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Union 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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Union County was created from Cherokee County on Dec. 3, 1832 by an act of the General Assembly. According to the 1832 act:

. . . the seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth, and so much of the sixth and eleventh districts of the first section, as lies north of the mountains, and of the before-mentioned line to be run, shall form and become one county, to be called Union.

In way of background, by 1830, the Cherokee Nation consisted of most of northwest Georgia, plus adjoining areas in Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Even while Cherokee Indians remained on their homeland in Georgia, the General Assembly on Dec. 21, 1830 enacted legislation claiming "all the Territory within the limits of Georgia, and now in the occupancy of the Cherokee tribe of Indians; and all other unlocated lands within the limits of this State, claimed as Creek land". The act also provided for surveying the Cherokee lands in Georgia; dividing them into sections, districts, and land lots; and authorizing a lottery to distribute the land. On Dec. 26, 1831, the legislature designated all land in Georgia that lay west of the Chattahoochee River and north of Carroll County as "Cherokee County" and provided for its organization. However, the new county was not able to function as a county because of its size and the fact that Cherokee Indians still occupied portions of the land. On Dec. 3, 1832, the legislature added areas of Habersham and Hall counties to Cherokee County, and then divided the entire area into nine new counties -- Cass (later renamed Bartow), Cobb, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Murray, Paulding, and Union -- plus a reconstituted and much smaller Cherokee County.

Georgia's 83rd county was named for the Federal Union, making Georgia one of 17 states with a county by this name. At the time of Union County's creation, many planters and political leaders in the South were upset over a tariff passed by Congress in 1828. Despite the rising sectionalism, a number of Georgians in north Georgia were loyal to the national government. Explaining the origin of Union County's name, John Thomas, the county's first state representative, reportedly explained, "Union, for none but Union men reside in it." Portions of Union County were used to create Fannin County (1854) and Towns County (1856).

The 1832 act creating Union County authorized the justices of the county's new inferior court to select the county seat. Until such action was taken, elections and court sessions were to be held at the house of Isaac N. Greer. It is not clear how long Greer's house served as temporary county seat, but in an act of Dec. 26, 1835, the General Assembly designated "lot No. 273 of the ninth district and first section of, originally Cherokee, now Union county, and at a place now known by the name of Blairsville" as the permanent county seat of Union County and incorporated it as a town. The town was named for Francis P. Blair, Sr. (1791-1876), newspaper editor of the Washington Globe and a strong supporter of Pres. Andrew Jackson's reelection campaign.

The 1832 act creating Union County gave the new justices of the inferior court authority to select a county seat and erect a courthouse and other county buildings. Until that action was taken, elections and court sessions were to be held at the house of Isaac N. Greer. At some point, a log courthouse was built in Blairsville. It is believed to have burned in 1859 and was replaced by a two-story brick vernacular-style building, which served until it was destroyed by fire in 1898. In 1899, a new two-story courthouse with clock tower was built in the town square. In 1971, the courthouse was condemned as unsafe -- but residents were successful in convincing the county's sole commissioner not to tear the historic building down. Thereafter, county court sessions were held in the local civic center, while other county officials continued in the old courthouse or moved to rented office space in several downtown buildings. Subsequently, a site two blocks away was purchased for construction of a new Union County Office Building. This facility, completed in 1976, consisted of the entrance and area to the left of the building in the above photo. However, the new office building had no courtroom, so the civic center continued to serve as temporary courthouse until a judicial annex (the area to the right of the entrance) was constructed in 1978.

Cities and Towns Includes the city of Blairsville. The Official County Government Website is located at http://www.unioncountyga.gov/

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Union County Court, Probate and Tax Records

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

Union County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1854 and Land Records from 1860 and is located at 114 Courthouse Street, Blairsville, GA 30512; 706-439-6100, 706-439-6099 fax. 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 1859, most records were destroyed.

Union County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1833 , Probate Records from 1851 and is located at 114 Courthouse Street, Suite 8, Blairsville, GA 30512; 706-439-6006/F 439-6009. 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 1859, most records were destroyed.

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

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Union County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Vital Records in Georgia

Union County Health Department has Birth and Death Records since January 1919 and is located at 55 Hughes Street, Suite A, Blairsville, Georgia 30512; (706) 745-6292. 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 Union County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Probate Judge For County Marriage Records (See Union 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 Union County Probate office for marriages in Union 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 Union County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Union County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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

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Union County Military Records

See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Georgia

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

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Union County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Georgia Genealogical Addresses

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

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Union County Cemeteries & Graveyards

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

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

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