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Franklin 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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Franklin and Washington counties were created on Feb. 25, 1784 by an act of the General Assembly. They were the first new counties established in Georgia after the Revolutionary War and were fashioned from lands ceded by the Cherokees and Creeks in the Treaties of Augusta in 1783.

Named for Benjamin Franklin, Georgia's 9th county consisted of all ceded lands north of Cherokee Corner on the eastern tip of today's Clarke County -- an area that includes all of today's Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Oconee, and Stephens counties, plus portions of Habersham, Hart, Hall, Gwinnett, and Madison counties. Though the Georgia Land Office began granting headright and bounty land grants in the new county, it was several years before the county had enough inhabitants to organize a county government.

Created entirely from Franklin County were Jackson County (1796) and Habersham County (1818). Additionally, portions of Franklin County were used to help create the following counties: Madison (1811), Hart (1853), Banks (1858), and Stephens (1905).

At the time of its creation, Franklin County was a huge wilderness with its northern boundary bordering Cherokee lands. An act of Feb. 22, 1785 provided that superior court for the new county initially be held at the house of Warren Philpot. An act of Feb. 10, 1787 changed the meeting pl.ace to the house of Benjamin Acles. On Feb. 1, 1788, the legislature appointed commissioners to select a site for the county seat and authorized them to spend up to £250 to build a courthouse and jail. New commissioners were named in 1791, and again in 1792. In 1805, the General Assembly designated Carnesville as county seat. Settled around 1797, Carnesville was named for judge Thomas Carnes, who had represented Georgia in the 3rd Congress (1793-95). The legislature incorporated Carnesville on Dec. 21, 1819.

Cities and Towns Includes the cities of Canon, Carnesville, Franklin Springs, Lavonia and Royston. The Official County Government Website is located at http://www.franklin-county.com/

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Franklin County Court, Probate and Tax Records

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

Franklin County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1786 and Land Records from 1786 and is located at 9592 Lavonia Rd., P.O. Box 70, CARNESVILLE, GA 30521; Phone: (706) 384-2514, Fax: (706) 384-4384. 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.

Franklin County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1806 , Probate Records from 1786 and is located at Courthouse, P.O. Box 207, Carnesville, GA 30521-0207; 706-384-2403 / FAX 384-7089. 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 Franklin County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Franklin County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Franklin County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Vital Records in Georgia

Franklin County Health Department has Birth and Death Records since January 1919 and is located at 6955 Highway 145 South, Carnesville, Georgia 30521; (706) 384-5575. 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 Franklin County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Probate Judge For County Marriage Records (See Franklin 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 Franklin County Probate office for marriages in Franklin 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 Franklin County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Franklin County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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

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Franklin County Military Records

See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Georgia

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

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Franklin County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Georgia Genealogical Addresses

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

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Franklin County Cemeteries & Graveyards

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

There are many churches and cemeteries in Franklin County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Franklin 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 Franklin County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Franklin 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 Franklin County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Franklin County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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