FAYETTE 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.
Fayette County, Alabama: A Genealogical Overview
Located in the northwestern part of the state, Fayette county’s history is rooted in the settlement of small farmers, the development of the coal mining industry, and a strong sense of community. Genealogical research in the county requires looking to its parent counties for the earliest records of settlement.
I. County Formation and Evolution
For genealogists, Fayette county’s 1824 creation from two existing counties is a critical fact, as records of its pioneer families prior to this date are held elsewhere.
- 1824: County Formed: Fayette county was established by an act of the Alabama State Legislature on December 20, 1824.
- Parent Counties: It was created from portions of Marion and Tuscaloosa counties.
- Name Origin: The county was named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, the celebrated French general who aided the American cause during the Revolutionary War. His famous tour of the United States was occurring at the time of the county’s creation.
- County Seat History: The county seat was established in a town named Fayette Courthouse, which is now known simply as Fayette. It has remained the county seat throughout the county’s history.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The land that would become Fayette county was a borderland and hunting ground utilized by the Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek nations.
- Settlement and Economy: The first American settlers were primarily farmers of English and Scots-Irish descent who migrated from Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas. The county’s hilly terrain was more suitable for small, self-sufficient farms than for large-scale cotton plantations. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the discovery of significant coal deposits led to the development of a robust mining industry, which, along with the timber industry, became a major economic driver.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Fayette county.
- Courthouse:
- Fayette County Probate Office: Located at 103 1st Avenue NW, Fayette, AL 35555. This office is the primary repository for county records including wills, estate files, land deeds, and marriage licenses dating from the county’s formation in 1824. For records prior to 1824, researchers must consult the records of the parent counties: Marion and Tuscaloosa.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in Alabama began in 1908. These records are held by the Alabama Center for Health Statistics in Montgomery.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1824 to the present are held by the Fayette County Probate Office.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Fayette County Memorial Library: Located at 320 North Temple Avenue, Fayette, AL 35555. The library maintains a collection of local history and genealogical materials. The Fayette County Depot Museum, located at 217 North Temple Avenue, is also a key resource for historical information.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Lamar county
- Marion county
- Pickens county
- Tuscaloosa county
- Walker county