Haywood County History and Information

Haywood County Facts

Haywood County was part of Madison County when the Tennessee General Assembly created it in 1823-24 and was named in honor of John Haywood (1762-1826), North Carolina Superior Court and Tennesse Supreme Court judge, author of Civil & Political History of Tennessee, “father of Tennessee history.” Later, part of Haywood County was taken to create Lauderdale and Crockett Counties.

The state legislature designated Brownsville as the county seat, and in 1823 Thomas M. Johnson sold the county fifty acres of land for the county seat for one dollar and a town lot. The county court met in the home of Richard Nixon, the first settler in the area, until 1825, when the first log courthouse was completed. A second courthouse was built in 1826; in 1845 it was rebuilt with brick. In 1868 the county added a west wing to accommodate the convening of the Supreme Court for West Tennessee. The courthouse underwent complete renovation in 1989. The first jail was built in 1825; in 1872 it was replaced with a brick and iron jail. In 1974 a new jail was located four miles east of Brownsville.

Newspapers were published in Brownsville. Scattered early issues are available from 1838, and a complete run begins in 1936. See Extended History for More information.

Haywood County is bordered by Crockett County (north), Madison County (east), Hardeman County (southeast), Fayette County (south), Tipton County (west) and Lauderdale County (northwest). Cities and Towns include Brownsville, Nutbush, Stanton. The Official County Website is located at ?

Tennessee State Library and Archives has Inventories of Haywood County Records on Microfilm. Click Here to Order County Microfilm Inventories and Reels. Early Bradley 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.. Haywood 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.

Haywood 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.

Haywood County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1859 and Probate Records from 1824 and is located at Courthouse, 1 N. Washington St., Brownsville, TN 38012-2561; Telephone: (731) 772-0122.

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.

Haywood County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1820 and is located at Courthouse, 1 N. Washington St., Brownsville, TN 38012-2561; Telephone: (731) 772-2362.

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

Haywood County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1823 and is located at Courthouse, 1 N. Washington St., Brownsville, TN 38012-2561; Telephone: (731) 772-1112 .

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 Haywood County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Haywood County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Haywood 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

Haywood 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 Haywood County Clerk For County Marriage Divorce Records (See Haywood 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 Haywood County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Haywood 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
• Haywood 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.

Haywood 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 Haywood County, Tennessee are 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Haywood 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 Haywood County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Haywood County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Haywood 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.

Haywood 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 Haywood County Maps. Email us with websites containing Haywood County Maps by clicking the link below:

• Haywood 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.

Haywood 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 Haywood County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Haywood 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.
• Haywood 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.

Haywood 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 Haywood County for the years: 1825-1827, 1834-1835, 1837-1840, 1845-1854, 1860, 1865-1869, 1872-1900 ; 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 Haywood County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Haywood County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Haywood County, Tennessee Tax Books at Amazon.com

Haywood 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 Haywood County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Haywood County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• West Tennessee Historical Society, P.O. Box 111046, Memphis, 38111
• Elma Ross Public Library, 1011 East Main Street, Brownsville, TN 38012 731-772-9534
• Haywood County Museum, 127 N. Grand Avenue; College Hill Center, PO Box 207, Brownsville, TN 38012 731-772-0380
• 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.

Haywood 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 Haywood County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Haywood 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 Haywood County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Haywood 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.
• Haywood County, Tennessee Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Haywood County, Tennessee Church Books at Amazon.com

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 Haywood County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Haywood 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!
• Haywood 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: [ Haywood 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

Extended History

 

The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture © Tennessee Historical Society

Cotton agriculture provided the basis for the Haywood County economy for much of its history. Early settlers soon established a plantation system based on slave labor. In the aftermath of the Civil War, the cotton economy returned, although tenant farmers and sharecroppers now worked the fields. In 1828 James Bond settled in Haywood County and built one of the largest fortunes in the state through the cultivation of cotton.

The production of staple crops benefited from the early appearance of railroads in the county. Trains first came to Tennessee in 1846. Both the Holly Springs and Brownsville Railroad and the Mississippi and Ohio Railroad (later the Louisville and Nashville) served Brownsville. Passenger service through Brownsville ended in 1968. Today, Interstate 40 parallels the old Louisville and Nashville track to Memphis.

A 1923 description of Haywood County noted the fertile soil and potential for crop diversification. It listed cotton, corn, fruit, grass, and livestock as the most important agricultural products. Today, these crops remain important, together with soybeans. In 1939-40, the federal Farm Security Administration established the Haywood County Farm Project near Stanton to provide small farms for African American residents, which they could rent with an option to buy. Some thirty-nine local families participated in the program. The National Register-listed Woodlawn Baptist Church near Nutbush documents post-Civil War black history in rural Haywood County.

Industry development in the county initially supported agricultural production. In 1828 Hiram Bradford began operation of the county's first cotton gin. Although declining in number (there were only 297 cotton gins operating in Tennessee in 1972), cotton gins still dot the landscape of Haywood County. In 1829 a horse-propelled grist mill began operation, and by 1874 the county had a cotton mill. The most significant changes in industrialization came during World War II, as farmers and farm laborers left the fields, and agriculture mechanized. Today, several manufacturers employ local residents in industries ranging from the production of riding lawn mowers to the manufacture of vinyl garden hoses, PVC pipe fittings, and powdered ball bearings.

The county's first newspaper, the Phoenix, began publication in 1833. Nine other papers appeared during the next century and a half. The States Graphic issued its first publication in 1900 and continues publication today.

The county's first Sunday school opened in Brownsville in 1831. During the first decade of settlement, Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians established congregations. The Episcopal Church arrived in 1834, and the Catholics and Cumberland Presbyterians built churches circa 1870. Temple Adas Israel (1882) stands as a reminder of the migration of Jews into rural communities in the nineteenth century.

Haywood County's first school was built by Howell Taylor in the Tabernacle neighborhood in 1827. Early schools were subscription schools, and public schools were not available until 1897. Among the county's many historic schools were Union Academy, Brownsville Male Academy, Brownsville Female Institute, Dancyville Female Institute, Brownsville Seminary, Cageville Male and Female Academy, and Wesleyan Female College. The Dunbar School for African American children became Haywood County Training School around 1920, then Carver High School in 1950. Brownsville Baptist Female College (1850, later a high school) became the nucleus for the National Register-listed College Hill Historic District. The former college's Center Building now houses a comprehensive Lincoln Collection and the Haywood County Museum. Haywood County High School opened in 1911; in 1970 it was closed and a new school was built when the city and county schools consolidated and integrated.

Brownsville residents have enjoyed a variety of services throughout the history of the community. The Brownsville Savings Bank, organized in 1869 (reputedly the second oldest continuously operating bank in the state), became the Brownsville Bank in 1899. Since 1997 it has operated as part of the In-South Bank system. Brownsville received telegraph service in 1848; Bell Telephone opened an office in 1895. County residents began to receive rural free mail delivery in 1903. In 1872 a gas works came to Brownsville, and the city received natural gas in 1934. Rural electrification reached the county in 1936. In 1909, $7,500 from Andrew Carnegie's library program built a free public library, which was replaced in 1992 with the Elma Ross Library. In 1909 Brownsville built a public Ladies Rest Room, the first such known facility in Tennessee, to accommodate the needs of farmwives as they shopped in town. Ridley and Mann Wills established the Haywood County Memorial Hospital in 1930; Methodist Hospital Systems now provides medical services.

Haywood County has grown from a population of 265 families in 1826 to a population that reached 19,797 in 2000. A county executive and county court governs the county. Brownsville's population rose from 400 in 1832 to 10,748 in 2000. The town is governed by a mayor and five aldermen.

Haywood County Published Records

 

• 1836 Haywood County, Tennessee, Civil Districts & Tax List (Douthat, 2003)
• 1880 Census Haywood County, Tennessee (Sistler, 2001)
• Bradford Family Record (WPA, 1939)
• Crockett (Haywood) County, Tn Deeds, 1785-1872 Mayo, 1985)
• Genealogical Quandary : Will Book D, 1845-1852, Haywood County, Tennessee (Smith, 2003)
• Haywood, Lauderdale, Tipton County Directory (1957)
• Haywood County, Tennessee, Chancery Court Records, 1808-1885 : Including Divorces, 1860-1936 : An Inventory Of Loose Records in the Haywood County Courthouse (Genealogical Society Of Utah., 1997)
• Haywood County Tennessee Court Minutes, 1823-1830 (WPA, 1936)
• Haywood County Tennessee Court Minutes, 1826-30 (WPA, 1940)
• Haywood County Tennessee Court Minutes, 1831 (WPA, 1938)
• Haywood County Tennessee Court Minutes, Journal C, 1834-40 (WPA, 19??)
• Haywood County Tennessee Court Minutes, 1837-1840 (WPA, 1941)
• Haywood County, Tennessee Deed Book [Vol. A-B 1823-1831] (Crumpton, 2003)
• Haywood County, Tennessee Deed Book [Vol. C 1832-1833] (Crumpton, 2003)
• Haywood County Tennessee Deed Book A, 1823-1830 (WPA, 1940)
• Haywood County Tennessee, Directory of Brownsville, Tennessee, 1872-1873 (WPA, 1938)
• Haywood County Tennessee Marriage Docket, 1859-1866 (WPA, 1938)
• Haywood County, Tennessee Marriage Records : Books 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8, 1859-1878 (Fischer, 1987)
• Haywood County Tennessee Will Book No. 1, 1826-1839 (WPA, 1937)
• Seventh Census of the United States, 1850: Haywood County, Tennessee Free Population Schedules (Carpenter, 1970)
• Tombstone Inscriptions From Black Cemeteries in Haywood County, Tennessee (Smith, 1998)