Sequatchie County, Tennessee Genealogy

Sequatchie County, Tennessee ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Guide to Sequatchie County (established 1857) 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
Sequatchie County's civil records start the following years:

County Courthouse
Sequatchie County Courthouse 308 Cherry Street Dunlap, TN 37327 Phone: 423.949.2522 County Clerk has birth, marriage, death and probate records from 1858. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records. Register of Deeds has land records.



Sequatchie County Courthouse 307 Cherry St. Dunlap, TN 37327 Phone: 1-423-949-3670

Sequatchie County Clerk Birth, death,marriage and probate records 22 Cherry St. P.O. Box 248 Dunlap, TN 37327 Phone: 1-423-949-2522

Sequatchie County Register of Deeds 22 Cherry St. P.O. Box 174 Dunlap, TN 37327 Phone: 1-423-949-2512

Sequatchie County Clerk Master Court records 22 Cherry St. P.O. Box 1651 Dunlap, TN 37327 Phone: 1-423-949-3670

Hours: Mon.-Wed. and Fri. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Thursdays

History
Middle Tennessee county in the Sequatchie Valley.

The county is named after a "Cherokee word believed to mean, opossum, he grins or runs."

Parent County
1857--Sequatchie County was created 9 December 1857 from Hamilton County. Early records may be found under Hamilton County. County seat: Dunlap

County Pronunciation

 * 1) Hear it spoken (female)
 * 2) Hear it spoken (female)

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
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Getting Started
Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Sequatchie County biographies, census, court, family Bibles, family histories, marriage, military, and probate 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: Sequatchie 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
1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Sequatchie 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 Sequatchie County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files and scanned images of census microfilm. The USGenWeb Census Project®.

1810 - 1891
 * Tennessee, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1891 at Ancestry.com — index $

1860


 * Douthat, James L. 1860 Sequatchie County, Tennessee Census. Signal Mountain, Tennessee : James L. Douthat, 1983.


 * Goins, Sarah A. and Norma Jean Hobbs. 1860 Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee. S.l.: Goins and Hobbs Genealogy Service, 198-?.

1870


 * Goins, Sarah A. and Norma Jean Hobbs. United States Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee 1870. S.l.: Goins and Hobbs Genealogy Service, 198-?.

1880


 * Hobbs Norma Jean and Sarah A. Goins. United States Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee 1880. Dunlap, Tennessee : N. Hobbs &amp; S. Goins, 1986.
 * Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census Sequatchie County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: B. Sistler and Associates, 1994.

1891 Male Voters


 * 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry.com — index $

1910


 * Goins, Sarah A. and Norma Jean Hobbs. Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1910 Census. S.l.: Goins and Hobbs Genealogy Service, 1986.

1920


 * Goins, Sarah A. and Norma Jean Hobbs. 1920 Census, Sequatchie County, Tennessee. Dunlap, Tennessee : Goins and Hobbs Genealogy Service, 198-?.

Family Histories
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 Sequatchie, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 5,000 entries.


 * Compendium of Local Biography Sequatchie County, Tn. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1997?..
 * Douthat, James L. Sequatchie Families: Biographical Sketches of the Earlier Settlers of the Sequeatchie Valley of Tennessee. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: J.L. Douthat, 1983..

Bibliography


 * Boyd - Boyd, R. Vernon. The Boyds of Sequatchie Valley - Genealogy Data. 1992. ; digital version at.
 * Boyd - Boyd, R. Vernon. The Boyds of Sequatchie Valley, Tn. 1992. ; digital version at Ex Libris
 * Brock - Brock, E. Ralph. Brock: A Family History. Wyandotte, Oklahoma: E. Brock, 1989..
 * Lamb - Mohon, James L. Lamb and Allied Families of the Sequatchie Valley. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 1996..
 * Mansfield - Stites, J.S. Mansfield and Stites Genealogical Record: Ancestors, Relatives, Descendants. Santa Rosa, California: J.S. Stites, 1989..
 * Peters - Holloman, Eddie Inez Peters and Mary Lillian Peters Whitten. Peters, Vaughan, Russell and Related Families. Amory, Mississippi: Amory Advertiser, 1980..
 * Stewart - Blakemore, Mary Stewart. A Narrative Genealogy of the Stewarts of Sequatchie Valley, Tennessee: and Allied Families. Richmond, Va.: Dietz Press, 1960. ; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * Swafford - Swofford, Ray C. Swaffords of Sequatchie Valley, Tennessee. Houston, Tex.: Swofford, 1971..
 * Swafford - Swofford, Ray C. Swaffords of Sequatchie Valley, Tennessee. Houston, Tex.: R.C. Swofford, 1978..
 * Swafford - Swofford, Ray C. Swaffords of Sequatchie Valley, Tennessee. 2 vols. Houston, Tex.: R.C. Swofford, 1990. ff.

Local Histories

 * Raulston, J. Leonard and James Weston Livingood. Sequatchie: A Story of the Southern Cumberlands. Knoxville, Tenn.: University of Tennessee Press, 1974..

Maps

 * Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)

Revolutionary War

 * Douthat, James L. Sequatchie Valley Revolutionary War Soldiers. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1999..

War of 1812


 * Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Apr. 1961):49-52. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. Includes Sequatchie County pensioners (p. 52).

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 Sequatchie 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 Sequatchie County.

Confederate Soldiers


 * 35th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (5th Infantry) (1st Mountain Rifle Regiment) - CSA - 2nd Company H.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Sequatchie County:


 * Blevins, Jerry. Sequatchie Valley Soldiers in the Civil War: Bledsoe, Grundy, Marion and Sequatchie Counties in Tennessee and Jackson County in Alabama. Huntsville, Ala.: J. Blevins, 1990..
 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Sequatchie 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. Sequatchie County, page 374.

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 Sequatchie County click on the following city:


 * Dunlap

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 Sequatchie County.
 * Tennessee Bureau of Agriculture, Statistics and Mines. Coal Mines and Mining--Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: A.B. Travel, 1883. Free digital copy.

Probate Records
The Sequatchie County Court and County Clerk have responsibility for probate records.

Online Records
 * 1779 – 2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Wills, 1858-1968
 * Inventories, Wills, 1858-1895
 * Inventories, Wills, 1858-1895

Taxation
The original Sequatchie County Tax Books (1861-1891) are held at the County Courthouse. GSU microfilmed these records in 1969:.

The following Sequatchie County tax records have been abstracted:


 * 1861 - Goins, Sara and Paula Carle Bosch. "1861 Sequatchie County, Tennessee Tax List," courtesy TNGenWeb
 * Districts 1-4
 * Districts 5-8

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

Birth

 * 1828-1939 - at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1869-1909 - Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry.com — index and images $


 * 1880-1885 - Sequatchie County Birth Index 1880-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.org - free.


 * 1908-1912 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriage

 * 1780-2002 - Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * 1780-2002 - at FamilySearch.org— index


 * 1790-1950 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * 1796-1950 - at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1838-1888 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1851-1900 - Tennessee Marriages 1851-1900 at Ancestry.com— index and images $

The original Sequatchie County marriage records are kept at the County Courthouse. The following Sequatchie County marriage records are microfilmed:


 * 1859-1922 - Available at the TSLA. The first film of this series is available for interlibrary loan.


 * 1858-1967 - Available at the Family History Library. Some volumes are indexed.

The following Sequatchie County marriage records have been indexed:


 * 1858-1895 - Sequatchie County Marriage Index 1858-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.org - free.


 * 1858-1881 - Douthat, James L. Sequatchie County, Tennessee Marriages, 1854-1881 (i.e., 1858-1881). Signal Mountain, Tennessee: J.L. Douthat, 1982.


 * 1858-1922 - Goins, Sara A. Marriages of Sequatchie County, Tennessee, 1858-1922. Dunlap, Tennessee: Goins and Hobbs Genealogy Service, 1986.


 * 1858-1874 - Marriage Records, 1858-1874, Sequatchie County, Tennessee. Nashville: TSLA, Historical Records Project, 1940. Typescript. Item 5


 * 1858-1881 - Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early Middle Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1988. ff. Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.


 * 1858-1922 - Marriage Records.

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


 * 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 Sequatchie County (or what later became Sequatchie 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 1830s, 1840s, 1910s and 1920s.


 * 1874-1955 - at FamilySearch.org — index


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


 * 1914-1955 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images

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

Sequatchie County Public Library 227 Cherry St. Dunlap, TN 37327 Phone: 1-423-949-2357 Fax: 1-423-949-6619 Hours: Mon. 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues. and Wed. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sat. 8 a.m.-noon The genealogy room will generally be available for research on Wednesdays, but call the library before going to be sure it is open.

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

Web Sites

 * (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: SE-TN-L (Southeast Tennessee List) (RootsWeb)
 * Sequatchie County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Sequatchie County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Sequatchie County, Tennessee Genealogy and History (American Local History Network) Resources to help you place your ancestors within the context of their local history.
 * Sequatchie County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * Sequatchie County TN Genealogy  (LDS Genealogy)