Hale County Obituary Records
Obituary records for Hale County are available through The Greensboro Watchman newspaper, The Demopolis Times, local funeral homes, and the Probate Court in Greensboro. Located in west central Alabama in the Black Belt region, Hale County has records going back to 1868. The Probate Court maintains estate and will records that can help with genealogy research when obituaries are not available. The county has a rich history and many families have lived here for generations. Local funeral homes keep obituary archives on their websites.
Hale County Quick Facts
Hale County Probate Court
The Hale County Probate Court handles wills, estates, and probate matters. These records can help when obituaries are not available because they list family members and heirs. Judge David L. Parker serves as the Probate Judge.
Hale County is part of the 4th Judicial Circuit along with Bibb, Dallas, Perry, and Wilcox counties. The Probate Court is on Main Street in Greensboro.
| Address | 1001 Main Street, Greensboro, AL 36744 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (334) 624-8740 |
| Fax | (334) 624-1715 |
| david.parker@halecountyal.com | |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Website | halecountyal.gov/probate-judge |
| Circuit Court | hale.alacourt.gov |
Records available include marriage records from 1868, divorce records from 1868, probate court records from 1868, and land records from 1868. The Circuit Court phone is (334) 624-4334.
FamilySearch has digitized Hale County probate records from 1867 to 1950 with index and images. These free records can help you find family connections when obituaries are not available.
Hale County Newspapers
The Greensboro Watchman is the local newspaper for Hale County. It publishes obituaries for Greensboro and surrounding communities.
The Demopolis Times also covers Hale County as part of its regional coverage. This paper serves Marengo, Sumter, Greene, Hale, and Perry counties in the Black Belt region. Obituaries for Hale County residents often appear in this paper.
Current obituaries appear on newspaper websites and on Legacy.com. To submit an obituary, contact the funeral home handling services. They work with newspapers to publish death notices.
For historical obituaries, check the USGenWeb Archives Project and FamilySearch. The Alabama Department of Archives and History has microfilm of old newspapers from Hale County.
Hale County Funeral Homes
Funeral homes in Hale County post obituaries online. Since the county is rural, some families use funeral homes in neighboring counties like Tuscaloosa.
Major funeral homes serving Hale County include:
- Funeral homes in Greensboro
- Funeral homes in Moundville
- Funeral homes in Demopolis (Marengo County)
- Funeral homes in Tuscaloosa
Call funeral homes directly to find older obituaries. Have the full name and approximate date of death ready. Many keep paper records for years.
How to Search Hale County Obituaries
For recent obituaries, start with Legacy.com. Search by name and filter by Alabama. Also check funeral home websites in the region.
For older obituaries and genealogy research:
- FamilySearch probate records from 1867 to 1950 with index and images
- USGenWeb Archives Project transcriptions
- Find a Grave for burial records in Hale County cemeteries
- Alabama probate records from 1809 to 1985 on FamilySearch
The Hale County Public Library in Greensboro has genealogy resources. Staff can help point you to local records that may not be online.
Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, death certificates are restricted for 25 years. After that time, anyone can request a copy from the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Black Belt History and Research
Hale County is in the Black Belt region of Alabama, named for its rich dark soil. This area was the center of cotton plantation agriculture before the Civil War. Many African American families have roots here going back to the antebellum period.
For African American genealogy research, consider these resources:
- Freedmen's Bureau records on FamilySearch
- Church records from African American congregations
- Cemetery records and burial societies
- Census records from 1870 forward
Pre-Civil War research is challenging because enslaved people were not recorded by name in most county records. Plantation records, when they survive, may help. The Alabama Department of Archives and History has some plantation records and can advise on research strategies.
Nearby Counties
Obituaries for Hale County residents sometimes appear in newspapers from neighboring counties, especially the Demopolis Times which covers the region.
Start Your Search
Use the search tool below to find obituary records in Hale County, Alabama.