Dallas County Obituary Records
Obituary records for Dallas County are available through the Selma Times-Journal newspaper, local funeral homes, and the Probate Court in Selma. This is one of the oldest counties in Alabama with records going back to the early 1800s. The Probate Court has estate records from 1821 that can help when obituaries are not available. Selma has a rich history and many families have lived here for generations. Local funeral homes keep archives of obituaries and can search their records if you call them.
Dallas County Quick Facts
Dallas County Probate Court
The Dallas County Probate Court in Selma handles wills, estate settlements, and probate filings. These records are helpful for genealogy research because they often list family members and heirs. The court has some of the oldest records in Alabama.
Dallas County is part of the 4th Judicial Circuit along with Bibb, Hale, Perry, and Wilcox counties. The Probate Court is in the courthouse on Lauderdale Street in downtown Selma.
| Address | 105 Lauderdale Street, Selma, AL 36701 |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | PO Box 987, Selma, AL 36702 |
| Phone | (334) 876-4830 |
| Courthouse Main | (334) 874-2500 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
Records available at the Dallas County Probate Court include marriage records from 1818, divorce records from 1917, probate records from 1821, and land records from 1820. These are among the oldest county records in the state.
FamilySearch has digitized probate records from 1817 to 1935, along with indexes from 1821 to 1980. These microfilm copies came from the Dallas County Courthouse. You can search them free online.
Dallas County Newspapers
The Selma Times-Journal is the main newspaper serving Dallas County. It has published obituaries for Selma and surrounding communities for over a century.
Historical issues of the Selma Times-Journal are available through subscription services like Newspapers.com and GenealogyBank. The Alabama Department of Archives and History has microfilm of many Selma newspapers going back to the 1800s.
The Selma Times-Journal posts current obituaries on its website and through Legacy.com. To submit an obituary, contact the funeral home handling services. They work with the newspaper to publish death notices.
Other historical newspapers from Dallas County include various papers that published during the Civil War era and Reconstruction. Selma was an important city during the war and local papers documented many deaths during that period.
Dallas County Funeral Homes
Several funeral homes serve Dallas County and Selma. They post obituaries on their websites and keep archives going back years.
Major funeral homes in Dallas County include:
- Aubrey Larkin's Lewis Brothers Funeral Home, Inc. at 1140 Minter Ave, Selma
- Selma Funeral Home
- Martin's Funeral Home
- Walters Funeral Home
Aubrey Larkin's Lewis Brothers Funeral Home has an online obituary archive at their website. You can search recent obituaries by name. They can be reached at (334) 875-7212.
If you need an older obituary, call the funeral home directly. Have the name of the deceased and approximate date of death ready. Some funeral homes keep records going back many decades.
How to Search Dallas County Obituaries
For recent obituaries, start with Legacy.com. This site collects death notices from newspapers and funeral homes. Search by name and filter by Alabama or Dallas County to narrow results.
For older obituaries and death records, try these sources:
- FamilySearch has free Alabama probate records from 1809 to 1985
- Genealogy Trails has transcribed obituaries at genealogytrails.com/ala/dallas/
- USGenWeb Archives has death notices and cemetery records
- Find a Grave has burial records for Dallas County cemeteries
The Selma-Dallas County Public Library has local history and genealogy resources. Staff can help point you to the right records. They may have newspaper clipping files or obituary indexes that are not available online.
Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, death certificates are restricted for 25 years. After 25 years, anyone can get a copy from the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Historical Records in Dallas County
Dallas County has some of the oldest records in Alabama. The Probate Court has maintained records since the county was founded in 1818. These old records are valuable for genealogy research.
The Alabama Department of Archives and History has indexes to records from Dallas County. Their database includes over 100,000 names from various record types including death, burial, probate, and court records across the state.
Selma was an important city during the Civil War. Many military records, burial records, and death notices from that era have been preserved. Old Cahawba, the first state capital, is in Dallas County. Archaeological and historical research there has uncovered many names and family connections.
African American genealogy research in Dallas County can be challenging for the pre-Civil War period. The Freedmen's Bureau records, available through FamilySearch, can help connect families after 1865. Church records and cemetery records are also valuable for this research.
Nearby Counties
Obituaries for Dallas County residents sometimes appear in newspapers from neighboring counties. These counties share borders with Dallas County.
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