Union County, Tennessee Genealogy

Union County, Tennessee ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Guide to Union County (established 1850) 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.

Description
The County was named for the commemoration of the "union" of sections of five counties, or it may reflect East Tennessee's support for the preservation of the Union in the years before the Civil War. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

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

County Courthouse


Union County Courthouse 901 Main Street P O Box 395 Maynardville, TN 37807 Phone: 1-865-992-8043

County Clerk has birth records from 1863, marriage and probate records. County Assessor has land records.

Union County Clerk Birth records from 1864 Marriage and probate records 901 Main St. Maynardville, TN 37807 Phone: 1-865-992-8043

Union County Register of Deeds Land records 901 Main St., Suite 108 Maynardville, TN 37807 Phone: 1-865-992-8024

Union County Circuit Court Clerk Court records 901 Main St., Suite 220 Maynardville, TN 37807 Phone: 1-865-992-5493

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.-noon

History
East Tennessee county.

The origin of the county name is not entirely clear. Some believe it symbolized the unification of several East Tennessee counties at it's formation. Others point out Tennessee's desire to preserve the Union.

Parent County
1850--Union County was created 3 January 1850 from Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Grainger, and Knox Counties. County seat: Maynardville

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
1870s and 1969 Fires damaged the courthouse records.


 * Lost marriage records: 1854 to 1864
 * Lost probate records: 1854 to 1858

Getting Started
Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Union 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: Union County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)

African American
United States African Americans Tennessee African Americans

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Resources


 * Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator

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

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

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

1860


 * Collins, Sonja and Evelyn Holloway. Transcription, Federal Census Schedule, Union County, Tennessee, 1860, Indexed: First Census of Union County. [Corryton, Tenn.]: S. Collins and E. Holloway, 1983..

1870


 * Collins, Sonja and Evelyn Holloway. Transcription, Federal Census Schedule, Union County, Tennessee, 1870, Indexed. Corryton, Tenn.: S. Collins and E. Holloway, 1983..

1880


 * Collins, Sonja and Evelyn Holloway. Transcription, Federal Census Schedule, Union County, Tennessee, 1880, Indexed. Corryton, Tenn.: S. Collins and E. Holloway, 1984..
 * Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census Union County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1996..

1900


 * Collins, Sonja and Evelyn Holloway. Transcription, Federal Census Schedule, Union County, Tennessee, 1900, Indexed. Corryton, Tenn.: E. Holloway and S. Collins, 1985..

1910


 * Collins, Sonja. Transcription, Federal Census Schedule, Union County, Tennessee, 1910, Indexed. Corryton, Tenn.: S. Collins, 1985..

1920


 * Carter, Martha Jean Atkins. Union County, Tennessee, 1920 Federal Census. Knoxville, Tenn.: M.J.A. Carter, 1997?..

1930


 * Carter, Martha Jean Atkins. 1930 Union County, Tennessee, Federal Census. Knoxville, Tenn.: M.J.A. Carter, 2002..

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 Union, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 30,000 entries.


 * Wilson, Marshall A. Families of Norris Reservoir Area. Clinton, Tennessee: Pellissippi Genealogical and Historical Society, 1986..
 * Norris Dam on the Clinch River in Eastern Tennessee was a project of the Tennessee Valley Authority in the 1930s. Nearly 3,000 families, totalling almost 14,000 persons, were required to vacate land that was to be inundated by the resulting reservoir. In connection with the removal of families and gravesites, Mr. Wilson, a TVA official, collected historical and genealogical information about Norris Valley residents; he presents information about 75 of those families, along with a brief chronology of the area. Each family record begins with the name of a father and the name of that man's father, con- tinuing through other ancestors of the direct male line back to the earliest one known. Families represented by ten or more male heads of household include Agee, Carden, Hatmaker, Irwin, Longmire, Miller, Rice, and Sharp.

Bibliography


 * Baker - Nelson, Elmer R. The history and descendants of (William) Martin Baker and his wife Sarah M. Cook Chatsworth, California:E.R. Nelson, 1999.. Digital version available at Family History Archives.
 * Cox - Cox, Idris Jacob and Dorisha Jane Cox Chargualaf. Our Cox Family History. Knoxville, Tenn.: I.J. Cox, 1999..
 * Hickle - Hubbs, Ferol Frost. Hubbs - Frost and Allied Families. 1958. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 H862hf.
 * Monroe - Peters, Sam C. and Bonnie Heiskell Peters. Mark Monroe: An East Tennessee Pioneer and His Corn Crib. Knoxville, Tenn.: Union County Books, 2004.
 * Ridenour - Ridenour, James. The Ridenour Families of Union County, Tennessee, 1850-1930. Maynardville, Tenn.: Union County Historical Society (Tennessee), 2004?..

Land
The original Union County Deed Books are kept at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, TSLA microfilmed Deed Books A to P (1856-1900) and an accompanying Index (1856-1907). FHL copies:.

Maps

 * Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)

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 Union County pensioners (pp. 97-98).

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

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

Confederate Soldiers


 * 1st Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Carter's) - CSA - Company E.
 * 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Ashby's) - CSA - Company B and D.
 * 4th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (Branner's) - CSA - Company C.
 * 5th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (McClellan's) - CSA - Company C.
 * 11th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - CSA - Company M.

Union Soldiers


 * 8th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Companies F and G.
 * 9th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Company B.
 * 11th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Company M.
 * 13th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Company L.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Union County:


 * Carter, William Randolph. History of the First regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry in the Great war of the Rebellion, with the Armies of the Ohio and Cumberland, under Generals Morgan, Rosecrans, Thomas, Stanley and Wilson. Knoxville, Tennessee: Gaut-Ogden Co. Printers, 1902. Available online at Internet Archive.
 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Union County. Includes soldier's name, county, pension #, unit or widow.
 * United States Pension Bureau, List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883: Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for... (Washington Printing Office; 1883). Online at Internet Archive. Union County, page 380-381.

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 Union County click on the following city:


 * Maynardville

Occupations

 * Miller, Alan N. East Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1778 to 1911. Baltimore, Md.: Printed for Clearfield Company, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2000. . Digital version at World Vital Records ($). Purchase at Genealogical.com. Includes Union County.

Periodicals

 * Pathways History and Genealogical Journal
 * "A quarterly publication of the Union County Historical Society" organized in 1980. The Family History Library has most volumes to the present time. Indexed at PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) Digital copies of Pathways Historical and Genealogical Journal:Union County Historical Society Volumes 18,21,25,26 available at.


 * Yesteryears
 * Family History Library has (Feb 2006 - Oct 2007) For additional information see website: http://www.unioncountytn.com/history/default.htm. Website includes Volume 3, Issue 3 May/June 2007 online.

Prisons
Learn if your Union County ancestors went to prison!


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

Probate Records
The original Union County Will Books are kept at the County Courthouse.

Online Records


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


 * Inventories, Wills, 1875-1911 (Vol. B)
 * Claims against estates, 1872-1915
 * Settlements, 1856-1902 (6 vols.)

In 1974, TSLA microfilmed:


 * Wills and Inventories Book B (1875-1911)
 * Administrators' Settlements Books B to D (1859-1899)
 * Guardians' Settlements 1856-1902
 * Claims against Estates 1872-1915.

FHL copies:.

Taxation
The original Union County Tax Duplicates, 1854-1860, 1869-1874, and 1893 are kept at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, TSLA microfilmed these records. FHL copies:.

The following Union County tax records have been abstracted and/or indexed:


 * 1854 - Tax List, Districts 1-10, 1854, Pathways, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jul. 1984); Vol. 3, No. 4 (Oct. 1984); Vol. 4, No. 1 (Jan. 1985); Vol. 4, No. 2 (Apr. 1985); Vol. 4, No. 4 (Oct. 1985); Vol. 5, No. 3 (Jul. 1986); Vol. 5, No. 4 (Oct. 1986); Vol. 6, No. 1 (Mar. 1987); Vol. 6, No. 2 (Jun. 1987); Vol. 6, No. 3 (Sep. 1987). For access, see Periodicals.
 * 1855 - Tax List, Districts 1-10, 1855, Pathways, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Dec. 1987); Vol. 7, No. 2 (Jun. 1988); Vol. 7, No. 3 (Sep. 1988); Vol. 7, No. 4 (Dec. 1988); Vol. 8, No. 1 (Mar. 1989); Vol. 8, No. 2 (Jun. 1989); Vol. 8, No. 3 (Sep. 1989); Vol. 8, No. 4 (Dec. 1989); Vol. 9, No. 1 (Mar. 1990); Vol. 9, No. 2 (Jun. 1990). For access, see Periodicals.
 * 1856 - Tax List, Districts 1-10, 1856, Pathways, Vol. 9, No. 4 (Dec. 1990); Vol. 10, No. 1 (Mar. 1991); Vol. 10, No. 2 (Jun. 1991); Vol. 10, No. 3 (Sep. 1991); Vol. 10, No. 4 (Dec. 1991); Vol. 11, No. 1 (Mar. 1992); Vol. 11, No. 2 (Jun. 1992); Vol. 11, No. 3 (Sep. 1992); Vol. 11, No. 4 (Dec. 1992). For access, see Periodicals.
 * 1857 - Tax List, Districts 1-10, 1857, Pathways, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Mar. 1993); Vol. 12, No. 2 (Jun. 1993); Vol. 12, No. 3 (Sep. 1993); Vol. 12, No. 4 (Dec. 1993); Vol. 13, No. 1 (Mar. 1994); Vol. 13, No. 2 (Jun. 1994); Vol. 14, No. 2 (Jun. 1995); Vol. 14, No. 3 (Sep. 1995); Vol. 14, No. 4 (Dec. 1995); Vol. 15, No. 1 (Mar. 1996); Vol. 15, No. 2 (Jun. 1996); Vol. 15, No. 3 (Sep. 1996); Vol. 15, No. 4 (Nov. 1996); Vol. 16, No. 1 (Mar. 1997); Vol. 16, No. 2 (Jun. 1997); Vol. 16, No. 3 (Sep. 1997); Vol. 16, No. 4 (Dec. 1997); Vol. 17, No. 1 (Mar. 1998); Vol. 17, No. 2 (Jun. 1998). For access, see Periodicals.
 * 1858 - Tax List, Districts 1-10, 1858, Pathways, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Sep. 1998); Vol. 17, No. 4 (Dec. 1998); Vol. 18, No. 1 (Mar. 1999); Vol. 18, No. 2 (Jun. 1999); Vol. 18, No. 3 (Sep. 1999); Vol. 18, No. 4 (Dec. 1999); Vol. 19, No. 1 (Mar. 2000); Vol. 19, No. 2 (Jun. 2000); Vol. 19, No. 3 (Sep. 2000). For access, see Periodicals.
 * 1859 - Tax List, 1859, Pathways, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Dec. 2000); Vol. 23, No. 1 (Mar. 2004); Vol. 23, No. 2 (Sep. 2004). For access, see Periodicals.
 * 1860 - Tax List, 1860, Pathways, Vol. 24, No. 1 (Mar. 2005); Vol. 24, No. 2 (Jun. 2005); Vol. 24, No. 4 (Dec. 2005); Vol. 25, No. 2 (Jun. 2006); Vol. 25, No. 3 (Sep. 2006); Vol. 26, No. 1 (Mar. 2007); Vol. 26, No. 2 (Jun. 2007). For access, see Periodicals.

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

Birth

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


 * 1908-1912 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriage
The original Union County Marriage Books are kept at the County Courthouse. Antebellum marriage registers no longer survive, but published transcripts include a few alternative marriage sources for the 1850s. The original records have been microfilmed:

Online Records


 * 1625-1966 - Tennessee, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1790-1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1838-1888 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Additional Resources
 * Marriage Books 1 to 7 (1864-1969). Microfilmed in 1970s and 1980s by TSLA. FHL copies:.

''Union County's marriage records have been abstracted multiple times. Each editor followed similar abstraction standards:''


 * 1856-1975 - Collins, Betty VanOver. Union County, Tennessee, Marriages. 2 vols. Knoxville, Tenn.: B.J. Collins, 2000. ff. Abstracts names of brides and grooms, ages, marriage dates; includes annotations taken from family Bibles, Civil War records, and other manuscripts.
 * 1864-1895 - Union County Marriage Index 1864-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.org - free.
 * 1864-1900 - Hickle, Wanda Wilmouth. Tennessee, Union County, Marriage Applications and Licenses, 1864-1900. Luttrell, Tenn.: W.W. Hickle, 1983. . Abstracts names of brides, grooms, and officiators, as well as dates of license and marriage; includes annotations taken from additional sources.
 * 1901-1916 - Collins, Sonja. Union County, Tennessee, Marriage Applications and Licenses, 1901-1916. Corryton, Tenn.: S. Collins, 1985. . Abstracts names of brides, grooms, and officiators, as well as dates of license and marriage.

Death

 * 1874-1955 - at FamilySearch.org — index


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


 * 1914-1966 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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


 * 1847-1914 - Smith, Jonathan K.T. Genealogical Abstracts from Reported Deaths, the Nashville Christian Advocate. [1847-1914] 10 vols. Jackson, Tenn.: J.K.T. Smith, 1997-2003. ff; digital versions at David Donahue Memorial: Tennessee Records Repository. Website expands upon the publications and includes deaths from the 1830's, 1840's, 1910's and 1920's.

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


 * Union County Historical Society, Inc. 3824 Maynardville, Highway P.O. Box 95 Maynardville, TN 37807 Phone: 1-865-992-2136


 * 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


 * Maynardville Public Library 296 Main St. Maynardville, TN 37807 Phone: 1-865-992-7106 Fax: 1-865-992-0202 E-mail mayna2bi@comcast.net Hours: Mon. and Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues. and Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.


 * Luttrell Public Library 115 Park Rd Luttrell, TN 37779 Phone: 1-865-992-0208

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Union County Tennessee Genealogy Websites

 * (FamilySearch) - The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
 * Mailing List: TNUNION-L (Union County, Tennessee List) (RootsWeb)
 * Mailing List: ETN-L (East Tennessee List) (RootsWeb)
 * Mailing List: ETN-OZ-L (East Tennessee Migrants to Ozarks Region List) (RootsWeb)
 * Mailing List: UPPEREASTTN-L (Upper East Tennessee List) (RootsWeb)
 * Union County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Union County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Union County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)