Henry County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States Tennessee  Henry County

Henry County, Tennessee genealogy and family history research page. Guide to Henry County (established 1821) 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
Henry County's civil records start the following years:

County Courthouse
Henry County Courthouse 100 W Washington Street Paris, TN 38242-0024 Phone: 731.642.2412 Register of Deeds has land records County Clerk has birth, marrige, death and probate records. Clerk Circuit Court has court records.



Henry County Courthouse P.O. Box 7 101 West Washington St. Paris, TN 38242 Phone: 1-731-642-2412

Henry County Clerk Birth, Marriage, Death and probate records 101 W. Washington St. P.O. Box 24 Paris, TN 38242 Phone: 1-731-642-2412

Henry County Register of Deeds Land records 213 W. Washington St., 2nd floor P.O. Box 44 Paris, TN 38242 Phone: 1-731-642-4081

Henry County Circuit Court Clerk P.O. Box 429 Paris, TN 38242 Phone: 1-731-642-0461

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

History


West Tennessee county on the Tennessee River. Established 1821.

The county is named after Virginia Governor Patrick Henry (1736-1799).

Parent County
1821--Henry County was created 7 November 1821 from Chickasaw Indian Lands. County seat: Paris

County Pronunciation

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

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

 * Lost census: 1890
 * Lack of marriage records: 1821 to 1837

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 Henry County biography, cemetery, 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: Henry 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 following websites may contain Henry County cemetery records:


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


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


 * Henry County, Tennessee, part of USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project lists many cemeteries in the county and has transcripts of the tombstones arranged by cemetery.


 * Henry County cemetery information with transcriptions on TNGenweb Project


 * The Family History Library Catalog lists some . Some of the books or other books may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * Some cemetery transcriptions for Henry County are on Interment.net


 * ePodunk list of Henry County cemeteries


 * Reed, Sue. "Compendium of Henry County Cemeteries," available online, courtesy: Danville Crossing.

Census
1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population censuses of Henry 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 Henry County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. [The USGenWeb Census Project®]

1820


 * McNutt, Gwyn Bellamy 1820, pre-Henry county area (Stewart county, Tennessee, census) Paris, Tennessee : G.B. McNutt, c1989

1830


 * McNutt, Gwyn Bellamy 1830 census, Henry county, Tennessee (Stewart county, Tennessee, census) Paris, Tennessee : G.B. McNutt, c1989

1840


 * McNutt, Gwyn Bellamy 1840 census, Henry county, Tennessee (Stewart county, Tennessee, census) Paris, Tennessee : G.B. McNutt, c1989

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. . 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google books et. al. [See Tennessee, Western District, Henry County on page 159.]

1850


 * Gossum, Mary Louise and Simmons, Don Henry County, Tennessee, census of 1850 Melber, Kentucky : Simmons Historical Pub., 1994
 * Cooper, Gloria and Family History Center (Paris, Tennessee) Everyname index to the 1850 census of Henry County, Tennessee Paris, Tennessee : The Center, 2001?

1860


 * Brink, Elizabeth and Family History Center (Paris, Tennessee) 1860 everyname census index, Henry County, Tennessee Paris, Tennessee : The Center, 2001?

1870


 * Brink, Elizabeth and Family History Center (Paris, Tennessee) 1870 everyname census index, Henry County, Tennessee Paris, Tennessee : The Center, 2001?

1880


 * Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara 1880 census Henry County, Tennessee Nashville, Tennesse : B. Sistler and Associates, 2001
 * McNutt, Gwyn Bellamy 1840, pre-Henry county area (Stewart county, Tennessee, census) Paris, Tennessee : G.B. McNutt, c1989
 * Brink, Elizabeth and Family History Center (Paris, Tennessee) 1880 everyname census index, Henry County, Tennessee Paris, Tennessee : The Center, 2001?

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. . [Henry County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1890 Civil War Veterans Census, Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: Byron Sister and Associates, 1978..

1900


 * McNutt, Gwyn Bellamy 1900 census index, Henry County, Tennessee Paris, Tennessee : G.B. McNutt, c1989
 * Cooper, Gloria and Family History Center (Paris, Tennessee) 1900 everyname census index, Henry County, Tennessee Paris, Tennessee : Family History Center, 1999

1910


 * Dunlap, Linda S. Index to the 1910 census of Henry County, Tennessee S.I. : L. Dunlap, 1997?

1920


 * Cooper, Gloria and Family History Center (Paris, Tennessee) 1920 everyname census index, Henry County, Tennessee Paris, Tennessee : Family History Center, 1999

1930


 * Dunlap, Linda S. Every-name index to the 1930 census of Henry County, Tennessee [200?]

Baptist

 * 1821-1885 - Walnut Fork Primitive Baptist Church, Baptism Index 1821-1885. Batch in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1821-1895 - Walnut Fork Primitive Baptist Church, Marriage Index 1821-1895. Batch in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Church of Christ

 * 1845-1885 - Blood River Church of Christ, Buchanan, Baptism Index 1845-1885. Batch in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1845-1895 - Blood River Church of Christ, Buchanan, Marriage Index 1845-1895. Batch in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

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 Henry, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 35,000 entries.

Bibliography


 * [Beasley] Lockhart, William Thomas. The Beasley Family of Benton, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart Counties of Tennessee. Florissant, Missouri: W. Lockhart, 1985..
 * [Clark] Gilbert, Thomas Graves. Francis Clark of Louisa County, Virginia: and His Descendants in Carroll County, Tennessee: Family Members of Michael Clark of England and Barbados and His Son Francis Clark of Louisa County, Virginia, the Migration of His Sons to Anson County, North Carolina and Descendants to Henry Weakley and Carroll Counties of Tennessee. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 2004..
 * [Freeman] McClellan, Susan Webb and Freeman, Adeline Adeline Freeman : Mormon Pioneer Bountiful, Utah : Family History Publishers, 1998 Available at the Family History Library with a digital version through
 * [Fowler] Arthur, Glenn Dora Fowler (Mrs. James Joyce Arthur).Annals of the Fowler Family, with Branches in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, California, and Texas. Austin, Texas, published by the author, 1901. Free digital copy.
 * [Green] Williams, Mary Lou. Our Southern Family: The Greens, Malcolms, Thomas, Cooper, Williams and Magness Families of Kentucky and Tennessee. Warren, Mich.: M.L. Williams, 1970. FHL US/CAN Film 874443 Item 5.
 * [Hagler] Tayloe, Stephanie Routon. The Hagler Family of Henry Co., Tenn. Buchanan, Tenn.: S.R. Tayloe, 2002?..
 * [Haymes] Tayloe, Stephanie Routon. The Family of William Henry Haymes of Henry County, Tennessee. Buchanan, Tenn.: S.R. Tayloe, 2000?..
 * [Humphreys] Humphrey, Leonard. Humphreys of Prince George, Maryland, Caswell-Rockingham Counties, N.C., Henry County, Tennessee, Greene-Putnam-Sullivan Counties, IND, ....
 * [Jones] Jones, Henry Earl. Henry Earl Jones. Fairhope, Ala.: H.C. Jones, 1988..
 * [McMurtry] McMurtry, Brian L. The West Tennessee McMurtry Family: A Synopsis of the Lives and Historical Background that Surrounded the McMurtry Family of Humphreys, Benton, and Henry County, TN. Newburgh, Ind.: B.L. McMurtry, 2006..
 * [Row] Information about the family of Adam Row, Family Folders, Kentucky State Archives, Frankfort, Ky.
 * [Sanders] Tayloe, Stephanie Routon. Sanders Family of Henry Co., Tennessee. Buchanan, Tenn.: S.R. Tayloe, 2004. ; digital version at.
 * [Simmons] Simmons, Samuel William. Descendants of John Simmons of North Carolina, 1760. Typescript, 1979.
 * [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, courtesy: Internet Archive.
 * [Williams] Williams, E. Ray. The Williams Families of Henry County, Tennessee. Paris, TN: E.R. Williams, 1971. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 W67wer; FHL US/CAN Fiche 6046888; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Wilson] King, Stephen Lynn. William Duncan Wilson : Sgt. Co. K 46, Tenn. Inf., Confederate States Army, Sept. 15, 1841- Mar. 21, 1936. Bowling Green, Ky.: S.L. King, 1986..

Historic Residences

 * Tayloe, Stephanie Routon. Old Homes of Henry County, Tennessee. 2 vols. 2004?. ff.

Land

 * Henry County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1822 and is located at the Courthouse, P.O. Box 24, 100 W Washington St., Paris, TN 38242; telephone (731) 642-2412. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries


 * Henry County Deed Books Vol. 1-1822-1825. Simmons Historical Publications. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * Henry County Deed Books Vol. 2-1825-1827. Simmons Historical Publications. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * Whitley, Edythe Rucker. Tennessee Genealogical Records: Henry County "Old Time Stuff." 1968; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. Digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes some early deed abstracts.]
 * The Family History Library has microfilmed copies of deeds 1821-1899; Land entry books 1820-1886; surveyers report books 1826-1905; and ranger books (stray livestock) 185601873.

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 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 the TSLA; another version is available at World Vital Records.
 * Whitley, Edythe Rucker. Tennessee Genealogical Records: Henry County "Old Time Stuff." 1968; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. Digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes a list of legislative petitions from residents of Henry County covering the years 1821 to 1855.]

Local Histories

 * Perry, Larry T. A Pictorial History of the Old 23rd District. L.T. Perry, 198? Free lookups available!

Military
Revolutionary War

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


 * 1835 Pension Roll
 * 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions
 * Select Henry County, Tennessee Revolutionary War 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. . 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google books et. al. [See Tennessee, Western District, Henry County on page 159.]
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." Digital version at Ancestry ($). Tennessee entries abstracted online at Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Includes veterans from this county; Tennessee section begins on page 381.]
 * Whitley, Edythe Rucker. Tennessee Genealogical Records: Henry County "Old Time Stuff." 1968; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. Digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes 1840 Census of Revolutionary War Pensioners.]

War of 1812


 * Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Jul. 1960):65-68. ; digital version at journal website. [Includes Hamilton County pensioners (p. 68)]
 * Whitley, Edythe Rucker. Tennessee Genealogical Records: Henry County "Old Time Stuff." 1968; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. Digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes 1883 List of War of 1812 Pensioners.]

Civil War


 * Civl War Research Database $
 * Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System

Civil War service men from Henry 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 Henry County.

Confederate Soldiers


 * 5th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Companies A, B, C, D, F, G, H, I and K.
 * 7th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Duckworth's) - CSA - Company G.
 * 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (DeMoss') - CSA - Company I and 2nd Company K.
 * 18th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Newsom's) - CSA - Company D.
 * 20th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Russell's) - CSA - Companies A, B, D and F.
 * 154th Senior Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (1st Tennessee Volunteers) - CSA

Union Soldiers


 * 7th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - Company A.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Henry County:


 * Rennolds, Edwin Hansford, A history of the Henry County commands which served in the Confederate States army, including rosters of the various companies enlisted in Henry County, Tenn. ..(Jacksonville, Florida, Sun Publishing Company, 1904). Online book at Internet Archive.
 * USGenWeb Archives, Henry County Tennessee Archives, (accessed 30 Jan 2012). Civil War Records.
 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications : Henry County, (accessed 30 Jan 2012). 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), (accessed 30 Jan 2012). Online at Internet Archive. Henry County, page 347.
 * TNGenWeb, Henry County Civil War Regiments, (accessed 30 Jan 2012).
 * CWSAC, Battle Summaries, Fort Henry, (accessed 30 Jan 2012). Located in Stewart County and Henry County, Tennessee, and Calloway County, Kentucky.
 * Henry County Civil War Monument, Paris, Tennessee, (accessed 30 Jan 2012).

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 Henry County click on the following city:


 * Paris

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. . Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes Henry 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 Henry 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
 * Family Findings
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of Henry County, Tennessee records have been published in Family Findings, the quarterly of the Mid-West Tennessee Genealogical Society (42+ vols.). The Family History Library has most issues of this quarterly.
 * Tables of contents for some volumes are available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb Project:
 * Volumes 1-10 (1969-1978)
 * Volumes 11-20 (1979-1988)
 * Volumes 21-24 (1989-1992)
 * Volumes 32-35 (2000-2003)
 * Many articles from this publication have been reproduced on the TNGenWeb Project website, try this specialized Google search to retrieve them.
 * West Tennessee Historical Society Papers
 * Family History Library has Volumes 1 - 16 and 30 . 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

Probate
The County Court has responsibility for the probate records of Henry County.


 * Wills index, 1822-1844
 * Wills, 1822-1939 (14 vols.)
 * Bonds, 1856-1968 (7 vols.)
 * Guardian records, 1867-1925 (2 vols.)
 * Inventories, Sales, 1886-1928 (4 vols.)
 * Letters, 1882-1968 (7 vols.)
 * Settlements, 1839-1938 (19 vols.)

The following Henry County probate records have been abstracted, indexed, or both:


 * [1839-1860] Dunlap, Linda S. The Complete Index to Henry County, Tennessee Trustees, Administrators, Executors and Guardian Bonds, 1839-1860. Paris, Tennessee: W.G. Rhea Public Library, [2003?]. (FHL book 976.834 P22dL.)
 * [1822-1866] Dunlap, Linda S. The Complete Index to Henry County, Tennessee Wills and Administrations, Volumes A-H, 1822-1866. [No publication information.] (FHL book 976.834 P22d.)
 * [1822-1988] McNutt, Gwyn Bellamy. Henry County, Tennessee 1822-1988 Wills Index. Paris, Tennessee: G.B. McNutt, 1988. (FHL book 976.834 P22m.)
 * [1856-1905] McNutt, Gwyn Bellamy.Henry County, Tennessee, Intestate Records Index: Administrators, Executors, Guardianship Bonds. Paris, Tennessee: G.B. McNutt, 1988. (FHL book 976.834 P22mg.)
 * [1822-1861] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Tennessee Wills &amp; Administrations 1779-1861. Nashville, Tenn. Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, Inc., 1990. . [Includes an index to this county's probate records.]
 * Whitley, Edythe Rucker. Tennessee Genealogical Records: Henry County "Old Time Stuff." 1968; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. Digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes will indexes 1856-1863, 1879-1902, some earlier will abstracts, as well as estates, guardians, orders, etc.]
 * USGenWeb's Henry County page has links to some Henry County wills.

Simmons Historical Publications has abstracted and indexed various volumes of Henry County wills. Copies may be purchased at their webiste. The following are available online at the subscription website World Vital Records ($):

Taxation
The original Henry County Tax Books 1827-1873 were microfilmed by TSLA in 1969. FHL copies:.

The following Henry County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1823] Inman, W.O. "Pen Sketches" Index: Henry County, 1824 Land Sale for Taxes (Unpaid for 1823). n.p.: W.O. Inman, n.d..
 * [1823] Sheriff's Sale for Taxes, March Term 1824, Henry Co., Tenn., Family Findings, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Apr. 1972). For access, see Periodicals.
 * [1827-1835] Historical Records Project. Tax Books, 1827-1835, Henry County, Tennessee. Typescript, Tennessee State Library, Nashville, Tenn. Microfilmed in 1943..
 * [1827] McNutt, Gwyn Bellamy. Henry County, Tennessee, 1827 Tax List. Paris, Tenn.: G.B. McNutt, 1988..
 * [1836] Hughes, Thomas Proctor. "Henry County, Tennessee 1836 Tax Record," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 28, No. 2 (Summer 1981):59-64; Vol. 28, No. 3 (Fall 1981):135-140. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 28 (1981); digital version at society's website. For further access, see Periodicals.
 * [1836] Douthat, James L. 1836 Henry County, Tennessee Civil District and Tax Lists. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1993. ; online: free surname index and purchase details.
 * [1836] Tax Lists, 1836, Tennessee Genealogy and History, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Apr. 1997).
 * [1890] McNutt, Gwyn Bellamy. Henry County, Tennessee, 1890 Tax List. Paris, Tenn.: G.B. McNutt, 1988..

Vital Records

 * W.G. Rhea Public Library. Genealogy Department. Compilation of Henry County, Tennessee Vital Records, 1764-2002. 2 vols. Paris, Tenn.: W.G. Rhea Public Library, 2002-2003. ff. [Information drawn from cemetery records, marriages, and funeral home records.]

Birth

 * 1881-1885 - Henry County Birth Index 1881-1885. Batch in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Marriage
Marriages were not officially recorded in Henry 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..

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


 * 1835-1950 - Tennessee County Court (Henry County) Marriage records, 1835-1950 Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1996. FHL US/CAN Film 2032072 item 2, 2031503 items 1 and 2, 2031557-60, 2031712-17, 2031885-90, 2032002-8, 2032069-72
 * 1838-1915 - Henry County Marriage Index 1838-1915 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1838-1858 - Whitley, Edythe Rucker. Tennessee Genealogical Records: Henry County "Old Time Stuff." 1968; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. Digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes abstracts of some marriages recorded between 1838 and 1858.]
 * 1838-1867 - Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early West Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1989. ff. [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]
 * 1838-1880 - Inman, W.O. Henry County, Tennessee marriages Paris, Tennessee : Friends of the Library, Paris-Henry County Public Library, [1974] FHL US/CAN Book 976.834 V25h v.1-3
 * 1838-1955 - Henry County, Tennessee Register of Deeds Marriage records, 1838-1955 Nashville, Tennessee : Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1969. FHL US/CAN Film 575016-22 and 1011504-11
 * 1881-1900 - Charles D. Robbins and Johnny D. Walker Record of marriages, Henry County, Tennessee Paris, Tennessee : C.D. Robbins, 1983. FHL US/CAN Book 976.834 V2h
 * 1901-1920 - Elaine Graff, Linda Dunlap and W.G. Rhea Public Library (Paris, Tennessee) Henry County, Tennessee marriages Paris, Tennessee : W.G. Rhea Public Library, [2002?]-[2003?] FHL US/CAN Book 976.834 V2g
 * June Johnson, Linda Dunlap, Charles Conger Henry County, Tennessee marriages : performed by Charles Conger [S.I. : J. Johnson, 1997?] FHL US/CAN Book 976.834 V2j
 * - covers all counties in Tennessee.
 * Many county marriage records are indexed with images at Ancestry's Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 ($). Be aware that this index is not complete for all counties.

Divorce
In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of Henry County divorce papers in diverse manuscript collections, 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

 * Hays, Tony. West Tennessee Death Records [ca. 1823-1852]. 2 vols. n.p.: Kitchen Table Press, 1987. . [Henry County is included in Vol. 1]

For deaths of Methodists in Henry 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. 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

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Paris Tennessee Family History Center 1921 Lone Oak Rd Paris, Henry, Tennessee, United States Telephone: 731-642-2285 Hours: W 9am-2pm &amp; 6pm-8pm; Th 9:30am-2:30pm; All other times by appt.

Online catalog

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

Web Sites

 * (FamilySearch)
 * Henry County, Tennessee by Dan Martin. Genealogy Resources, Local History, Queries
 * Henry County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Henry County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Henry County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNHENRY-L (Henry County, Tennessee List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: DanvilleCrossing-L (Tennessee River County Genealogy and History List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: DanvilleQueries-L (Tennessee River County Genealogy and History List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: WEST-TNCHAT-L (West Tennessee Chat List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: WESTTN-L (West Tennessee List)