Stewart County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Stewart County





Middle Tennessee county on the Tennessee River. Established 1803.

County Courthouse


Stewart County Courthouse 225 Donelson Parkway Dover, TN 37058 Phone: 931- 232-7616

Stewart County Clerk Marriage, probate and court records 225 Donelson Parkway, First Floor Dover, TN 37058 Phone: 931-232-7616

Stewart County Register of Deeds Land records 225 Donelson Parkway, First Floor, Suite 103 Dover, TN 37058 Phone: 931-232-5990

Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm Closed daily from noon - 1 pm

Stewart County Archives courthouse books, records and loose papers (excluding marriages and deeds), 1804-1950s P. O. Box 367 Dover, TN 37058 Hours: by appointment (email to [mailto:stewartcountyarchives@yahoo.com stewartcountyarchives@yahoo.com])

History
The county is named after "Duncan Stewart, Tennessee state legislator and lieutenant governor of Mississippi Territory."

Parent County
1803--Stewart County was established 1 November 1803 from Montgomery County. County Court first met on 12 March 1804. Early records may be found under Montgomery County. County seat: Dover

From 1788 to 1796 people living in what is now part of Stewart County were in extinct Tennessee County. Their records for that period are now found in Robertson County, Tennessee.

Record Loss
1862--Fire, Federal Troops damaged records (mostly Chancery Court)


 * Lost censuses: 1810, 1820, 1890
 * Marriages are lacking 1804 to 1837; white marriages from 1876 to 1881 are lost.
 * Lost probate records: 1812, 1817-1824
 * Lost Chancery Court records: before 1865

Although these are not burned records, applying strategies used for burned counties may aid in compensating for their loss. For further information on researching in burned counties, see the following:


 * Arlene Eakle, When the Records are Gone in Tennessee Genealogy Blog
 * Burned Counties Research in FamilySearch Wiki
 * Michael John Neill, Burned Counties in Family History Circle

Research Guides

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

Cemeteries

 * Stewart County Historical Society, Cemetery Records of Stewart County, Tennessee, 1983. Out of print.  Copies available at area libraries.
 * Partial extract of cemeteries is available on the TNGenWeb site and the Find A Grave site.

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

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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1810.

1820


 * Bentley, Elizabeth P. Index to the 1820 Census of Tennessee. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981.
 * McNutt, Gwyn B. 1820, Pre Henry county Area (Stewart County, Tennessee, Census).Paris, Tennessee : G.B. McNutt, 1989.
 * Willis, Laura and Betty Sellers. Stewart County, Tennessee Census of 1820 &amp; 1830. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 1999. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.835 X2w. Digital version is available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * Online at TNGenWeb.

1830


 * Willis, Laura and Betty Sellers. Stewart County, Tennessee Census of 1820 &amp; 1830. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 1999. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.835 X2w. Digital version is available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * Online at TNGenWeb.

1840


 * Willis, Laura and Betty Sellers. Stewart County, Tenn. census of 1840. Melber, Kentucky : Simmons Historical Pub., 1999.
 * Online at TNGenWeb.

1850


 * Finley, Nina. Census of Houston County Area. Erin, Tennessee : Friends of Houston County Library, 19--?. vol. 6, Southern Stewart
 * Willis, Laura and Betty Sellers. Stewart County, Tennessee Census of 1850. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 2000. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.835 X2w 1850. Digital version available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * Online at TNGenWeb.

1860


 * Finley, Nina. Census of Houston County Area. Erin, Tennessee : Friends of Houston County Library, 19--?. vol. 7, Southern Stewart
 * Willis, Laura. Stewart County, Tennessee Census of 1860. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 2003. Digital version available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * Online at TNGenWeb.

1870


 * Finley, Nina. Census of Houston County Area. Erin, Tennessee : Friends of Houston County Library, 19--?. vol. 8, Southern Stewart
 * Online at TNGenWeb.

1880


 * Sistler, Barbara and Byron H. Sistler. ’’1880 Census Stewart County, Tennessee.’’ Nashville, Tennessee: B. Sistler and Associates, 1999.
 * Online at TNGenWeb

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. 2 1891. [Stewart County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * 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


 * Online at TNGenWeb

1910


 * Online at TNGenWeb

1920


 * Bush, Marisa, ed.. Stewart County, Tennessee Census, 1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Online at TNGenWeb

1930


 * Online at TNGenWeb

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


 * Stewart County Historical Society, Stewart County Heritage, Dover, Tennessee, Vol. 1. Printed by Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, TX, 1980.  Available for purchase from the Historical Society and the Stewart County Public Library.
 * Stewart County Historical Society, Stewart County, Tennessee History and Families, Vol. 2. Printed by Rose Publishing Company, Humboldt, TN, 2000. Available for purchase from the Historical Society and the Stewart County Public Library.

Bibliography


 * [Aldridge] Aldridge, Franklin Rudolph. Aldridge Family Genealogy and History. Nashville, Tenn.: Printed by Commercial Letter Shop, 1960. FHL US/CAN Film 1303259; digital versions at Ancestry ($); and Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Beasley] Lockhart, William Thomas. The Beasley Family of Benton, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart Counties of Tennessee. Florissant, Missouri: W. Lockhart, 1985. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B38Lw.
 * [Boyd] Boyd, Harold Loyd and Shirley Ruth Footprints to the past:Boyd-Martin genealogy, 1415-1993 Clay Center, Kansas : H.L. and S.M. Boyd, [1993?] FHL book 929.273 B692. Digital version available at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Cherry, Ross, Wallace, Lewis, Harris, Daniel, Stancill, Taylor, Exum] Dwyer, Richard.  Stewart County, Tennessee Ancestors (also Martin, Edgecombe County, NC), 1994.  Copy available at the Stewart County Public Library.
 * [Downs] Hamilton, James Edward. 1000 Descendants of the Downs Families: of Early Trigg County, Kentucky, and Stewart County, Tennessee. [Aberdeen, South Dakota: J.E. Hamilton], 1993. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 D76h.
 * [Hutchins] Higley, Sybil Gibson The descendants of James Hutchins and Susannah Beavers [S.I.:s.n.],2006 FHL book 929.273 H97hsy. Digital version available at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Sykes] Sykes, W.D. Historical and Biographical Sketch of the Sikes and Sykes Family: Short Sketch of the Sykes Family of Stewart County, Tenn.: History of the Wofford Family in Tenn. Tenn.?: W.D. Wykes, 1951. FHL US/CAN Film 1320608 Item 22.
 * [Williams] Williams, E. Ray. The Williams Families of Henry County, Tennessee. Paris, TN: E.R. Williams, 1971. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 W67wer; FHL US/CAN Fiche 6046888; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).

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


 * 1) Deed Book 2: 1796-1809
 * 2) Deed Books A-B: 1803-1819
 * 3) Deed Books C-D: 1809-1813
 * 4) Deed Book E: 1814-1818
 * 5) Deed Book O: 1819-1823

The TNGenWeb web site also provides free online indexes to Stewart County Deed Books 1 through 32 (1796-1884).

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

 * 1865 Map of Middle Tennessee created by the Army Corps of Engineers [National Archives, Record Group 77, Headquarters Map File, Map T 84 1/2 - 1]

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 Stewart County click on the following city or town:


 * Cumberland City
 * Dover

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. FHL US/CAN 976.8 U2ma. Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes Stewart 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

Several genealogical articles with abstracts of Stewart 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 FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a.

Family Findings

Several genealogical articles with abstracts of Stewart 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 FHL US/CAN 976.8 B2f.

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.

The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History

Genealogical articles with abstracts of records of Stewart 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 FHL US/CAN Book 976.85 D25m.

The River Counties

Several genealogical articles with abstracts of Stewart County, Tennessee records were published in The River Counties Quarterly, (14 vols.) edited by Jill K. Garrett. The Family History Library has a complete collection FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2rc.

Prisons
Learn if your Stewart County ancestors went to prison!


 * Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1831-1850, free index available online, courtesy: TSLA.
 * Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1851-1870, free index available online, courtesy: TSLA.

Private Papers

 * Family Bible of John Wesley Scarborough and Mary Velina Watterfield: Stewart County, Tennessee. Microfilmed in 1963. FHL US/CAN Film 325880 Item 6.

Probate
The following Stewart County probate records have been abstracted and/or indexed:


 * [1812-1861] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Tennessee Wills &amp; Administrations 1779-1861. Nashville, Tenn. Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, Inc., 1990. FHL US/CAN 976.8 P22s. [Includes an index to this county's probate records.]
 * [1804-1896] Settlements and Bonds book extracts. courtesy:  TNGenWeb

Taxation
Linda Risinger found an "Explanation of Tax Districts" in Stewart County Court Minute Book C, which she has graciously shared with the rest of us online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.

The following Stewart County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1798] "1798 Montgomery County Tax List (partial - companies later part of Stewart County)," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.
 * [1799] "1799 Unpaid Montgomery County TN taxes," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Source: Tennessee Gazette, 23 June 1802.]
 * [1800] Tatum, Ausborn C. "Montgomery County, Tennessee Tax List 1800," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 31, No. 2 (Summer 1984):77-82. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals. Free digital version at Montgomery Co., TNGenWeb.
 * [1801] "Unpaid 1801 Montgomery County Taxes," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Source: Tennessee Gazette, 1 Jan. 1803.]
 * [1802] "1802 Unpaid Montgomery County Taxes," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Source: Tennessee Gazette, 7 Sep. 1803.]
 * [1804] "1804 Stewart County TN Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Sources: Stewart County Court Minutes; Tennessee Gazette, 16 April 180_; Tennessee Gazette, 4 Jan. 1806.]
 * [1805] "1805 Stewart County TN Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Sources: Stewart County Court Minutes; Tennessee Gazette, 12 July 180_.]
 * [1806] "1806 Stewart County TN Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Sources: Stewart County Court Minutes; WPA records, TSLA; Tennessee Gazette, 30 May 1807.]
 * [1807] "1807 Stewart County TN Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Sources: WPA records, TSLA; Tennessee Gazette, 31 Mar. 1808].
 * [1808] Stewart Co., TN, 1808 Tax List, The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Winter 2001); Vol. 15, No. 4 (Spring 2002). For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1808] "1808 Stewart County TN Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.
 * [1808-1812] Stewart County. Tax Book, Vol. 2, 1808-1812. Typescript, 1938, W.P.A. Collection, TSLA, Nashville. Item 5
 * [1808-1812] 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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1810. [Cites WPA's Stewart County. Tax Book, Volume 2, 1808-1812 as a source.]
 * [1809-1811] Capt. Peter Kendall - Company in Stewart County 1809-11; Learning from Tax Lists, The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Summer 2003). For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1809] "1809 Stewart County Tennesee Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Sources: MSS., Stewart County Archives; WPA records, TSLA; Democratic Clarion and Tennessee Gazette, 21 Sep. 1810; Democratic Clarion and Tennessee Gazette, 20 Aug. 1811.]
 * [1810] "1810 Stewart County TN Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Sources: MSS., Stewart County Archives; WPA records, TSLA; Democratic Clarion and Tennessee Gazette, 20 Aug. 1811.]
 * [1811] "1811 Stewart County TN Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Source: WPA records, TSLA.]
 * [1812] "1812 Stewart County TN Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Source: TSLA Early Tennessee Tax Lists, Roll #8 (Rutherford-Sumner).]
 * [1817] "U.S. Holds 1817 Public Sale of Federal Tax-Delinquent Properties in Tennessee," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 43, No. 2 (Summer 1996):63-68. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals. [Includes Stewart County.]
 * [1819] "1819 Stewart County Delinquent Tax List," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 44, No. 1 (Spring 1997):18-20. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1819] Stewart Co., TN's "Omitted to be Returned" Taxes for 1819, The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Summer 1996). For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1827] "1827 Stewart County Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.
 * [1828-1851] Risinger, Linda. "Selected Records from the Stewart Co TN tax list 1828-1851," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.
 * [1829] "1829 Stewart County Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.
 * [1830] "1830 Stewart County Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.
 * [1836] "Stewart County 1836 Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.
 * [1837] "1837 Stewart County Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.
 * [1852-1866] Risinger, Linda. "Selected Records from the Stewart County Tax List 1852-1866," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb.

Vital Records
Marriage

Marriages were not officially recorded in Stewart County until 1838, when a law was passed mandating the practice. The following publication, based on early newspapers, helps to alleviate this genealogical obstacle:


 * Lucas, Silas Emmett. Marriages from Early Tennessee Newspapers 1794-1851. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 V2L.

The following Stewart County Courthouse marriage records have been abstracted and/or indexed:


 * [1838-1870] 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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 V2t v. 1 ff. [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.]
 * [1838-1866] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early Middle Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1988. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 V2sb v. 2 ff. [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage or marriage bond dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]
 * [1804-1881] Long, Jim. Stewart County, Tennessee Marriages Revisited:  1804-1881.  Stewart County Archives, 2009.  [Includes complete transcription of available county marriage records from 1838 through 1881, including actual date of marriage.  Also includes pre-1838 marriages that could be documented from other sources, and some marriages from 1876-1881, when the county records are lost.]

Death


 * Various death record extracts are available on the TNGenWeb site.
 * The Tennessee State Library and Archives web site has statewide death indices for 1914-1931.

For deaths of Methodists in Stewart 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.]

Libraries

 * Stewart County Public Library 102 Natcor Drive Dover, TN 37058-3524 (931) 232-3127 Hours: Mon-Tues 8:00 a.m-8:00p.m.; Wed Closed; Thur 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Fri 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Sun Closed The Stewart County Public Library History and Genealogy Departmentis housed in the Destine Martin Roomand contains over 1,000 volumes and 314 items of microfilm. The holdings include volumes on Stewart County history, submitted family histories, civil war volumes, volumes on other states; mostly Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky, and general histories.

Societies
Stewart County Historical Society 174 Church St Dover, Tennessee 37058-3002 PO Box 297 Dover, Tennessee 37058 Telephone: 931-232-9773 The society does not have a webpage, so it is currently accessed on tngenweb.org

Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society PO Box 330948 Nashville, TN, USA 37203-7507 The society serves the 40 counties of middle Tennessee of which Stewart County is one. It publishes The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, a quarterly containing articles of genealogical and historical interest. Little-known Tennessee records are published and indexed, along with family genealogies, Bible records and material submitted by members. There is an alphabetical Index to articles in the Journal 1988-summer 2005

Web Sites

 * Family History Library Catalog (FamilySearch)
 * Rootwalker: Genealogy Pages for Northern Middle TN Free Genealogy Resources for the Region
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: DanvilleCrossing-L (Tennessee River County Genealogy and History List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: DanvilleQueries-L (Tennessee River County Genealogy and History List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TN-ROOTWALKER-L (North Central Tennessee Genealogy List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNSTEWAR-L (Stewart County Genealogy List)
 * Stewart County, Tennessee by Dan Martin. Genealogy Resources, Local History, Queries
 * Stewart County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Stewart County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * Stewart County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)