McNairy County, Tennessee Genealogy

McNairy County, Tennessee ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Guide to McNairy County (established 1823) genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

Quick Dates
McNairy County's civil records start the following years:

County Courthouse


McNairy County Courthouse 170 Court Ave. Selmer, TN 38375 Phone: 1-731-645-3511

County Clerk has marriage records from 1861, some birth, death and cemetery records. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce records. Register of Deeds has land records.

McNairy County Archives 170 Court Ave., Basement level McNairy County Courthouse Selmer, TN 38375 Phone: 1-731-645-7095

Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Closed Wednesdays and weekends

History
West Tennessee county. Established 1823.

The county is named after "John McNairy, judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Tennessee."

Parent County
1823--McNairy County was established 8 October 1823 from Hardin County. County seat: Athens

County Pronunciation

 * 1) Hear it spoken (female)
 * 2) Hear it spoken (male)

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Tennessee county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss

 * 1881 Fire damaged courthouse records.
 * Lost marriage records: 1823 to 1860
 * Lost probate records: 1823 to 1871

Getting Started
Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published McNairy County biography and cemetery records. To determine which books are being searched, or to search each publication's index individually, click here. You are now equipped with a checklist of books to pull off the shelves at a genealogy library, or a wish list for your personal book collection.

Research Guides

 * Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: McNairy County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)

African American
United States African Americans Tennessee African Americans

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources


 * Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator

Census
1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of McNairy County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see Tennessee Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than nationwide online indexes.

See Tennessee Population Schedule Indexes: Fiche, Film, or Book for more information about statewide printed indexes.

See McNairy, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. The USGenWeb Census Project®.

1810 - 1891


 * Tennessee, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1891 at Ancestry.com — index $

1830


 * Brown, Albert 1830 and 1840 census index for McNairy Co., Tennessee Bethel Springs, Tennessee : Albert Brown, c1998

1840


 * Brown, Albert 1830 and 1840 census index for McNairy Co., Tennessee Bethel Springs, Tennessee : Albert Brown, c1998

1840 Pensioners


 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. . 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google books et. al. See Tennessee, Western District, McNairy County on page 159.

1850


 * Index to the 1850 McNairy County, Tennessee census (Photocopy of original, 2006 - Library has copied leaves to pages)

1860


 * Index to the 1860 federal census of McNairy Co., Tennessee

1870


 * McNairy County Genealogical Society (Selmer, Tennessee) McNairy County, Tennessee, 1870 census Selmer, Tennessee : McNairy County Genealogical Society, 1992

1880


 * Sistler, Samuel D. 1880 census McNairy County, Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee: B. Sistler and Associates, 2002
 * Brown, Albert McNairy Co., TN, 1880 census: McNairy County Tennessee record Bethel Springs, Tennessee: A. Brown, 1995

1890


 * Brown, Albert McNairy County, Tennessee, research records : the 1890 tax record of McNairy county Bethel Springs, Tennessee: A. Brown, c1994 (Contents: Index to Confederate Veterans pension application, index of widows who applied for Confederate pensions, index to B.G. Brazeltons, 1885 history of Hardin County, Tennessee and funeral records of McNaire County, Tennesse, 1947-1957.)

1891 Male Voters


 * 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry.com — index $

1900


 * McNairy County Genealogical Society (Selmer, Tennessee) McNairy County, Tennessee, 1900 census Selmer, Tennessee: McNairy County Genealogical Society, c1992

1910


 * Brown, Albert McNairy County, Tennessee research record : 1910 census and index Bethel Springs, Tennessee : A. Brown, c1994

Family Histories
This bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:


 * Locate publications about direct ancestors
 * Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
 * Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" (Friends, Associates, and Neighbors)

General

As of August 2010, a query for persons born in McNairy, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 46,000 entries.

Bibliography


 * Auten - Langston, Kathryn. Auten News. [Newsletter] Lavon, Texas: K. Langston, 1997-2002..
 * Ballard - Miller, Lynne D. Texas Ballards. Lincolnton, North Carolina: L.D. Miller, 2000. ; digital version at.
 * Birchett - See Combs.
 * Brooks - Brooks, Moses Edward. Descendants of James Brooks. Unknown: unknown, 1974. Available at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * Cain - Truett, Earl A. William Hardin Cain, His Descendants and the Founders of Northwest Lafayette County, Mississippi. 2 vols. Oxford, Miss.: E.A. Truett, 1978-1980. ff.
 * Combs - Cooke, Katherine Joss. The House that Grew. Alexandria, Va.: K.J. Cooke, 1988..
 * Dawson - Ebrom, Janet Dawson and Gregory Alan Dawson. Dawson -- Deaton, Pioneers to Texas. San Antonio, Texas: Dawson Books, 1989..
 * Deaton - Wilson, Larry M. Genealogy of the Family of Deaton. Kansas City, Missouri: L. Wilson, 1993. ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * Donnell - Frame, Peggy Campbell. The Albert Franklin Donnell Family. Aztec, N.M.: P.C. Frame, 2005. ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives..
 * Ellis - Family Records of the Ellis and Leonard Families. MSS., microfilmed in 1965;.
 * Harris - Crockett, Barbara Jean Harris. Barbara's Book: A Compilation of Harris History. Fenton, Michigan: B.J.H. Crockett, 1981..
 * Harris - Gohr, Glenn W. James David Harris: His Kith and His Kin: A Compilation of Harris History. Springfield, Missouri: G.W. Gohr, 1990..
 * Hightower - Hales, Samuel Dale. A History of Some English Speaking People Called Hales, Hendricks, Hightower and Hearne Who Lived in the South and in Texas, 1634-1934. Shawnee Mission, Kansas: S.D. Hales, 1975..
 * Hurst - Branch, Virginia. The Hurst Nation: A Family History. 2 vols. Paragould, Ark.: V. Branch, 1987-1991. ff.
 * Richards - Richards, James P. Richards Family Genealogical Records, 1743-1978. Typescript,.
 * Wharton - Wharton, Richard. Richard Wharton papers, 1863 - 1906. Book contributor: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A diary, letters and other writings including his service in the Confederate Army, letters relating to family matters, a genealogy of the Wharton family, poems and speeches. Free digital copy.

Land

 * McNairy County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1823 and is located at the Courthouse, Selmer, Tennessee 38375-2194; Telephone: (731) 645-5446. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries.
 * The Family History Library has microfilm copies of deeds 1823-1903 with indexes 1835-1901; land grants 1823-1961.

Local Histories

 * Wright, Marcus Joseph. Reminiscences of the Early Settlement and Early Settlers of McNairy County, Tennessee. Washington, D.C.: Commercial Pub. Co., 1882. Available at FHL US/CAN Film 599232. Digital version at Google Books.

Law and Legislation

 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850: Index to Names. January 25, 2005. In addition to creating new laws, legislative acts were often required to obtain a divorce, grant legitimacy to a child, or for appointments to or grant payments for public service. The TSLA has created an index to names that appear in these acts covering the years 1796 to 1850. To read more about this valuable resource Click here. The searchable index is available at the TSLA; another version is available at World Vital Records.

Maps

 * Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)

Revolutionary War
The following McNairy County Revolutionary War records are available online through TNGenWeb:


 * 1835 Pension Roll
 * 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions

Additional resources include:


 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. . 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google books et. al. See Tennessee, Western District, McNairy County on page 159.
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." Digital version at Ancestry ($). Tennessee entries abstracted online at Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War, courtesy: TNGenWeb. Includes veterans from this county; Tennessee section begins on page 381.

War of 1812

 * Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jan. 1961):20-23. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. Includes McNairy County pensioners (pp. 20-21).

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1861 - 1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1891 - 1965 - at FamilySearch — images
 * Civil War Research Database $
 * Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System

Regiments. Civil War service men from McNairy County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from McNairy County.

Confederate Soldiers


 * 13th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company F.
 * 18th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Newsom's) - CSA - Companies E, F, and H.
 * 21st Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Wilson's) - CSA - Company F.
 * 27th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company B.
 * 31st Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (A. H. Bradford's) - CSA - Companies B, C, and G.
 * 154th Senior Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (1st Tennessee Volunteers) - CSA

Union Soldiers


 * 6th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Companies A, B, C, D, E, and F.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from McNairy County:


 * USGenWeb Archives, McNairy County Tennessee Archives. Civil War Records.
 * CWSAC, Battle Summaries, Corinth. Located in Hardin County and McNairy County, Tennessee; Alcorn County and Tishomingo County, Mississippi. Hatchie's Bridge, located in Hardeman County and McNairy County.
 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: McNairy County. Includes soldier's name, county, pension #, unit or widow.
 * United States Pension Bureau, List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883: Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for... (Washington Printing Office; 1883). Online at Internet Archive. McNairy County, page 360-361.
 * TNGenWeb, McNairy County Military Records.
 * McNairy County Civil War Units.

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War Battles were fought in McNairy County:


 * April 29-June 10, 1862 = Corinth See Map showing Civil war battles in Mississippi.
 * October 5, 1862 = Hatchie's Bridge, also known as Davis Bridge and Matamora


 * Map showing Civil War battles fought in Tennessee.

Newspapers
Many Tennessee newspapers are filmed and available at TSLA. Most of these newspapers may be accessed by interlibrary loan to libraries within Tennessee, although there are some newspapers which are not available in or outside of Tennessee. For further information regarding interlibrary loan policies and newspapers not available for interlibrary loan click here. For a list of newspapers available at the archives for McNairy County click on the following towns:


 * Adamsville
 * Falcon
 * Purdy
 * Selmer

Occupations

 * Miller, Alan N. West Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1821 to 1889. Baltimore, Md.: Printed for Clearfield Company, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2006. . Purchase at Genealogical.com. Includes McNairy County.

Periodicals
Tap into the minds of local experts. Editors of genealogical periodicals publish unique sources that researchers who are new to their area would not likely discover. This type of material may be found in local, regional, or statewide genealogical society journals. The following periodicals cover this county:


 * Ansearchin' News
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of McNairy County, Tennessee records have been published in Ansearchin' News, the quarterly magazine of the Tennessee Genealogical Society. To view a list of these articles, visit their county index. To read digitized versions of the first 36 years of articles (Vols. 1-36), browse their archive or conduct a surname search. The Family History Library has a complete collection of the Ansearchin' News quarterly
 * Back Trackers
 * Publication of the McNairy County Genealogical Society, Selmer, Tenn. The Family History Library has Vols. 1-4 (1991-1994):.
 * Family Findings
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of McNairy County, Tennessee records have been published in Family Findings, the quarterly of the Mid-West Tennessee Genealogical Society (42+ vols.). The Family History Library has most issues of this quarterly.
 * Tables of contents for some volumes are available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb Project:
 * Volumes 1-10 (1969-1978)
 * Volumes 11-20 (1979-1988)
 * Volumes 21-24 (1989-1992)
 * Volumes 32-35 (2000-2003)
 * Many articles from this publication have been reproduced on the TNGenWeb Project website, try this specialized Google search to retrieve them.
 * McNairy County History and Genealogy Newsletter
 * The Family History Library has volume 12 no. 3 and 4 The Newsletter is indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI)
 * West Tennessee Historical Society Papers
 * Family History Library has Volumes 1 - 16 and 30 . The West Tennessee Historical Society Papers are indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) To view Table of Contents and complete articles from 1947 - 2005 see Shelby County Register of Deeds

Probate Records
The County Court has responsibility for the probate records of McNairy County. Many records are held by the McNairy County Archives.

Online Records


 * 1779 - 2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry.com — index and images $


 * Wills, 1872-1936
 * Bonds, 1861-1947
 * Bonds, Letters, 1865-1932
 * Insolvent estate records, 1873-1941
 * Inventories, 1865-1931
 * Settlements, 1865-1936

The following McNairy County probate records have been abstracted, indexed, or both:


 * 1865 - 1896 - Brown, Albert. McNairy Co., Administrators Record Index, 1865-1896. Bethel Springs, Tennessee: A. Brown, 1994. (FHL book 976.829 P22b.)
 * 1858 - 1967 - Brown, Albert. McNairy County, Tennessee Record, Will Index, 1858-1967: From Court Minute Books and Will Books. Bethel Springs, Tennessee: A. Brown, 1993. (FHL book 976.829 P28ba.)
 * 1872 - 1936 - Kennedy, Nancy Wardlow. Will Book Abstracts of McNairy County, Tennessee. Selmer, Tennessee: N.W. Kennedy, (199-?). Indexed. (FHL book 976.829 P28k.)

Taxation
The original McNairy County Tax Books 1867-1882 were microfilmed by TSLA. FHL copies:.

The following McNairy County tax records have been abstracted:


 * 1890 - Brown, Albert. McNairy County, Tennessee, Research Records: The 1890 Tax Record of McNairy County. Bethel Springs, Tenn.: A. Brown, 1994..

Vital Records
See also How to order Tennessee Vital Records or order electronically online.

Birth

 * 1828 - 1939 - at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1869 - 1909 - Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry.com — index and images $


 * 1908 - 1912 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriage
Marriages were not officially recorded in McNairy County during the first few years of its existence. In 1838, a law was passed mandating the practice. The following publication, based on early newspapers, helps to alleviate this genealogical obstacle:


 * 1625-1966 - Tennessee, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1794 - 1851 - Lucas, Silas Emmett. Marriages from Early Tennessee Newspapers 1794-1851. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978. [].

The following McNairy County marriage records have been indexed:


 * 1790 – 1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1758 - 1958 - Brown, Albert. Husbands, Wives, Marriages, 1758-1958. Bethel Springs, Tenn.: Albert Brown, c1998. FHL US/CAN Book 976.829 V2b. Reconstructed marriage records, prepared by genealogists.


 * 1861 - 1895 - McNairy County Marriage Index 1861-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.org - free.


 * 1861 - 1865 - Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early West Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1989. ff. Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.


 * 1861 - 1869 - Historical Records Survey (Tennessee) Marriage records, 1861-1869, McNairy County, Tennessee Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1943. FHL US/CAN Film 24750 items 4-6


 * 1861 - 1961 - McNairy County, Tennessee County Court Clerk Marriage records (McNairy County), 1861-1961 Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives, 19??-1988. FHL US/CAN Film 983068-76 and 1928775-78.


 * 1896 - 1950 - Tennessee County Court (McNairy County) Marriage licenses (McNairy County, Tennessee), 1896-1950 Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1999. FHL US/CAN Film 2155958 and 2156162 item 1


 * 1911 - 1926 - McNairy County Genealogical Society (Selmer, Tennessee) Marriages of McNairy County, Tennessee, 1911-1926 Selmer, Tennessee: McNairy County Genealogical Society, c1992. FHL US/CAN Book 976.829 V2m

State Marriage Records


 * 1780 - 2002 - Many county marriage records are indexed with images at Ancestry.com's Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 ($). Be aware that this index is not complete for all counties.


 * 1790 - 1950 - at FamilySearch.org- covers all counties in Tennessee.


 * 1838 - 1888 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1851 - 1900 - Tennessee Marriages 1851-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Divorce
In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of McNairy County divorce papers in diverse County Courthouse records, see the following resources:


 * W.P.A. Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessee Historical Records Survey, 1941. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 A3gp.

Death

 * 1874 - 1955 - at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1908 - 1958 - Tennessee Death Records 1908 - 1958 at Ancestry.com — index and images $


 * 1914 - 1966 - at FamilySearch — index and images

For deaths of Methodists in McNairy County between the 1830s and the 1920s, try searching the following records:


 * Smith, Jonathan K.T. Genealogical Abstracts from Reported Deaths, the Nashville Christian Advocate. (1847-1914) 10 vols. Jackson, Tenn.: J.K.T. Smith, 1997-2003. ff; digital versions at David Donahue Memorial: Tennessee Records Repository. Website expands upon the publications and includes deaths from the 1830s, 1840s, 1910s and 1920s.

Societies and Libraries
See also a List of Tennessee Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Websites

 * (FamilySearch) — The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
 * McNairy County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * McNairy County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * McNairy County Life and Times (Bible, birth, death, census, families, more)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: SW-TN-L (Southwest Tennessee List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNMCNAIR-L (McNairy County, Tennessee List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: WEST-TNCHAT-L (West Tennessee Chat List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: WESTTN-L (West Tennessee List)
 * McNairy County TN Genealogy (LDS Genealogy)