Apalachicola Family History Records

Franklin County sits on the Gulf Coast. Apalachicola serves as the seat. The land holds tales of ships and oysters. You can trace roots to the sea. Records fill the old courthouse. Staff help those who seek.

The county formed in eighteen thirty-two from Jackson and Washington Counties. It took its name from Benjamin Franklin. The port of Apalachicola grew fast. The river brought trade deep from Georgia. Cotton came down by the ton. Ships carried it to the world. The town grew rich. Stores lined the waterfront. Warehouses held goods from many lands. Oyster boats filled the bay. Fishermen made their catch. The county had few roads. Water was the highway. People lived on the coast and islands. St. George Island held settlers. Dog Island saw ships wreck. The lighthouse warned of danger. It still stands today. You can find deep roots here. The sea shaped all who lived here.

Franklin County Clerk of Court Records

The Clerk holds kin files in Apalachicola. Marriage logs date to the county's birth. Court records fill the old vault. Staff assist with searches. They know the local lore.

Wedding records from eighteen thirty-two through nineteen twenty-six stay in the courthouse. The state does not hold these early years. You must visit Apalachicola to view them. Each license names bride and groom. Witnesses signed in old script. Bonds show who pledged for the pair. These may lead to more kin. Probate files list heirs and assets. They show who got what when a life ended. Children appear in order. Spouses claim their shares. Debts link to other kin. Court cases add more clues. Land suits name kin on both sides. Admiralty cases involve ships and trade. The clerk's office sits at three three Market Street. Call eight five zero six five three eight eight eight one for help.

You may search online at the clerk's web site. Newer files appear there. Old ones wait in books. Chapter one one nine grants access to most records. Some need time to retrieve.

Florida State Archives Franklin County Holdings

The State Archives hold much for Franklin County kin. Spanish land grants predate the county. Voter rolls from eighteen sixty-seven list those who signed. Confederate pensions track war veterans.

Land grants show claims from Spanish rule. These passed through kin groups. Names on deeds link to today. You can trace from Spain to statehood. The county was part of Jackson and Washington before. Check those counties for early records. Voter rolls marked race and birth state. This helps find Black kin from Reconstruction. Men signed to vote then. Their names prove where they lived. Confederate pensions served old soldiers. Files list units and service. Widows filed with proof of marriage. Children named show kin links. The archives hold microfilm of county records. Tax lists show land owners. School logs list pupils. Call eight five zero two four five six seven zero zero before you go. Use the online catalog to plan.

Vital Records for Franklin County

The Bureau of Vital Statistics keeps birth and death files. Births start from nineteen seventeen. Deaths go back further. Order copies for your search.

Florida seals birth files for one hundred twenty-five years. Only close kin may view them. Parents and those they name have rights. Send ID with requests. Death files differ. All facts but cause are public. Cause stays sealed for fifty years. Marriage files from June sixth, nineteen twenty-seven go to the state. Earlier records stay in Apalachicola. Know your years. Order through VitalChek online. Or write to one two one seven North Pearl Street, Jacksonville. Call eight seven seven five five zero seven three three zero.

Franklin County Genealogy Research Tips

Start by noting Franklin grew from Jackson and Washington. Check both counties for pre-eighteen thirty-two events. Kin may have stayed. Lines shifted round them.

Census records help track kin. This area was part of Jackson and Washington before. Look there for early years. Name spellings change. Check sound alike names. The Apalachicola River shaped this county. It brought trade and settlers. Port records list arrivals. They show who came when. This helps trace movements. The oyster trade brought workers. They came from many coasts. Their records may show birth states. Ship crews listed their homes. Check these for mobile kin.

Florida's State Library offers tools. Visit their genealogy page for links. Ancestry and HeritageQuest help with census scans. Build your tree with care. Check each fact. Proof matters most.

Nearby Counties for Genealogy Research

These lands border Franklin County. Kin may have lived here.