Calhoun County, Georgia Wills, Estates, Marriages
Calhoun County was created in 1854 by an Act of the General Assembly. It was taken from Baker and Early Counties. The county name came from the South Carolina Senator, John C. Calhoun (1782-1850), who strongly supported States’ Rights.
When so many Families Left the Plantation
Some ideas were to search for the ancestors. After the War Between the States, farmers were unable to employ workers because they lost everything during the war. The crops were burned or consumed by the Union Army as it dragged its force of soldiers and a huge following of slaves through Georgia. They stripped the land of cattle, hogs, chickens, and vegetation. The march to the Sea devastated the economy of the State for many years to come. When it was over, there was no money to purchase seed or to hire workers. So they removed to towns and cities where people gathered to search for work. Confederate Soldiers did not receive pensions until about 1903, and destitute soldiers eventually ended up in the old Confederate’s Home in Atlanta.
Find your Ancestors in the Georgia Bible Records
Calhoun County Georgia Genealogy Records Available Online to Members
Marriages
- Index to Calhoun County Marriages 1880 to 1909
Calhoun County Wills
- Abstracts of Wills 1855-1910
Indexes to Probate Records
- Index to Estate Vouchers 1869 to 1885
- Index to Estate Vouchers 1879 to 1884
- Index to Estate Vouchers 1893 to 1894
Military Records
- Confederate Pensions for Calhoun County
The Spencer Repeating Rifle Used by Confederate Soldiers
The Spencer Repeating Rifle was a breech-loading, magazine-fed, manually cocked, standard-issue weapon during the Civil War. About 200,000 of these guns were issued. There were at least four Confederate regiments who served from Calhoun County in the Georgia Infantry, viz: 12th Regiment, Company D, 25th Regiment, Company L, ” Calhoun Repeaters” 42nd Regiment, 51st Regiment, and Company E. The pensions of those who served from Calhoun County are included for members of Georgia Pioneers.
The Land of Calhoun
Calhoun County was a result of the first land lottery of 1820, This popular lottery was available to all ordinary citizens and especially to veteran Revolutionary soldiers. Because of his service, despite the act that he may have already drawn a lucky lot as an ordinary citizen in 1805 or 1807, he was allowed another draw in the lottery of 1820. If the soldier had not taken an extra draw, they were allowed two more in this lottery. The division of lands used for this lottery was surveyed and completed until the first Monday in May 1827. Meanwhile, the Creeks continued to raid and impose themselves upon those who had settled there. The Lower Creeks finally relinquished their title to the lands in Georgia and later, in 1832, the last of the Cherokees were driven out of Georgia.