MARSHALL COUNTY, AL HISTORY AND LOOKUP
County History Books
Centennial Address on the History of Marshall County by Alexander M. Clayton, (1880) – 62 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2024.10.23.0007.CD.AR
Marshall County, Alabama: A Genealogical Overview
Nestled along the Tennessee River in northeastern Alabama, Marshall county is defined by its dramatic landscape, its history as part of the Cherokee Nation, and its complete transformation by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Genealogical research in this area requires navigating a history of multiple county seat changes.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Understanding Marshall county’s formation from Cherokee lands and its several early county seat relocations is crucial for tracing its pioneer families.
- 1836: County Formed: Marshall county was established on January 9, 1836.
- Parent Counties: It was created from lands ceded by the Cherokee Nation in the Treaty of New Echota (1835), as well as from portions of Blount and Jackson counties.
- Name Origin: The county was named in honor of John Marshall, the influential Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, who had died in 1835.
- County Seat History: The county seat moved four times in its first 12 years: Claysville (1836-1838), Marshall (1838-1841), Warrenton (1841-1848), and finally Guntersville in 1848, where it has remained. This complex history may affect the location of the very earliest records.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The area was the homeland of the Cherokee Nation. The town of Guntersville grew from a settlement known as Gunter’s Landing, established by John Gunter, a Welshman who married a Cherokee woman and was adopted into the tribe.
- Settlement and Economy: Following the forced removal of the Cherokee people in 1838, settlers from Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas moved into the county. The economy was primarily agricultural. During the Civil War, the county was the site of considerable conflict and guerrilla warfare due to its strategic location on the river and its divided loyalties.
- The TVA Transformation: The most significant event in the county’s modern history was the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The construction of the Guntersville Dam in the 1930s impounded the Tennessee River, creating the 69,000-acre Guntersville Lake. This project brought electricity, controlled flooding, and created a new economy based on recreation and tourism.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Marshall county.
- Courthouse:
- Marshall County Probate Office: Located at 424 Blount Avenue, Guntersville, AL 35976. This office is the primary repository for historical county records, including wills, estate files, land records, and marriage licenses dating back to the county’s formation. While there is a courthouse in Albertville, Guntersville is the sole county seat where official records are filed.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration began in 1908. These records are held by the Alabama Center for Health Statistics in Montgomery.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1836 to the present are held by the Marshall County Probate Office.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Guntersville Public Library: Located at 1240 O’Brig Avenue, Guntersville, AL 35976. This library, along with the Albertville Public Library (200 West Main Street, Albertville, AL 35950), offers local history collections, newspaper archives, and other resources for genealogical research.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Blount county
- Cullman county
- DeKalb county
- Etowah county
- Jackson county
- Madison county