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Lanier 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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In an act of Aug. 11, 1919, the General Assembly proposed a constitutional amendment to create Lanier County from Berrien, Clinch, and Lowndes counties. An act of Aug. 7, 1920 amended the constitutional amendment to redefine the boundaries of the new county. Georgia voters approved the constitutional amendment on Nov. 2, 1920, which marks the official date of Lanier County's creation.

According to the constitutional amendment as amended, Lanier County's legal boundaries were defined as:

Beginning at the northwest corner of land Lot 312, in the 10th land district of Berrien County, thence running south along the west line of Lots 312, 333, 358, 379, 404, 425 and 450 to the southwest corner of said Lot 450, thence westward along the north lines of Lots 470 and 469 to the northwest corner of Lot 469, thence south along the west lines of Lots 469, 498 and 515 to the southwest corner of Lot 515, thence east along the south lines of Lots 515 and 516 to the northwest corner of Lot 231, all of said lots being in the 10th District of Berrien County; thence south along the west lines of Lots 231, 232, 233, 234, 235 and 236 to the southwest corner of said Lot 236, all of said lots being in the 11th District of Lowndes County; thence east along the south lines of Lots 236, 271, 282, 317, 328, 363, 374, 409, 420 to the run of Alapaha River in Lowndes County, all of said lots in the 11th District of Lowndes County, and thence down the run of said Alapaha River in a southerly and southeasterly direction to where said run of said river crosses the present line between the Counties of Clinch and Echols, said line being the run of Cow Creek at said point, thence easterly and northeasterly along the run of said Cow Creek to a point where said creek leaves the present line between Clinch and Echols Counties, thence easterly and southeasterly along the present line between the Counties of Clinch and Echols to the southeast portion of lot of land 519 that lies in the present County of Clinch, and in the 11th District of said county; thence north along the east lines of lots of land 519, 518, 517, 516, 515, 514, 513, 512, 511, 510, 509, 508, 507 in the 11th District, and 529, 484, 483, 438, 437, 392, 391, 346, 345, 300, 299, 254, 253 to the northeast corner of said Lot 253, in the 10th District, all in the County of Clinch; thence westward along the north lines of Lots 253, 252, 251, 250 and 249 to the run of Alapaha River in a southerly direction to where the run of said river crosses the north line of Lot 304 in the 10th District of Berrien County; thence westward along the north lines of Lots 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311 and 312, in the 10th District of Berrien County, to the northwest corner of said Lot 312, the starting point.

Lanier County was created from portions of Berrien, Clinch, and Lowndes counties. Georgia's 157th county was named for Georgia poet Sidney Lanier.

The legislation proposing a constitutional amendment to create Lanier County designated Milltown, then located in Berrien County, as county seat.The date of Milltown's initial settlement is not clear, but on Dec. 17, 1901, the legislature incorporated the community as a town. On Aug. 11, 1925, the legislature changed the name of Milltown to Lakeland.

Lanier County's first courthouse was built in 1921 -- the year after the county's creation. It was replaced by the present courthouse in 1973.

Cities and Towns Includes the cities of Lakeland and Stockton. The Official County Government Website is located at ?

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Lanier County Court, Probate and Tax Records

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

Lanier County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1921 and Land Records from 1921 and is located at 100 MAIN ST., Lakeland, GA 31635; Phone: (229) 482-3594, Fax: (229) 482-8333 . 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.

Lanier County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1921 , Probate Records from 1921 and is located at Courthouse, Lakeland, GA 31635-1186; 229-482-3668/F 482-8333 . 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 Lanier County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Lanier County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Lanier County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Vital Records in Georgia

Lanier County Health Department has Birth and Death Records since January 1919 and is located at P.O. Box 215, 205 West Murrell, Lakeland, Georgia 31635; (229) 482-3294. 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 Lanier County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Probate Judge For County Marriage Records (See Lanier 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 Lanier County Probate office for marriages in Lanier 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 Lanier County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Lanier County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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

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Lanier County Military Records

See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Georgia

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

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Lanier County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Georgia Genealogical Addresses

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

  • Submit a website for Lanier Co. Genealogical Addresses
  • Lanier County Historical Society, Inc.; 103 E Main St; Lakeland, GA 31635-1117; Michael C. Lee; (229) 247-1040
  • 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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Lanier County Cemeteries & Graveyards

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

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

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