb County Military Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for De Kalb Co. Military Records
- De Kalb County, Georgia Military Books at Amazon.com
- Revolutionary War Muster and Pay Rolls from the State of Georgia
(The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
- Patriot Army Records of the Revolutionary War
- Revolutionary War Pensions from the State of Georgia
- Southern Claims - Approved - Georgia
- Southern Claims - Barred and Disallowed Records from the State of Georgia (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
- Civil War Veterans Organization Index of Pension Files from the State of Georgia (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
- Civil War Confederate Soldier Service Records from the State of Georgia
- Presidential Pardons Applications from former Confederates from the State of Georgia (The National Archives): NARA M1003. View, Print Copy & Save Original Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson, 1865-67, by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.
De Kalb County Genealogical Addresses
See Also Other Georgia Genealogical Addresses
Below is a list of online resources for De Kalb County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing De Kalb County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for De Kalb Co. Genealogical Addresses
- DeKalb County, Ga. Records and Writings
- DeKalb Historical Society; 101 E Court Sq; Decatur, GA 30030-2544; Sue Ellen Owens; (404) 373-1088
- Georgia Women of Achievement; PO Box 5851; Atlanta, GA 31107-0851; (404) 653-0800
- Georgia Department of Archives and History, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260;
For history, genealogy, or other research: Reference Services Tel: (678) 364-3710 , [EMAIL] - Georgia Historical Society, 501 Whitaker Str, Savannah, GA 31401; 912-651-2125
- Georgia Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 54574, Atlanta, Georgia 30308-0575, [EMAIL]
- Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
De Kalb County Cemeteries & Graveyards
See Also Research In Cemetery Records or Statewide Cemetery Links for Georgia
There are many churches and cemeteries in De Kalb County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the De Kalb County Tombstone Transcription Project.
The Georgia Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches and cemeteries free for viewing or download here.
Below is a list of online resources for De Kalb County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing De Kalb County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for De Kalb Co. Cemetery & Church Records
- Cemetery Records at Archives.com
- Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com!
- Find thousands of Georgia obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Georgia newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Georgia.
- Obituary Records at Archives.com
- America's Obituaries (1977 to current) at Genealogybank.com
- Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries - includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!
- De Kalb County, Georgia Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
- Gravestone, Tombstone, and Memorial Photo Collection from findagrave.com
- De Kalb County, Georgia Church Books at Amazon.com
- Georgia Baptist Historical Collection, Eugene W. Stetson Memorial Library, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia 31207;
- United Methodist Museum, P.O. Box 408, St. Simons Island, Georgia 31522
- Savannah and Diocesan Archives, 302 East Liberty St, P.O. Box 8789, Savannah, GA 31402.
- Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com!
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County Church & Bible Records
See Also Research In Church Records or Statewide Church & Bible Links for Georgia
Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits
Below is a list of online resources for De Kalb County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing De Kalb County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for De Kalb Co. Family Records
- De Kalb County, Georgia Family Books at Amazon.com
- Sites on USGenweb: [ De Kalb County ] [ Georgia ] [ Main Page ]
- [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards
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- Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
- The Georgia Family Group Sheet Project
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