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Marion 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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Marion County was created from Lee and Muscogee counties on Dec. 14, 1827 by an act of the General Assembly. According to the act, Marion County's boundaries were defined as:

. . . so much of the counties of Lee and Muscogee as are contained in the following boundaries, to wit: beginning in the centre of lot number 120, in the 10th Muscogee, and running southwardly along the county line of Muscogee, to the south east corner of lot 136, in the 32d district Lee county, thence east to the upper corner of fraction number 145, in the 28th Lee, on Flint river, thence up said river to the south east corner of fraction number 280, in the first Muscogee, thence with the county line of Talbot to the beginning.

Between 1827 and 1876, Marion County gave up land to Chattahoochee, Crawford, Macon, Muscogee, Schley, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, and Webster counties.

Georgia's 74th county was named for Revolutionary War hero Gen. Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion (1732-1795) of South Carolina.

The Dec. 14, 1827 legislation creating Marion County made no provision for a county seat. However, on Dec. 27, 1828, the legislature named nine local citizens as commissioners to select the location for Marion County's seat of government. The site they initially picked was known as Horry (a name of unknown derivation), though by 1839 the name had changed to Marionville.

In an act of Dec. 27, 1838, the legislature designated Tazewell as county seat and directed that the courthouse be erected on land lot 230 in the fourth district of the county. The same act incorporated Tazewell as a town. The town's name honored Henry Tazewell (1753-1799), who represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate until his death.

Dec. 27, 1845, the legislature repealed the law naming Tazewell as Marion County seat of government. In its spring 1846 session, Marion County's grand jury was directed to name seven commissioners with responsibility for selecting a new county seat. The law directed that the new county seat be within one mile of the center of the county. However, removal of the county seat was conditioned upon approval by county voters in a referendum scheduled for the first Monday in February 1846. That did not take place, so the legislature passed a new act on Dec. 27, 1847 providing for a referendum on removal of Marion's county seat to be held on the first Monday in April 1848 . If voters favored removal, a second election was directed for electing seven commissioners to select the new site for the county seat. This time, the referendum was approved. In 1848 or 1849, the commissioners chose a site known Pea Ridge on land lot 110 in the fourth district of the county. Local residents wanted to give their new county seat a new name and initially designated it as Taylor (after Gen. Zachary Taylor). However, there was already a Taylor, Ga., so they decided to recognize Gen. Taylor's Feb.1847 victory over Gen. Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican War. On Jan. 26, 1850, the legislature formally designated Buena Vista as county seat of Marion County and incorporated it as a town.

It is not known what initially served as Marion County courthouse. An act of Dec. 17, 1828 appointed nine local citizens to serve as commissioners to select a county seat. Once that site was designated, the county's inferior court was directed to erect a courthouse and jail. Until such time, Marion County court sessions elections were to be held "at the usual place of holding courts and elections." It is believed that in 1829, a courthouse was built in the settlement of Horry (later renamed Marionville). After Tazewell was designated county seat in 1838, a new courthouse was built the following year. This wooden structure burned in 1845, and a new courthouse was built in 1848. In 1849 or 1850, Buena Vista was designated the new county seat, and a new two-story brick courthouse was completed in 1850. In 1928, a Neoclassical entrance with columns was added to the courthouse.

The county seat, and only incorporated municipality, is Buena Vista. The Official County Government Website is located at ?

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Marion County Court, Probate and Tax Records

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

Marion County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1846 and Land Records from 1846 and is located at 100 Broad St. P.O. Box 41, Buena Vista, GA 31803; Phone: (229) 649-7321, Fax: (229) 649-7931. 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 1845, all records were destroyed.

Marion County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1846 , Probate Records from 1842 and is located at P.O. Box 207, Buena Vista, GA 31803-0207; 229-649-5542/F 649-2059. 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 1845, all records were destroyed.

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

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Marion County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Vital Records in Georgia

Marion County Health Department has Birth and Death Records since January 1919 and is located at 11-A Baker Street, P.O. Box 404, Buena Vista, Georgia 31803; (229) 649-5664. 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 Marion County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Probate Judge For County Marriage Records (See Marion 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 Marion County Probate office for marriages in Marion 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 Marion County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Marion County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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

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Marion County Military Records

See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Georgia

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

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Marion County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Georgia Genealogical Addresses

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

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Marion County Cemeteries & Graveyards

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

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

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