Hi list members, Margaret Cowart in her "Old Land Records of Madison County, Alabama" gives a short history of the county in her forward. She states, "The original land office for Madison County, Mississippi Territory was established in Nashville, Tennessee on March 3, 1807 and was moved to Huntsville in 1811. In 1807 Thomas Freeman, Government Surveyor, was assigned to survey the lands in the "Triangle" [formerly lands of the Chickasaw and Cherokees] which became Madison County, Mississippi Territory on December 13, 1808. A census of inhabitants was taken by him in January 1809. Subsequently, acting as Registrar, he received the "squatters" applications to buy their land." [which they had previously occupied prior to the Chickasaw Cessation] Huntsville remained the Land Office and the nearby Huntsville meridian is the measuring point from which the land descriptions are measured east or west of the meridian. Thanks to all about the new book. I presume the above will all be in it. Rosa Wright ---------- > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: History of Madison Co. > Date: Wednesday, March 31, 1999 4:57 PM > > Hi, everyone, > > I am following the discussion about the history of Madison Co. with interest. > Here's my two cents worth: > > Madison Co. was formed in Dec. 1808 and named for President James Madison. > Huntsville was and still is the county seat. Huntsville's first white > settlers came in 1804-05 to the area already inhabited by Cherokees and > Chickasaws, and the town was quickly established. The town of Madison is just > west of Huntsville; today the city limits of both have grown to meet each > other. Madison is no longer a small town; over the last 15 years it has > experienced the most rapid growth of any town in Alabama during the same time > period. > > Another bit about Alabama's history that may help you in your ancestral search > is that Alabama was part of the Mississippi Territory until 1817, when it > became known as the Alabama Territory. On Dec. 14, 1819, Alabama became a > state. Huntsville was the first capital of Alabama, but it was only > temporary. > > For more information, try the state archives website: > http://www.archives.state.al.us/index.html > > Hope this helps, > Angela