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Sequatchie County History and Information
County History | Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records |
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Sequatchie County Facts


Click HERE to see full size D.O.T. County Map

   On December 9, 1857, the Tennessee General Assembly created Sequatchie County from Hamilton, Marion and Warren Counties and named Dunlap as the county seat. Europeans first settled in the area in 1806. The land in the Sequatchie Valley was highly attractive for agricultural purposes.

    Newspapers were published in Dunlap.  Scattered early issues are available from 1890, and a complete run begins in 1952. See Extended History for More information.

   Sequatchie County is bordered by Van Buren County (north), Bledsoe County (northeast), Hamilton County (southeast), Marion County (southwest), Grundy County (west) and Warren County (northwest). Cities and Towns include Dunlap. The Official County Website is located at ?

   Tennessee State Library and Archives has Inventories of Sequatchie County Records on Microfilm. Click Here to Order County Microfilm Inventories and Reels. Early Sequatchie 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.  . Sequatchie County, Tennessee History Books at Amazon.com.

  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

 

There are free downloadable and printable forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms, U.K. Census Extraction Forms, Research Calendar, Ancestral Chart, Research Extract, Correspondence Record , Family Group Sheet , Source Summary Form.

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Sequatchie County Court Records
PLEASE READ!! 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.

  Sequatchie County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1858 and Probate Records from 1858 and is located at Courthouse, 308 Cherry St., Dunlap, TN 37327; T elephone: (423) 949-3670.
    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.

   Sequatchie County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1858 and is located at Courthouse, 308 Cherry St., Dunlap, TN 37327; T elephone: (423) 949-3670 .
    The Register of Deeds office has land records beginning with county organization, land records are available from the register of deeds at the Sequatchie county courthouse. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries.

   Sequatchie County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1858 and is located at Courthouse, 308 Cherry St., Dunlap, TN 37327; T elephone: (423) 949-2618 .
   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.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Index to Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912, Tennessee Marriage and Bible Records, Tennessee Marriages to 1825; Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 and Tennessee Marriages, 1851-1900.


Search Online Click Here to Search Tennessee Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

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

  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Tennessee Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
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Sequatchie County Vital Records
Search Online Click Here to Search Tennessee Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Often in as few as three business days!

   Contact the Sequatchie County Clerk For County Marriage Divorce Records (See Sequatchie 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:

  • 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. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE. 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. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE. 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. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE. For Earlier Records See Tennessee State Library and Archives Below.

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 theOffice 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]

There are a few online marriage databases which include: Index to Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912, Tennessee Marriage and Bible Records, Tennessee Marriages to 1825; Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 and Tennessee Marriages, 1851-1900

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

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Sequatchie County Census Records
Search Online Click Here to Search Tennessee Voter Lists & Census Records! - 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 Sequatchie County, Tennessee are 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Sequatchie County, Tennessee are Industry and Agriculture Schedules available for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880.

See Also Statewide Records that exist for Tennessee

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

  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee Census Books at Amazon.com
  • ?

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Sequatchie County Maps & Atlases

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

  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee Map Books at Amazon.com
  • ?

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Sequatchie County Military Records
Search Online Click Here to Search Tennessee Military Records! - 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 Sequatchie County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Sequatchie County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Sequatchie County 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 Sequatchie County for the years: 1861-1863, 1865-1871, 1875-1886, 1888-1900 ; 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 Sequatchie County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Sequatchie County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee Tax Books at Amazon.com
  • ?

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

  • Local Tennessee Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
  • 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
  • Tennessee Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.

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Sequatchie County Church & Cemeteries
Search Online Click Here to Search Tennessee Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. 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 Sequatchie County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Sequatchie 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. .

   As with cemetery records, the DAR has collected church records for Tennessee, available at the DAR Library in Washington, D.C., and through the FHL. Many compilations of church records have been compiled and/or published for the state. The Tennessee State Library and Archives has records of over one hundred churches that pre-date 1900.

There is a online Tennessee Marriage and Bible Records which contains over 25,000 records for the state of Tennessee for the years approximately 1720-1890. This includes marriages, births, deaths, and wills, etc., has been obtained from family bibles, church, court, and county 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.

   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 Sequatchie County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Sequatchie County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Search Online Click Here to Search Tennessee Family Tree Records! - 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 Sequatchie County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Sequatchie County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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County History

 The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture © Tennessee Historical Society

Throughout most of the nineteenth century, inhabitants of the county practiced subsistence agriculture, and there were a few prosperous farms located within the valley. The small farmers produced corn and raised livestock such as cattle, sheep, hogs, and poultry for themselves and the local market. Few opportunities existed to expand to a larger agricultural market until a road, Anderson Pike, was built in 1852 connecting the Sequatchie Valley to the newly constructed Western and Atlantic Railroad in Georgia. Anderson Pike was used mainly by farmers to transport their livestock out of the valley and to larger markets throughout the South. During the Civil War, in October 1863, Confederate Major General Joseph Wheeler led a cavalry raid against a Union supply train on Anderson Pike that was attempting to relieve besieged Federal troops at Chattanooga. Wheeler burned an estimated eight hundred to one thousand wagons and captured livestock.

The construction of railroads in the post-Reconstruction era expanded Sequatchie County's agricultural and industrial opportunities. The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway constructed a line through the Sequatchie Valley in the 1880s. This line reached Sequatchie County in 1888, thus enabling coal companies to conduct large-scale mining activities by the turn of the century. The Chattanooga Iron and Coal Corporation owned and operated sixteen thousand acres of coal land near Dunlap and employed 350 men. They also operated two sawmills, which supplied the railroads with ties and the coal mines with shoring. In addition to mining, the company constructed and operated 268 beehive coke ovens near Dunlap, many of which can still be viewed at the Dunlap Coke Ovens historic site. Coke ovens carbonize bituminous coal by removing the majority of volatile materials in the coal by heating it in a closed oven thus preventing its burning. The coke then is used in blast furnaces to melt iron. As the southern steel industry continued to expand, the demand for coke continued to increase.

The Chattanooga Iron and Coal Corporation sold their mining and coke operations to the Southern States Iron and Coal Company in 1919. The Southern States Company closed the operations in 1922 due to the overproduction of coal. The closing of the mines also brought about the closing of many associated industries. Railroad traffic declined in the county, and many people left the area in pursuit of work. Those who remained returned to subsistence farming as a living. The Great Depression seemed to start early for the residents of Sequatchie County.

The county saw some relief from President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs, specifically the Tennessee Valley Authority and the National Youth Administration (NYA). The former helped bring low-cost electric power to the county and surrounding areas. The latter organization was established in the county to give young men skills to find employment while temporarily keeping them out of the depressed labor market. During its existence in Sequatchie County, NYA members, supervised by local men, learned construction skills by building the Dunlap Community Building and four schools around Dunlap and Cagle.

While Dunlap is the main town in Sequatchie County, several smaller communities are in the surrounding area. Daus, originally known as Delphi and located south of Dunlap, began as a small farming community until the railroad came in the 1880s. Daus soon experienced rapid growth and decline due to the boom and bust of coal mining. The development of the coal industry in the early twentieth century also affected Fredonia and Cartwright. Other small farming communities include Cagle, Mount Airy, and Lone Oak. According to the 2000 census, 11,370 people lived in the county, an increase of 28 percent over the previous ten years.

Sequatchie County has been home to several noteworthy people. William Stone of Delphi (now Daus) and James Standifer from Mount Airy both served in the U.S. Congress in the 1820s and 1830s. Arthur Thomas Stewart was born in Dunlap and served as attorney general of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Tennessee, where he served on the prosecuting team at the Scopes trial in Dayton. Stewart also served as a U.S. Senator during the 1930s and 1940s. Raymond H. Cooley, also of Dunlap, served as staff sergeant in the Pacific during World War II and earned the distinguished Congressional Medal of Honor for his courage and heroism during the 1945 invasion of the Philippines

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Sequatchie County Published Records
  • 1880 Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee (Sistler, 1994)
  • Abstracts From ... Sequatchie County, Tennessee [deeds 1858-1897] (Hobbs & Goins, 1986?)
  • Abstracts From Deed Book A, 1858-1875, Sequatchie County, Tennessee (Hobbs & Goins, 1986?)
  • Abstracts From Deed Book B, 1875-1883, Sequatchie County, Tennessee (Hobbs & Goins, 1986?)
  • Abstracts From Deed Book C, 1883-1887, Sequatchie County, Tennessee (Hobbs & Goins, 1986?)
  • Abstracts From Deed Book D, 1887-1890, Sequatchie County, Tennessee (Hobbs & Goins, 1986?)
  • Abstracts From Deed Book E, 1890-1897, Sequatchie County, Tennessee (Hobbs & Goins, 1986?)
  • Birth Records of Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1881-1938 (Hobbs & Goins, 1988?)
  • Death Records of Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1881-1938 (Hobbs & Goins, 1988?)
  • Cemeteries of Sequatchie Valley : Approximately 145 cemeteries, Approximately 7800 graves (Raulston, 19??)
  • Marriage Records, Small Book O, 1858-1874 (WPA, 1939)
  • Marriage Records of Sequatchie County, Tennessee [5 volumes: vol.1 1858-1897; vol. 2 1897-1911; vol. 3 1911-1922; vol. 4 1922-1936; vol. 5 1936-1962] (Hobbs & Goins, 1986?)
  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee, Church Minutes, 1868, 1896-1899 (WPA, 1938)
  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee, Court Minutes, 1858-1874 (WPA, 1936)
  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee Marriages, 1858-1881 (Douthat, 1982)
  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee, Marriages, 1858-1922 (Brown, 1976)
  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee, Vital Statistics, 1914 through 1925 (Wiefering, 1994)
  • Sequatchie County, Tennessee, Wills and Inventories, 1858-1895 (WPA, 1938)
  • Sequatchie Valley Bible Records (Douthat, 1985)
  • United States Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1860 (Hobbs & Goins, 1986)
  • United States Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1870 (Hobbs & Goins, 198?)
  • United States Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1880 (Hobbs & Goins, 1986)
  • United States Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1900 (Hobbs & Goins, 1986)
  • United States Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1910 (Hobbs & Goins, 1986)
  • United States Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1920 (Hobbs & Goins, 1994)

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