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Laurens 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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Laurens County was one of six new counties created by an act of the General Assembly approved Dec. 10, 1807 from Wilkinson County. According to that legislation, Laurens County's original boundaries were specified as:

. . . all that tract or parcel of land herein after pointed out, long and being in the county of Wilkinson, beginning at the mouth of Big Sandy Creek, on the Oconce river, running south sixty degrees west to the Ocmulgee river; thence down the meanders of the same to the upper corner of the fourteenth district on said river; thence north sixty degrees cast to the Oconee river; thence up the same to the beginning. . . .

Georgia's 34th county was named for Col. John Laurens of South Carolina. Laurens, who had been aide-de-camp to George Washington, was involved in numerous battles -- including the siege of Savannah -- and was killed in battle in 1782.

On Dec. 13, 1808, the legislature created Pulaski County from Laurens County. On Dec. 11, 1858, portions of Laurens County were used to create Johnson County.

The Dec. 1807 legislation creating Laurens County made no provision for designating a county seat but provided that courts and public business be conducted at the house of Peter Thomas. It is not clear where Thomas lived, but it may have been at or near a settlement known as Sumterville, which was situated on the confluence of Turkey Creek and the Oconee River about eight miles from what would become Dublin.

On Dec. 1, 1809, the General Assembly designated Sumterville as county seat. However, on Dec. 13, 1810, the legislature named John G. Underwood, Jethro Spivey, Benjamin Adams, John Thomas, and William H. Mathews as commissioners to purchase up to 200 1/2 acres at or within two miles of the place known as Sand Bar on the Oconee River for location of the county seat. The commissioners selected land lot 232 in the 1st District -- site of the new town of Dublin -- and on Dec. 13, 1811, the legislature formally designated Dublin as county seat. Jonathan Sawyer, an Irish immigrant, had agreed to donate the land for erection of public buildings providing the town was named for Dublin, Ireland -- the original home of his wife. The General Assembly incorporated Dublin by an act of Dec. 9, 1812.

The current courthouse is the fourth courthouse in Laurens County history. At the time of the county's creation in Dec. 1807, there was no county seat or courthouse. The act creating Laurens County provided that courts and public business initially be held at the house of Peter Thomas. Sumterville was designated county seat in 1809, but it is not clear what served as courthouse. The legislature moved the county seat to Sand Bar on the Oconee River in 1810, and then to Dublin in 1811. A temporary courthouse was built in 1811 in either Sand Bar or Dublin. At some point after Dublin became county seat, a two-story courthouse was built. The third Laurens County courthouse -- a large, two-story brick structure with imposing clock tower -- was built in 1895.. This building served until a new one-story courthouse was constructed in 1962.

Cities and Towns Includes the cities of Dublin, Dudley, East Dublin, Montrose and Rentz. The Official County Government Website is located at http://www.laurenscoga.org/

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Laurens County Court, Probate and Tax Records

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

Laurens County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1808 and Land Records from 1807 and is located at 101 N. Jefferson St., P.O. Box 2028, DUBLIN, GA 31040; Phone: (478) 272-3210, Fax: (478) 275-2595 . 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.

Laurens County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1809 , Probate Records from 1808 and is located at P.O. Box 2098, Dublin, GA 31040-2098; 478-272-2566/F 277-2932 . 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 Laurens County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Laurens County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Laurens County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Vital Records in Georgia

Laurens County Health Department has Birth and Death Records since January 1919 and is located at 2121 Bellevue Road, Dublin, Georgia 31021; (478) 272-2051, fax: 478-275-6517. 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 Laurens County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Probate Judge For County Marriage Records (See Laurens 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 Laurens County Probate office for marriages in Laurens 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 Laurens County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Laurens County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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

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Laurens County Military Records

See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Georgia

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

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Laurens County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Georgia Genealogical Addresses

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

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Laurens County Cemeteries & Graveyards

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

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

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