Maps and historical resources are essential for understanding Russell County genealogy. County boundaries, town names, transportation routes, and nearby Georgia communities all played a role in where records were created and preserved.
Russell County was established in 1832 from Creek Indian lands and later lost territory to form parts of Lee County in 1866. Many families appear in earlier records under neighboring counties or across the Chattahoochee River in Georgia.
Roads, railroads, and river crossings influenced where families lived, married, worshiped, and conducted business.
Early land patents and plats help identify when families arrived and how property changed hands over time.
Comparing maps from different time periods can reveal: