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Tennessee County Record Description & Facts |
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| Census Records | Court & Probate Records | Church & Cemetery Records | Land Records | Military Records | Vital Records |
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As Indian treaties opened up the land that is now Tennessee for settlement, settlers rushed in to clear farms and establish communities. The new inhabitants sought protection for life and property and other benefits of government - courts of law, militia organizations, and legal title to newly acquired land. Counties were quickly organized once migration into the frontier region had begun. Access to the seat of government was a main difficulty for the pioneers, since it was necessary to travel to the county seat to conduct legal business or present oneself to the court. Over time, residents in areas remote from the county seat would petition the General Assembly for a new county centered closer to their homes. Twenty-two new counties were formed between 1806 and 1819, and twenty-five between 1820 and 1840. This process of carving counties out of the land began in the 1780s and ended a century later. Counties were named for military heroes, American statesmen, physical features, European noblemen, Indian tribes and settlements, and one for a woman. Some counties were authorized but never organized, some organized and were abolished. At present Tennessee has ninety-five counties, each with its own unique story to tell. |
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Tennessee Census Records - Statewide Records: The 1820 census is the earliest enumeration of Tennessee's population to have survived, making it necessary to substitute other lists for the missing censuses. Federal census records for the State of Tennessee are lost for 1790, 1800, and 1890. Only U. S. censuses for Grainger and Rutherford counties for 1810 are extant. Only twenty-six counties have federal census records for 1820. These middle and west Tennessee counties are Bedford, Davidson, Dickson, Franklin, Giles, Hardin, Hickman, Humphreys, Jackson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Maury, Montgomery, Overton, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Warren, Wayne, White, Williamson, and Wilson. Except for Grainger, no early east Tennessee county censuses are available until 1830.
Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in the State of Tennessee are Industry and Agriculture Schedules which are 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. Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"
Since 1790, the U.S. government has taken a nationwide population count every ten years. Unique in scope and often surprisingly detailed, the census population schedules created from 1790 to 1920 are among the most used of records created by the federal government. Over the course of two centuries the United States has changed significantly, and so has the census. From the six basic questions asked in the 1790 census, the scope and categories of information have changed and expanded dramatically. Early censuses were essentially basic counts of inhabitants; but as the nation grew, so did the need for statistics that would reflect the characteristics of the people. In 1850, the focus of the census was radically broadened. Going far beyond the vague questions previously asked of heads of households, the 1850 census enumerators were instructed to ask the age, sex, color, occupation, birthplace, and other questions regarding every individual in every household. Succeeding enumerations solicited more information; by 1920, census enumerators asked twenty-nine questions of every head of household and almost as many questions of everyone else in the residence. (Only a very small segment of the 1890 census remains; a fire in the Commerce Department destroyed the vast majority of the original records for that year. Because of privacy considerations, census records less than seventy-two years old are not available to the general public; thus, the 1920 census is the most recent available to the public.) Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do the U.S. federal censuses. The population schedules are successive “snapshots” of Americans that depict where and how they were living at particular periods in the past. Once home sources and library sources have been exhausted, the census is often the best starting point for further genealogical research. Statewide indexes (see “Indexes,” below) are available for almost every census; they are logical tools for locating individuals whose precise place of residence is unknown. While some inaccuracies are to be expected in census records, they still provide some of the most fascinating and useful pieces of personal history to be found in any source. If nothing else, census records are important sources for placing individuals in specific places at specific times. Additionally, information found in the census will often point to other sources critical to complete research, such as court, land, military, immigration, naturalization, and vital records. The importance of census records does not diminish over time in any research project. It is always wise to return to these records as discoveries are made in other sources because, as you discover new evidence about individuals, some information that seemed unrelated or unimportant in a first look at the census may take on new importance. When you can’t find family, vital, or religious records, census records may be the only means of documenting the events of a person’s life. Vital registration—the official recording of births, deaths, and marriages—did not begin until around 1920 in many areas of the United States, and fires, floods and other disasters since have destroyed some official government records. When other documentation is missing, census records are frequently used by individuals who must prove their age or citizenship status (or that of their parents) for Social Security benefits, insurance, passports, and other important reasons. How to Find Census Records Starting With the Census |
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Tennessee Court Records - There is no effective substitute for an on-site search of county courthouse records. County level records have not yet been centralized. No single county's records have been significantly abstracted or transcribed, making a courthouse visit essential. County records vary widely from county to county in both quality and quantity.
Court records for Tennessee can be difficult to use. Indexes are seldom, if ever, complete. Names may be indexed under various letters of the alphabet, but not necessarily by the individual's name. A for adoptions or I for “in regards to” are examples. Mortgaged estates may be indexed under the name of the bank holding the lien or mortgage, such as B for Bank of Commerce. Records may be indexed by other than surname, for example, C for commissioners/commission, J for jury, and W for will. In cases where property is sold by the sheriff, records can be found under S for sheriff, who was ordered by the court to sell the property to settle the estate or for back taxes. S for state may indicate records in which the state was a party, such as state land grants recorded in court records. Tennessee court records can be complicated to use because there were various courts in which activities could be recorded. Some larger counties have superior courts of law and equity that hear minor civil and equity cases. Probate records normally were under the jurisdiction of the county court, but if the case was contested, then it could be filed in chancery or circuit court. 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. Original court records, including minute and order books, boxes of loose papers, case files, and folders, are maintained by the county. Each source should be thoroughly examined for pertinent entries. Many of these were microfilmed and are available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives and through the FHL. Under the WPA, approximately 1,000 typed volumes of county records were transcribed for most counties in Tennessee. These are microfilmed and available on interlibrary loan from the Tennessee State Library and Archives. There is a card index inventory to this compilation arranged by county. Court records included in this collection are wills; county, chancery, and circuit court minutes; and estate settlements. The county court maintains 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. Shelby and Davidson counties have separate probate courts. Projects to preserve and microfilm probate files, or loose papers, were started in Franklin County in 1979 and in Shelby County in 1981. Microfilm copies are at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Other counties are following this fine example of record preservation. County courts also hear guardianship and minor civil and criminal cases. Court records date from the organization of the county except in cases where records have been destroyed. " DUTIES OF COUNTY CLERK The County Clerk has many important functions within the county government. The County Clerk serves as clerk of the county legislative body, keeps the records of the county legislative body and sends required notices. The minutes of the county legislative body meetings are required to be promptly and fully recorded by the County Clerk and are open to public inspection. The County Clerk collects business taxes, handles motor vehicle registration and licensing and collects county wheel taxes. Also, the County Clerk issues marriage licenses, collects the state and any county privilege tax on marriage, and may solemnize a marriage. Since notaries public are elected by the county legislative body, the County Clerk keeps a record of the notaries public in the county and has duties involving coordination between the Office of Secretary of State and the notary applicant. County clerks have other miscellaneous licensing duties, including pawnbroker licensing, hunting and fishing licensing and others. In some counties, County Clerks serve as clerks of court, the most common of which are juvenile and probate court. The County Clerk's office receive fees for these services. Tennessee Code Annotated §8-21-701 is the basic County Clerk's fee statute. OTHER DUTIES - Since office management is an important aspect of the County Clerk's responsibilities, County Clerks should be familiar with both state and federal laws relating to personnel matters. Also, the County Clerk should have a basic understanding of potential liability, including both personal liability and county liability, and of the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act. Every county official should be familiar with the conflict of interest and disclosure laws applicable to their offices. DUTIES OF CIRCUIT COURT CLERK Court Clerks serve an important role in the operation of the court system in Tennessee. Clerks must attend each session of court with all the papers in the cases on the docket and must administer the oaths to parties and witnesses who testify in a case. Clerks usually keep minutes of the court in a well-bound book, but may keep this information in electronic format so long as certain rules relating to the safe-keeping of the records are followed. Because Court Clerks deal with voluminous paperwork, the storage and retention of documents are important considerations. When a case is appealed from a court of record, the Clerk compiles the record (papers) needed for the appeal, and it is extremely important that the records of the Clerk's office be well-organized and accurate. Clerks maintain the rule docket and an execution docket in which all court judgments or decrees are entered in order of rendition by the court and in which all receipts and disbursements in a case are entered. Clerks also maintain indexes for all books and dockets that are kept by the office. Clerks invest idle funds pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 18-5-106, and often serve in a fiduciary capacity to invest funds held for third parties. Additionally, many Clerks conduct delinquent tax sales and other sales of property as ordered by the court. Clerks may collect support, including alimony and child support, pursuant to court order and the Tennessee Code Annotated. OTHER DUTIES - Since office management is an important aspect of the Court Clerk's responsibilities, the Clerk should have knowledge of personnel procedures and both state and federal laws. The Clerk should also have a basic understanding of potential liability, including both personal liability and county liability, and of the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act. Every county official should be familiar with the conflict of interest and disclosure laws applicable to their offices.
Tennessee Probate Records - The county court maintains 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. Shelby and Davidson counties have separate probate courts.
Many early court records and lists of wills were transcribed by the WPA. Copies of these are usually in the county clerk's office and in the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Most records have been microfilmed and are available through the FHL. Projects to preserve and microfilm probate files, or loose papers, were started in Franklin County in 1979 and in Shelby County in 1981. Microfilm copies are at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Other counties are following this fine example of record preservation. County courts also hear guardianship and minor civil and criminal cases. Court records date from the organization of the county except in cases where records have been destroyed.
Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"
American court files mirror U.S. history. Buried away in courthouses and archives everywhere are the dreams and frustrations of millions of citizens. The chances are great that your ancestors have left a detailed record of at least some aspects of their lives in court records. Most of us don’t think of court records as the rich source of personal history that they are. But America’s English heritage established a tradition of court processes in which the people have a right to participate actively—and we always have. With relative freedom from royal supervision and with court enforcement of religious as well as civil laws, American courts tried many matters that were not subject to court action in other parts of the British empire and that are now considered too minor to warrant criminal action. When a person dies, every state has laws that provide for public supervision over the estate that is left, whether or not there is a will. The term “probate records” broadly covers all the records produced by these laws, although, strictly speaking, “probate” applies only when there is a will. Family historians use probate case files far more than any other kind of court record. Probate case files are logical sources because they tend to include so much personal data, and because Americans have depended on the courts to settle their estates since North America was colonized. According to Val Greenwood in his Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, “All records which relate to the disposition of an estate after its owner’s death are referred to as probate records. These are many and varied in both content and value, but basically, they fall into two main classes: testate and intestate” (page 255). Probate case files generally provide names, addresses, and biographical data for the deceased, but frequently provide the same information for other relatives named in the papers. Relationships, maiden names of wives, married names of daughters, past residences, and place of origin in a native country are just a few of the details that can be discovered in probate files. And probate files can be found in courthouses and archives across the United States. When requesting probate information from the county clerk, it is important not to limit yourself by asking for a person’s “will.” The clerk will usually take you at your word and not copy other papers in the probate file that may have equally important information if there is no will. Even if your ancestor is not mentioned in a probate case, consider all of the other procedures which might have resulted in him or her appearing in court records:
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Tennessee Church Records - 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. Some Presbyterian churches kept registers with some genealogical information in the session minutes or in a separate register. Each Baptist congregation is usually self-governing, and there is no set procedure for recording data for its members. Methodist ministers were charged with maintenance of permanent records of marriages, baptisms, and dismissals. The Episcopal and Roman Catholic churches maintain registers that contain genealogical data for all members.
A published guide is Historical Records Survey, Guide to Church
Vital Statistics in Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.: War Services
Section, Service Division, WPA, 1943). Thirty-nine counties
compose this historical records survey of Tennessee church records.
This reference details records for certain churches, varying
from three to 349 per county. . History of the Catholic Church {Source: From History of Tennessee From the Earliest Time to The Present, Goodspeed Publishing Co. Nashville, TN 1887 Congregations had already been organized at several points in the State, and mission work was pushed forward with the energy and zeal characteristic of the Catholic Church. In 1859 the work, having considerably increased, became too arduous for the failing strength of Bishop Miles, and in May of that year Rt. Rev. Bishop James Whelan was appointed his coadjutor, with right of succession. On the death of Bishop Miles, which occurred February 1, 1860, he entered upon his duties, and remained until his resignation in 1863. He was succeeded as administrator of the diocese by the Rev. Father Kelly, a Dominican priest, who remained until November, 1865. He was then relieved by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Patrick A. Feehan, of St. Louis, who was consecrated in that city on the first day of that month. He continued in charge of the diocese until June, 1883, when he was succeeded by the Rt. Rev. Joseph Rademacher. While the Catholic Church in Tennessee does not embrace so large a membership in proportion to population as many other States, it is due rather to the small foreign element than a lack of prosperity or wise management. The Catholic population of the State at the present time is estimated by the bishop of the diocese at from 20,000 to 25,000 of which about 8,000 are residents of Nashville, and 10,000 or 12,000 of Memphis. The number in the latter city was greatly reduced by the yellow fever epidemic of 1878-79. Chattanooga and Knoxville also have large congregations. The whole number of churches in the diocese in 1886 was thirty. The church supports a large number of excellent schools and academies, and one college. One of the best known institutions for young ladies is the Academy of St. Cecilia, at Nashville. This school was established in 1860 by six ladies from St. Mary's Literary Institute, Perry County, Ohio, and has long enjoyed a high reputation for the excellence of its management. The Christian Brothers College, of Memphis, was chartered in 1854. It has an attendance of 200 pupils, and is presided over by Brother Maurelian. History of the Christian Church in Tennessee The formation of other Christian Churches in Tennessee followed with great rapidity during two decades from 1830 to 1850. Following is a partial list of these churches, with the dates of their organization, so far as could be ascertained and the counties as early as 1816, though probably as Baptist Churches.
History of the Lutheran Church The Lutherans are among the oldest denomination in Tennessee, congregations of whom organized as early as 1800. The first Lutheran church in Middle Tennessee was established about 1825 by Rev. William Jenkins. It was located near Shelbyville, on Duck River, and was known as the "Shaffner Church." The growth of the denomination in the State has been somewhat slow, owing to the small foreign immigration. The number of ministers, too has never equaled the demand, consequently many Lutherans have united with other denominations. In 1850 there were twelve organizations in the State; in 1860 eighteen, and 1870 twenty-two. The membership at the present time is about 9,000 of which much the larger part is in East Tennessee. It is divided among three district synods, as follows: Middle Tennessee Synod, a district of the General Synod, numbering 910 members; Holston Synod, with a membership of 1,566, and forming a district under the General Council, and the Tennessee Synod (independent), with a membership of 8,185. Only a portion of the last named is included in the State of Tennessee. The Holston Synod supports a very excellent college at Mosheim, in Greene County. It was first organized in 1869, and after a suspension of several years was reopened in 1884. History of the Jewish Church The oldest Jewish congregation in Tennessee is the "Children of Israel," organized in Memphis in 1852. In October 1851, a benevolent society was organized in Nashville at the house of Isaac Cershon, with Henry Harris as president. A room was rented for a synagogue on North Market Street, near the Louisville depot, and divine worship was held, the president officiating as reader. Two years later the first rabbi, Alexander Iser, was engaged, and soon after the first Hebrew congregation in Nashville was formed under the name of Magen David, "Shield of David." The next year, 1854, the organization was chartered by the Legislature. In 1862 the first reform congregation was organized under the same Benij Jioshren, with Rabbi Labshiner in charge. After an existence of about six years the two congregations united, in 1868 under the name of K. K. Ahavah Shoelem, "Lovers of Peace." Soon after the Rev. Dr. Isedor Kaleish was elected as rabbi. The congregation then, as they had done for several years, worshiped in Douglass Hall, on Market Street, at the corner of the public square. After three years Dr. Kaleish was succeeded by Dr. Alexander Rosenspitz, who remained in charge of the congregation about the same length of time as his predecessor. In 1876 a lot on Vine Street between Church and Broad, was purchased, and the erection of the present handsome temple was begun. It was completed the following year and dedicated by Dr. Rosenspitz. In 1878 Dr. Rosenspitz was succeeded by Dr. J. S. Goldamar, a native of Vienna and a graduate of the university of that city; also a graduate in philosophy and Jewish theology at the Rabbinical College, at Preszburg. He is eminent as a Hebrew scholar, and previous to his coming to Nashville was in charge of a congregation in Cincinnati for twelve years. He succeeded in introducing the American ritual and mode of worship in the place of the old Polish form, in conformity with the free institutions of this country and the progressive spirit of the age. A choir was also organized. It is recognized as one of the best in the city, and renders in an excellent manner the Jewish sacred music. The adoption of the new ritual was displeasing to a small portion of the congregation, who under the name of K. K. Adath Israel formed a new society by electing I. B. Cohen, president and L. Rosenheim, vice president. The organization remains much the same at the present time, and continues to worship according to the orthodox mode. In 1885, at a cost of $12,000 a chapel and vault was erected, which is considered the finest structure of the kind in the United States. In 1864 a congregation was organized at Knoxville, under the name Beth El, or "House of God." The membership has never been very large, and now embraces about twelve families, with E. Samuel as president and E. Heart as secretary. A congregation was organized at Chattanooga in 1867, and now numbers about twenty-seven families, under the care of Rabbi Julius Ochs. Dr. M. Bloch is president of the society; and Joseph Simpson, secretary. The church property is valued at $5,000. At Murfreesboro a few years ago a congregation was organized with a membership of sixteen or seventeen families, but owing to the removal of a large number from the town, only three or four families remain, and the organization is not maintained. Columbia and several other towns have small organizations but no rabbis are employed. Almost every town in the State has one or more Jewish families; nearly all of whom upon the most important days especially, New Year's day and the Day of Atonement, attend services in the larger cities, as Memphis, Nashville or Chattanooga. The Jewish Church throughout the State is in a very prosperous condition, and is pervaded with spirit of liberalty and toleration in keeping with the age. The congregation at Nashville under the care of Rabbi Goldamer, during the past eight years has increased from fifty-four to 135 families. The Sabbath-school children number 108. The annual expenses of the church are about $5,500. Its property is valued at &25,000. The president of the society is L. J. Loewenthal; the secretary, M. Wertham. The congregation at Memphis numbers 110 families under the care of Dr. M. Samfield. Its property is valued at $40,000. Its annual expenses are $6,500. The Sabbath-school children number 120. The president of the congregation is E. Lowenstein; the secretary, Samuel Hirsch Tennessee Cemetery Records - 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. Cemetery records and gravestone inscriptions are a rich source of information for family historians. Cemetery and other sources of information associated with death include:
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Tennessee Land Records - Tennessee deeds are recorded at the register of deed's office. The county court maintains jurisdiction over the probate and court records, except for Shelby and Davidson counties where the county court handles probates, and circuit court handles civil matters. Dates given are for the first known records in each category at the county seat. It does not imply that all records are extant from that date. County formation is from information supplied by the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
Beginning with county organization, land records are available from the register of deeds at the respective county courthouse. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries. The Tennessee State Library and Archives has microfilmed county deed records that can be ordered by providing name, date, county, and type of record in the request. Only a small portion of the land granted in Tennessee was free land, and that was granted to those who provided some form of service to North Carolina. Earliest land records, including early grants issued by North Carolina and Tennessee, are microfilmed with a card index available in the Public Services Section of the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Other holdings include land warrants, survey certificates, and records from county register of deeds offices. Most land records will be found with the county Register of Deeds. Despite their titles, deeds found in a county Register's office may include other legal documents of transfer, such as deeds in fee simple granting absolute ownership; mortgages transferring property rights as security for debts; dower releases waiving wives’ rights; quit-claim deeds releasing whatever title or right is held whether valid or not; deeds of gift transferring land without reciprocal consideration; powers of attorney appointing legal agents; marriage property settlements; bills of sale transferring property that is usually not land; and various forms of contracts, such as leases, partnerships, indenture papers, and other performance bonds. Deed books from before the Civil War and especially in colonial years were more miscellaneous in their contents, even including animal brands, occasional wills, slave manumissions, apprentice papers, petitions, depositions, tax lists, and whatever else the clerk decided to preserve on a convenient page. Through such records a researcher may trace the ownership of land, in some cases for two centuries or more. The earliest land grants are now maintained and available on microfilm at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Official copies of all Tennessee land grants are bound and filed in the archives. All known grants are indexed in the master index, which is included on these microfilm reels. These consist of the following:
The North Carolina Military Reservation was established
in 1783 in the northern section of what was then west Tennessee
(present-day middle Tennessee). It encompassed all the area
surrounding the loop of the Cumberland River north to the
Kentucky/Tennessee state line. A Congressional Reservation
was organized on 18 April 1806 in the southwest section
of middle Tennessee. The Congressional Reservation's northern
border was the North Carolina Military Reservation's southern
boundary. The western border for both was that portion of
the Tennessee River that flows north. Several published
volumes relate to North Carolina Revolutionary service land
grants in middle Tennessee. TSLA has a printed index which lists the names of individuals who received North Carolina land grants in Tennessee and land grants obtained directly from the state of Tennessee. E-mail TSLA with the name of the individual, and we will check to see if there is a listing in the index. A copy of the original land grant document can be purchased, once the index has been used to identify the volume, page and district showing where a grant is recorded. ORDERING INFORMATION AND FEES:
DUTIES OF REGISTER OF DEEDS The most important function of the Register's office is the filing or recording of documents which affect the legal status of real and personal property. With regard to real property, these documents include deeds, deeds of trust (mortgages), financing statements called fixture filings under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), assignments, plats, court decrees, leases, liens, releases and many other instruments. With regard to personal property, the most important documents have been financing statements under the UCC and instruments relating to financing statements, such as amendments, continuation statements, assignments, releases and termination statements; however, most of these UCC documents are now filed with the secretary of state and not with the Register. Powers of attorney are often recorded in the Register's office. Also, some official documents (county official bonds and certain official reports) are recorded or filed in the Register's office. The Register notes in a notebook the time and receipt of each document in the order received and maintains indexes of the records of the office. The Register must be familiar with the requirements for acceptance applicable to each document. The prerequisites for acceptance of a document vary with the type of document. It is important to remember that a Register is not a notary and does not have a statutory power to take acknowledgments, as do county clerks. The Register has important revenue functions, both for the collection of fees for performing the duties of the office (most of which are found in Tennessee Code Annotated § 8-21-1001) The Register must be knowledgeable concerning the many special rules and exceptions which apply to the collection of the realty transfer and mortgage taxes. The Register must be knowledgeable about the required statements on instruments evidencing transfers of real estate or certain interests in real estate and instruments of indebtedness. Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"
U.S. House of Representative Private Claims, Vol. 1, Vol. 2 or Vol. 3 The right to own land has always been one of the great incentives for living in the United States. Yet researchers often overlook the importance of land records as a source of family history information. Written evidence of people’s entitlement goes back in time further than virtually any other type of record family historians might use. Land records meet the needs of researchers in different ways and contain a variety of genealogical and historical data. They are a major source of information for many family histories and provide primary source material for local history as well. They are closely related to probate and other official court records and should be investigated in connection with them. Land and property are leading issues in the settlement of estates, and the majority of civil cases in the courts deal with real and personal property. Although land records rarely yield vital statistics, in many instances they provide the only proof of family relationships. Often they include the names of heirs of an estate (including daughters’ married names and a widow’s subsequent married name) and refer to related probates and other court cases by number and court name. In some places where other records are scarce, the land records take on extra importance. Occasionally these documents disclose former residences and more often provide the new address of the grantors or heirs at the time of the sale of the property. Land records provide two types of important evidence for the family historian. First, they often document family relationships. Second, they place individuals in a specific time and place, allowing the researcher to sort people and families into neighborhoods and closely related groups. One of land records’ most important qualities is that they are sometimes the only records that allow us to distinguish one person of a common name from another. The National Archives has bounty-land warrant files, donation land entry files, homestead application files, and private land claim files relating to the entry of individual settlers on land in the public land states. There are no land records for the original thirteen states or for Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Hawaii. Records for these states are maintained by state officials, usually in the state capital. Searching for the record of a particular land grant from the federal government requires contacting both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Archives (NARA). |
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Indexes for Revolutionary War pensioners; muster rolls for soldiers of the War of 1812, Indian wars of 1818 and 1836, Mexican War, Civil War, and Spanish-American War; and service records for Tennesseans who served during the Mexican War and Civil War (both Confederate and Union) are among the archives' collections.
The site U.S. Wars list conflicts dating from earliest to 1865. Wars covered that are availibele are:
Revolutionary War - When independence was declared on 4 Jul 1776, only East Tennessee was settled -- at that time a part of both Washington District, North Carolina, and Fincastle (later Washington County), Virginia, but Tennessee has been known as the Volunteer State since the 1780 Battle of King's Mountain when hundreds of Tennessee militiamen helped turn the tide of the Revolution in the South. In December of that same year, the only battle (as such) within the present-day boundaries of Tennessee was fought at Boyd's Creek, against the Cherokees, then-allies of the British. Although the Treaty of Paris was signed with Great Britain in 1783, the Indian Wars continued to rage in Tennessee and other American frontiers for another twelve years, until the 1795 signing of the Treaty of Greenville, a peace pact with British-allied Indians. In 1790, Tennessee became part of the Territory South of the Ohio River, and in 1796 was granted statehood. Search Revolutionary War 1775-83 Service Records, Rejected Pensions, Loyalists Records, 1775-1783 Pay Rolls, Courts-Martial, Officers, Pension Index, 1841 Pensioner Census After the War, hundreds more Revolutionary War veterans streamed into Tennessee, their total number unknown, but with over 2,200 known pensioners alone by 1835 (Federal Pension Rolls). Over 3,200 records have been added to the Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War database already, although most entries are still incomplete Below is a list of online resources for Tennessee in the Revolutionary War. Email us with websites containing information on Tennessee in the Revolutionary War by clicking the link below:
Civil War - Tennessee began granting pensions for military service to resident Confederate veterans in 1891 and to veterans' widows in 1905. The Tennessee State Library and Archives has the applications and many additional records relating to military and naval service during the War Between the States on microfilm. Search Civil War Soldiers, Service Records, Regiments, General Officers, Battle Summaries, Pension Index: 1861-1934, CSA Field Officers and the War of the Rebellion Considerable material exists in the manuscript collection at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Their Register Number 10 includes an index and list of some holdings for Confederate and Union soldiers. A valuable source is the Confederate and Union veterans questionnaires sent by the Tennessee Historical Committee. Containing details about military and personal data, these have been published without index in five volumes in Gustavus W. Dyer and John Trotwood Moore, Tennessee Civil War Questionnaires (Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1985). An unpublished index is available at the state archives. A card index to the Confederate Veteran magazine and a card index to Lindsay, Military Annals of Tennessee (Confederate), are maintained in the state archives, as are National Archives indexes for service in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, and hundreds of monographs concerning the War Between the States. Below is a list of online resources for Tennessee in the Civil War. Email us with websites containing information on Tennessee in the Civil War by clicking the link below:
Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"
Military records have originated at the federal, state, and local levels. Whether created in time of war or in time of peace, these records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served in the military forces of the United States. Almost every American family, in one generation or another, has seen one or more of its members serve in America’s armed forces. From regimental histories, which provide blow-by-blow accounts of a unit’s participation in military actions, to the personal details contained in the service and pension files of individual men and women, military records provide valuable information concerning a large and significant portion of the American population. And because military records have been preserved and made available at and through a number of research institutions, much information awaits the well-prepared researcher. How to Find Military Records When and where did the individual live? Did the family keep evidence of military service? Certificates, letters, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs, medals, swords, and other memorabilia kept in private collections may provide the basic facts needed to begin searching in military record collections. Military Time Lines Evidence of Military Service in Hometown Records Military History In addition to the standard histories, local public libraries and historical societies usually preserve and make available other types of publications that document the military history of the geographical areas they serve. Historical agencies collect biographies, letters, diaries, journals, and all sorts of memorabilia from military units and servicemen and -women. The personal accounts found in some collections are a fascinating means of stepping back in time. Firsthand accounts afford a better understanding of the day-to-day drudgery, loneliness, fears, and satisfactions of military life. Evidence of Military Service in Cemeteries Evidence of Military Service in Court Records Military Records in the National Archives A wonderful array of federal military records are available in major libraries and archives and through microfilm rental programs. (Heritage Quest, a division of AGLL, Inc., PO Box 329, Bountiful, UT 84011-0329, is a source of rental microfilms.) With sufficient identifying information, you may request a search of the registers of enlistments or the compiled military service records. The minimum information required for a search is (1) the soldier’s full name, (2) the war in which he or she served or period of service, and (3) the state from which he or she served. For the Civil War, you must also indicate whether the person served in Union or Confederate forces. A separate copy of the form must be used for military service, pension, and bounty-land warrant applications. Submit requests for information about individuals who served in the military before World War I on NATF form 80 (Order for Copies of Veterans Records). Write to the National Archives and Records Administration, General Reference Branch, Washington, DC 20408 to obtain copies of NATF form 80. Always ask for “all records” for an individual. Make requests for information about U.S. Army officers separated from the service after 1912 on standard form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records) and send it to the Military Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132. U.S. Military Records Records of state militias and the National Guard |
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Tennessee Vital Records - Several early attempts were made to record births and deaths statewide, but the attempts were not effective until the twentieth century. The best reference for this information is Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn.: Tennessee Historical Records Survey, 1941). Only one type of vital record was maintained consistently throughout the history of the state and territory, and that was the marriage record. Some marriage records were recorded as early as 1778, but a law requiring registration did not pass until 1815. A subsequent law in 1838 required marriages to be registered in “well-bound” books. Many county vital records began in that same year.
A 1914 state law required statewide registration of births, marriages, and deaths, but general compliance was not complete until the late 1920s. Birth and death records between 1 July 1908 and 30 June 1912 and from 1 January 1914 to the present are available from the Vital Records Office, State Department of Public Health, Cordell Hull Building, Nashville, Tennessee 37219. When requesting copies, first write for the form, then complete the required information on it, including relationship and purpose. There are indexes for 1908–12 available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives (see Archives, Libraries, and Societies). Statewide death records are available there from 1936, as is an index to death notices from Nashville newspapers. Beginning in 1881 some counties maintained birth and death records. A few continued for a longer period. These original records are housed in the county courthouses with many microfilm copies at the Tennessee State Library and Archives and the FHL. Birth records for Nashville from June 1881, Knoxville from July 1881, and Chattanooga from January 1882 are available at the Division of Vital Records in Nashville, although these records are incomplete. Records for Memphis are extant from 1 April 1874 through December 1887 and from 1 November 1898 to 1 January 1914. These are available from the Memphis-Shelby County Health Department, Division of Vital Statistics, 814 Jefferson Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38105. Some deaths were recorded for Nashville as early as July 1874, Knoxville from 1 July 1887, and Chattanooga from 6 March 1872. These are maintained in the Vital Records Office in Nashville. Records for Memphis are extant from 1874–86 and from 1898 to 1 January 1914. Some Memphis death records are extant from 1 May 1848. These can be obtained from the Memphis-Shelby County Health Department (address above). Beginning 1 July 1945, marriage records for Tennessee are available from the Division of Vital Records in Nashville. Prior to 1945, records of marriage can be found at the county clerk's office in the county where the license was obtained. Some marriages were recorded as early as 1783, and most counties maintained marriage records from the time of county organization. Some marriage records for Tennessee have been compiled and published. See Silas E. Lucas and Ella L. Sheffield, 35,000 Tennessee Marriage Records and Bonds, 1783–1870, 3 vols. (Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1981); Byron Sistler and Barbara Sistler, Early East Tennessee Marriages (Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler and Associates, 1987); Byron Sistler and Barbara Sistler, Early Middle Tennessee Marriages (Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler and Associates, 1988); Silas Emmet Lucas, Jr., ed., Marriages From Early Tennessee Newspapers, 1794–1851 (Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978); and Pollyanna Creekmore, ed., Tennessee Marriage Records, 3 vols. (Knoxville, Tenn.: the author, 1958–68). Edythe Rucker Whitley compiled separate marriage records for twenty-two counties, and these are published.
Facts on Birth Records - Most early birth records contain very little biographical information. Typical early New England town and church records, for example, give little information beyond the name of the child, date and place of birth, and parents’ names. Some localities listed only the name of the father. While early birth records can be discouragingly lacking in information, by the mid-nineteenth century birth records in the United States began to include more information. Even though births were not widely recorded during the early years of America’s existence, the records that do exist may be the only source of a birth date for an individual and should always be consulted. Delayed births are also important vital registrations that you should consider for obtaining biographical information. When Social Security benefits were instituted in 1937, individuals claiming benefits had to document their birth even if the state of their birth did not require registration when they were born. Individuals who were not registered with state or county agencies at the time of their birth often applied for a delayed birth registration. Obtaining passports, insurance, and other benefits also required proof of age. Applications were accompanied with full name, address, and date and place of birth; father’s name, race, and place of birth; and evidence to support the facts presented. The evidence could be in the form of a baptismal certificate, Bible record, school record, affidavit from the attending physician or midwife, application for an insurance policy, birth certificate of a child, or an affidavit from a person having definite knowledge of the facts. Delayed birth records are usually filed and indexed separately from regular birth registrations, and it may be necessary to request a separate search for them.
Facts on Marriage Records - Because of the importance of the legal distribution and control of property, most states and counties began to record marriages before births and deaths. The recording of a marriage is a two-step process. Traditionally, couples apply for a license to marry, and the applications are usually filed loose among other applications or in bound volumes. Marriage returns are filed once the marriage has taken place. The latter document is the proof of a marriage (not the license application). Marriage applications are often filled out by both the bride and groom and typically contain a significant amount of genealogical information. They may list full names of the bride and groom, their residences, races, ages, dates and places of birth, previous marriages, occupations, and their parents’ names, places of birth, and occupations. Marriage certificates are issued by counties after the marriage ceremony is completed, and these are usually found among family items. While the certificates tend to have less biographical data than the application, the name of the individual officiating at the wedding may lead you to religious records by revealing the denomination. The religious records, in turn, may reveal the names of witnesses and other useful information. Early American records sometimes include marriage bonds, which served as a protection for the future children of the marriage. A bond obligated a prospective groom to pay the bond if he were discovered to be a bigamist or imposter or otherwise ineligible to contract a valid marriage. As long as the marriage was legal, the bond was void. Bonds generally include the groom’s name, name of the surety, the sum, and the date of the agreement.
Facts on Death Records - Early death records in the United States provide little more than the name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death. Obituaries and cemetery, court, and other records often provide more information about the deceased than do most official death records created before the last quarter of the 1800s. By 1900 death records included more details. They often include the name of the deceased; date, place, and cause of death; age at the time of death; place of birth; parents’ names; occupation; name of spouse; name of the person giving the information; the informant’s relationship to the deceased; the name and address of the funeral director; and the place of burial. Race is listed in some records, and modern death certificates generally include a Social Security number.
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