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Echols County, Georgia
Genealogy, Facts and Records Resources

County Court, Probate, Land & Tax Records  •  County Census Records
County Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records and Death Records
County Cemeteries & Graveyards  •  County Church & Bible Records
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Echols County was created from Clinch and Lowndes counties on Dec. 13, 1858 by an act of the General Assembly. Georgia's 132nd county was named for Brig. Gen. Robert Echols (1798-1847), a Georgian who died during the Mexican War. Prior to the war, Echols had represented Walton County in the Georgia House of Representatives (1824-1829) and in the Georgia Senate (1830-1844), including six years as president of that body (1835-37, 1839, and 1841-42).

The 1858 act creating Echols County named Harris Tomlinson, Guilford Register, and William B. Cruise as commissioners with authority to select the site and purchase land for location of the county seat. The legislation further provided that voters of the county assemble at the town of Troublesome on the first Monday in April 1859 and elect county officials. If, by the time of the election, the commissioners had not selected a county seat, the newly elected justices of the inferior court would be empowered to select the county seat. In 1859, either the commissioners or the inferior court designated Statenville as county seat. The settlement had been named for the community's first store owner, Capt. James Staten. The General Assembly incorporated Statenville by an act of Dec. 13, 1859. (Unfortunately, the act incorrectly identified the new town as "Statesville" rather than "Statenville" -- a mistake that has never been corrected. Nevertheless, highway maps and local residents identify the town as "Statenville.")

In 1958, the General Assembly approved a local act redrawing the boundaries of Statenville. According to the legislation, the town's new boundaries consisted of the Echols County courthouse square -- meaning that the city had no official population. In 1965, the legislature approved a local act giving Statenville a new city charter (and one that spelled its name correctly). The legislation required approval in a referendum, but Statenville voters turned down the new charter.

By the early 1990s, Statenville was one of over 100 official towns that provided few if any services to their citizens. Some of these towns had long been inactive-- but legally they retained the status of an incorporated municipality. In an effort to deal with this problem, the General Assembly enacted legislation mandating that any incorporated city in Georgia must provide its citizens with at least three municipal services or lose its charter. Though given a grace period to comply, over 100 small or inactive towns -- including Statenville -- lost their municipal charters on July 1, 1995. At that point, they became unincorporated communities under the jurisdiction of their county governments. Today, Echols, Columbia, and Crawford are the only Georgia counties with an unincorporated community serving as county seat. The County Courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1897 destroying all records

Cities and Towns Includes the cities of Fruitland, Haylon, Howell, Mayday, Needmore, Potter, Statenville and Tarver. The Official County Government Website is located at ?

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Echols County Court, Probate and Tax Records

See Also Georgia Court, Land, Tax & Probate Records and Marriage Records

Echols County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1898 and Land Records from 1897 and is located at 110 Hwy. 94 E, P.O. Box 213, STATENVILLE, GA 31648; Phone: (229) 559-5642, Fax: (229) 559-5792. 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. The County Courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1897 destroying all records

Echols County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1898 , Probate Records from 1897 and is located at PO Box 118, Statenville, GA 31648-0118; 229-559-7526/F 559-8128 . 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. The County Courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1897 destroying all records

Below is a list of online resources for Echols County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Echols County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Echols County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Vital Records in Georgia

Echols County Health Department has Birth and Death Records since January 1919 and is located at. 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 Echols County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Probate Judge For County Marriage Records (See Echols 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 Echols County Probate office for marriages in Echols 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 Echols County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Echols County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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Echols 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 Echols County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Echols County Census Records by clicking the link below:

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Echols County Military Records

See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Georgia

Below is a list of online resources for Echols County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Echols County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Echols County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Georgia Genealogical Addresses

Below is a list of online resources for Echols County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Echols County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Submit a website for Echols Co. Genealogical Addresses
  • Echols County Historical Society; 814 Bethel Church Rd; Lake Park, GA 31636-5866; Mamie Pipkins; (229) 559-5230
  • 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.
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Echols County Cemeteries & Graveyards

See Also Research In Cemetery Records or Statewide Cemetery Links for Georgia

There are many churches and cemeteries in Echols County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Echols 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 Echols County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Echols County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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County Church & Bible Records

See Also Research In Church Records or Statewide Church & Bible Links for Georgia

 

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

Below is a list of online resources for Echols County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Echols County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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