Georgia’s county courthouses always have been the primary repository of important local records.
Many courthouses have suffered fires or other disasters over the years, but researchers long ago learned that just because a courthouse suffered a disaster does not mean there was a loss of significant records. Unraveling the exact dates of such disasters and evaluating the loss of a county’s records, if any, is now much easier with Paul K. Graham’s new book, “Georgia Courthouse Disasters.”
The author lists alphabetically the counties that have suffered some type of courthouse disaster and documents the exact dates of the event and any record loss. It also includes a map to show the geographical boundaries of the county at the time of the event.
Some counties have lost a huge amount of records, such as Twiggs in 1901 or Heard in 1894, while others such as Fannin in 1936 and Forsyth in 1973 did not suffer major losses.
You always need to check the status of records, as many courthouse officials often try to turn away researchers by saying there was a fire and everything is gone. Never believe such statements; check for yourself, and this new book is a handy guide for just that purpose.
Most Georgia county records prior to 1900 were microfilmed by the Mormons and the state, with copies located at the Georgia Archives and other places. The records filmed were those in existence in the 1950s and 1960s, when the program operated.
Graham’s book is available at Amazon.com. The paperback is $5.99 (plus shipping), and the Kindle ebook, $2.99. For further information, see www.pkgraham.com/courthouse.
Civil War in DeKalb County
George Coletti will speak on little known facts about the Civil War in DeKalb County and Georgia at noon May 21 at the DeKalb History Center’s Lunch and Learn event.
Coletti is known for his knowledge of Stone Mountain and his book “Stone Mountain: the Granite Sentinel.”
The event will be held at the Old Courthouse on the Square in Decatur. It’s free; bring your own lunch. For further information, check “events” at www.dekalbhistory.org or call 404-373-1088, Ext. 23.
The history center’s archives are open for research by appointment; see the number above. Some records are available on the website.
Inheriting the mattress
When you read an old will where your ancestor was willed a mattress or other bedding, don’t take it lightly.
Beds were not easily made, and a good bed and proper bedding were a valuable commodity. Even Shakespeare willed his second-best bed to his wife.
For more information, see Family Tree Magazine’s March-April 2013 issue for the article “Once Upon a Mattress.” You also can check out Bill Bryson’s book “At Home.”
About the Author
