Decatur County Wills, Estates, Marriages
Decatur County was created from Early County in 1823 by an Act of the General Assembly It was named after U.S. Navy Commodore Stephen Decatur. In 1920, Seminole County was created entirely from Decatur County. Also, portions of Decatur County were used to help create Thomas County (1825) and Grady County (1905). South Georgia counties adjacent to Decatur, as well as counties in Florida, should also be researched.
Early Settlers: Samuel Braswell, W. H. Barbour, B. F. Byrd, Absalom Brown, John Birch, Robert H. Butler, J. J. Chason, A. B. Campbell, John Cameron, Alfred Chester, Jesse Collins, Hardy Crawford, J. L. Durham, John Dollar, William Donalson, R. F. Evans, H. S. Farish, Jesse Glover, Peter Gray, William Hutchinson, R. H. Harrell, D. P. Hines, Jacob Zeigler, and others.
Images of Decatur County Wills, Book A, 1828 to 1838
Testators: Buie, Malcom ;Cloud, Reuben ;Collins, John ;Donelson, John ;Everett, William ;Fain, Thomas; Faircloth, Cader ;Gaines, George ;Harrell, Mary ;Harris, Sterling ;Kemp, Daniel ;McCreless, John ;Powell, William ;Rawls, John ;Rogers, John, and Wright, William.
Wills 1828 to 1838 (abstracts)
Images of Decatur County Wills 1838 to 1865
Testators: Amoss, Mary ;Ashley, Jesse ;Ballard, Rufus ;Barbour, Wiley ;Bell, Augustus ;Benton, William ;Blount, Phillip ;Braswell, Samuel ;Brock, Martha ;Butler, Robert ;Campbell, Archibald ;Campbell, Daniel ;Cassels, William; Chambers, William ;Chisolm, Robert ;Cleburn, Temperance ;Cloud, Reuben ;Collins, Jesse ;Cooper, Samuel ;Crawford, Bennet ;Cunningham, Albert ;Daffin, John ;Devaughn, Sarah ;Davidon, Robert H. M. ;Donalson, Rachel ;Donalson, William ;Douglass, Alexander ;Douglas, Harriet ;Douglass, John A. ;Douglass, Sanders ;Ellis, Edwin ;Evans, John W. ;Ferguson, Isaac ;Freeman, Hannah ;Freeman, Jacob; Gainey, Reddick ;Gardner, Sarah ;Gray, Peter ;Griffin, Lee ;Griffin, Susan ;Hamilton, Robert ;Harrell, John Sr. ;Harrell, Mary ;Hines, Anne;Howell, Samuel ;Hutchinson, John ;Hutto, Martin ;Ingram, Hugh ;Johnson, Deliam ;Johnson, Jesse ;Johnson, Jesse (2) ;Johnson, Joshua;Jones, John; Kelly, William Wade ;Lonen, Squire ;Long, Shadrack ;Loper, William ;Lovett, David ;Malone, John ;McElveen, John ;McElvy, William; McGriff, Sarah ;Meeks, Bennet ;Michaux, Joseph ;Mitchell, Greene ;Montgomery, Sarah ;Montgomery, William ; Murphy, Butts ;Newberry, John ;Nicholson, Duncan ;Nicholson, Malcom ;Owens, William ;Parks, Virgil; Paulk, Micajah; Powell, Jethro ;Pullin, Elias ;Pumphrey, Redin ;Regan, Roberson ;Rhodes, William ;Rogers, Benjamin ;Ruckley, Anthony ;Ruckley, William S. ;Russell, Louiza;Scott, Rhoda; Slade, Jeremiah ;Smallwood, F. ;Smart, Edmund ;Smith, Archibald ;Strickland, Reuben ;Sweet, G. ;Thomas, Hezekiah ;Thomas, Nancy ;Truluck, Joseph ;Waller, R. A. ;Whiddon, William ;Whiddon, William (2) ;Whitaker, John ;White, John ;White, Martin;Wilson, James;Wooten, Eliza ;Wooten, Shadrack and Wooten, William
Indexes to Probate Records
- Will Book A, 1828 to 1838
- Will Book B, 1839 to 1873
- Will Book C, 1873 to 1913
- Appraisements and Sales. Book A, 1828 to 1833
- Appraisals, Sales, Inventories, Distributions, Book C 1852-1866
- Appraisals, Sales, Inventories, Distributions, Book D 1849-1863
- Appraisals, Sales, Inventories, Distributions, Book E 1877-1892
- Vouchers, Sales, Annual Returns, 1839 to 1837
- Journal and Sales (estates) 1834 to 1848
- Annual Returns, Book D, 1835 to 1850
- Minute Bks A & B (includes Wills).
Marriages
- Index to Marriage Licenses (grooms) 1824 to 1841
- Index to Marriage Licenses (grooms) 1837 to 1869
- Index to Marriage Licenses (grooms) 1868 to 1896
- Marriages from newspapers 1885 to 1886.
Poor Houses
When visiting your local courthouse, it should be remembered that most counties kept a record of poor people and the cost thereof. A search through these old books usually yields a list of names. Other than that, there are other means. Here is a List of the Collection on Georgia Pioneers:
- Abram Widow’s Home, Chatham County, 1860
- Douglas County Paupers 1871-1890
- Emanuel County Poor House, 1835 or 1853
- Savannah Poor House and Hospital, 1850 and 1860
- The Constitution (newspapers) 1885-1900
