Shelby County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Shelby County





West Tennessee county. Established 1819.

County Courthouse


Shelby County Courthouse 160 N. Main Street Memphis, TN 38103 Phone: (901) 576-4002

Shelby County Health Department Birth and death records 814 Jefferson Avenue, Room 101 - 103 Memphis, TN 38105 Phone: 901-544-7608

Shelby County Clerk Marriage records 150 Washington Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 Phone: 901-545-4244

Shelby County Register of Deeds Land records 1075 Mullins Station Road, Suite W165 Memphis, TN 38134 Phone: 901-379-7500

Shelby County Probate Court Clerk Probate records 140 Adams Avenue, Room 124 Memphis, TN 38103 Phone: 901-545-4040

Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk Court records 140 Adams Avenue,Room 324 Memphis, TN 38103 Phone: 901-545-4006

Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am - 4:15 pm

History


The county is named after Kentucky's First Governor Isaac Shelby (1750-1826).

Parent County
1819--Shelby County was established 24 November 1819 from Hardin County. Early records may be found under Hardin County. County seat: Memphis

Record Loss

 * Lost census: 1890
 * County records are virtually complete

Research Guides

 * Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: Shelby County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)
 * Cunningham, Rose-Anne. "Shelby County, Tennessee: A Partial Bibliography," available online, updated 2009. [Don't forget to check all four web pages.]
 * Nazor, Mary Louise. Genealogical Sources Available for Shelby County in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis, Tenn.: Memphis/Shelby Co. Public Library and Information Center, 198-?. FHL US/CAN Book 976.819 A3n.

African American

 * Hamilton, G.P. The Bright Side of Memphis: A Compendium of Information Concerning the Colored People of Memphis, Tennessee, Showing Their Achievements in Business, Industrial and Professional Life and Including Articles of General Interest on the Race. Memphis, Tenn.: G.P. Hamilton, 1908. Digital version at Google Books. [A who's who of African Americans in Memphis, including biographical sketches.]
 * Hughes, Louis. Thirty Years a Slave. From Bondage to Freedom. The institution of slavery as seen on the plantation and in the home of the planter. Milwaukee : South Side Printing Company, 1897. Free digital copy, courtesy: Internet Archive.
 * Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census," available online, courtesy: Free African Americans website. [Includes free African Americans in this county.]

The Runaway Slave Blog is a free online resource where runaway slaves listed in pre-1865 West Tennessee newspapers are identified. The runaway ads appeared in several Memphis newspapers.

Cemeteries
Tennessee cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation. A local volunteer through Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness offers to take photographs of headstones found in Shelby County cemeteries.

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

1820


 * Bentley, Elizabeth P. Index to the 1820 Census of Tennessee. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981.
 * Presley, Mrs. Leister E. Census, Lawrence, Perry, Shelby Counties, Tennessee, 1820. Searcy, Arkansas: Presley, 198-?.
 * Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census," available online, courtesy: Free African Americans website. [Includes free African Americans in this county.]

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, Shelby County on page 159.]

1850 Agriculture


 * Green, Linda L. Tennessee 1850 Agricultural Census. 2 vols. Woodbridge, Va.: L.L. Green, 2000. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2g v. 1 ff. [Shelby County is included in Vol. 2.]

1865


 * 1865 Census of Memphis, available online, courtesy: Shelby County Register of Deeds.

1880


 * Sistler, Samuel D. 1880 census, Shelby Co., Tennessee : head-of-household index Nashville, Tennessee: Byron Sistler and Associates, 2003 &amp;columns=*,0,0 FHL US/CAN book 976.819 X22

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. 4 1891. [Shelby County is included in Vol. 4.]
 * 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
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Memphis

Methodist Episcopal


 * Journal of the Proceedings of the South-Western Convention Began and Held at the City of Memphis, on the 12th November, 1845. Memphis, Tenn., 1845. Digital version at Google Books.

Presbyterian

The Historical Foundation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America The Historical Library and Archives 8207 Traditional Place Cordova, TN 38016 Telephone: 901-276-8602 Fax: 901-272-3913 E-mail: archives@cumberland.org Internet: www.cumberland.org/hfcpc

Roman Catholic

Diocese of Memphis The Catholic Center 5825 Shelby Oaks Drive Memphis, TN 38134-7316 Telephone: 901-373-1200 Fax: 901-373-1269 Internet: www.cdom.org

Court
The Shelby County Register of Deeds a Chancery Court Divorce Index and the Circuit Court Indexes online.

Directories
The Shelby Courty Register of Deeds has Memphis city directories on-line for many years beginning with 1859 to 1901.

Additional Memphis city directory resources include:


 * [1883] Weatherbe, C.F. Sholes Directory of the Taxing District of Memphis, Shelby County, Tenn. 1883, Volume 10.Memphis, Tenn.: Rogers &amp; Co. Book and Job Printers and Publishers, 1883. Digital version at Google Books.
 * [1890] Dow's Memphis Directory, 1890. Memphis, Tenn.: Dow's, 1890. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1891] Dow's Memphis Directory, 1891. Memphis, Tenn.: Dow's 1891. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [1909] R.L. Polk &amp; Co.'s 1909 Memphis City Directory: Containing an Alphabetically Arranged List of Business Firms and Private Citizens, Street, Avenue and Householders' Guide, Miscellaneous Directory, City and County Officers, Terms of Court, Churches, Colleges and Schools, Public Parks and Buildings, Banks, Railway and Steamship Lines, Secret, Benevolent, Trade and Social Organizations, etc., etc., etc., and a Complete Classified Business Directory. Memphis, Tenn.: R.L. Polk &amp; Co., 1909. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

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


 * Cargill, Bernice Taylor and Brenda Bethea Connelly. Settlers of Shelby County, Tennessee and Adjoining Counties. Memphis, Tenn.: Descendants of Early Settlers of Shelby County, Tennessee, 1989. FHL US/CAN Book 976.819 H2c.
 * Matthews, Paul A. Early Families of the Memphis Area: Profiles of 135 Families of Fayette, Shelby and Tipton Counties in Tennessee, Crittenden County, Arkansas and DeSoto and Marshall Counties in Mississippi: With Historical Time Lines and Photogrpahs of Those Counties. Memphis, Tennessee: Descendants of Early Settlers of Shelby and Adjoining Counties, 2008. FHL US/CAN Book 976 D2m.

Bibliography


 * [Baskerville] Baskerville, P. Hamilton (Patrick Hamilton), 1848 - 1925. Genealogy of the Baskerville Family and Some Allied Families Including the English Descent from 1266 A.D. Richmond : W.M. Ellis Jones' Sons, Inc. 1912. Digital version at Internet Archive.
 * [Bland] Gottschalk, Kathrine Cox. Bland Family of Pitt County, North Carolina and of Shelby County, Tennessee. 1940. FHL US/CAN Film 858784 Item 12.
 * [Bonner] Bonner, Kathryn R. The Bonner Family Record: This Record is Primarily of the Bonners of Surry and Sussex Counties, Virginia, Those that Went to Wilson, Madison and Shelby Counties, Tennessee, and Those that Went on to Phillips County, Arkansas: Today the Descendants are Spread into Many States. Marianna, Ark.: K.R. Bonner, 1979. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 A1 no. 3414.
 * [Irby] Turner, W. R. Notes Concerning the Irby Family. Blackstone, VA: Nottoway Pub. Co., 1930. Available at Ancestry ($); and Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Land] Bliss, Callie Crosby and Sebrina Land Heard Hildebrant Hawley Grace. Sebrina Land: December 2, 1836, Shelby County, Tennessee - May 27, 1908, Milford, Beaver, Utah. Wellsville, Utah: C.C. Bliss, 1991. FHL FAM HIST Book 921.73 A1 no. 682. [LDS]
 * [Person] Walker, George Fuller. Persons Lineage. Unknown: G. W. Walker, 1951. Available at FHL FAM HIST Large Q Book 929.273 P432w; FHL US/CAN Film 973017 Item 1; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Stephenson] Stephenson, J. C. The Stephenson Family. Nashville, TN: The author, 1906. Available at FHL US/CAN Film 823660 Item 3; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Thurman] Thurman, John P. John P. and Sallie Ecklin Thurman Papers1884-1896. Southern Historical Collection, Manuscripts Department, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Free digital copy.
 * [Wharton] Wharton, Richard. Richard Wharton papers, 1863 - 1906. Book contributor: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A diary, letters and other writings including his service in the Confederate Army, letters relating to family matters, a genealogy of the Wharton family, poems and speeches. Free digital copy.

Land

 * Search the online Shelby County Deed Register to determine if an ancestor owned land in this area. Once you locate an ancestor in the deed records, you can contact the Shelby County Courthouse to order the land records or examine the microfilm copies of these records at the Family History Library. Land records may contain details about an ancestor. Also, if an ancestor owned land, they may have willed that land to family member, so remember to check Wills and Estate Records in Shelby County as well.


 * 150 Washington Ave.


 * Memphis, TN 38103


 * Phone: (901) 545-4244


 * Fax: (901) 545-3779


 * Hours of Operation: M-F, 8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.


 * http://www.tennessee.gov/revenue/vehicle/countyclerklocations2.htm#shelby


 * The Family History Library does not have microfilmed deed records for Shelby County Tennessee. However it does have books of estrays 1875-1886, 1896-1944; Circuit Court minutes 1837-1894; Land grants 1788-1827; Entry books 1836-1849; Survey books 1821-1889; and tax records 1846-1896.

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.

Other Shelby County law and legislation resources include:


 * Dupree, L.J. A Digest of the Ordinances of the City Council of Memphis, from the Year 1826 to 1857: Together with All Acts of the Legislature of Tennessee which Relate Exclusively to the City of Memphis, with an Appendix. Memphis, Tenn.: Printed at the Office of the Memphis Bulletin Company, 1857. Digital version at Google Books.

Local Histories

 * Davis, James D. History of Memphis: The History of the City of Memphis, Being a Compilation of the Most Important Documents and Historical Events Connected with the Purchase of Its Territory, Laying Off of the City and Early Settlement: Also, the "Old Times Papers," Being a Series of Reminiscences and Local Stories Written by the Author, and Published in the Daily Appeal Over the Signature of "Old Times," Corrected, Revised and Enlarged, with Other Important Matters Pertaining to the Same, Never Heretofore Published, and, Beyond the Author, but Partially Known. Memphis, Tenn.: Hite, Crumpton &amp; Kelly, Printers, 1873. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Keating, J.M. A History of the Yellow Fever. The Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878, in Memphis, Tenn: Embracing a Complete List of the Dead, the Names of the Doctors and Nurses Employed, Names of All Who Contributed Money or Means, and the Names and History of the Howards, Together with Other Data, and Lists of the Dead Elsewhere. Memphis, Tenn.: Printed for the Howard Association, 1879. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Keating, J.M. History of the City of Memphis, Tennessee with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason &amp; Co., Publishers, 1888. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Memphis Riots and Massacres. Washington, D.C.: G.P.O., 1866. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Young, John Preston and A.R. James. Standard History of Memphis, Tennessee: From a Study of the Original Sources. Knoxville, Tenn.: H.W. Crew &amp; Co., 1912. Digital version at Google Books.
 * Williams, Joseph R. The Builders of the Pyramid; the story of Shelby County: its Resources and Developments. Memphis : De Garis Printing Company, 1897. Free digital copy.

Maps

 * [1870] Ruger, A. Bird's Eye View of the City of Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. Originally published 1870. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1887] Henry Wellge &amp; Co. Perspective Map of the City of Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. Originally published 1887. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1894] Cram's Universal Atlas of the World. A City Map of Memphis, Tennessee. Originally published 1894. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1939] Viking Press for WPA. A Map of Memphis. Originally published 1939. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.

Military
Revolutionary War

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


 * 1) 1835 Pension Roll
 * 2) 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions

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, Shelby County on page 159.]

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.
 * Morton, John Watson. The Artillery of Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry, "the Wizard of the Saddle". Nashville, Tennessee: Publishing House of the M.E.Church, 1909. Free digital copy.
 * Mathes, J. Harvey. The Old Guard in Gray- Sketches of Memphis Veterans Who Upheld Her Standard in the War, and of Other Confederate Worthies. (illustrated) Memphis, Tennessee Press of S.C. Toof and Co., 1897. Free digital copy.
 * Thurman, John P. John P. and Sallie Ecklin Thurman Papers1884-1896. Southern Historical Collection, Manuscripts Department, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Tennessee 3rd and 4th Calvary. Free digital copy.

Naturalization
The Shelby County Register of Deeds has naturalization records on-line for the years 1856-1906.

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 Shelby County click on the following cities or towns:


 * Bartlett
 * Collierville
 * Cordova
 * Farragut
 * Frayser
 * Germantown
 * Memphis
 * Millington
 * Raleigh
 * Whitehaven

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 Shelby 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

Approximately 50 genealogical articles with abstracts of Shelby 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.

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


 * [1830-1861] 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 wills.]

Taxation
The original Memphis and Shelby County Tax Records 1846-1896 are kept at TSLA. That facility microfilmed these records in the 1990s. FHL copies: VAULT US/CAN Films 2411277 ff.

The original Memphis Comptroller Reports 1874-1876 were microfilmed by TSLA. FHL copy: FHL US/CAN Film 375237 Item 8.

The following Shelby County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1824] Shelby County, Tennessee 1824 Delinquent Tax, Ansearchin' News, Vol. 47 (2000). For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1836-1837] Nazor, Mary Louise and Elizabeth Riggins Nichols. "1836 Map of Shelby County, Tennessee" and "Shelby County, Tennessee Tax Lists, 1837-1838," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 33, No. 4 (Winter 1986):152-158; Vol. 34, No. 1 (Spring 1987):9-14; Vol. 34, No. 2 (Summer 1987):79-82; Vol. 34, No. 3 (Fall 1987):129-132. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1836] Tax List, 1836, Tennessee Genealogy and History, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2002).
 * [1837] Douthat, James L. 1837 Shelby County, Tennessee Tax List. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2002. FHL US/CAN Book 976.819 R4d.
 * Nazor, Mary Louise Graham. Memphis Tax Lists. Memphis, Tenn.: M.L.G. Nazor, 1991.

Tax Districts


 * Heiskell, Carrick White. Digest of the Acts Repealing the Charters of Certain Municipal Corporations; the Proclamation of the Governor thereon; the Acts Establishing Taxing Districts, and the Ordinances of the Taxing District of Shelby County, Tennessee. Memphis, Tennesssee: Price, Jones and Co., 1879. Free digital copy, courtesy: Internet Archive.

Vital Records
The Shelby County Register of Deeds has the following indexes online:


 * Birth Records 1874-1906
 * Death Records 1848-1957
 * Marriage Records 1820-1920

Marriage

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


 * [1819-1865] 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 dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]

Freedman's Bureau Marriage Certificates (1861-1869)  is an index to the marriage records kept by the Memphis Field Office of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands. It includes grooms surname, grooms given name, groom's age,, brides surname, bride's given name and other information.

Death

For deaths of Methodists in Shelby 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.]

Family History Centers
Memphis Tennessee 8150 Walnut Grove Rd Cordova, Shelby, Tennessee, United States Telephone: 901-754-2545

Memphis Tennessee 1st 2450 St Elmo Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States

Memphis Tennessee North 4195 Whitten Rd Bartlett, Shelby, Tennessee, United States Telephone: 901-388-9974

These are not mailing addresses. Due to limited staff, Family History Centers are unable to respond to mail inquiries.

Web Sites

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