Unicoi County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Unicoi County East Tennessee county established in 1875. Originally part of the pioneer Watauga Settlements, from 1784 to 1788, this land was also claimed by the abortive, short-lived State of Franklin.





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

County Courthouse


Many historic records are currently being rehoused and prepared for public usage. They will be available in the fall of 2011. The Register of Deeds is currently open (July 26, 2010).

Unicoi County Courthouse 100 Main St. Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1-423-743-9541

Unicoi County Clerk Birth, marriage and probate records P.O. Box 340 100 Main St., Suite 100 Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1- 423-743-3381

Unicoi County Register of Deeds Land records P.O. Box 305 Unicoi County Courthouse,Suite 202 Attn: Register of Deeds 100 Main Ave. Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1-423-743-6104

Unicoi County Circuit Court Clerk Court records P.O. Box 2000 Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1-423-743-3541

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.-noon (County Clerk)

History


Unicoi is a Native American Cherokee term for the Appalachian Mountains. It is believed to mean "white or fog-draped."

In August 1784 delegates from Washington County (including land that eventually became Unicoi County) and other western North Carolina counties which had split off from Washington County (all now in Tennessee), declared their Independence from North Carolina because of perceived neglect, and misuse by North Carolina’s legislature. By May 1785 they petitioned to be admitted to the United States as the new State of Franklin. The Franklin statehood request was denied. By 1789 the hopes for a State of Franklin faded. North Carolina became a state in 1789 and ceded her westernmost counties to the United States. The ceded counties, including most of Washington County (and eventually Unicoi), became the Southwest Territory. In 1796 the Southwest Territory was admitted to the United States as the new State of Tennessee.

Parent County
1875--Unicoi County was established 23 March 1875 from Washington and Carter Counties. Early records may be found under Washington and Carter Counties. County seat: Erwin

County Pronunciation
(Voice of Unicoi County Mayor Greg Lynch, 2010)

Boundary Changes
"Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed for free at the My Tennessee Genealogy website. They rely on AniMap 3.0 software.

Record Loss

 * Lost census: 1890
 * County records are complete

Getting Started
Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Unicoi 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: Unicoi 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
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
1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population censuses of Unicoi 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.

1880


 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1880 Census. [Erwin, Tenn.]: H.B. Padgett, 1995. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8982 X2p 1880.
 * Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census, Unicoi County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, 1996. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8982 X2s 1880.

1890 - Lost, but substitutes are available:


 * Reed, Sue S. Enumeration of Male Inhabitants of Twenty-one Years of Age and Upward, Citizens of Tennessee, January 1, 1891, as Provided for by an Act of General Assembly of Tennessee, Passed January 15, 1891, and Approved January 22, 1891. 8 vols. Houston, Texas: S.S. Reed, 1989. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2r v. 7 1891. [Unicoi County is included in Vol. 7.]
 * Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1890 Civil War Veterans Census, Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: Byron Sister and Associates, 1978. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1890.

1900


 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1900 Census. [Erwin, Tenn.]: H.B. Padgett, 1995. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8982 X2p 1900.

1910


 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1910 Census. [Erwin, Tenn.]: H.B. Padgett, 1995. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8982 X2p 1910.

1920


 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1920 Census. [Erwin, Tenn.]: H. Padgett, 1996. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8982 X2p 1920.

1930


 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1930 Census. [n.p.: n.p.], 2002. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8982 X2p 1930.

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


 * [Vinson] Descendant of Vinson family, migrated from Russell Co., VA to Unicoi Co., TN at the turn of twentieth century. Y-DNA 12 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 23453). Genetic signature available online (labelled V-2 in Haplogroup J), courtesy: The Vinson DNA Project, World Families Network.

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]

General

As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Unicoi, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 9,000 entries.


 * Hensley, Benny E. Beneath the Oaks at the Foot of Meadow Creek Mountain, Oak Hill, Parrottsville, TN. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8895 D2h.

Bibliography


 * [Beckelhimer] Kerns, Gloria Lambert and Diane Sims. Beckelhimer: Family Records. FHL US/CAN Access Services Window 2243264 Item 1.
 * [Moore] Fobes, Lawrence G. Moore. 1976?. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 M781f.

Land
The original Unicoi County Deed Books are held at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, TSLA microfilmed Deed Books 1-7 (1876-1903), Trust Deed Book 1 (1876-1899), and Index to Deeds and Mortgages (1876-1920). FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 972739-972744.

Military
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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. [Includes Unicoi County pensioners (p. 97.]

Newspapers
Many Tennessee newspapers are filmed and available at the 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 Unicoi County click on the following town:


 * Erwin

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 records of Unicoi County, Tennessee 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 FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a.
 * East Tennessee Roots
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of Unicoi County, Tennessee records have been published in East Tennessee Roots (10 vols.). A subject index to these articles is available online. Surname indexes to Volumes 9 and 10 are also available online. The Family History Library has collected most issues of East Tennessee Roots FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 D25e.
 * Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of Unicoi County, Tennessee records have been published in the Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin (39+ vols., 1972-present), the journal of the Watauga Association of Genealogists. The organization has posted tables of contents for most volumes on their website. Back issues are available for purchase. The Family History Library has a complete collection FHL US/CAN Books 976.897 B2w, including Margaret W. Hougland and Betty Jane Hylton's Bulletin Subject Index: The First Thirty Years, 1972-2001 (Johnson City, Tenn.: Watauga Association of Genealogists, 2002) FHL US/CAN Book 976.897 B2w index 1972-2001.

Probate
The original Unicoi County wills are held at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, TSLA microfilmed wills covering the date range 1876-1947. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Film 972738.

Taxation
The original Unicoi County Tax Books 1876-1899 are kept at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, TSLA microfilmed these records. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Film 972745.

The following Unicoi County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1798] 1798 Tax List, Carter County, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 9, No. 4. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals. [Includes digital images of the original source; covers area that later became Unicoi County.]

Marriage
The original Unicoi County Marriage Books are kept at the County Courthouse and TSLA. In the 1970s and 1980s, the TSLA microfilmed Marriage Books 1 to 16 (1876-1955). FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 972735, 1928855-1928860.

The following Unicoi County marriage records have been abstracted:


 * [1876-1904] Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee Marriages, 1876-1904. [Erwin, Tenn.]: H.B. Padgett, 1989. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8982 V2p.

Divorce
In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of Unicoi 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

 * [1908-1936] Nikazy, Eddie M. Unicoi County, Tennessee Death Record Abstracts 1908-1936. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1997. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8982 V28n.

For deaths of Methodists in Unicoi County (or what later became Unicoi 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. FHL US/CAN Books 976.855/N1 V48s 1847-1851 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
The Unicoi County Historical Society 405 Ohio Ave. Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1-423-743-6307 Located at Unicoi County Public Library

Watauga Association of Genealogists Upper East Tennessee P.O. Box 117 Johnson City, TN 37605-0117 Publications: The Bulletin (May and October)

East Tennessee Historical Society 601 S. Gay St. P.O. Box 1629 Knoxville, TN 37901-1629 Phone: 1-865-215-8824 E-mail: eths@east-tennessee-history.org

Unicoi County Public Library 201 Nolichucky Avenue Erwin, TN 37650-1239 Phone: 1-423-743-6533 Fax: 423-743-0275 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Web Sites

 * Family History Library Catalog (FamilySearch)
 * Mailing List: TNUNICOI-L (Unicoi County, Tennessee List)
 * Mailing List: ETN-L (East Tennessee List)
 * Mailing List: ETN-OZ-L (East Tennessee Migrants to Ozarks Region List)
 * Mailing List: FRANKLIN-STATE-L (State of Franklin 1784-1788 List)
 * Unicoi County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Unicoi County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Unicoi County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Unicoi County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * Unicoi County, TN History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (MyTennesseeGenealogy)