It was admitted to the union on june 1, 1796, as the 16th state. The first pioneers came to the tennessee community in 1836. Sumner county, tennessee abstracts of will books 1 and 2 17881842 pioneers of davidson county, tennessee. Most of these but not all are county history books that combine history and biographies of families within the county. Please browse around the site and leave comments or questions as you wish. Until the last 200 years of the approximately 12,000 years that this country has been inhabited, the story of tennessee is the story of its native peoples. When james county was formed, those communities of bradley county withdrew to join with the eastern strip of hamilton county to form james county. Maps of tennessee are generally an vital element of ancestors and family history research, notably in case you live far from where your ancestor lived. Tennessee has counties that no longer exist because they were discontinued, renamed or merged with another county. The county formation page transcribes the text of legislative act that created a county in tennessee. The tennessee library and state archives tsla is the official libary for the state of tennessee and contain many resources specific to scott county.
Tennessee history history research guides at volunteer. Because so many settlers came from the state of tennessee, they changed the name. For help with the interactive maps, see our using the atlas page. Data is given on the information of each county and the counties from which each was formed with dates and other pertinent data which will greatly assist the researcher in learning more about the formation and growth of. Tennessee county history and genealogy books genealogy.
Early settlers of washington county, tennessee pre 1768. In 1875 this land was used to create a county named wisdom county, but wisdom. Robertson county was also the home of one of the most famous haunted houses in american history. Purcell holds a doctorate in history from the university of tennessee and has served as university archivist since 2000. Maps and text covering the historical boundaries, names, organization, and attachments of every county, extinct county and unsuccessful county proposal from the creation of the first county through december 31, 2000. Tennessee county creation dates and parent counties. The tennessee blue book offers a comprehensive history of the state. Historical facts of the state of tennessee counties guide. Articles on tennessee history may be found in other scholarly journals, but these three journals focus exclusively on tennessee history. Guy has published several books, including the awardwinning the hidden history of mcminn county. Sort the table by date formed or by parent counties and check boundary changes for interesting insights. Because tennessee political boundaries often changed, historic maps tend to be critical in helping you uncover the exact location of your ancestors hometown, just what land they owned, just. North carolina county formation state library of north carolina. An act to establish the county of sequatchie, in this state, and to change the county lines between the counties of grundy and franklin, marshall and lincoln, hardeman and mcnairy.
The text of the act includes information such as the original boundaries of the county and if the county was named after a particular individual. Learn what is available online and in print at thigpen library for each journal. County formation in acts of tennessee wayne county. In 1819, walker helped negotiate the calhoun treaty, in which the. The white county genealogicalhistorical society geraldine elrod pollard, president and editor 1124 pages, 8 x 11, in two volumes, hard covers. A knowledge of the history of the states county formation is invaluable knowledge for. Our graves county genealogical society is making a book of people from graves county that have served in the armed forces. Started in 1807 and continuing for several decades, the bell family was apparently haunted by a. State, county, and municipal data tennessee blue book 20052006, pages 616626.
Overton county was originally a part of davidson county and later jackson county. Our fulltext tennessee county histories were published between 1883 and. This book draws from the rich holdings of the university archives and other photographic collections at the university of tennessee. The dominant tribes are the cherokee, shawnee, and the chickasaw. After its original formation in 1842 was declared unconstitutional, putnam county was firmly established february 11, 1854 when richard fielding cookes bill, with amendments, cleared the tennessee house. The county of humphreys was established on october 19th, giles and lincoln on november 14th. Other information about tennessee caves and sinkholes can be found in the series of publications, w 453a. While still a part of north carolina, six counties were formed out of what was then. List of counties in tennessee simple english wikipedia. A history of tennessee the land and native people tennessees great diversity in land, climate, rivers, and plant and animal life is mirrored by a rich and colorful past. A county is a local level of government smaller than a state and typically larger than a city or town. Print collection begins with the first issue, but is missing a few issues. Pages tennessee atlas of historical county boundaries.
The history of hamilton county and chattanooga, tennessee. The county is located in the west central area of the state. Some of the county formation acts are taken from legislation passed by north carolina. Some of the county formation acts are taken from legislation passed by.
John lewallen, first sheriff of scott co courtesy of jean brand julia ann marcum, certified female civil war veteran. An act to divide the county of knox into two distinct counties. Old james county chapter, east tennessee historical society. With nashville occupied by union forces from 1862, it was the. The last county formed in tennessee was chester county, created by the tennessee general assembly from parts of neighboring hardeman, henderson, mcnairy, and madison counties. House, made me aware of a 1983 book about james countys history. County history and genealogy books hearthstone legacy.
Sort the table by date formed or by parent counties and check boundary. The community is located in north shelby county, five miles west of tenaha and seven miles east of timpson, on farm fm 947. The county of maury was established on november 16th, warren on november 26th, bledsoe and rhea on november 30th, bedford and franklin on december 30th. Guy is the assistant to the county mayor and county historian of mcminn county, where he resides with his wife and children.
Walker operated a ferry along the hiwassee river and helped contract the cherokee turnpike company in 1806, which maintained the road between knoxville and georgia. Smith county was founded on october 26, 1799 from sumner county and indian lands. The house belonged to a family named bell, and they lived in adams. State, county, and municipal data tennessee blue book 20052006, pages 616 626.
Sullivan county, tennessee, 18951905 entering a new century. Past and present maps of us are overlaid so that you can see the changes in county boundaries, downloadable county. County formation in acts of tennessee blount county. Middle tennessee, and identifies several common problems associated with karst. The most recently formed county is chester county 1879. Learn more about historical facts of tennessee counties. The fred clark book of cemeteries of white county, tennessee 2003. Formed after the civil war, it was done away with after world war i and is today. Tennessee was the last state to leave the union and join the confederacy at the outbreak of the american civil war in 1861. Scott county courthouse in huntsville, tn sep 1998 selected biographies. It is named in honor of general israel putnam, who rose to prominence in the american revolutionary war and fought at the battle of bunker. The books in this section are all printed books most are hardbound, and are not cds or dvds. An act to establish a new county west of lawrence county and south of hickman and humphreys sic counties. In 1772 these hardy settlers living beyond the frontier formed the watauga association, the first attempt at government in tennessee, and in 1777, at their request, north carolina organized those settlements into washington co jonesboro, the county seat and oldest town.
Accurate, current listings of 306 cemeteries, all within the boundaries of white county. This book will feature the history and archeology of the cherokee in the watauga and nolichucky river valleys by nathan shreve, biographies of the cherokee, history of longhunters and explorers by chad fred bailey, biographies of settlers from 1768 to 1777, history of government, law and military by billie mcnamara, history of the area including the four settlements. Bordering counties are macon county, jackson county, putnam county, dekalb county, williamson county and trousdale county. See an interactive outline map of tennessee historical counties at newberry library. Organized in 1870, largely from hamilton county and a fraction of bradley county, its fortyeightyear history was plagued with political strife and ended in. County formation in acts of tennessee tennessee secretary of state. Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1914. Tennessee was initially part of north carolina, and later part of the southwest territory.
John sevier people people history tn history for kids. Maps and text covering the historical boundaries, names. Tennessee, being a wide eastwest oriented state, crosses many different. Full of details about the subsequent growthof banks, newspapers, education, communication, transportation, and industryand all the. The book is arranged alphabetically by county in 3 sections for the 3 major divisions of tennessee, viz east middle, and west. County formation in acts of tennessee blount county acts of the territory of the united states south of the river ohio, 1795, chapter 6. This second volume of armstrongs history covers 18611940, beginning with the civil war, continuing on with activities during reconstruction through the end of the century, and concluding with the feeling of optimism upon entering the 20th century. If you know of anyone that has served or is presently serving, and they are from graves county, we would appreciate their name, rank, and period of service. Tennessee has counties that no longer exist because they were discontinued, renamed or. William blount was named governor of tennessee from 1809 to 1815. Overton county, tennessee was formed in 1806 from jackson county, tennessee and indian lands.
The county was named for james henderson, a soldier in the war of 1812. Complete index of every county, county equivalent, or other area relevant to the evolution of state and county boundaries. The county seat of government is located in carthage also, the county government website is unknown. Secessionists and other scoundrels selections from parson brownlows book. Grainger county was formed from neighboring hawkins and knox counties in 1796, the same year tennessee became a state. This is a list of the 95 counties in the state of tennessee. Printed county history and genealogy books of counties and states from across the nation. County formation in acts of tennessee sequatchie county. Sequatchie county, tennessee, genealogy and history. Blount county was formed in 1795 from knox county tennessee. Read each book description for publication and condition details and price. List of books and articles about tennessee history.
Click on the double triangles at the top of a column to sort the table by that column. Tennessee county creation dates and parent counties genealogy. Between 1779 and 1788 the state legislature established six additional counties in the tennessee country. Several deed books were destroyed in registers office fire in 1832. Interactive map of tennessee county formation history. Thigpen library has a good collection of tennessee history books. County historical society marked the geographic center of tennessee with an obelisk. See an interactive outline map of tennessee historical counties at newberry library site free enter a year, refresh map, select zoom in, then click on the map to enlarge it. History of blount county, tennessee and its people, 17951995 blount county history book committee. Pages tennessee atlas of historical county boundaries project. Whereas the large extent and inconvenient situation of the county of knox, renders it troublesome and expensive to many of the inhabitants thereof to attend courts and other public meetings therein. Page 2530 times as a nonpartisan newspaper unless it be, if possible, to intensify its devotion to the cause of sound money and tariff reform, opposition to wastefulness and peculation in administering public affairs, and in its advocacy of the lowest tax consistent with good government, and no more government than is absolutely necessary to protect society, maintain individual and. In 1835 the county seat was moved from monroe to livingston. Tennessee history history research guides at volunteer state.
Be it enacted by the general assembly of the state of tennessee, that a new county be, and the same is hereby established, west of lawrence county and south of hickman and humphreys sic counties, by the name of wayne county which. Tennessee is one of the 50 states of the united states. We hope you will find much to assist you in your research. The lost county of tennessee the tennessee magazine.
Livingston, named for the honorable edward livingston, become incorporated in 1907. A lot of these counties were established and disbanded within the 19th century. Tales from eastern tennessee with the history press in 2007. County seats have been moved many times in tennessee history. It was a unique venture in government and the only such instance in tennessee history of an entire county being wholly merged into another county. Four years later they petitioned north carolina to extend its jurisdiction over their area, and the following year north carolina created washington county with boundaries that included all of modern tennessee. The tennessee preservation trust has published a stunning book which captures the story of our states settlement and expansion, as well as its periods of conflict and human drama, by capturing the best evidence of the times the surviving structures and sites, which were in many instances, integral elements of the events that shaped tennessees and the nations history. Henderson county, tennessee genealogy familysearch wiki. Welcome to grainger county genealogy and historys newest home on the net. Entire collection featuring images of life along the. Sevier was elected tennessees first governor and would eventually serve in that position for twelve years 17961801 and 18031809.