Autauga County was created by the legislature on Nov. 21, 1818. The county was named for Autauga Creek, which runs through it. It was formed from Montgomery County. By Act of Dec. 13, 1820, the boundaries in the north and northwest were enlarged; on Jan. 12, 1827 the line between Autauga and Shelby counties was more definitely fixed. In 1866 part of its territory was taken to establish the new county of Elmore. In 1868 another portion of the county was taken to establish Baker, later known as Chilton County. The word “Autauga” comes from the Indian village Atagi, located on the Alabama River at the mouth of Autauga Creek. Autauga County is located in the central part of the state, wholly within the coastal plain. It is bounded on the north by Chilton Co., south by Lowndes Co., east by Elmore Co. and Montgomery Co., and west by Dallas Co. It comprises 597 square miles. The first county seat was established at Washington, on the site of the Indian village of Atagi, in 1819. In 1830 the county seat was moved to Kingston. In 1868 the legislature removed the county seat to Prattville, which was named after cotton gin manufacturer Daniel Pratt. Other towns and communities include Marbury, Billingsley, Autaugaville, and Mulberry.
Probate Office: 176 W. Fifth St., Prattville, AL 36067
Research Support Groups: Autauga Genealogical Society, Inc, Box 680668, Prattville, AL 36068-0668. Publication: Autauga Ancestry.
Among Records Held: Births, ca. 1871–1928 (Delayed) 1908–1916; Deaths, 1908–1916; Marriages, 1898–1907; Deeds and Mortages, 1819–1903; Divorces, 1896–1916, 1922–1923, 1927; Poll Tax, 1902–1930; Wills, 1868–1927; Voter Lists, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1914, 1918.
Other: Orphan’s Court Minutes, 1823–1849. This is a good source for slave owners’ wills or probate records.