Claiborne County History and Information

Claiborne County was created on 1801 from Grainger and Hawkins Counties ; named in honor of William C. C. Claiborne (1775-1817), judge of the superior court of Tennessee, U.S. congressman and senator, governor of the Mississippi Territory and of Louisiana. The County seat is located at Tazewell.

Newspapers were published in Cumberland Gap, New Tazewell and Tazewell. Scattered early issues are available from 1872, and a complete run begins in 1933. See Extended History for More information.

Claiborne County is bordered by Bell County, Kentucky (north), Lee County, Virginia (northeast), Hancock County (east), Grainger County (southeast), Union County (southwest), Campbell County (west) and Whitley County, Kentucky (northwest). Cities and Towns include Cumberland Gap, Harrogate, Harrogate-Shawanee, New Tazewell, Tazewell. The Official County Website is located at ? . There was a fire at the Claiborne County courthouse in 1932.

Tennessee State Library and Archives has Inventories of Claiborne County Records on Microfilm. Click Here to Order County Microfilm Inventories and Reels. Early Claiborne County Records. Newspaper Microfilms are loaned to Tennessee libraries. Individual reels may also be purchased. An Inventory of Newspapers on Microfilm at TSLA is available on our web site.. Claiborne County, Tennessee History Books at Amazon.com.

• Search Historical Newspapers from Tennessee (1795 - 1929 ) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
• Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.

Claiborne County Court Records

See Also Tennessee Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Claiborne County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1838 and Probate Records from 1837 and is located at Courthouse, 1740 Main St # 201, P.O. Box 34, Tazewell, TN 37879-34; (423) 626-3334.

The County Clerk maintains Marriage & Divorce records. It also has jurisdiction over probate cases. Wills, administrations, and all other records pertaining to probate are recorded in the respective county clerk's office. If the will or administration was contested, the records of these actions may be filed in the circuit court or chancery court.

Claiborne County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1801 and is located at Courthouse, P.O. Box 173, Tazewell, TN 37879-0173; Telephone: (423) 626-3283.

The Register of Deeds office has land records beginning with county organization, land records are available from the register of deeds at the Claiborne county courthouse. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries

Claiborne County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1801 and is located at Courthouse, P.O. Box 173, Tazewell, TN 37879-0173; Telephone: (423) 626-3283.

Circuit Court Clerks serve an important role in the operation of the court system in Tennessee. Chancery courts have jurisdiction over property disputes, and circuit courts oversee criminal cases, divorces, and adoptions. Early courts included courts of common pleas and quarter sessions.

Below is a list of online resources for Claiborne County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Claiborne County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Claiborne County, Tennessee Court Books at Amazon.com
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
• Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
• Index to Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912
• Tennessee Marriage and Bible Records
• Tennessee Marriages to 1825
• Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002
• Tennessee Marriages, 1851-1900

Claiborne County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Tennessee

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Contact the Claiborne County Clerk For County Marriage Divorce Records (See Claiborne County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where Certificate was granted.

Tennessee State Vital Records, is located at Central Services Building, 1st Floor, 421 5th Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee 37243; Phone (615) 741-1763, FAX (615) 741-9860. The Tennessee Office of Vital Records registers and maintains the original certificates of births, deaths, marriages and divorces that occur in Tennessee. They have the following records:

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• Birth Certificates: Records are available beginning with January 1914, for Nashville since June 1881, for Knoxville since July 1881, and for Chattanooga since January 1882. Records of some births that occurred in the major cities from 1881-1913 are also available. A certified photocopy of the original record may be obtained at a fee of $12.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time. For persons born from 1949 to the present, a certified copy produced by computer is also available at a fee of $7.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates. For Earlier Records See Tennessee State Library and Archives Below.
• Death Certificates: Death records are available for the past 50 years (1957). The fee is $7.00 per certified copy. The cause of death is not normally included on a certified copy unless specifically requested and then is available only to certain family members or legal representatives. You can download an application online for Death Certificates. For Earlier Records See Tennessee State Library and Archives Below. Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
• Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Marriage and divorce records are available for the past 50 years at a fee of $12.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time. You can download an application online for Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificate. For Earlier Records See Tennessee State Library and Archives Below.
• Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

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Make certified checks and money orders should be made payable to "Tennessee Vital Records". Credit Cards may be uses by using VitalChek services Please do not send cash or checks. Fees are non refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service. Mail all Applications to: Tennessee State Vital Records, Central Services Building, 1st Floor, 421 5th Avenue North, Nashville, TN, 37243.

Tennessee State Library and Archives have the following records:

• Birth Records & "Delayed" Birth Certificates: Tennessee began keeping birth records statewide in 1908. TSLA has statewide birth records for the years 1908-1912. To find a birth record, we need the following information: name of child, date of birth or approximate date of birth, county of birth (if known) and names of parents (if known). The larger cities in Tennessee did keep earlier birth records: Nashville (beginning in 1881); Knoxville (beginning in 1881); Chattanooga (beginning in 1879); and Memphis (beginning in 1874). Only the early Nashville birth records are indexed. For birth records after 1912 or for "delayed" birth certificates filed for persons born after 1903, contact the Office of Vital Records above.
  TSLA also has "delayed" birth certificates for persons born 1869 - 1903. These delayed certificates were filed at the request of the individual or that person's representative for legal reasons. To locate a delayed birth certificate, we need the following information: name of child, date of birth or approximate date of birth, county of birth (if known) and names of parents (if known). E-mail TSLA and they can check thier index to the "delayed" birth records for a specified name. Please specify that you are requesting a "delayed" birth certificate.
  
  There is a $20 fee to search for a birth record. If the record is found, they will mail a copy to you. If the record is not found, you will be notified by mail. The $20 fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312. [GO TO FORMS PAGE].
  
  
• Death Records: Tennessee began keeping death records statewide in 1908. TSLA has statewide death records for the years 1908-1912 and 1914-1955. To find a death record, we need the following information: name of individual, date of death (or three year range to search), county of death (if known) and name of spouse (if known). Please keep in mind that some deaths were not recorded, due to poor record-keeping by local officials. For death records from 1956 to the present, contact the Office of Vital Records above.
  The larger cities in Tennessee did keep earlier death records: Nashville (beginning in 1874); Knoxville (beginning in 1881); Chattanooga (beginning in 1872); and Memphis (beginning in 1848). Only the early Nashville and Memphis death records are indexed. TSLA can search the unindexed records for one year only; you must provide us with the name of individual, date of death, the city, and the name of the spouse (if known).
  There is a $20 fee to search for a death record. If the record is found, they will mail a copy to you. If the record is not found, you will be notified by mail. The $20 fee is not refundable. Payment in advance by check, money order or credit card is required. Send your request to Tennessee State Library and Archives, Research Department, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville TN 37243-0312. [GO TO FORMS PAGE]

Below is a list of online resources for Claiborne County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Claiborne County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
• Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
• Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
• Index to Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912
• Tennessee Marriage and Bible Records
• Tennessee Marriages to 1825
• Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002
• Tennessee Marriages, 1851-1900
• Claiborne County, Tennessee Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
• Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.

Claiborne County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Tennessee

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Claiborne County, Tennessee are 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Claiborne County, Tennessee are Industry and Agriculture Schedules available for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.

Below is a list of online resources for Claiborne County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Claiborne County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Claiborne County, Tennessee Census Books at Amazon.com
• Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.

Claiborne County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Tennessee and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Tennessee showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Tennessee showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Claiborne County Maps. Email us with websites containing Claiborne County Maps by clicking the link below:

• Claiborne County, Tennessee Map Books at Amazon.com
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

Claiborne County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Tennessee

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Claiborne County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Claiborne County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from Tennessee units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier.
• Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67 from the State of Tennessee (The National Archives): NARA M1003. View, Print Copy & Save Original Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson, 1865-67, by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Tennessee (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Tennessee (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Claiborne County, Tennessee Military Books at Amazon.com
• Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution
• Tennessee Society Sons of the Revolution
• Tennessee Civil War Regimental Histories
• Tennessee, Civil War Confederate Pension Applications Index
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

Claiborne County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Tennessee tax lists can be used to locate families, document historic properties and study community history. Early tax lists generally include all white males over 21 and indicate whether they owned land or slaves. They usually do not provide other personal information.

The tax lists enumerated for Claiborne County for the years: 1833, 1839, 1850-1856, 1865-1873, 1881, 1882, 1899, 1900 ; are available on microfilm at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. They are generally filed with each county's records, but some early lists are in a separate collection. To order a search of the records by mail, follow this link [EMAIL]

The 1796 Constitution levied taxes on “every freeman of the age of twenty-one years and upward possessing a freehold in the county wherein he may vote, and being an inhabitant of this State, and every freeman being an inhabitant of any one county in the State six months immediately preceding the day of the election, shall be entitled to vote....”

Many early surviving tax records were published in an effort to replace the missing federal censuses. Original extant tax records are preserved in the respective county courthouse as well as in the Tennessee State Library and Archives, where a card index exists for tax records in its collection pre-dating 1835, arranged by county, date, and district.

Original tax schedules for most Tennessee counties for 1836 through 1839 are available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

The 1891 tax lists of male inhabitant voters in each county were recently found. Available on microfilm at the Tennessee State Library and Archives, these nine reels are arranged alphabetically within each district in each county. Tax records from trustees office in counties are available on microfilm as well.

Below is a list of online resources for Claiborne County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Claiborne County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Claiborne County, Tennessee Tax Books at Amazon.com

Claiborne County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Tennessee Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Claiborne County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Claiborne County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Claiborne County Archives, P.O. Box 318, Tazewell , TN 37879; Phone: (423) 626-5236
  Email: jpwatson@centurytel.net
• The Claiborne County Historical and Genealogical Society
  P.O. Box 32, Tazewell, Tennessee 37879, Telephone (423) 626-0500
• Barbara Reynolds Carr Memorial Library, 1304 Old Knoxville Rd., PO Box 139, Tazewell, TN 37879 423-626-5414
• Tennessee State Library and Archives, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243-0312; Phone: (615) 741-2764, Fax (615) 741-6471
• Tennessee Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3343, 9114 Davies Plantation Rd, Brunswick, TN 38014, (901) 381-1447; [EMAIL]
• Tennessee Historical Society, 300 Capital Boulevard, Nashville 37243
• Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
• Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.

Claiborne County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Tennessee

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Claiborne County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Claiborne County Tombstone Transcription Project. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches and cemeteries free for viewing or download here.

Although few histories for Tennessee churches have been published, there are church records for almost every county in the state. Baptist, Presbyterian, and Methodist were the principal religions of early settlers in the state, and documents from these groups make up the largest number of records available. Other representative religions include Lutheran, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Roman Catholic, and Jewish. Most early Tennessee churches only kept minutes and membership records. Church records could, however, include records of baptism, marriage, burial, membership, or removal, but it is rare to find all or several of these categories maintained by one church.

A large collection of transcripts of Tennessee cemetery records has been compiled by members of chapters of the DAR. Records collection available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives and through the FHL. The state library and archives has notebooks containing listings of cemetery records.

County genealogical and historical societies and local citizens have collected, compiled, and published numerous volumes of cemetery records.

Below is a list of online resources for Claiborne County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Claiborne County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers throughout the world.
• Claiborne County, Tennessee Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Claiborne County, Tennessee Church Books at Amazon.com
• THE CLAIBORNE COUNTY CEMETERIES ASSOCIATION

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Claiborne County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Claiborne County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local Tennessee Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Tennessee Researcher!
• Claiborne County, Tennessee Family Books at Amazon.com
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data : For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons.
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Claiborne County ] [ Tennessee ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• The Tennessee Family Group Sheet Project
• Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
• Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
• Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
• The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture
• Claiborne County Pioneer Project
  The Claiborne County Pioneer Project is a private endeavor to record the genealogy of the residents of Claiborne County, Tennessee prior to 1910. Over 90,000 individuals have been documented as being born, lived or died in the county prior to 1910

Extended History

 

The Tennessee General Assembly formed Claiborne County in 1801 from parts of Grainger and Hawkins Counties and named it for William C.C. Claiborne, Tennessee's first congressional representative. The most important historic feature of Claiborne County is the Cumberland Gap, located south of the convergence of Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky. Native Americans called this natural gateway to the north and west the "Warrior's Path." In 1750 Dr. Thomas Walker claimed discovery of the gap and named it Cumberland Gap in honor of William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, the son of King George II and Queen Caroline. In 1775 Daniel Boone led thirty men through the gap and opened a road west to settlement.

The first settlement occurred in the Powell Valley along the Clinch River. Shortly afterwards, settlements were established at Sycamore Creek and Fort Butler. In 1801 the town of Tazewell was laid out as the county seat of Claiborne County. The town received a post office in 1804, and James Graham served as the first postmaster. The county court met three times in the homes of John Hunt and Elisha Walling before a small frame courthouse was erected in 1804 on land belonging to John Hunt Sr., probably the first settler in the area and the first sheriff of Claiborne County. A jail was constructed at the same time as the courthouse, and a second jail was built in 1819. Luke Bower, one of the first Watauga settlers, was the first attorney in Claiborne County. The first merchant was William Graham, a native of Ireland. Graham had extensive real estate holdings, and around 1800 he completed a stone residence known as the Graham-Kivett house. Other historic buildings include the Parkey house, also thought to have been built by Graham, which was used as a hospital during the Civil War and survived the great fire of 1862. A frontier church at Springdale on Little Sycamore Creek was erected by Drew Harrell and the Reverend Tidence Lane sometime around 1796.

Tazewell did not have a church building until 1815, but settlers probably worshipped in open-air assemblies and in homes prior to that time. William Graham, a Presbyterian, erected the first church building, which was probably used by all denominations. In 1844 the Baptists and Methodists both erected buildings on Russell and Church streets respectively.

Although a few attended a school opened at Yoakum's Station in the Powell Valley in 1820, most children of the early Tazewell settlers received no formal education until Walter Evans opened a small school in 1822. Michael Miles, the teacher at Yoakum Station, and Evans collaborated in the writing of text books. In 1835 a boys' academy opened in Tazewell near the town spring, but the Tazewell Female Academy was not organized until 1854. In 1856 Tazewell Academy was raised to the rank of college.

Claiborne County and the Cumberland Gap figured prominently in the Civil War strategy of both the North and the South, changing hands four times. Today, traces of the old military road that connected battlements on the pinnacle above Cumberland Gap can be discerned. Battery No. 6 still remains at the Tri-State peak facing Cumberland Gap. Rifle pits dug around most batteries can be located with little difficulty. Although no major battles were fought in the county, there were several bloody skirmishes. On November 11, 1862, a fire broke out in Tazewell and destroyed some twenty buildings including the courthouse, a large hotel, and several brick storehouses.

On February 12, 1897, the State of Tennessee chartered Lincoln Memorial University, named for Abraham Lincoln, who had urged O. O. Howard of the Freedmen's Bureau to do something for the people of the area. Howard accepted Lincoln's charge and played an important role in the creation of the institution. The university proved a boon for tri-state area residents who could not afford college tuition but were able to work their way through LMU by working on the college farm. Today, LMU rents the farm for pasture. The 1,000-acre campus, which presently serves two thousand students, incorporates traditional architecture and modern technology. The Abraham Lincoln Museum, which holds one of the largest Lincoln collections in the country, is located on the campus.

Present-day Claiborne County consists of 277,963 acres. Its population grew from 13,373 in 1880 to 23,286 by 1920. The rapid growth was attributed to intensive mining developments and logging operations. By 1950 the population had increased to 24,788, but over the next decade, Claiborne County began to experience out-migration as people left the area for industrial employment in the Midwest. The population dropped to 19,067 in 1960 before beginning a slow rise that boomed in the 1980s and 1990s. The 2000 population was 29,862.

Claiborne County has a mixed economy with a growing industrial sector. County farmers produce tobacco and vegetables, and the largest industrial employer is Bushline, a furniture manufacturer. Other furniture manufacturers in the county include Brooks Furniture Manufacturing and Oakwood Furniture Manufacturing. Four textile manufacturers, two pre-built and mobile home manufacturers, and a large medical supply manufacturer (DeRoyal Industries) keep the county's unemployment rate low. The 1996 opening of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel on U.S. Highway 25W, a model of transportation planning, promises to further enhance the economic outlook of the county in the twenty-first century.

Claiborne County Published Records

 

• 1870 Census, Tennessee, Transcription for Claiborne County (Bishop, 1983)
• 1880 Census, Claiborne County, Tennessee (Sistler, 1992)
• Abstract of Pensions of the Revolution, War of 1812 and all Wars Prior to 1883 of Clairborne County, Tennessee (Burns, 1952)
• All Our Churches of Claiborne County, Tennessee (Noah, 1986)
• Cemeteries of Claiborne County, Tennessee (Johnson, 1982)
• Cemetery Records of Claiborne County, Tennessee (WPA, 19??)
• Claiborne County Obituaries [vol. 1 1889-1939; vol. 2 1940-1949; vol. 3 1950-1954; vol. 4 1955-1959; vol. 5 1960-1964; vol. 6 1965-1967; vol. 7 1968-1970; vol. 8 1971-1973] (Treadway, 1988-)
• Claiborne County, Tenn., Deed Index Grantor to Grantee, 1801 to 1865; and, Claiborne County, Tenn., Deed Book A Index, 1801 to 1808 (Treadway, 199?)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee 1836 Tennessee Civil Districts and Tax Lists (Douthat, 1983)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1860 Census (Treadway, 1987)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1870 Census (Treadway, 1987)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1880 Census (Treadway, 1987)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1890 Civil War pension (Treadway, 1994)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1900 Census (Treadway, 1990)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1910 Census (Treadway, 1990)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1920 Census (Treadway, 1992)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Court Minutes [vol. 1 1806-1808; vol. 2 1812-1814] (WPA, 1937)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Court Minutes of Pleas & Quarter Sessions [vol. 1 1818-1819; vol. 2 1819-1821; vol. 3 1821-1824] (WPA, 1938-)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Deed index, 1801-1865, grantee to grantor (Treadway, 1994)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Deeds [vol. 1 1802-1806; *vol. 3 1803-1808] (Willis & Sellers, 1997-)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, General Index to Deeds (Gilbert & Chadwell, 1998)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, General Index to Deeds [vol. 1 1801-1865, Grantor; vol. 2 1801-1865, Grantee] (WPA, 1939)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Index to Quarterly Court Minutes, 1826-1829 (WPA, 19??)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Marriage Records [vol. 2 1838-1850; vol. 3 1850-1868] (WPA, 1936-1937)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee Marriages, 1838-1868 (Sistler, 1983)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Marriages, 1838 to 1935 [vol. 1 A-M; vol. 2 N-Z] (Treadway, 1995)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Vital Statistics, 1914 through 1925 (Wiefering, 1993)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Will book [vol. 1 1837-1846; vol. 2 1844-1850] (WPA, 1938-1939)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Will book "A," 1837-1846 [index] (Andrews, 1989?)
• Claiborne County, Tennessee, Will book "A," 1837-1846 (Claiborne County Historical Society, 1992)
• Claiborne County, TN Marriages, 1868-91 (Sistler, 1984)
• Families of Norris Reservoir Area (Wilson, 1986)
• Family Bible Records of Claiborne County, Tennessee People, Eleven Years Prior to the Civil War, When Most of the Families Were Torn Apart (Burns, 1950-)
• Index to the First Deed Books of Claiborne County, Tennessee : Grantor and Grantee [1801-1865] (Fletcher, 1996-)
• Index to the Probate Court Records, Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1844-1865 : Estate Settlements, Wills, Inventories, Sales, Guardian Reports (Fletcher, 1993)
• Marriages of Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1838-1850 & Campbell County, Tennessee, 1838-1853 (Whitley, 1983)
• Records of Claiborne County, Tennessee, Court Minutes [vol. 1 1801-1803; vol. 2 1803-1806] (WPA, 1936-1937)
• Tennessee, Records of Claiborne County : Deed Book A, 1801-1808 (WPA, 19??)