UNION COUNTY, GA HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

History of Union County, Georgia by Preston Turner (1959) – 91 Pages
Source: Family Search
Book ID: CH.2025.06.26.0015.FS

Union County, Georgia: A Genealogical Overview

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northeast Georgia, Union County is an area defined by its dramatic mountain landscapes and its poignant history tied to the Cherokee Nation. For genealogists, its past is shaped by the forced removal of the Cherokee people, the distribution of their lands through lotteries, and the settlement of pioneers in a rugged, often isolated, mountain environment.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Union County’s relationship with its parent and daughter counties is a critical piece of information for researchers, as its creation was a direct result of the Georgia Land Lotteries.

  • Year of Creation: 1832.
  • Parent County: It was formed entirely from Cherokee County. The original Cherokee County of 1831 was a vast territory covering much of Northwest Georgia that was immediately broken into smaller counties. Researchers seeking land records prior to the lotteries must consult Cherokee Nation history and federal records.
  • Original Territory & Daughter Counties: Union County’s territory was reduced twice after its initial formation.The primary “daughter” counties are Fannin County (formed to the west in 1854 from Union and Gilmer counties) and Towns County (formed to the east in 1856 from Union and Rabun counties).
  • Boundary Changes: Aside from the creation of Fannin and Towns counties, the county’s boundaries have remained largely stable.
  • Bordering Counties:
    • Towns County (east)
    • White County (south)
    • Lumpkin County (southwest)
    • Fannin County (west)
    • Cherokee County, North Carolina (north)

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: Before 1832, the area was the heartland of the Cherokee Nation. It contained numerous Cherokee towns and farms and was crossed by a network of ancient trails. The history of the area is inextricably linked to the Cherokee people and their forced removal on the “Trail of Tears” in 1838.
  • First Pioneers and Settlement: Settlement by white pioneers, primarily of English and Scots-Irish descent, began immediately after the land was distributed in the 1832 Land and Gold Lotteries of Georgia. The county’s name is said to have been chosen to show a spirit of “union” among the new citizens. The early economy was based on subsistence farming in mountain coves and valleys.
  • Civil War Significance: Like many North Georgia mountain counties, loyalties in Union County were deeply divided during the Civil War. While Georgia was a Confederate state, there was significant pro-Union sentiment in the mountains, leading to internal conflict, guerrilla warfare, and neighbors fighting on opposing sides. The county was not the site of major battles but was impacted by the regional turmoil.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

This section provides the practical information needed to locate ancestral records.

  • County Seat: Blairsville, Georgia. This has been the only county seat since its establishment.
  • Record Loss & Preservation: Union County is a treasure for genealogists as it is not a “burned” county. Its courthouse records are remarkably complete and well-preserved from the county’s formation in 1832.
  • Location of Records:
    • Union County Courthouse: Located at 65 Courthouse Street, Blairsville, GA 30512. This is the central repository for the county’s historical records, including a full run of deeds, wills, court orders, and marriage records from 1832.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in Georgia began in 1919. For records after that date, contact the Georgia Department of Public Health. Records before 1919 are generally not available.
    • Marriage Records: Marriage records are available from 1832 to the present and are held at the Union County Courthouse.
  • Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
    • Union County Public Library: Located in Blairsville, the library has a local history and genealogy room with published family histories, local resource books, and other materials valuable for regional research.
    • Georgia Archives: Located in Morrow, Georgia, this is the primary state archive and an essential resource for any Georgia researcher. It holds a vast collection of materials that supplement county records, including state censuses, land lottery records, colonial records, and military records on microfilm.

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