Access Choctaw County Obituary Records

Choctaw County obituary records can be found through The Choctaw Sun-Advocate newspaper, local funeral homes, and the Choctaw County Genealogical Society. The county seat is Butler (not to be confused with Butler County). Marriage, probate, and land records date back to 1873. The probate judge also serves as Chairman of the County Commission. NewspaperObituaries.net has over 25 obituary indexes for Choctaw County, and Genealogy Trails has a collection of historical death notices. Alabama Wills and Probate Records on Ancestry.com cover the county from 1753 to 1999.

Choctaw County Probate Court

The Choctaw County Probate Court handles estate matters including wills and probate files. The probate judge also serves as Chairman of the County Commission, which is common in smaller Alabama counties. Marriage, probate, and land records date back to 1873.

Under Alabama Code Section 36-12-40, probate records are public records. Anyone can request copies of wills and estate files.

Choctaw County Newspapers

The Choctaw Sun-Advocate is the main newspaper serving Butler and Choctaw County. It publishes obituaries for the local area.

For historical obituaries, several online resources have compiled Choctaw County death notices:

• NewspaperObituaries.net - Over 25 obituary indexes
• Genealogy Trails - Death notices collection
• USGenWeb Alabama Archives - Court records including estates, probate, and wills

The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery has microfilm copies of many old Alabama newspapers that can be searched for Choctaw County obituaries.

Choctaw County Obituary Resources

The Choctaw County Genealogical Society can help researchers find local obituary records. They are located at 4244 County Rd 43, Butler, AL 36904.

The Choctaw County Public Library in Butler may also have obituary clipping files and other resources for local genealogy research.

Choctaw County Funeral Homes

Local funeral homes in the Butler area post obituaries on their websites. If you know which funeral home handled services, check their site first as many keep archives going back several years.

Choctaw County is rural and some residents may have used funeral homes in larger nearby cities like Meridian, Mississippi, which is just across the state line.

Legacy.com collects obituaries from newspapers and funeral homes across Alabama. Search their site for Choctaw County death notices.

Dignity Memorial operates locations across the region. Their searchable archive at dignitymemorial.com covers all their funeral homes.

Choctaw County Historical Records

Ancestry.com has Alabama Wills and Probate Records from 1753 to 1999 that include Choctaw County. Many libraries offer free access to Ancestry Library Edition.

USGenWeb Alabama Archives has court records including estates, probate, and wills for Choctaw County. This is a free volunteer-run site.

FamilySearch has free access to Alabama probate records covering Choctaw County. Their collection includes wills, estate files, and other documents that can help with death research.

The Choctaw County Genealogical Society maintains local files that may include obituary clippings and death notices not available online.

How to Search Choctaw County Obituaries

For recent obituaries in Choctaw County, start with The Choctaw Sun-Advocate and Legacy.com. Most obituaries from the past few years will be found through these sources.

For older obituaries, check NewspaperObituaries.net and Genealogy Trails first since they are free. These sites have compiled many historical death notices from the county.

Find a Grave has burial records for Choctaw County cemeteries. This free site can help you find the date of death and burial location, then you can search newspaper archives more effectively.

The Choctaw County Genealogical Society can help with records that are not available online. Contact them for research assistance.

Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, death certificates are restricted for 25 years. After that period, anyone can request a copy from the Alabama Department of Public Health for $15.

Cities in Choctaw County

Choctaw County includes Butler (the county seat), Gilbertown, Lisman, Needham, Pennington, Silas, Toxey, and other communities. Butler is the largest town and location of the courthouse. Note that the city of Butler is in Choctaw County, while Butler County is a separate county with Greenville as its seat.

None of the cities in Choctaw County meet the 50,000 population threshold for a separate city page. For obituary searches in any Choctaw County city, use the county-level resources on this page.

Nearby Counties

Some obituaries may appear in newspapers from neighboring counties. Choctaw County borders Mississippi, so some residents may have obituaries in Mississippi newspapers as well.

Choctaw County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit along with Clarke County. Some court records might overlap between these counties depending on where cases were filed.

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Use the search tool below to find obituary records in Choctaw County, Alabama.