The present state of Alabama was part of the Mississippi Territory formed in 1798 except for the Gulf portion which was still claimed by the Spanish at that time. Georgia disputed a portion of the Mississippi Territory until 1802, when they relinquished all their claims beyond their present state boundary. Mississippi became a state in 1817, and the portion of Mississippi Territory that is now Alabama became Alabama Territory at that time (1817) until Alabama was recognized as a state in 1819. This map might help: http://www.tngenweb.org/maps/ms-terr.html For genealogists researching their Creek families in Alabama, records from 1798 to 1817 are generally found under Mississippi Territory records. Hope this helps with associating families with timeframes. Evelyn