Records begin at the formation of the county, and are usually in the County Court Clerk's office. Available from the county where the land was owned, and maintained by the County Clerk's office or the Register of Deeds. General Land Office records are getting easier to obtain, especially the Eastern Division. A good example is The Official Land Patents Record Site by the Bureau of Land Management. Taxes were paid on property owned on a yearly basis.
Records are available from the time of the county's formation.
Church records often contain birth, death, marriage, and funeral information of their membership. Civil, criminal, divorce, and naturalization records begin from formation of the county and may be located in circuit court or superior court where the event occurred. Any sources in print that do not come from a contemporary or government record. Here are some examples. If possible, save a copy of the page showing the publisher, date of publication, and the actual page showing names, dates, and events.