Appling County was established in 1818 and named for Colonel Daniel Appling. This series consists primarily of Annual Returns presented to the Ordinary (Probate) Court of Appling County from 1873 - 1877. Before the regular court term each January, every estate executor or administrator was required to give an accounting of the condition of the estate, providing a record of receipts and expenditures, as well as any other facts that would accurately reflect the condition of the estate.

In addition to the estate records, the first nineteen pages of the volume document the registration of Free Persons of Color in Appling County from 1843 - 1856. From 1818 to 1865, the Georgia code of laws required all Free Persons of Color to register each year in the county of residence.