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Wilkinson 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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On June 16, 1802, the Creek Indians and U.S. commissioners signed the Treaty of Fort Wilkinson, which ceded Creek lands in two different areas to Georgia. The northern cession involved land west of the Oconee River, which the legislature divided into two new counties -- Wilkinson and Baldwin -- on May 11, 1803.

In 1805, the Creeks signed the Treaty of Washington, which extended Georgia westward to the Ocmulgee River. An act of June 26, 1806 added lands ceded by the Creeks to Baldwin and Wilkinson counties. In an act of Dec. 10, 1807, Laurens and Telfair counties were created entirely from Wilkinson County. In an act of Dec. 14, 1809, Twiggs County was created entirely from Wilkinson County.

Georgia's 28th county was named for Gen. James B. Wilkinson (1757-1825), one of the U.S. commissioners who negotiated the Treaty of Fort Wilkinson, in which the Creeks ceded the land that would be used to form Wilkinson County. Gen. Wilkinson, who served in the American Revolution and War of 1812, was the first governor of the Louisiana Territory (1805-1807).

The 1803 act creating Wilkinson County made no provision for a county seat. In 1805, the General Assembly authorized the justices of the county's inferior court to select "some convenient place, as nearly central as circumstances will admit" for the courts to meet. No action was taken, so the legislature in 1807 directed that Wilkinson County courts and public business take place at the house of Willis Anderson. The next year, the General Assembly named Arthur Fort, John Hays, William Biven, Elkanah Loftin, and Jesse Brown as commissions to select the county seat of Wilkinson County, provided that their choice was within two miles of the center of the county. Until a county seat was designated and courthouse built, the 1808 act directed that Willis Anderson's house continue to serve as temporary courthouse. In 1809, the legislature appointed Stephen Johnson, John Eady, Sr., Elkanah Lofton, Philip Pitman, and William Crawley as new commissioners to select a county seat, purchase between 100 and 202.5 acres of land, and lay off and sell town lots. Finally, in 1811, the legislature directed that the county seat be located on land lot 83 in the 4th district and be known as Irwinton. Incorporated by an act of Dec. 4, 1816, Irwinton was named for Jared Irwin (1751-1818), who served as Georgia governor for three terms (1796-1798 and 1806-1809).

In an act of Dec. 10, 1807, the General Assembly provided that house of Willis Anderson serve as temporary courthouse of Wilkinson County until a courthouse could be built. In 1809, the legislature named Stephen Johnson, John Eady, Sr., Elkanah Lofton, Philip Pitman, and William Crawley as commissioners to select a county seat, purchase land, lay it off into town lots, sell the lots, and use the proceeds to construct a courthouse and jail. Apparently nothing happed, so two years later the legislature named John Proctor, Robert Barnett, John Speight, John Ball, and Daniel Hicks as commissioners to construct a courthouse and jail. Until this was done, the legislation directed that a temporary courthouse be built on land lot 83 in the 4th district. By 1817, Wilkinson County apparently had a courthouse, for the legislature designated the town boundaries of Irwinton as all areas falling within 400 yards of the courthouse. In 1818, the General Assembly authorized a special tax to be levied in Wilkinson County for the purpose of building a courthouse. It is not clear whether a new courthouse was built utilizing this tax. A courthouse built in 1829 burned down that same year. At some date, a new courthouse was built -- but in 1854 it too was destroyed by fire. A new courthouse built before the Civil War was burned by Sherman's troops in 1864. At an unknown date, another courthouse was built--but it burned in 1924, with the present courthouse built in its place the same year.

Cities and Towns Includes the cities of Allentown, Gordon, Irwinton, Ivey, McIntyre and Toomsboro. The Official County Government Website is located at ?

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Wilkinson County Court, Probate and Tax Records

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

Wilkinson County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1855 and Land Records from 1855 and is located at 100 Bacon St., P.O. Box 250, Irwinton, GA 31042; Phone: (478) 946-2221, Fax: (478) 946-1497 . 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 Corthouse was destroyed by fire in 1824 & 1854, all records were destroyed. The courthouse was also burned down with minimal loss of records in 1864 (Sherman's Troops) and in 1924.

Wilkinson County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1854 , Probate Records from 1854 and is located at P.O. Box 201, Irwinton, GA 31042-0201; 478-946-2222/F 946-3810. 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 Corthouse was destroyed by fire in 1824 & 1854, all records were destroyed. The courthouse was also burned down with minimal loss of records in 1864 (Sherman's Troops) and in 1924.

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

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Wilkinson County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Vital Records in Georgia

Wilkinson County Health Department has Birth and Death Records since January 1919 and is located at 123 High Hill Street, Irwinton, Georgia 31042; (478) 946-2226. 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 Wilkinson County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Probate Judge For County Marriage Records (See Wilkinson 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 Wilkinson County Probate office for marriages in Wilkinson 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 Wilkinson County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Wilkinson County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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

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Wilkinson County Military Records

See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Georgia

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

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Wilkinson County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Georgia Genealogical Addresses

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

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Wilkinson County Cemeteries & Graveyards

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

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

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