Houston County Obituary Records
Obituary records for Houston County are available through the Dothan Eagle newspaper, local funeral homes, and the Probate Court in Dothan. This is one of the larger counties in southeast Alabama and home to Dothan, the largest city in the Wiregrass region. The Dothan Eagle has published obituaries for decades and maintains good archives. The Probate Court has records from 1903 when the county was formed. Several funeral homes serve the area and post obituaries on their websites. The Southeast Alabama Genealogical and Historical Society has collected local records for family research.
Houston County Quick Facts
Houston County Probate Court
The Houston County Probate Court handles wills, estates, and probate filings. These records can help when obituaries are not available because they list family members and heirs. Judge Patrick H. Davenport serves as the Probate Judge.
Houston County shares the 20th Judicial Circuit with Henry County. The Probate Court is on North Oates Street in downtown Dothan.
| Address | 462 North Oates Street, Dothan, AL 36303 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (334) 677-4721 |
| probate@houstoncountyal.gov | |
| Hours | Monday - Thursday, 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM |
| Website | houstoncountyal.gov/probate/ |
| Circuit Court | houston.alacourt.gov |
Records available include marriage records from 1903, probate records from 1903, and land records from 1903. Since Houston County was formed in 1903, older records for this area are in Dale, Geneva, and Henry counties.
FamilySearch has digitized Houston County wills from 1902 to 1929 and estate records from 1904 to 1930. These free records can help with genealogy research.
Houston County Newspapers
The Dothan Eagle is the main newspaper for Houston County and the Wiregrass region. It has published obituaries for many years and has good archives.
Current obituaries from the Dothan Eagle appear on Legacy.com at legacy.com/obituaries/dothaneagle/. The newspaper website at dothaneagle.com/news/local/obituaries/ also posts obituaries. Most death notices appear within a day or two.
Legacy.com has a Houston County page at legacy.com/us/obituaries/local/alabama/houston-county where you can search obituaries by name.
For historical obituaries, check:
- Genealogy Trails at genealogytrails.com/ala/houston/obits.html
- Newspapers.com and GenealogyBank for digitized archives
- Alabama Department of Archives and History microfilm
Houston County Funeral Homes
Several funeral homes serve Houston County and Dothan. They post obituaries on their websites and keep archives going back years.
Major funeral homes in Houston County include:
- Sunset Memorial Park and Cremations, Dothan (sunsetmemorialpark.com/obituaries)
- Glover Funeral Home, Inc. with locations in Dothan, Eufaula, and Clayton (gloverfuneral.com/obituaries-dothan)
- Holman Funeral Home, Dothan area
- Holman-Headland Mortuary Chapel
- Ward Wilson Funeral Home, Dothan area
If you know which funeral home handled services, start your search there. Call them directly for older records not available online.
How to Search Houston County Obituaries
For recent obituaries, start with these resources:
- Dothan Eagle Obituaries at legacy.com/obituaries/dothaneagle/
- Legacy.com Houston County at legacy.com/us/obituaries/local/alabama/houston-county
- Funeral home websites listed above
For older obituaries and genealogy research:
- Genealogy Trails at genealogytrails.com/ala/houston/obits.html
- FamilySearch free probate records including wills from 1902 to 1929
- Find a Grave for burial records in Houston County cemeteries
- Southeast Alabama Genealogical and Historical Society records
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.
Southeast Alabama Genealogical and Historical Society
The Southeast Alabama Genealogical and Historical Society at PO Box 246, Dothan, AL 36302-0246 has collected local records. Phone: (334) 794-8378. They may have obituary indexes, family files, and cemetery records not available online.
The Dothan Houston County Library System has genealogy resources. Staff can help point you to local records and may have access to databases not available elsewhere.
For research on families who lived in this area before 1903, check Dale, Geneva, and Henry county records. Houston County was carved from those three counties when it was created.
Houston County Coroner
The Houston County Coroner's Office at houstoncountyal.gov/coroner/ works with law enforcement and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. They investigate deaths in the county.
Coroner records may help establish death dates when obituaries are not available. The coroner works with funeral homes and the state to complete death certificates.
Cities in Houston County
Houston County contains Dothan and several smaller communities. Residents of these areas use Houston County resources for obituary research.
Dothan is the only city in Houston County with a population over 50,000. It is the largest city in the Wiregrass region and serves as a regional center for southeast Alabama.
Nearby Counties
Obituaries for Houston County residents sometimes appear in newspapers from neighboring counties.
Houston County also borders Florida and Georgia. Check Jackson County, Florida and Early County, Georgia newspapers if you cannot find an obituary in Alabama sources.
Start Your Search
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