Alabama Genealogy

Dale County Alabama History and Profile:

Dale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Samuel Dale. As of the 2000 census the population was 49,129. Its county seat and largest city is Ozark.

Dale County is part of the Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area.

The area now known as Dale County was originally inhabited by members of the Creek Indian nation, who occupied all of southeastern Alabama during this period. The county, together with the surrounding area, was ceded to the United States in the 1814 Treaty of Fort Jackson, ending the Creek Indian Wars. A blockhouse had been constructed during the conflict on the northwestern side of the Choctawhatchee River during the war, and the first non-Indian residents of Dale County would be veterans who began to settle in the area around 1820.

Dale County was established on December 22, 1824. It originally included the whole of what is now Coffee County and Geneva County, together with the “panhandle” portion of Houston County. The original county seat was located at Dale’s Court House (now the town of Daleville), but when Coffee County split from Dale in 1841, the seat was moved to Newton. Here it remained until 1870 when, following a courthouse fire in 1869 and the formation of Geneva County (which took the southern third of Dale County), the county seat was moved to the town of Ozark, where it remains. In 1903 a small portion of the southeast part of Dale county was joined to the newly-formed Houston County.

Portions of the 15th Regiment of Alabama Infantry, which served with great distinction throughout the U.S. Civil War, were recruited in Dale County, with all of Co. “E” and part of Co. “H” being comprised of Dale County residents. This unit is most famous for being the regiment that confronted the 20th Maine on the Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. Despite several ferocious assaults, the 15th was ultimately unable to dislodge the Union troops, and was ultimately forced to retreat after a desperate bayonet charge led by the 20th Maine’s commander, Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain. This assault was vividly recreated in Ronald F. Maxwell’s 1993 film Gettysburg.

Source: Wikipedia.

Cities and Towns of Dale County, Alabama:

* Ariton
* Asbury (northeast of Ozark)
* Clayhatchee
* Daleville
* Dothan (part – most of Dothan is in Houston County, with additional portions in Henry County)
* Enterprise (part – most of Enterprise is in Coffee County)
* Fort Rucker (U.S. Army base, treated as a census-designated place)
* Grimes
* Level Plains
* Midland City
* Napier Field
* Newton
* Ozark
* Pinckard

Unincorporated communities

* Arguta (southwest of Blue Springs)
* Barefield Crossroads (west of Abbeville)
* Barnes (southeast of Abbeville)
* Beamon (northeast of Ozark)
* Bells Crossroads (northwest of Clayton)
* Bertha (southeast of Blue Springs)
* Bethel (southwest of Clio)
* Browns Crossroad (northeast of Newton)
* Clopton (southeast of Blue Springs)
* Dill (north of Ozark)
* Dillard (northwest of Ozark)
* Dykes Crossroad (southwest of Blue Springs)
* Echo (east of Ozark)
* Ewell (southeast of Ozark)
* Gerald (northwest of Daleville)
* Kelly (southwest of Newton)
* Mabson (east of Ozark)
* Marley Mill (northwest of Ozark)
* Plainview (north of Newton)
* Roberts Crossroads (south of Blue Springs)
* Rocky Head (southwest of Clio)
* Skipperville (south of Blue Springs)
* Sylvan Grove (northeast of Midland City)
* Waterford (north of Newton)

Dale County Government

Dale County Government – official site

Ozark Dale County Public Library
416 James Street
Ozark, AL 36360
334-774-5480

Closed Sunday & Monday
Tuesday through Thursday
10:00am – 7:00pm
Friday & Saturday
10:00am – 5:00pm
The library is closed on all national holidays.

Dale County Historic Places

Claybank Log Church
Samuel Lawson Dowling House
J. D. Holman House
Oates-Reynolds Memorial Building

Dale County Genealogy Resources

Dale County Alabama USGenWeb site

Dale County Alabama USGenWeb Archives

Dale County Genealogy page at KindredTrails

Vital Records

Dale County Clerk
P.O. Box 246
Ozark, AL 36361-0246
Phone: (334) 774-6025

If you are outside the state of Alabama and are looking to request copies of vital records you must contact the statewide office of vital records:

Alabama Vital Records
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103-5625
(334) 206-5418
Fax: (334) 262-9563

You can also call (334) 206-5418

There were no birth certificates prior to 1908, some counties may have recorded births in a ledger howeer. One way to search this centrally is by contacting:

Department of Archives and History
624 Washington Ave
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-4363

Birth and Death Records have been recorded in Alabama since 1908, Marriage Records since August 1936 and Divorces since 1950.

Census

1850 Federal Census Index

1850 Federal Census Transcription – Agricultural Schedule

1860 Federal Census Index – Heads of Household

1900 Federal Census Index

Tax Records

Cemeteries

USGS listing of Cemeteries in Dale County

Dale County Cemetery Transcriptions
Cemetery Transcriptions (Although both are usgenweb this seems a slightly different listing.)

Query Forums

Genealogy Forums can be a great way to find other people that are researching the same ancestors as you are. Even if they may be not be researching the same direct line but related lines you may find information that is useful in your own research. Make sure to verify any other research that you add to your own research and try to document it well. If asking questions in genealogy forums it is good to provide as much information as possible and in the subject of the posting try to give name and a date or range of dates to help make your query more likely to be found. Posts with titles like “looking for family” or “help!” are too generic and something along the lines of “John Smith b. abt 1828 md. Hannah Jones” would be more helpful to get your post read by those that are interested in the John Smith/Hannah Jones family.

Dale County, AL at
genforum

News Related to Dale County, AL

“Dale County” al – Google News

Man charged with attempted murder – Dothan Eagle

Man charged with attempted murder Dothan Eagle Carlton Bruce Dean, 52, of Holland Road in Houston County, was placed in the Dale County Jail on Saturday and initially charged with first-degree assault. Dale County Sheriff's Capt. Marlos Walker said Dean allegedly ran over Susan Robinson, 49, …

Most Alabama Public Fishing Lakes Reopen Wednesday – WSFA

Most Alabama Public Fishing Lakes Reopen Wednesday WSFA Three additional lakes are scheduled to reopen later this year: Barbour County Lake, Bibb County Lake, and Dale County Lake (Ed Lisenby Lake). Lower Geneva County Lake and Lee County Lake will remain closed. "State public fishing lakes are the ultimate … and more »

Dale probate judge serving final term – Dothan Eagle

Dale probate judge serving final term Dothan Eagle With a little less than a year left in her current term, Hagler reflected this week on her experience doing what she said she'd always wanted to do: serve the people of her native Dale County. Hagler can no longer run in her capacity because Alabama …

Budgets, schools and jobs major issues for 2012 Legislature – Dothan Eagle

Budgets, schools and jobs major issues for 2012 Legislature Dothan Eagle The 2012 Alabama Legislative Session begins on Tuesday. Budget shortfalls, revisions to the immigration law, and charter schools are all issues expected to be debated. As the 2012 Alabama Legislative session starts, lawmakers are faced with a budget … and more »

Alabama Gives Day raises money for nonprofits – Dothan Eagle

Alabama Gives Day raises money for nonprofits Dothan Eagle Among the local nonprofits people can donate to are: Ozark-Dale County Humane Society, Wiregrass United Way 2-1-1, United Way Food Bank, the Houston County Rescue Unit and Southeast Alabama Youth Services. Visit the website to find the names of other … and more »

Wiregrass task force has new leader, same objective – Dothan Eagle

Wiregrass task force has new leader, same objective Dothan Eagle The task force consists of agents from local police departments and the Dale County Sheriff's Office who work with the Dale County District's Attorney Office, and it is one of 32 in the state funded through the Alabama Department of Economic and …

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Popularity: 20% [?]