Knox County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Knox County





East Tennessee county established in 1792.

County Courthouse
Knox County Courthouse 300 Main Street Knoxville, Tennessee 37902 Phone: 865-215-2390

Knox County Clerk Marriage and probate records P.O. Box 1566 300 Main Street Knoxville, TN 37902 Phone: 865-215-2385

Knox County Register of Deeds Land records City-County Building, Suite 225 Knoxville, TN 37902 Phone: 865-215-2330

Knox County Clerk and Master Court records City-County Building, Suite 124 400 Main Street Knoxville, TN 37902 Phone: 865-215-2555

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

History


The county is named for General Henry Knox (1750-1806), Revolutionary War hero, and the nation's first Secretary of War.

Parent County
1792--Knox County was created 11 June 1792 from Greene and Hawkins Counties. County seat: Knoxville

Record Loss

 * 1800 Census, 1810 Census, 1820 Census

Research Guides

 * Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: Knox County, courtesy: Tennessee State Library and Archives. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)
 * Lawson McGhee Library. Calvin Morgan McClung Historical Collection of Books, Pamphlets, Manuscripts, Pictures and Maps Relating to Warly Western Rravel and the History and Genealogy of Tennessee and other Southern States. Knoxville, Tennessee: Knoxville Lithographing Co., 1921. Free digital copy.

Census
1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population censuses of Anderson 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, these indexes are often more accurate than those available online.

1800 - Lost

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 - Lost

1830
 * Sistler, Byron H. 1830 Census, East Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: n.p., 1969. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2p 1830.

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. 1 1891. [Knox County is included in Vol. 1.]
 * 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
Presbyterian


 * The Centennial Anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church of Knoxville, Tennessee, and the Semi-Centennial Anniversary of the Ministry of Rev. James Park, D.D., Knoxville, Tenn., October 11, 1896. Knoxville, Tenn.: Bean, Warters &amp; Gaut, Printers and Binders, 1897. Digital version at Google Books.

Roman Catholic

Diocese of Knoxville 805 Northshore Drive Southwest Knoxville, TN 37919 Telephone: 865-584-3307 Fax: 865-584-7538 Internet: http://www.dioceseofknoxville.org/

Directories

 * Knoxville City Directory, 1926: Containing an Alphabetical List of Business Firms, Corporations Followed by Their Officers, Copartnerships Giving Names of Partners, and Private Citizens with Their Occupation, Business Connections and Home Address, a Directory of All Churches, Public and Private Schools, Benevolent, Literary, Religious and Other Societies, Banks and Trust Companies, Officers of the County and City Governments, a Street and Avenue Guide, Numerical Telephone Directory, a Buyers' Guide and a Complete Classified Business Directory. Knoxville, Tenn.: City Directory Co. of Knoxville, c1926. 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

Bibliography


 * [Bell] Bell, Eldon Raymond. Bells History: of Shenandoah Valley, VA and Knox County, TN. Springdale, Arkansas: E.R. Bell, 1994. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B413ber.
 * [Blount] Wright, Marcus Joseph. Some Account of the Life and Services of William Blount.... Washington,D.C.: E.J.Gray, 1884. Free digital copy.
 * [Brownlow] Portrait and Biography of Parson Brownlow, the Tennessee Patriot: Together with His Last Editorial in the Knoxville Whig; Also, His Recent Speeches, Rehearsing His Experience with Secession, and His Prison Life. Indianapolis: Asher &amp; Co., Publishers, 1862. Digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive.
 * [Claiborne] Burns, Annie Walker. Historical Records of the Claiborne Family: Variously Spelled Clayborne, Cliborne, Cleborn &amp; etc. Washington, D.C.: A.W. Burns, 1943. Available at FHL US/CAN Film 1703890; digital versions available at Ancestry ($); and Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Eppes] Johnson, Mary Lou Shoemaker. Family of Edward Eppes of Knox County, Tennessee. Fountain City, TN?: Unknown, 1951. Available at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Gist] Dorsey, Jean Muir. Christopher Gist of Maryland and Some of His Descendants, 1679-1957, Chicago, IL: J.S. Swift Co., 1958. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 G447; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Goodpasture] Goodpasture, Albert Virgil; Goodpasture, William Henry. Life of Jefferson Dillard Goodpasture.Cumberland Presbyterian Publishing House, 1897.
 * [Reagan] Reagan, Donald B. Smoky Mountain Clans. 3 vols. Knoxville, Tenn.: D.B. Reagan, 1978-1983. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273R22b 1978. [The Reagan family is discussed in Vol. 1.]
 * [Sevier]Turner, Francis Marion. Life of General John Sevier New York: The Neale Publishing Co., 1910. Free digital copy.
 * [White] Scott, Nancy N. A Memoir of Hugh Lawson White, Judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, Member of the Senate of the United States...Philadalphia: J.B.Lippincott, 1856. Free digital copy.
 * [Young] Stein, Carl F. Some Descendents of James Pickens Young 1815: of Polk, Rhea, Hamilton, Blount, &amp; Knox Counties, Tenn., Cherokee, &amp; Gaston Counties, North Carolina. Family Group Sheets. FHL US/CAN Film 2055385 Item 2.

Land
The original Knox County Deed Books are held at the Knox County Courthouse. In 1966, the Tennessee State Library and Archives microfilmed these records for the years 1791 to 1966, resulting in 1564 microfilms. Copies of this large collection of microfilms are also available at the Family History Library.

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.] The Tennessee State Library and Archives 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 The Tennessee State Library and Archives; another version is available at World Vital Records.

Local Histories

 * Rule, William, George Frederick Mellen and John Wooldridge. Standard History of Knoxville, Tennessee: With Full Outline of the Natural Advantages, Early Settlement, Territorial Government, Indian Troubles, and General and Particular History of the City Down to the Present Time. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1900. Digital versions at Ancestry ($) and Google Books.
 * Turner, Francis Marion. Life of General John Sevier New York: The Neale Publishing Co., 1910. Free digital copy.
 * Wright, Marcus Joseph. Some Account of the Life and Services of William Blount.... Washington,D.C.: E.J.Gray, 1884. Free digital copy.

Military
Civil War


 * 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. Free digital copy. Union.


 * Worsham, William J. Old Nineteenth Tennessee regiment, C.S.A. June, 1861-April, l865. Knoxville, Tennessee: Press of Paragon Printing Co., 1902. Free digital copy.

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


 * 1) 1791-1792 Knoxville Gazette
 * 2) 1793 Knoxville Gazette
 * 3) 1794 Knoxville Gazette

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. FHL US/CAN 976.8 U2m. Digital version at World Vital Records ($). Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes Knox 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 records of Knox County, Tennessee 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.

East Tennessee Roots

Several genealogical articles with abstracts of Knox County, Tennessee records have been published in East Tennessee Roots (10 vols.). A subject index to these articles is available online. Surname indexes to Volumes 9 and 10 are also available online. The Family History Library has collected most issues of East Tennessee Roots FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 D25e.

The Pellissippian

Several genealogical articles with abstracts of Knox County, Tennessee records were published in the The Pellissippian (25 vols., 1980-2004), the quarterly of the Pellissippi Genealogical and Historical Society. The society has posted tables of contents for all 25 volumes on their website. They also have back issues available for purchase. The Family History Library has acquired the first 20 volumes FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 D25p.

Prisons
Learn if your Knox County ancestors went to prison!


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

Probate
The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Knox 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) Wills, Guardianships, Accounts, Settlements Book 0: 1792-1821
 * 2) Wills, Guardianships, Accounts, Settlements Book 1: 1792-1811
 * 3) Wills, Guardianships, Accounts, Settlements Book 2: 1812-1817
 * 4) Wills, Guardianships, Accounts, Settlements Book 3: 1818-1824

Taxation
The original Knox County Highway Tax Book, dated 1888, is kept at the County Courthouse. In 1978, the Genealogical Society of Utah microfilmed this book: FHL US/CAN Film 1020331 Item 4.

The following Knox County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1796] West, Betsy F. "Delinquent Tax List, Knox County, Tennessee - 1796," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Fall 1977):138. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1796, 1799, 1815] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Early Tennessee Tax Lists. Evanston, Ill.: B. &amp; B. Sistler, 1977. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4s. [Includes 1796, 1799, 1815 [Knoxville only] tax lists.]
 * [1796, 1806, 1815] Curtis, Mary Barnett. Early East Tennessee Tax Lists. Fort Worth, Texas: Arrow Printing Company, 1964. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4c. [Includes 1796 list of persons not paying tax, 1815 petitions, and 1806 tax list.]
 * [1804] Curtis, Mary Bennett. Knox County, Tennessee 1804 Tax List. n.p.: Arrow/Curtis Gen(e)alogical Publishing Co., 1977. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885 R4k.
 * [1806] Knox County, Tenn. 1806 Tax List. 197-?. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885 R4ka.
 * [1806] Creekmore, Pollyanna. Early East Tennessee Taxpayers. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1980. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4cp and Silas Emmett Lucas's Revised Index FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4cp index. [Includes 1806 tax list.]
 * [1806] Knox County 1806 Tax List, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 3, No. 3; Vol. 3, No. 4; Vol. 4, No. 3. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1814] "Direct Federal Tax-Delinquent Property Owners Listed for 1814," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 43, No. 3(Fall 1996):115-120. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals. [Includes Knox County.]
 * [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 Knox County.]
 * [1836] Douthat, James L. Knox County, Tennessee, 1836 Civil Districts and Tax Lists. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1993. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885 P22d.
 * [1844-1845] Historical Records Project. Property Tax List, 1844-1845, Knox County, Tennessee. Typescript, Tennessee State Library, Nashville, Tenn. FHL US/CAN Film 24736 Item 3.

Vital Records
Marriage

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


 * 1) Marriages 1793-1819

Death

For deaths of Methodists in Knox 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
East Tennessee Historical Center 601 South Gay Street Knoxville, Tennessee 37901-1629 Tel: 865-215-8801 Website: http://www.easttnhistory.org/ Email: eths@east-tennessee-history.org Hours: (Eastern Time): Monday &amp; Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday, &amp; Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The East Tennessee History Center houses the Knox County Archives, the Museum of East Tennessee History, and the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection.

The McClung Historical Collection’s primary focus is east Tennessee; it holds one of the country’s leading research collections about the region. The collection contains books, newspapers, directories, manuscripts, maps, microfilm records, and photographs. In addition to the east Tennessee material, the collection also contains research guides and census indexes for many states in the United States, especially 11 states in the South. McClung Collection is your gateway to exploring the families and history of the East Tennessee region. The Knox County Public Library offers the free online Calvin M. McClung Digital Collection.

Knox County Public Library Lawson McGhee Library 500 W. Church Avenue Knoxville, TN 37902 Telephone: 865-215-8750 Internet: http://knoxlib.org Hours: Monday &amp; Tuesday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday 10:00 am.m - 5:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The Knox County Public Library offers lmaterials on ocal history, county indexes, and the free online Calvin M. McClung Digital Collection.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville Hoskins Library, Special Collections 1015 Volunteer Boulevard Knoxville, TN 37996-1000 Telephone: 865-974-4351 Internet: www.lib.utk.edu

The library’s catalog is online and the Tennessee Newspaper Project is available through the catalog.

Societies
East Tenneessee Historical Society 601 S. Gay Street PO Box 1629 Knoxville, TN 37901-1629 Telephone 865-215-8824

Family History Centers
Grove Park Tennessee 6024 Grove Dr NE Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, United States Telephone: 865-688-7411

Knox County Public Library 500 West Church Ave Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, United States Telephone: 865-215-8808

Knoxville Tennessee 400 Kendall Rd NW Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, United States Telephone: 865-693-8252

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)
 * Knox County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Knox County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Knox County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNKNOX-L (Knox 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: SE-TN-L (Southeast Tennessee List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: UPPEREASTTN-L (Upper East Tennessee List)