CHOCTAW COUNTY, AL HISTORY AND LOOKUP
Table of Contents
- In-Print County History Books
- Free Public Domain County History Books
- Related Books
- Concise County History
- Comments & Suggestion
In-Print City History Books
These titles are currently in print and selected for their relevance to local and county history. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s purchase page.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Free City History Books
This section features a curated collection of county history books sourced from public domain archives. Each book provides valuable insights into local history and heritage. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s public domain resource.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Related Books
This section highlights additional county and local history titles that complement the main collection. These books are selected for their relevance, historical value, and research usefulness. Click anywhere on the book listing below, and each listing links directly to the corresponding resource or purchase page.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Choctaw County, Alabama: A Genealogical Overview
Located in the southwestern part of the state bordering Mississippi, Choctaw county’s history is profoundly shaped by the legacy of the Choctaw Nation, the Tombigbee River, and an economy built on cotton and timber. Research in this county often involves tracing families back to its parent counties.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Because Choctaw county was formed in the mid-19th century, researchers must look to the records of its parent counties for information on ancestors living in the area prior to 1847.
- 1847: County Formed: Choctaw county was established by an act of the Alabama State Legislature on December 29, 1847.
- Parent Counties: It was created from southern Sumter county and northern Washington county.
- Name Origin: The county is named in honor of the Choctaw Nation, the Native American people who inhabited this region for centuries before their removal to Indian Territory following the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830.
- County Seat History: The county seat was first established in Butler. It briefly moved to Barrytown in 1848 before returning permanently to Butler in 1851.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The area was the homeland of the Choctaw Nation. Many Choctaw towns and settlements were located along the Tombigbee River and its tributaries.
- Settlement and Economy: Following the Choctaw Removal, American settlers, primarily from the Carolinas, Georgia, and other parts of Alabama, moved into the area. They established an economy heavily based on cotton cultivation, which depended on the labor of enslaved African Americans. The county has remained largely rural, with the timber industry surpassing cotton as the primary economic driver in the late 19th and 20th centuries. The Tombigbee River has always been a vital artery for transportation and commerce.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Choctaw county.
- Courthouse:
- Choctaw County Probate Office: Located at 117 South Mulberry Avenue, Suite 9, Butler, AL 36904. This office holds county records such as wills, estate files, land deeds, and marriage licenses from the county’s creation in 1847. For records prior to 1847, researchers must consult the records of the parent counties: Sumter and Washington.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration began in 1908. Records are held by the Alabama Center for Health Statistics in Montgomery.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1847 to the present are held by the Choctaw County Probate Office.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Choctaw County Public Library: Located at 124 North Academy Avenue, Butler, AL 36904. The library has a local history and genealogy collection available for researchers.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Clarke county, AL
- Marengo county, AL
- Sumter county, AL
- Washington county, AL
- Clarke county, MS
- Lauderdale county, MS
- Wayne county, MS