African-American Genealogy
Archives and Libraries
Burritt Memorial Library - Spencer, TN
Facebook - Burritt Memorial Library
FamilySearch Catalog - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Newspaper Archives - Obituaries & Family History Records
Tennessee Secretary of State - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Tennessee Virtual Archive -Van Buren County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Facebook - Burritt Memorial Library
FamilySearch Catalog - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Newspaper Archives - Obituaries & Family History Records
Tennessee Secretary of State - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Tennessee Virtual Archive -Van Buren County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Bibliography
Tennessee Secretary of State - Bibliography of Tennessee Local History Sources > Van Buren County
WorldCat - Van Buren County, Tennessee: A Pictorial History
WorldCat - Van Buren County, Tennessee: A Pictorial History
Biographies
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Misc. Biographical profiles of Van Buren County
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Spencer, Thomas Sharp
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Biographies
TNGenWeb Project - Misc. Biographical profiles of Van Buren County
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Spencer, Thomas Sharp
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Biographies
Cemeteries
ePodunk - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Find A Grave - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
The Political Graveyard - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Big Fork Cemetery
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, McElroy Cemetery
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Molloy Cemetery
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Tombstone Project - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Find A Grave - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
The Political Graveyard - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Big Fork Cemetery
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, McElroy Cemetery
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Molloy Cemetery
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
USGenWeb Tombstone Project - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Census Records
Census Finder - Tennessee Census Records
Census Tools - Electronic Census Spreadsheet
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
FamilySearch.org - 1850 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1870 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1900 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1910 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1920 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1930 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1940 United States Census
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Census Tools - Electronic Census Spreadsheet
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
FamilySearch.org - 1850 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1870 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1900 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1910 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1920 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1930 United States Census
FamilySearch.org - 1940 United States Census
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Church Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Minutes of the Caney Fork Association of Old Baptist
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Rocky River Church
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Minutes of the Caney Fork Association of Old Baptist
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Rocky River Church
Court Records
Family Trees
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - DNA Projects Links
TNGenWeb Project - Genealogy Calculators
TNGenWeb Project - USGenWeb Lineage Researcher Page
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Crain Family Descendants
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Benjamin Drake Descendants
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Heritage of Daniel Halston
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, McGee Family Homepage
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Surname Register
TNGenWeb Project - DNA Projects Links
TNGenWeb Project - Genealogy Calculators
TNGenWeb Project - USGenWeb Lineage Researcher Page
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Crain Family Descendants
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Benjamin Drake Descendants
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Heritage of Daniel Halston
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, McGee Family Homepage
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Surname Register
General Resources
Census Tools - Electronic Census Spreadsheets
FamilySearch Wiki - Van Buren County, Tennessee
RootsWeb - The Association for Gravestone Studies
RootsWeb - Create a timeline of History
RootsWeb - Deciphering Old Handwriting
RootWebs - Epidemics in the United States
RootsWeb - Historical Collections of Tennessee
RootsWeb - Search the DAR Library Catalog
Van Buren County Government - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - 19th Century Medical Terminology
Yesterday's Perry Co. - Introduction to the Resources of Tennessee
FamilySearch Wiki - Van Buren County, Tennessee
RootsWeb - The Association for Gravestone Studies
RootsWeb - Create a timeline of History
RootsWeb - Deciphering Old Handwriting
RootWebs - Epidemics in the United States
RootsWeb - Historical Collections of Tennessee
RootsWeb - Search the DAR Library Catalog
Van Buren County Government - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - 19th Century Medical Terminology
Yesterday's Perry Co. - Introduction to the Resources of Tennessee
History
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County Local History
Tennessee Encyclopedia - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Historical Aspects of Van Buren
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 East Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 Middle Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Tennessee Encyclopedia - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Historical Aspects of Van Buren
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 East Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 Middle Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Historical Places
National Register of Historic Places - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - National Register of Historic Places Listings in Van Buren County, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - National Register of Historic Places Listings in Van Buren County, Tennessee
Land Records
Tennessee Century Farms - Van Buren County, TN
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Van Buren County Register of Deeds - Spencer, TN
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Van Buren County Register of Deeds - Spencer, TN
Maps
My Genealogy Hound - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Goodspeed’s 1886 Tennessee Map
TNGenWeb Project - Maps by Charles Reeves
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee Census Maps
TNGenWeb Project - 1818 Tennessee Map
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee Maps
TNGenWeb Project - The Maps Our Ancestors Followed
TNGenWeb Project - Three Grand Divisions of Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Goodspeed’s 1886 Tennessee Map
TNGenWeb Project - Maps by Charles Reeves
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee Census Maps
TNGenWeb Project - 1818 Tennessee Map
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee Maps
TNGenWeb Project - The Maps Our Ancestors Followed
TNGenWeb Project - Three Grand Divisions of Tennessee
Miscellaneous Records
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-Van Buren Records
TNGenWeb Project - Significance of the Van Buren County
TNGenWeb Project - Warren Records pre-Van Buren, Combs & Site
TNGenWeb Project - 1940s Women in Van Buren Government
TNGenWeb Project - Significance of the Van Buren County
TNGenWeb Project - Warren Records pre-Van Buren, Combs & Site
TNGenWeb Project - 1940s Women in Van Buren Government
Military Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
RootsWeb - Tennessee Civil War Sourcebook
RootsWeb - War of 1812
National Archives - WWII Army Casualties: Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - A Salute To Our Fallen Heroes
TNGenWeb Project - American Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - Civil War Soldiers
TNGenWeb Project - Goodspeed Regimental Sketches
TNGenWeb Project - Hidden Ancestors Veteran Project
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee and the Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in the War of 1812
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in World War I
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Battle of Perryville Monument Dedication
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - 1920 Van Buren County CSA Reunion Photo
TNGenWeb Project - 1861-1865 Van Buren County, Diary of Carroll Henderson Clark
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Revolutionary War Soldiers
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Solider Memorial Page
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County WWI Veterans
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Tennessee in the American Civil War
RootsWeb - Tennessee Civil War Sourcebook
RootsWeb - War of 1812
National Archives - WWII Army Casualties: Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - A Salute To Our Fallen Heroes
TNGenWeb Project - American Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - Civil War Soldiers
TNGenWeb Project - Goodspeed Regimental Sketches
TNGenWeb Project - Hidden Ancestors Veteran Project
TNGenWeb Project - Tennessee and the Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in the War of 1812
TNGenWeb Project - Tennesseans in World War I
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Battle of Perryville Monument Dedication
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Civil War
TNGenWeb Project - 1920 Van Buren County CSA Reunion Photo
TNGenWeb Project - 1861-1865 Van Buren County, Diary of Carroll Henderson Clark
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Revolutionary War Soldiers
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Solider Memorial Page
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County WWI Veterans
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Wikipedia.org - Tennessee in the American Civil War
Native American Genealogy
Museum of the Cherokee Indian - Cherokee, NC
RootsWeb - 1730-1842 Southeastern Native American Documents
The Chickasaw Nation - Ada, Oklahoma
TNGenWeb Project - Cherokee By Blood
TNGenWeb Project - First People of Tennessee and the American Southeast
TNGenWeb Project - The Intruder
TNGenWeb Project - Native American History
RootsWeb - 1730-1842 Southeastern Native American Documents
The Chickasaw Nation - Ada, Oklahoma
TNGenWeb Project - Cherokee By Blood
TNGenWeb Project - First People of Tennessee and the American Southeast
TNGenWeb Project - The Intruder
TNGenWeb Project - Native American History
Newspapers
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Newspaper Transcriptions
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County, Newspaper Transcriptions
Obituaries
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Misc. Van Buren County Obituaries
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Misc. Van Buren County Obituaries
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Photographs
Queries & Mailing Lists
TNGenWeb Project - All Tennessee Query Systems
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 East Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 Middle Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Queries & Mailing Lists
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 East Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Pre-1796 Middle Tennessee
TNGenWeb Project - Van Buren County Queries & Mailing Lists
School Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Tennessee
Tennessee Encyclopedia - Van Buren County Burritt College
TNGenWeb Project - 1920 Van Buren County Burritt College Photo
TNGenWeb Project - 1920-1921 Van Buren County Burritt College Photo: Basketball Team
TNGenWeb Project - 1921 Van Buren County Class Photo
TNGenWeb Project - 1848-1938 Van Buren County History of Burritt College
TNGenWeb Project - 1921 Van Buren County High School Senior Class Photo
Van Buren County Schools - Van Buren County, TN
Tennessee Encyclopedia - Van Buren County Burritt College
TNGenWeb Project - 1920 Van Buren County Burritt College Photo
TNGenWeb Project - 1920-1921 Van Buren County Burritt College Photo: Basketball Team
TNGenWeb Project - 1921 Van Buren County Class Photo
TNGenWeb Project - 1848-1938 Van Buren County History of Burritt College
TNGenWeb Project - 1921 Van Buren County High School Senior Class Photo
Van Buren County Schools - Van Buren County, TN
Societies
Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society - Nashville, TN
Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution - Van Buren County, TN
Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association - Cookeville, TN
Van Buren County Historical & Heritage Museum - Spencer, TN
Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution - Van Buren County, TN
Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association - Cookeville, TN
Van Buren County Historical & Heritage Museum - Spencer, TN
Towns, Cities & Townships
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Fall Creek Falls State Park
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Town of Laurelburg
Wikipedia.org - Spencer, Tennessee
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, Town of Laurelburg
Wikipedia.org - Spencer, Tennessee
Vital Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, TN Birth Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, TN Death Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, TN Marriage Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, TN Selected Marriage Records
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1949-2014 Death Records Index
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1980-2014 Divorce Records Index
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1980-2014 Marriage Records Index
Van Buren County Clerk - Spencer, TN
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
VitalChek - Tennessee Vital Records
Vitalrec.com - Tennessee Vital Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, TN Death Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, TN Marriage Records
Genealogy Trails History Group - Van Buren County, TN Selected Marriage Records
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1949-2014 Death Records Index
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1980-2014 Divorce Records Index
Shelby County Register of Deeds - 1980-2014 Marriage Records Index
Van Buren County Clerk - Spencer, TN
USGenWeb Archives - Van Buren County, Tennessee
VitalChek - Tennessee Vital Records
Vitalrec.com - Tennessee Vital Records
Many Tennessee family records can be found online and at various archives and libraries located throughout the state of Tennessee. Many millions of records aren't yet available online, though, and many of these are awaiting your discovery at the local level at county courthouses, historical societies, churches, county clerks' offices, cemeteries, and elsewhere in Tennessee. To find these and other records, click on the links below to find more information about the specific counties where your ancestors lived in Tennessee. You'll find information on these pages that will lead you to the specific documentation you're searching for.
It is important to keep in mind when doing research that the names and boundaries of certain counties in Tennessee have changed over the past two hundred years. Your ancestors may have lived on a certain farm in one county and when borders were redrawn records relating to your family history might have been located in another area entirely. When searching for land, court, tax, and other records it is also a good idea to search for these records in adjacent counties. Following is a complete list of Tennessee's 95 counties along with their formation dates, county seats, and names of parent counties.
It is important to keep in mind when doing research that the names and boundaries of certain counties in Tennessee have changed over the past two hundred years. Your ancestors may have lived on a certain farm in one county and when borders were redrawn records relating to your family history might have been located in another area entirely. When searching for land, court, tax, and other records it is also a good idea to search for these records in adjacent counties. Following is a complete list of Tennessee's 95 counties along with their formation dates, county seats, and names of parent counties.
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County
Anderson County Bedford County Benton County Bledsoe County Blount County Bradley County Campbell County Cannon County Carroll County Carter County Cheatham County Chester County Claiborne County Clay County Cocke County Coffee County Crockett County Cumberland County Davidson County Decatur County DeKalb County Dickson County Dyer County Fayette County Fentress County Franklin County Gibson County Giles County Grainger County Greene County Grundy County Hamblen County Hamilton County Hancock County Hardeman County Hardin County Hawkins County Haywood County Henderson County Henry County Hickman County Houston County Humphreys County Jackson County Jefferson County Johnson County Knox County Lake County Lauderdale County Lawrence County Lewis County Lincoln County Loudon County Macon County Madison County Marion County Marshall County Maury County McMinn County McNairy County Meigs County Monroe County Montgomery County Moore County Morgan County Obion County Overton County Perry County Pickett County Polk County Putnam County Rhea County Roane County Robertson County Rutherford County Scott County Sequatchie County Sevier County Shelby County Smith County Stewart County Sullivan County Tipton County Trousdale County Unicoi County Union County Van Buren County Warren County Washington County Wayne County Weakley County White County Williamson County Wilson County |
Formation Date
1801 1807 1835 1807 1795 1836 1806 1836 1821 1796 1856 1879 1801 1870 1797 1836 1871 1855 1783 1845 1837 1803 1823 1824 1823 1807 1823 1809 1796 1783 1844 1870 1819 1844 1823 1819 1786 1823 1821 1821 1807 1871 1809 1801 1792 1836 1792 1870 1835 1817 1843 1809 1870 1842 1821 1817 1836 1807 1819 1823 1836 1819 1796 1871 1817 1823 1806 1819 1879 1839 1854 1807 1801 1796 1803 1849 1857 1794 1819 1799 1803 1779 1823 1870 1875 1850 1840 1807 1777 1817 1823 1806 1799 1799 |
County Seat
Clinton Shelbyville Camden Pikeville Maryville Cleveland Jacksboro Woodbury Huntingdon Elizabethton Ashland City Henderson Tazewell Celina Newport Manchester Alamo Crossville Nashville Decaturville Smithville Charlotte Dyersburg Somerville Jamestown Winchester Trenton Pulaski Rutledge Greeneville Altamont Morristown Chattanooga Sneedville Bolivar Savannah Rogersville Brownsville Lexington Paris Centerville Erin Waverly Gainesboro Dandridge Mountain City Knoxville Tiptonville Ripley Lawrenceburg Hohenwald Fayetteville Loudon Lafayette Jackson Jasper Lewisburg Columbia Athens Selmer Decatur Madisonville Clarksville Lynchburg Wartburg Union City Livingston Linden Byrdstown Benton Cookeville Dayton Kingston Springfield Murfreesboro Huntsville Dunlap Sevierville Memphis Carthage Dover Blountville Covington Hartsville Erwin Maynardville Spencer McMinnville Jonesborough Waynesboro Dresden Sparta Franklin Lebanon |
Parent County
Knox and Grainger Rutherford County Humphreys County Roane & Indian lands Knox County Indian lands Anderson & Claiborne Rutherford, Smith & Warren Indian lands Washington County Davidson, Dickson, Montgomery, & Robertson Henderson, McNairy & Madison Grainger & Hawkins Jackson & Overton Jefferson County Bedford, Warren & Franklin Haywood, Madison, Dyer & Gibson White, Bledsoe, Rhea, Morgan, Fentress & Putnam Part of North Carolina Perry County Franklin, Cannon, Jackson & White Montgomery and Robertson Indian lands Indian lands Morgan, Overton & White Rutherford & Indian lands Indian lands Indian lands Hawkins & Knox counties Washington County Coffee, Warren & Franklin Jefferson, Grainger & Greene Rhea & Indian lands Hawkins & Claiborne Hardin & Indian lands Indian Lands Sullivan County Indian lands Indian lands Indian lands Dickson County Dickson, Humphreys, Montgomery & Stewart Stewart County Smith County & Indian lands Greene & Hawkins Carter County Greene & Hawkins Obion County Haywood, Dyer & Tipton Hickman & Indian lands Hickman, Lawrence, Maury & Wayne Bedford County Roane, Monroe, Blount & McMinn Smith and Sumner counties Indian lands Indian lands Giles, Bedford, Lincoln & Maury Williamson & Indian lands Indian lands Hardin County Rhea County Indian lands Tennessee County Bedford, Lincoln & Franklin Anderson & Roane Indian lands Jackson & Indian lands Humphreys & Hickman Fentress & Overton McMinn & Bradley Fentress, Jackson, Smith, White & Overton Roane County Knox & Indian lands Tennessee & Sumner Davidson, Williamson & Wilson Anderson, Campbell, Fentress & Morgan counties Hamilton, Marion & Warren Jefferson County Chickasaw Nation lands Sumner & Indian lands Montgomery County Washington County Shelby County Wilson, Macon, Smith & Sumner counties Washington & Carter Grainger, Claiborne, Campbell, Anderson & Knox Warren & White White, Jackson, Smith & Indian lands Part of North Carolina Hickman County Indian lands Jackson & Smith Davidson County Sumner County |
USA State Resources
Follow the links below to find many other helpful resources available in the U.S. states where your ancestors lived in the past.
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming