Weakley County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Weakley County

West Tennessee county. Established 1823.





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

County Courthouse


Weakley County Courthouse Dresden, TN 38225 Phone: 731-364-2285

Weakley County Clerk Marriage and probate records 116 W. Main Street, Room 104 P.O. Box 587 Dresden, TN 38225 Phone: 731-364-2285

Weakley County Register of Deeds Land records 116 W. Main Street, Room 102 P.O. Box 45 Dresden, TN 38225 Phone: 731-364-3646

Weakley County Circuit Court Clerk Court records 116 West Main Street Dresden, TN 38225 Phone: 731-364-3455

Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm

History
The county is named after Robert Weakley (1764-1845), Tennessee representative in the House of Representatives and later Tennessee Senator.

Parent County
1823--Weakley County was established 21 October 1823 from Chickasaw Indian Lands, temporarily subdivided as Tennessee surveyor districts 12 and 13. Organized in 1825. County seat: Dresden

County Pronunciation


Did we get the accent right? If not, contact Nathan W. Murphy, [mailto:murphynw@familysearch.org murphynw@familysearch.org].

Record Loss
1948--Fire damaged records

At the 1948 fire, a large number of chancery and circuit court files were discarded. They passed into the keeping of a private citizen, and in 1995 the files were given to the University of Tennessee at Martin, where they constitute MS 4 and MS 2, respectively. cf. http://www.utm.edu/departments/library/specollections/ (2010 Jul 31). Both collections have since been filmed by the FHL.


 * Lost census: 1890
 * Lack of marriage records: 1825 to 1842
 * Lost probate records: 1825 to 1827

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

Populated Places
Cities: Greenfield

Towns: Dresden, Gleason, Martin, Sharon

Other places:

Research Guides

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

African American
The following have information concerning African American research. Both should be used:


 * African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records


 * African American Research for Tennessee is specific for Tennessee

Cemeteries
Tennessee cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.


 * Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone.  May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.


 * Find A Grave also gives a list of cemeteries in Weakley County linking to the information about the people buried there,


 * Weakley Co. TN Cemetery Records, part of the TNGenWeb Cemetery Database, lists many cemeteries in the county, often with indexes and transcripts of the burials.


 * Weakley County, Tennessee, USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project lists many cemeteries in the county and has transcripts of the tombstones arranged by cemetery.


 * The Family History Library Catalog lists some records of cemeteries in Weakley county. Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Weakley County cemeteries


 * Daughters of the American Revolution, James Buckley Chapter (Sharon, Tennessee) Weakley County, Tennessee cemetery listings Sharon, Tennessee : Daughters of the American Revoluation, James Buckley Chapter, 1980. FHL US/CN book 976.824 V3w volume 1 and 2 Free lookups available!

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

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. FHL US/CAN Book 973 X2pc 1840; FHL US/CAN Film 2321. 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google books et. al. [See Tennessee, Western District, Weakley County on page 159.]

1850


 * Porch, Deane Weakley County, Tennessee 1850 census Fort Worth, Texas : Miran Publishers, [197-?] FHL US/CAN book 976.824 X2

1870


 * Schrupp, MaryCarol Drewry Catron 1870 U.S. census and more, Weakley County, Tennessee : transcribed from Microcopy 593, Vol. 31, Roll 1570, National Archives and Records Service Memphis, Tennessee : Kinfolks Press, c2001 FHL US/CAN book 976.824 X2

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. [Weakley County is included in Vol. 3.]
 * 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.

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.


 * Weakley County Church Records


 * - Family History Library Catalog - Weakley County Church Records


 * Church histories tell when a church started in the area, who the early members were, give data about church leaders, etc.


 * - Family History Library Catalog - Weakley County Church History


 * 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 Weakley County are:


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

Baptist
 * [1824-1969] Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church Records. Weakley County, 1824-1969. Manuscript. TSLA Reel #288.
 * [1824-1900] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Vital Statistics from 19th Century Tennessee Church Records. Nashville: Sitler and Associates, 1979. vol. 2 Index to original Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church Records. Weakley County, 1824-1969.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

LDS Pioneers from Weakley County include:


 * Randolph Alexander (1802-1879) who married Myrza Nix Alexander there in 1830 and later settled in Utah.
 * Catherine Ellen (Camp) Greer (1837-1929), who was born there and married in Salt Lake City in 1855.

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


 * [Brown] Descendant of Charles Brown, b. 1826 Dickson County, Tennessee, d. 1909 Weakley County, Tennessee. Y-DNA 67 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 68374). Genetic signature available online (labeled Group No. 20), 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]

General


 * Vaughan, Virginia C. History and Families, Weakley County, Tennessee, 1823-1998. Paducah, Ky.: Turner Pub. Co., 1999. FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 H2vv.

Bibliography


 * [Alexander] Bartholomew, Jewel A. Randolph and Myrza Nix Alexander: Early Pioneers of Utah. Orem, Utah: J.A. Bartholomew, 1997, 1999. Digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Alexander] Martin, James D. The Story of Milo Andrus: With a Brief History of His Wives and Pioneer Children. Ogden, Utah: J.D. Martin, 2000. FHL FAM HIST Book 921.73 An29m.
 * [Barger] Smith, Gordon Edward. Barger: Family Records of the Barger's of Weakley County, Tennessee. Florence, Ala.: G.E. Smith, 1984. FHL US/CAN Film 1307616 Item 41.
 * [Brown] Brown, Garry S. The Descendants of Charles Brown of Weakley County, Tennessee. Albuquerque, New Mexico: Garry S. Brown, 2007. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B812bga.
 * [Buckley] Buckley, Shirley Gray. The Buckley Family Genealogy: A Genealogical History of the Descendants of James Buckley. Martin, Tenn.: S.G. Buckley, 1987. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B856bs.
 * [Caldwell] Origin and History of the Name of Caldwell: with Biographies of All the Most Noted Persons of that Name: and an Account of the Origin of Surnames and Forenames Together with Men and Women and Their Significance: The Crescent Family Record. Chicago, Ill.: American Publishers' Association, 1906, page 45. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Caldwell] Green, Charles R. The Isaac Haskins Family History and Genealogy. Olathe, Kansas: Printed by the Register Pub. Co., 1911, page 45. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Camp] Rhoton, Jo. The Greer Trail. West Point, Utah: J. Rhoton, 2001. FHL US/CAN Film 1573646 Item 5.
 * [Cantrell] Whitley, Edythe Johns Rucker. Cantrell-Potter-Magness: Ancestry of Alvin Edward Potter, Sr. Nashville, Tenn.: n.p., 1938, page 17. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Clark] Gilbert, Thomas Graves. Francis Clark of Louisa County, Virginia: and His Descendants in Carroll County, Tennessee: Family Members of Michael Clark of England and Barbados and His Son Francis Clark of Louisa County, Virginia, the Migration of His Sons to Anson County, North Carolina and Descendants to Henry Weakley and Carroll Counties of Tennessee. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 2004. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C547gt.
 * [Clayton] Clayton, Claud Franklin. Family Notes and Recollections. Knoxville, Tenn.: n.p., 1959. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C579cfc.
 * [Collier] Boaz, T.D. The Family of R.H. Boaz: A Record of the Descendants of Richard Harris Boaz (1845-1918). McLean, Va.: n.p., 1973, page 24. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Craig] Craig, Marion Stark. John Craig and Some Descendants, 1773-1976. Little Rock, Ark.: n.p., 1967. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Dickson] Dickson, Joseph Lawrence. The Journal of Joseph Lawrence Dickson. Fayetteville, Ark.: Washington County Historical Society, 1956. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Dudley] Stephens, Robert W. Life and Family of Charles Holland. Dallas, Texas: n.p., 1961, page 7. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Edmonston] Johnston, Henry Poellnitz. Pioneers in Their Own Right. Birmingham, Ala.: Featon Press, 1964, pages 23-24. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Francis] Boaz, Thurmond DeWitte and Roberta McDaniel Ellis. Mary Ann (Boaz) Francis (1798-1860) and Her Descendants. McLean, Va.: T.D. Boaz, Jr., 1993. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 F847b.
 * [Gatewood] Mosley, Lillian Gatewood. Sweet Memories. Dresden?, Tenn.: L.G. Mosley, 1989. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 G223m.
 * [Glasgow] Faulkner, Mava Yoachum. The Yoachums "And So the Story Goes." Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: M.Y. Faulkner, 1984?. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Y71fm.
 * [Julien] Craig, Marion Stark. John Craig and Some Descendants, 1773-1976. Little Rock, Ark.: n.p., 1967. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Pointer] Robinson, R.D. [Genealogies and Bible Records Gathered by the Illinois Society, D.A.R., 1976-1977]. Ill.: The Society, 1977, pages 204, 221. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Roberts] Roberts, Raiford Ashley. Genealogy Notes and Research, ca. 1600-1980. MSS., Midland Genealogical Society. FHL US/CAN Film 1697529 Item 3-1697530 Item 1.
 * [Roberts] Roberts: Transcript of Bible Records, 1876-1949. Typescript, microfilmed in 1977. FHL US/CAN Film 982434 Item 26.
 * [Slemons] Riedel, Julia Slemons. Brigadier General William F. Slemons, C.S.A.: His Ancestors and Descendants. Kansas City, Missouri: J. Riedel, 1992. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 SL26r.
 * [Tipton] Tipton, Dean. Tipton, Luke. Seal Beach, Calif.: n.p., 1964, page 15. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [White] Johnston, Henry Poellnitz. Pioneers in Their Own Right. Birmingham, Ala.: Featon Press, 1964. Digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).

Land

 * Weakley County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1823 and is located at the Courthouse, P.O. Box 587, Dresden, Tennessee 38225; Telephone: (731) 364-2285. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries.
 * Willis, Laura. Weakley County, Tennessee, Register Survey Books, Volume 2 [1784-1857]. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical, 1996. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 R29w. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * The Family History Library has microfilm copies of deeds 1822-1900 with indexes 1822-1908; grant books 1794-1844; land entry taker books 1820-1847; and surveyors' books 1789-1857.

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

 * Vowell, Mary K. and Daughters of the American Colonists. Isaac Dawson Chapter. Neighbors in Weakley County, Tennessee, a Land Ownership Map, 1827-1833: Compiled from Weakley County, Tennessee's Occupant Entry Book. Oak Ridge, Tenn.: High Tech Print, 1985. FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 R2v.

Military
Revolutionary War

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


 * 1835 Pension Roll
 * 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions
 * Revolutionary War Soldiers who lived in Weakley County, Tennessee Includes some pension applications.

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. FHL US/CAN Book 973 X2pc 1840; FHL US/CAN Film 2321. 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google books et. al. [See Tennessee, Western District, Weakley 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. 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 Weakley County pensioners (pp. 122-123).]
 * Weakley County Settlers who served in the War of 1812 Courtesy:TNGenWeb

Civil War

Lynn, H.M. ''H.M. Lynn Papers, 1858-1882. ''Southern Historical Collection, Manuscripts Dept., Wilson Library, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Free digital copy. 9th Tennessee Regiment, Company C.

Newspapers

 * Campus Chatter: An Alumni Newsletter of The University of Tennessee Junior College, 1943-1946
 * The Dresden Enterprise, Weakley County, Tennessee, Volume 13. Covers from 1 Sep 1904 to 16 Dec 1904. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Free lookupsavailable for obituaries in the Dresden Enterprise.
 * Willis, Laura Willis and Betty Sellers. Weakley County, Tennessee, Newspaper Abstracts. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 1998. 12 volumes. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 B3w. Digital versions of selected volumes 1-10 are available at World Vital Records ($): Volume 1; Volume 2; Volume 3; Volume 5; Volume 6; Volume 7; Volume 8; Volume 9; and Volume 10. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * 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 Weakley County click on the following cities or towns:


 * Dresden
 * Greenfield
 * Martin
 * Sharon

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. FHL US/CAN 976.8 U2man. Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes Weakley 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 Weakley 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
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of Weakley 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 to retrieve them.
 * Forget Me Not
 * Publication of the Weakley County Genealogical Society. The Family History Library has a complete collection (1982-present): FHL US/CAN Books 976.824 B2f. Indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) For further information see website: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnweakle/genealogical_society.htm
 * West Tennessee Historical Society Papers
 * Family History Library has Volumes 1 - 16 and 30 FHL US/CAN Book 976.81 B5w. 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

Prisons
Learn if your Weakley 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.

Probate
Probate records are court records created after an individual’s death that relate to a court’s decisions regarding the distribution of the estate to the heirs or creditors and the care of any dependents. You may find the names of married daughters or other relatives and their residences; or information about the adoption or guardianship of minor children and dependents. Probate records do not always give an exact date of death, but the death usually occurred within four months of probate. These documents are important to family history researchers, because they usually exist for time periods before civil birth and death records were kept.

The County Court, Circuit Court, and Chancery Court have responsibility for the probate records of Weakley County.

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Weakley 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) Will Book A: 1830-1840
 * 2) Will Book B: 1841-1861

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


 * [1828-1861] 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.]
 * [1828-1875] Willis, Laura. Weakley County, Tennessee Wills &amp; Administrations. Melber, Kentucky: Simmons Historical Pub., 1998, 2004. 4 volumes. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 P2w. Digital versions of selected volumes available at World Vital Records ($): Volume 1 1828-1853 and Volume 2 1851-1875.

Taxation
The original Weakley County Tax Books 1842-1874 are kept at the County Courthouse. In 1976, TSLA microfilmed these records. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 1003115-1003116.

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


 * 1) 1828 Tax List

The following Weakley County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1828] Tax List, 1828, Tennessee Researcher, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep. 1963); Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1963).
 * [1828-1832] Simmons, Don and Laura Willis. Weakley County Tax List 1828-1832. Melber, Ky.: Simmons Historical Pub., 1996. FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 R4w. Purchase at Simmons Historical Bookstore.
 * [1828] Weakley County 1828 Tax List, available online, courtesy: Strictly By Name.
 * [1842] Brooks, Walter. "1842 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1843] Brooks, Walter. "1843 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1844] Brooks, Walter. "1844 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1845] Brooks, Walter. "1845 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1846] Brooks, Walter. "1846 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1847] Brooks, Walter. "1847 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1848] Brooks, Walter. "1848 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1849] Brooks, Walter. "1849 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1850] Brooks, Walter. "1850 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1869] Carol, Mary. "1869 Tax List of Weakley County," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [1889] Weakley County Tax List 1889. Purchase at Simmons Historical Bookstore.
 * [1890] Weakley County Tax List 1890. Purchase at Simmons Historical Bookstore.
 * [1890] Weakley County 1890 Tax List. Purchase at Simmons Historical Bookstore.

Birth

 * Willis, Laura. Weakley County, Tennessee, Vital Statistics, 1908 - 1912. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 1997. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 V2wL. Digital version available at World Vital Records. [Contains births and deaths. Includes surname index.]

Marriage
Marriages were not officially recorded in Weakley County until after 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.
 * For free lookups of Weakley County, Tennessee marriages 1863-1886 click here.

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


 * [1838-1867] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early West Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1989. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 V2sb v. 1 ff. [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage or marriage bond dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]
 * [1843-1974] Weakley County, Tennessee County Court Clerk Marriage records (Weakley County, Tennessee), 1843-1974 Nashville, Tennessee : Filmed by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1976-1988. FHL US/CAN Film 988668-70, 988737-39, 1928865-72, 988740-46,
 * [1843-1886] Willis, Laura. Weakley County, Tennessee, Marriage Records [1843-1886]. Melber, Kentucky: Simmons-Historical, 1996, 2001. 5 volumes. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 V2wc. Simmons Historical Publications.
 * [1843-1863, 1878-1886] Weakley County Genealogical Society (Martin, Tennessee) and Lucille Adams Smith Weakley County, Tennessee, marriage records Martin, Tennessee : Weakley County Genealogical Society, 1980-1998. FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 V2w volumes 1-3
 * [[1846-1854] Historical Records Project (Tennessee) Marriage records, 1846-1854, Weakley County, Tennessee Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1940. FHL US/CAN Film 24860 item 1
 * [1854-1865] Willis, Laura. Weakley County Marriage Books Vol. 2 1854-1865. Kentucky: Simmons Historical Publications. Digital version available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * [1886-1893] Weakley County Marriage Books Vol. 6 1886-1893. Kentucky: Simmons Historical Publications. Digital version available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * [1893-1898] Weakley County Marriage Books Vol. 7 1893-1898. Kentucky: Simmons Historical Publications. Digital version available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * RecordSearch at FamilySearch now includes indexed Tennessee marriages. This is a free pilot site and still under construction.  At this time, it is best to search from the home page titled Discover Your Ancestors; indicate a surname, marriage "event" and a county name (i.e. Weakley, Tennessee).  Browse through the results for that surname. You may need to supply any variant spellings of the surname in separate searches.
 * 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 all counties.

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

 * Hays, Tony. West Tennessee Death Records [ca. 1823-1852]. 2 vols. n.p.: Kitchen Table Press, 1987. FHL FAM HIST Book 976.8 V2ht v. 1-2. [Weakley County is included in Vol. 1]
 * Willis, Laura. Weakley County, Tennessee, Vital Statistics, 1908 - 1912. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 1997. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.824 V2wL. Digital version available at World Vital Records. [Contains births and deaths. Includes surname index.]
 * For free lookups of some death certificates up to 1948 click here.

For deaths of Methodists in Weakley 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.]

Web Sites

 * Family History Library Catalog (FamilySearch)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNWEAKLE-L (Weakley County, Tennessee List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: WEST-TNCHAT-L (West Tennessee Chat List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: WESTTN-L (West Tennessee List)
 * Weakley County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Weakley County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Weakley County, TN USGenWeb