Meigs County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Meigs County East Tennessee county. Established 1836.





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

County Courthouse
Meigs County Courthouse Main Street Decatur, TN 37322 Phone: 1-423-334-5747

Meigs County Clerk Marriage and probate records 17214 State Highway 58 N. Decatur, TN 37322 Phone: 1-423-334-5747

Meigs County Register of Deeds Land Records P.O. Box 246 Decatur, TN 37322 Phone: 1-423-334-5228

Meigs County Circuit Court Clerk Court records 17214 State Hwy. 58, 2nd Floor P.O. Box 205 Decatur, TN 37322 Phone: 1-423-334-5821

Hours: Mon.-Tues. and Thurs.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sat. 8:30 a.m.-Noon Closed Wednesdays

History
The county is named after Revolutionary War hero and Indian Agent [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_J._Meigs,_Sr. Return Jonathan Meigs] (1740-1823).

Parent County
1836--Meigs County was established 20 January 1836 from Cherokee Indian Lands. County seat: Decatur

County Pronunciation

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

Boundary Changes
"Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed for free at the My Tennessee Genealogy website. They rely on AniMap 3.0 software.

Record Loss
1904, 1964--Fires damaged records


 * Lost census: 1890
 * Lack of marriage records: 1836 and 1837
 * Lost deeds: 1836 to 1878

Although these are not burned records, applying strategies used for burned counties may aid in compensating for their loss. 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

Getting Started
Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Meigs County biography, cemetery, census, court, guardianship, land, marriage, and tax 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: Meigs 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.


 * 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 Meigs County linking to the information about the people buried there,


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


 * Meigs 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 Meigs county. Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Meigs County cemeteries gives the names of the cemeteries in the county with a link to more information such as address, phone number, and web site.

Meigs County Historical Society Meigs County, Tennessee, cemetery records Decatur, Tennessee : Meigs County Historical Society, c1996 FHL US/CAN book 976.8836 V3 Free lookups available!

Census
1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population censuses of Meigs 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 Meigs, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. [The USGenWeb Census Project®].

1840


 * Broyles, Bettye J. A Compendium of Rhea and Meigs Counties, Tennessee, 1808 through 1850. 1980. FHL US/CAN Book 976.883 V2b.

1840 Revolutionary War 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, Eastern District, Meigs County on page 154.]

1850


 * Broyles, Bettye J. A Compendium of Rhea and Meigs Counties, Tennessee, 1808 through 1850. 1980. FHL US/CAN Book 976.883 V2b.
 * Broyles, Bettye J. Meigs County, Tennessee Census and Marriage Records, 1850 through 1900. 1983. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8836 X2b. [Includes 1850 census.]
 * Maddux, Agnes. Tennessee Population Schedule of the United States Census of 1850, Meigs County. n.p.: n.p., n.d. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8836 X2p 1850.

1860


 * Broyles, Bettye J. Meigs County, Tennessee Census and Marriage Records, 1850 through 1900. 1983. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8836 X2b. [Includes 1860 census.]

1870


 * Broyles, Bettye J. Meigs County, Tennessee Census and Marriage Records, 1850 through 1900. 1983. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8836 X2b. [Includes 1870 census.]

1880


 * Broyles, Bettye J. Meigs County, Tennessee Census and Marriage Records, 1850 through 1900. 1983. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8836 X2b. [Includes 1880 census.]
 * Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census, Meigs County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, 1991. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8836 X2s 1880.

1900


 * Broyles, Bettye J. Meigs County, Tennessee Census and Marriage Records, 1850 through 1900. 1983. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8836 X2b. [Includes 1900 census.]

Court

 * Rhea county Historical and Genealogical Society (Spring City, Tennessee) and Bettye J. Broyles Meigs County, Tennessee County Court minute book 1, 1836-1841, town of Decatur commission minutes, 1836-1840, Trustees book of claims, 1836- 1845, Strays taken up by ranger, 1836-1845 [Decatur, Tennessee]: Rhea County Historical and Genealogical Society, 1992. FHL US/CAN book 976.8836 P28 Free lookups available!

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

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 Meigs, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 10,000 entries.

Bibliography


 * [Blackwell] Saylor, Ronald. The Blackwell Researcher's Newsletter. Grass Valley, Calif.: J. Saylor, 1998-. FHL 929.27305 B568b.
 * [Carter] Ross, Ernest Lafayette and William C. Carter. John Andrew Hickman, John Carter, Lewis Carter: Some Ancestors and Descendents. Cleveland, Tenn.: E.L. Ross &amp; W.C. Carter, 1979. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C245r.
 * [Lillard] Lillard, Jasper Worth. The Lillard Collection. MSS. FHL US/CAN Film 570830-570832.
 * [Qualls] Curtis, John T. and Grace Curtis. Qualls Cousins: Families and Descendants of Nathan Qualls Sr. of Meigs County, Tn. Tularosa, N.M.: J. Curtis, 1992. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Q25c.
 * [Rhinehart] Ferris, Dixie Rhinehart Calder. Caswell Rhinehart Family Journal, 1844 to 1997. Cary, N.C.: D.R.C. Ferris, 1997. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 R345f.
 * [Rothwell] Fischer, Myra Smith. A Rothwell Book: Comprising the Descendants of Claiborne Rothwell of Albemarle County, Virginia, through Nine Generations and Interesting Sketches About Some of His Descendants. Memphis, Tennessee: M.S. Fischer, 1964. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 R746f; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Tillery] Taylor, Patty Hughes. Discovering Our Tillery Family -- Yesterday and Today: Descendants of Samuel Thomas Tillery. Atkins, Ark.: P.H. Taylor, 2001. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 T463tp.

Land
The original Meigs County Deed Books do not survive before 1879. TSLA microfilmed Deed Books A to 3 (1879-1964). FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Film 455527-455541. The following records serve as substitutes and may help to alleviate some of the record loss:


 * Land Abstract Books, 1835-1872. Original records, TSLA. TSLA microfilmed these records. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 455515-455516.
 * Probate of Deeds 1836-1847. Original records, County Courthouse. TSLA microfilmed these records in the 1960s. FHL copy: FHL US/CAN Film 464126 Item 1.

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.

Local Histories

 * Meigs County Heritage Book Committe The history of Meigs County, Tennessee and its people, 1836-1997 Walsworth Pub., 1997. Free lookups available!

Migration

 * Vincent, Don. 800 Missouri Families. 5 vols. Seattle, Wash.: n.p., 1988-1990. FHL US/CAN Book 977.8 D2v ff. [Discusses Missouri families with Meigs County origins.]

Military
Revolutionary War


 * 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, Eastern District, Meigs County on page 154.]

War of 1812


 * Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jan. 1961):20-23. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. [Includes Meigs County pensioners (p. 23).]

Civil War


 * Allen, V.C. Rhea and Meigs counties (Tennessee) in the Confederate War Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah. FHL US/CAN Fiche 6088678 Free lookups available!

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 Meigs County click on the following town:


 * Decatur


 * Meigs County, Tennessee Obituaries, from mid-2004 to Present Free lookups available!

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 Meigs 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 records of Meigs 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
 * A genealogical article with abstracts of Meigs County, Tennessee records has been published in East Tennessee Roots (10 vols.). A subject index to this publication's 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.

Prisons
Learn if your Meigs County ancestors went to prison!


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

Private Papers

 * [Wallis] Billings, W.P. Joseph William "Barlow" Wallis Family Bible [Records, ca. 1854-1925]. MSS. FHL US/CAN Film 1697583 Item 50.

Probate
The original Meigs County Will Books are kept at the County Courthouse. In 1964, TSLA microfilmed Wills, Inventories, and Settlements for the years 1836-1964. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 455524-455526.

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


 * [1836-1861] 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.] Free Lookups Available!

Taxation
The original Meigs County Tax Books (1839-1863, 1872-1883, 1940-1964) are held at the County Courthouse. TSLA microfilmed these records in 1964. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Film 455551-455556.

Vital Records

 * Meigs County Vital Statistics (1914-1930). Free Lookups Available!

Marriage
Marriages were not officially recorded in Meigs County until 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.

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


 * [1838-1850] Broyles, Bettye J. A Compendium of Rhea and Meigs counties, Tennessee, 1808 through 1850 [S.I. : s.n.], 1980. Includes records of marriages, census, and other miscellaneous informaiton. FHL US/CAN book 976.883 V2b. Free Lookups Available!
 * [1838-1870] Lucas, Silas Emmett and Ella Lee Sheffield. 35,000 Tennessee Marriage Records and Bonds 1783-1870. 3 vols. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1981. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 V2t v. 1 ff. [Abstracts include names of brides, grooms, bondsmen, marriage bond dates, and officiators for weddings in this county for the roughly specified years. Marriage data taken from an index card file at TSLA. Authors do not specify whether or not the card index completely indexes this county's marriages.]
 * [1838-1865] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early East Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, Inc., 1987. FHL US/CAN 976.8 V2s v. 1. [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.] Free Lookups Available!
 * [1850-1900] Broyles, Bettye J. Meigs County, Tennessee Census and Marriage Records, 1850 through 1900. [S.I. : s.n.], 1983. FHL US/CAN book 976.8836 X2. Free Lookups Available!
 * [1851-1865] Meigs County Marriages (1851-1865) Free Lookups Available!

Divorce
In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of Meigs 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
For deaths of Methodists in Meigs 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.]

Societies and Libraries
Meigs County Historical Museum and Society 200 Smith Ave. Decatur, TN 37322 Phone: 1-423-334-4424

East Tennessee Historical Society 601 S. Gay St. P.O. Box 1629 Knoxville, Tennessee 37901-1629 Phone: 865-215-8824 E-mail: eths@east-tennessee-history.org

Meigs-Decatur Public Library 120 Memorial Drive Decatur, TN 37322 Phone: 1-423-334-3332 blogspot Hours: Mon. and Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues. and Thurs. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Web Sites

 * Family History Library Catalog (FamilySearch)
 * Meigs County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Meigs County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Meigs County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * Meigs County, Tennessee History (American Local History Network) Resources to help you place your ancestors with in the context of their local history.
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNMEIGS-L (Meigs 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)