The Loose Records Project was a combined effort of The Alabama State Archives and the Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) to work with each Alabama county to preserve loose court records, primarily probate records.

Many volunteers across the state participated in the preparation of the records. The papers were opened, cleaned and flattened to go into folders. In many counties the files were read and names in the file were added to the folder. GSU (now FamilySearch) microfilmed those loose records and made them available on FamilySearch. Rolls of film were given to each county and to the Alabama State Archives. In the later stages of the project, the records were captured digitally and counties received backup drives with images instead of films. With updated technology, all the films have been digitally converted and placed on the FamilySearch website.

As a result of this effort, many counties produced an index of all of the records pertaining to their county. AGS is attempting to locate indexes from counties across the state to post on our website. In the fall of 2023, AGS received a database of indexes for 24 counties. Each county is different. Images are linked to the primary name/names on the folder. Many folders have listed names of people included inside the folder. Some indexes are “every name” indexes while others have only the name of the primary person.

We’re always looking for volunteers to help with preserving Alabama’s historical records. To volunteer, contact preservation@algensoc.org.

Alabama Counties in Progress provides the status for each county as names are linked to their images. The spreadsheet is updated regularly so check back often.

Please note that you will need a FamilySearch account to access the images. Click on the link for FamilySearch.org to sign in or create your free account.