Wilson County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States Tennessee  Wilson County Wilson County, Tennessee genealogy and family history research page. Guide to Wilson County (established 1799) 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
Wilson County's civil records start the following years:

County Courthouse


Wilson County Courthouse 228 East Main St. Lebanon, TN 37088 Phone: 1-615-444-2835

County Clerk has marriage records from 1802 and probate records from 1800. Clerk and Master and Clerk Circuit Court has divorce records. Register of Deeds has land records.

Wilson County Clerk Marriage and probate records 228 East Main St., Room 101 P.O. Box 950 Lebanon, TN 37088 Phone: 1-615-444-0314

Wilson County Register of Deeds Land records 228 East Main St. P.O. Box 176 Lebanon, TN 37088 Phone: 1-615-443-2611 Document availability.

Wilson County Clerk and Master Court records 134 S. College St., Room 200 Lebanon, TN 37087 Phone 1-615-444-2835 Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 8 a.m.-4:30 Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wilson County Archives 111 South College St. Lebanon, TN 37087 Phone: 1-615-443-1993 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. please call ahead

History
Middle Tennessee county established in 1799. The northern part of the county belonged to the pioneer Cumberland Settlements.

The county is named after "David Wilson, a member of the legislatures of North Carolina and the Southwest Territory."

Parent County
1799--Wilson County was established 26 October 1799 from part of Sumner County. Early records may be found under Sumner County. County seat: Lebanon

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
For a list of record loss in Tennessee counties see: Tennessee Counties with Burned Courthouses

1881 - Fire may have damaged records in the courthouse.


 * Lost censuses 1800, 1810, 1890
 * County records are said to be complete.

Research Guides

 * Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: Wilson 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


 * Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census," available online, courtesy: Free African Americans website. [Includes free African Americans in this county.]

Biographies

 * Douthat, James L. Wilson County, Tennessee Biographies. 1887; reprint, Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press. Free Surname Index and purchase details at Mountain Press website.

Cemeteries
Tennessee cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation. The Tennessee Cemeteries page provides explanations of the following online resources:

Census
1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Wilson 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.

1800 - Lost

1810 - Lost, but a substitute is available:


 * Sherrill, Charles A. The Reconstructed 1810 Census of Tennessee: 33,000 Long-lost Records from Tax Lists, Court Minutes, Church Records, Wills, Deeds and Other Sources. Mt. Juliet, Tenn.: C.A. Sherrill, 2001..

1820


 * Bentley, Elizabeth P. Index to the 1820 Census of Tennessee. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981.
 * Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census," available online, courtesy: Free African Americans website. [Includes free African Americans in this county.]

1840


 * Parlow, Thomas E. Federal Census of 1840, Wilson County, Tennessee. Typescript.

1840 Revolutionary War 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, Middle District, Wilson County on page 158.]

1850


 * Carpenter, Mrs. V. Wilson County, Tennessee Population Schedule of the United States census of 1850. Huntsville, Arkansas: Century Enterprises, 1969.

1860


 * Parlow, Thomas E. Federal Census of 1860, Wilson County, Tennessee, Civil Districts 1-25. Typescript. 2 vols.

1870


 * Parlow, Thomas E. Federal Census of 1870, Wilson County, Tennessee. Lebanon, Tennessee :T.E. Partlow, 197-?. 2 vols.

1880


 * Parlow, Thomas E. Federal Census of 1880, Wilson County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee : B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1992.

1920


 * Young, John, ed. Wilson County, Tennessee Census, 1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Church
Church records include baptisms, marriages and burials, as well as information about family members and clues about family migration. For additional information about church records, religions, and religious archives in Tennessee, see Tennessee Church Records.


 * Wilson County Church Records


 * - Family History Library Catalog -


 * If the records you need are not through the Family History Library, contact the church(es) in the area where your ancestor lived. Two sites that give information about churches in Wilson County are:


 * - List of Wilson County churches with addresses and phone numbers (Yellowbook)
 * - List of Wilson County churches (TN HomeTownLocator)

Baptist


 * [1801-1975] Mount Olivet Baptist Church Records. Mount Juliet, 1801-1975. Manuscript. TSLA Reel #511.
 * [1801-1900] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Vital Statistics from 19th Century Tennessee Church Records. Nashville: Sitler and Associates, 1979. vol. 2 Index to original Mount Olivet Baptist Church Records. Mount Juliet, 1801-1975.
 * [1815-1881] Cedar Lick Baptist Church Records. Wilson County, 1815-1881. Manuscript. TSLA Reel #329.
 * [1815-1881] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Vital Statistics from 19th Century Tennessee Church Records. Nashville: Sitler and Associates, 1979. vol. 1 Index to Cedar Lick Baptist Church Records. Wilson County, 1815-1881.
 * [1821-1958] Rutland Baptist Church (Wilson County). Church records, 1821-1958. Nashville, Tennessee: Historical Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, 196-. Manuscript on film. Item 4
 * [1881-1961] Cedar Lick Baptist Church Records. Wilson County, 1881-1961. Manuscript. TSLA Reel #339.
 * [1881-1900] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Vital Statistics from 19th Century Tennessee Church Records. Nashville: Sitler and Associates, 1979. vol. 2 Index to original Cedar Lick Baptist Church Records. Wilson County, 1881-1961.
 * Grime, John Harvey. History of Middle Tennessee Baptists: With Special Reference to Salem, New Salem, Enon and Wiseman Associations. Nashville, Tennessee: Baptist and Reflector, 1902. Includes names changes for places in Middle Tennessee.

Methodist Episcopal


 * Mathews, Reverend John D.D. Peeps into Life Autobiography. Methodist Episcopal Church Tennessee Conference, 1904. Free digital copy.

Presbyterian


 * Big Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Wilson Co., Tennessee, Church Register. S.l. : s.n., 196-. Manuscript. Includes index.

Court

 * Partlow, Thomas E. Tax Lists of Wilson County, Tennessee, 1803-1807 with Names in Court Records, 1802-1822. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

DNA
DNA has been collected from men claiming descent from the following Wilson County residents. Attempts have not been made to verify the lineages of those tested.


 * [Brown] Descendant of Richard Brown, b. 1763, moved to Wilson County, Tennessee abt 1799. Y-DNA 37 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 141095). Genetic signature available online (labeled Group No. 48), genealogical description available online, courtesy: Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study. Matches have been found.

Family Histories
It is anticipated that 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]

The Wilson Co., TNGenWeb pages host the following guides:

General

As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Wilson (County), Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 65,000 entries.


 * Masters, Jack and Bill Puryear. Founding of the Cumberland Settlements: The First Atlas 1779-1804: Showing Who Came, How They Came, and Where They Put Down Roots. Gallatin, Tenn.: Warioto Press, 2009. . Supplements: ff. Purchase at Cumberland Pioneer Settlers.
 * Partlow, Thomas E. Early Families of Wilson County, Tennessee. Typescript, microfilmed in 1975..

Bibliography


 * [Adams] Ose, Enlow. The Family of John Washington Adams (1822-1907): and the Families of Robert Murray (1790/1800-1840/1850); Catherine Adams Stephens (ca. 1804-after 1860); Jesse Koonce (ca. 1769-ca. 1814); Nancy Brewer (ca. 1804-1850/1860); George Adams (before 1775-1830/1840) of Rutherford and Wilson County, Tennessee. [Sacramento, Calif.]: E. Ose, 1996..
 * [Barnett] Sibley, Marilyn McAdams. John Calhoun Barnett, Jr., (1838-1912) of Grimes County, Texas: and Other Descendants of Robert Barnett (d.1818) of Wilson Co., Tennessee. Houston, Texas: M.M. Sibley, 1989..
 * [Bonner] Bonner, Kathryn R. The Bonner Family Record: This Record is Primarily of the Bonners of Surry and Sussex Counties, Virginia, Those that Went to Wilson, Madison and Shelby Counties, Tennessee, and Those that Went on to Phillips County, Arkansas: Today the Descendants are Spread into Many States. Marianna, Ark.: K.R. Bonner, 1979..
 * [Cantrell] Wright, Mildred S. George Washington Cantrell and His Wife Martha Elizabeth Lea Carver of Tennessee: Their Ancestry and Descendants. Beaumont, Texas: M.S. Wright, 1983. FHL US/CAN Book 929.273 C169wm.
 * [Cason] Graves, James Merritt Joseph Cason deceased 1835 and his descendants Nashville, Tenn.: Graves Publishing, c1994 ; digital version available at.
 * [Christian] Edwards, Howell B. A Family Named Christian of Wilson County, Tennessee. Grants Pass, Ore.: H.B. Edwards, 1994?..
 * [Cluck] Graves, James Merritt. Wilson County Clucks of Tennessee: Six Generations of Henry Cluck's Descendants. Nashville, Tenn.: Graves Publishing, 1993. . Digital version available at
 * [Culbreath] Green, John Stinson Leroy Culbreath and Mary Fulk of Williamson County, Illinois and Stafford County, Kansas Wichita, Kansas?: J.S. Green, [199-?] ; digital version available at
 * [Donaldson] Waters, Elise Donaldson. Genealogy of Donaldsons of Wilson and Clay County, Tennessee; Colsons, Browns, and Hords of Virginia and Tennessee, and Related Families. Nashville, Tenn.: E.D. Waters, 1981..
 * [Donalson] Edwards, Christine Williams and Larry Kittrel Wilson. The Donalson Family of Caswell County, North Carolina and Wilson County, Tennessee. Typescript, microfilmed in 1972..
 * [Edwards] Raymond, Charles E. Journey into the Past with Constable Jarrot William Edwards and Rebecca Bennett of Wilson County, Tennessee. Murrieta, Calif.: C.E. Raymond, 2005. ; digital version at.
 * [Edwards] Raymond, Charles E. Journey into the Past with War of 1812 Soldier John Edwards and Sarah Hackney: of Chatham County, North Carolina and Wilson County, Tennessee. Murrieta, Calif.: C.E. Raymond, 2006. ; digital version at.
 * [Finley] Finley, Carmen J. "John Finley of Montgomery/Wythe County, Virginia: Additional Children Identified," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1995):3-22; Vol. 39, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1995):94-103; Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1995):202-212; Vol. 39, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1995):282-294. Digital version at American Ancestors ($)..
 * [Jackson] Jackson, B. Darrell. Jackson Family History: Descendants of Robert Jackson of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, to Nine Generations, ca. 1760-2008: with Ancestry of Allied Families -- Johnson, Blakely, Shields, Cooper, Stiles, Kitchell, Pierson, Bruen, Ogden, Swaine, and Owsley. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 2009. 929.273 J137j
 * [Jones] Watson, Walter A. Notes on Southside Virginia. Richmond, Va.: D. Bottom, Superintendant of Public Print., 1925. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [Knight] Garrett, Jill Knight. Knight Cousins. [Columbia, TN: Unknown, 1967. Available at FHL US/CAN Film 928090; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Lain] Patterson, Edna Earle Fleming. The Lains of Wilson County, Tennessee and Some of Their Descendants. [Houston, Texas]: E.E.F. Patterson, 1981. ;.
 * [Payne] Payne, Lois Wittenbraker. The Paynes of Wabash County, Illinois and Wilson County, Tennessee. Effingham, Ill.: L.W. Payne, 1984..
 * [Phillips] Phillips, Harry. Phillips Family History: A Brief History of the Phillips Family, Beginning with the Emigration from Wales, and a Detailed Genealogy of the Descendants of John and Benjamin Philips, Pioneer Citizens of Wilson County, Tenn. Lebanon, Tenn.: Lebanon Democrat, Inc., 1935..
 * [Phillips] Phillips, Harry and Don Phillips. History of the Phillips Family: A Brief History of the Phillips Family, Beginning with the Emigration from Wales, and a Detailed Genealogy of the Descendants of John and Benjamin Philips, Pioneer Citizens of Wilson County, Tenn. Washington, D.C.: Heritage Press, 1971..
 * [Rieff] Beekman, Jane Kyhl. Research Summaries of Reiff, Rieff, Rife and Welschans Families: of Switzerland, Alsace, (France-Germany), Pennsylvania, Virginia, Indiana, Wilson County, Tennessee; Washington County, Arkansas, etc. Muncie, Ind.: J.K. Beekman, 2003. ; digital version at.
 * [Rowland] Sheridan, Richard C. Richardson Rowland (1791-1872) and His Family: Wilson County, Tennessee, and Caldwell County, Kentucky. Sheffield, Ala.: n.p., 1975. ; another copy:.
 * [Stroud] Stroud, Roger Dean. From Old Dominion to Volunteer and Pioneer: The Archibald Stroud Family of Wilson County, Tennessee, Volume I. Provo, Utah: Stevenson's Genealogy Center, 1995..
 * [Tate] Carpenter, Evelyn Yates. Tate and Allied Families of Robertson County, Tennessee: Includes the Nearby Tennessee Counties of Davidson, Sumner, and Wilson. Includes Virginia and North Carolina, the States of Tate Family Origin. Includes Counties in Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri and Throughout the United States Where Many Tate Families Migrated. Clarksville, Tenn.: Jostens, 1987..
 * [Thomas] James, Larry Alan. The Jewell and Thomas Families of Frederick County, Maryland and Wilson County, Tennessee. Neosho, Missouri: L.A. James, 1987..
 * [Young] Neal, Clarice and Ella McCaleb Young. David Young and Sarah Phillips Descendants: Wilson County, Tennessee, 1796-1994. Austin, Texas: C. Neal, 1995..

Land
Deeds

The original Wilson County Deed Books are held at the County Courthouse. In 1965, TSLA microfilmed Deed Books A to 169 (1789-1965) and Trust Deed Books EE to 215 (1829-1965) and indexes. FHL copies:.

Local Land Entries Issued by North Carolina

The original Wilson County land entries issued by North Carolina are kept at the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh. On their website, users can bring up a list of land entries issued in Wilson County, both before and after its land became a part of the state of Tennessee. Years covered: 1783-1802.

Instructions:


 * 1) Follow this link to conduct a "Call Number Search" using the MARS Catalog on their site.
 * 2) Using the pull down window, change "Call Numbers starting" to "A MarsID matching."
 * 3) Type 12.14.21 (Windows Vista users may need to include a period after the last digit, for example 12.14.21.) and click Search. This is the specific MarsID for Wilson County.
 * 4) Click on the entry that is returned: "Tennessee, Wilson County."
 * 5) In the window that pops up, click Show List of Child Records and a list of Wilson County land entries will be produced. Browse to find abstracts of the original records.

N.B. You can also search by name through the Basic Search, but it lacks soundex capabilities.

Land Grants


 * Free index to 1500+ Pioneer Cumberland Settlements Land Grants, available online, courtesy: Cumberland Pioneer Settlers. The Cumberland Settlements region covered what is now this county. To view the land grants platted on maps, purchase the books described on this site, or access those available at the Family History Library.

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.] 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 TSLA; another version is available at World Vital Records.

Maps

 * Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)

Migration

 * Johnson, Mrs. Ross B. Some Early Settlers in Hickory County, Missouri from Sumner and Wilson Cos., Tenn.: With Some Genealogical Data on the Jordan L. Rhea Family, the Thomas Davis Family, the Robert Davis Family, the John S. Williams Family, the Elisha T. Condley Family. Typescript, microfilmed in 1975..

Military
Revolutionary War

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


 * 1) 1835 Pension Roll
 * 2) 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, Middle District, Wilson County on page 158.]
 * 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. 3 (Jul. 1961):95-98; Vol. 8, No. 4 (Oct. 1961):122-124. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. [Includes Wilson County pensioners (p. 124).]

Civil War


 * Civl War Research Database $
 * Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System

Civil War service men from Wilson County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in or came from Wilson County.

Confederate Soldiers


 * 1st Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (McNairy's) - CSA - Company E.
 * 1st Regiment, Alabama Cavalry - CSA - Company K.
 * 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Smith's) - CSA - Captain Samuel P. Thompson's Company.
 * 4th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry- CSA - Companies C, D, F, and K.
 * 4th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (McLemore's) - CSA - Companies B, C and G.
 * 7th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA- COmpanied D, F, G, H, I and K.
 * 8th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Smith's) - CSA - Companies D and F.
 * 9th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Ward's) - CSA - Company H.
 * 18th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Companies I and K.
 * 20th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA
 * 22nd Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Barteau's) - CSA - Company C.
 * 24th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company K.
 * 28th Consolidated Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company B.
 * 28th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Hay's) - CSA
 * 28th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (2nd Tennessee Mountain Volunteers) - CSA - Company F.
 * 38th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (Looney's) (8th Infantry) - CSA - Companies E, H and 2nd H.
 * 45th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Companies B, F, G and H.

Union Soldiers


 * 4th Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry - Companies G and H.
 * 5th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Companies D, E, G, I, K and L.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Wilson County:


 * Duke, Basil Wilson. History of Morgan's Cavalry. Cincinnati: Miami Printing and Publishing Co., 1867. Free digital copy. Includes 9th Regiment, Tennessee Calvary (Ward's).
 * McMurray, William Joseph. History of the 20th Tennessee Regiment Volunteer Infantry, C.S.A. Nashville, Tennessee: s.p., 1904. Free digital copy.
 * USGenWeb Archives, Wilson County Tennessee Archives, (accessed 1 Feb 2012). Military Records.
 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications : Wilson County , (accessed 1 Feb 2012). 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), (accessed 1 Feb 2012). Online at Internet Archive. Wilson County, page 386-387.

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 Wilson County click on the following cities:


 * Lebanon
 * Mount Juliet
 * Watertown

Occupations

 * Miller, Alan N. Middle Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1784 to 1902. Baltimore, Md.: Printed for Clearfield Company, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2004. . Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes Wilson 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 Wilson 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
 * The Chronicle
 * Indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI). Volumes 1 - 29 (1990 - 2007). For additional information see Mount Julie-West Wilson County website: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tngenny1/mtjuliet.html
 * The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of records of Wilson County, Tennessee have been published in The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, the quarterly of the Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society (23+ Vols.). To view a list of these articles, visit their online Index to Articles (1988-2005). Surname indexes are also available online for Vols. 2-22. The website also offers back issues for sale in paper and on CD. The Family History Library has a complete collection of this quarterly.

Probate
The Wilson County Court has responsibility for the probate records. In 1965, TSLA microfilmed Will Books covering the years 1802 to 1965. FHL copies:.


 * Index to wills, 1803-1917
 * Inventories, Wills, 1802-1965 (33 vols.)
 * Wills, 1803-1917
 * Wills, 1825-1833
 * Guardian settlements, 1863-1896 (Vols. A-C)
 * Settlements, 1836-1965 (32 vols.)
 * Bonds, Letters, 1838-1965 (27 vols.)

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Wilson County probate records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:


 * 1) Wills 1802-1814
 * 2) Wills 1824-1827
 * 3) Wills 1814-1819
 * 4) Wills 1819-1824
 * 5) Wills 1830-1832

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


 * [1800-1899] Partlow, Thomas E. The People of Wilson County, Tennessee, 1800-1899. Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1983. This indexed book includes court records, wills and inventories, church records, and other records from the Wilson County courthouse and from newspaper excerpts. The range of dates varies by record type. (FHL book 976.854 P2pa.)
 * [1878-1902] Partlow, Thomas E. Wilson County, Tennessee, Deeds, Marriages and Wills, 1800-1902. Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1987. The range of dates stated in the title varies by record type. Wills of 1878-1899 are included in this indexed book. (FHL book 976.854 R2p.)
 * [1802-1850] Partlow, Thomas E.; Suzann Goss, indexer. Wilson County, Tennessee Wills: Books 1-13, 1802-1850. Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1981.
 * [1802-1861] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Wilson County, Tennessee Wills and Administrations, 1802-1861. Nashville, Tennessee: Byron Sistler, 1990. (FHL book 976.854 P22s.)
 * [1802-1810] Willis, Laura. Wilson County Will Books Vol. 1-Dec 1802-Feb 1810. Mayfield, KY: Willis Historical, 1999. Available at . Digital version available at World Vital Records.
 * [1802-1832] Strictly By Name (see above).
 * USGen Web's Wilson County page includes indexes and abstracts of court records.

Taxation
Original Wilson County tax records:


 * [1821-1964] Tax Books, 1821-1964. Nashville: TSLA, 1965. Manuscript. On 81 microfilm reels.

The following Wilson County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1789] Cumberland Settlements, Tax List, 1789, The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Fall 1990). For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1803-1807] Partlow, Thomas E. Tax Lists of Wilson County, Tennessee, 1803-1807 with Names in Court Records, 1802-1822. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1804-1805] O'Hara, Virginia G. "List of Taxables, Wilson County, Tennessee, for the Year 1804," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct. 1964):165-170. For access, see Periodicals.
 * [1804] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Early Tennessee Tax Lists. Evanston, Ill.: B. &amp; B. Sistler, 1977. [Includes 1804 tax list.]
 * [1804] Gant, Wanda. "Alphabetically Arranged Wilson Co., TN 1804 Tax List by Company: Arranged in Order to Compare to Warren County Names," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives. [Source: TSLA list.]
 * [1814] "Direct Federal Tax-Delinquent Property Owners Listed for 1814," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 43, No. 3(Fall 1996):115-120. For access, see Periodicals. [Includes Wilson County.]
 * Partlow, Thomas E. Wilson County, Tennessee, Genealogical Resource Material, 1827-1869. Greenville, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1997. FHL US/CAN Book 976.854 P27p.

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

Birth

 * 1881-1882 - Wilson County Birth Index 1881-1882 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Marriage
The original Wilson County marriage records are housed at the Wilson County Archives. Marriages are complete from 1802.

The following Wilson County marriage records are microfilmed:


 * [1802-1986] Available at the TSLA. 1802-1837 can be interlibrary loaned. Also available at the Wilson County Archives to 1953.
 * [1802-1965] Available at the Family History Library. Includes indexes. Filmed by the Tennessee State Library.
 * [1840-1953] Available at the Family History Library. Includes indexes to marriages after 1838. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah at the Wilson County Archives.

The following Wilson County marriage records have been indexed:


 * 1802-1895, 1914-1934 - Wilson County Marriage Index 1802-1895 and 1914-1934 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * [1802-1840] Marriage Records, 1802-1840, Wilson County, Tennessee. Nashville: TSLA, Historical Records Project, 1940.  Typescript.  Items 2-3
 * [1802-1840] Marriage Records, 1802-1840, Wilson County, Tennessee. Salt Lake City: GSU, Historical Records Project, 1940.  Typescript.  Item 3
 * [1802-1850] Whitely, Edythe R. Marriages of Wilson County, Tennessee, 1802-1850. Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Pub. Co., 1981.
 * [1802-1870] Lucas, Silas Emmett and Ella Lee Sheffield. 35,000 Tennessee Marriage Records and Bonds 1783-1870. 3 vols. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1981. v. 1 [Abstracts include names of brides, grooms, bondsmen, marriage bond dates, and officiators for weddings in this county for the roughly specified years. Marriage data taken from an index card file at TSLA. Authors do not specify whether or not the card index completely indexes this county's marriages.]
 * [1802-1865] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early Middle Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1988. v. 2 [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage or marriage bond dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]
 * [1800-1902] Partlow, Thomas E. Wilson County, Tennessee, deeds, marriages and wills, 1800-1902. Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1987.
 * Freedman's Bureau Marriage Certificates (1861-1869)  is an index to the marriage records kept by the Memphis Field Office of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands. It includes grooms surname, grooms given name, groom's age,, brides surname, bride's given name and other information.
 * - covers all counties in Tennessee.
 * Many county marriage records are indexed with images at Ancestry's Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. ($) Be aware that this index is not complete for many counties.
 * [1733-1866] Marriage Records.
 * [1802-1850] Marriage Records: Early–1850.

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


 * 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
For deaths of Methodists in Wilson County between the 1830s and the 1920s, try:


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

Wilson County Tennessee Genealogy Websites

 * Wilson County, TN History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Tennessee Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Tennessee Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Cumberland Pioneer Settlers Cumberland Compact Signers, Pioneer Land Grant Recipients, Publication Descriptions, Free Book Indexes
 * (FamilySearch)
 * Rootwalker: Genealogy Pages for Northern Middle TN Free Genealogy Resources for the Region
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TN-ROOTWALKER-L (North Central Tennessee Genealogy List)
 * Wilson County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Wilson County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Wilson County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Wilson County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * Wilson County, Tennessee Depot (hosted by RootsWeb)