Knox County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Knox County East Tennessee county. Established 1792.





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

County Courthouse
Knox County Courthouse 300 Main St. Knoxville, TN 37902 Phone: 1-865-215-2385

"Non-current" County records are housed in the Knox County Archives, which is located in the East Tennessee History Center.

Knox County Clerk Marriage and probate records P.O. Box 1566 300 Main St. Knoxville, TN 37902 Phone: 1-865-215-2385

Knox County Register of Deeds Land records City-County Building, Suite 225 Knoxville, TN 37902 Phone: 1-865-215-2330

Knox County Clerk and Master Court records City-County Building, Suite 124 400 Main St. Knoxville, TN 37902 Phone: 1-865-215-2555

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

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

County Pronunciation


Did we get the accent right? If not, contact Nathan W. Murphy, [mailto:murphynw@familysearch.org murphynw@familysearch.org].

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 censuses: 1800, 1810, 1820, 1890
 * County records are complete

Getting Started
Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Knox County cemetery, court, estate, 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: Knox County, courtesy: TSLA. (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.

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. Robert McGinnis is recognized as the Knox County Cemetery Historian by several local organizations, such as Knox Heritage. He has published multiple volumes of cemetery transcriptions for Knox County, encompassing more than 500,000 burials. He has done extensive research and included such things as wills and obituaries in the books. In addition, he perused Knox County death certificates on microfilm to identify unmarked burials. Copies of each volume are available from [mailto:rmcgi81640@aol.com Mr. McGinnis].

The Tennessee Cemeteries page provides explanations of the following online resources:

Published Knox County cemetery records:

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

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

1820 Manufactures

The original manufactures schedules for the Eastern and Western Districts of Tennessee are kept at the National Archives, Washington, D.C. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 1024517-1024518.

The following book is a useful aid for finding the original records. A free online index, provided by Lineages, which cites the original document numbers, will help researchers determine if this resource can be of assistance:


 * National Archives. Indexes to Manufactures Census of 1820. 1920; reprint, Knightstown, Ind.: Bookmark, 1977. FHL US/CAN Book 973 X2m 1820; indexed at Lineages. [Covers this county.]

These records have also been abstracted:


 * 1820 Census of Manufactures: Knox County, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 9, No. 1 :50. For availability, see Periodicals.

1830


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

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, Knox County on page 153.]

1850


 * United States Census 1850 for Knox County, Tennessee. Knoxville, Tenn.: East Tennessee Historical Society, 1949. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885 X2p 1850.

1880


 * Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census Knox County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, 1996. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885 X2s 1880. [Another copy is available in the Census Area.]

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 ($).

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


 * [Brown] Descendant of John Brown, b. 1799, d. aft 1860 of Knox County, Tennessee. Y-DNA 37 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 7512). Genetic signature available online (labeled Group No. 25), genealogical description available online, courtesy: Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study. Matches have been found.
 * [Brown] Multiple descendants of William Brown, b. abt. 1730 of Augusta County, Virginia, d. 1807 Knox County, Tennessee. Y-DNA 12, 25, 37, and 67 Marker Tests, FTDNA (Kits 3996, 4020, 12719, 88144, 20243, 61359). Genetic signatures available online (labeled Group No. 2), genealogical description available online, courtesy: Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study.

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

Gordon Aronhime (1911-1983) collected information on hundreds of Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee pioneers. His note cards, which reference more than 4,000 early settlers of the Holston-Clinch River area and East Tennessee (1770s-1790s), are held at the Library of Virginia. The cards have been digitized and made available online.

As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Knox, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 90,000 entries.


 * East Tennessee Historical Society. First Families of Tennessee: A Register of Early Settlers and Their Present-day Descendants. Knoxville, Tenn.: East Tennessee Historical Society, 2000. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 H2ff. [Identifies families that had settled in Tennessee before it achieved statehood in 1796.]

Bibliography


 * [Alldredge-Aldridge] Lester, Memory Aldridge Alldredge-Aldridge-Bracken-Nesmith families and their kin Chapel Hill, North Carolina : M.A. Lester, 1957 FHL book 929.273 AL52L. Digital version available at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Alldredge] Sausaman, William Amel Nathan Alldredge (1739-1826) of North Carolina and Tennessee and his descendants. Springfield, Illnois : W.A. Sausaman, 1971 FHL book 929.273 AL52s. Digital version available from BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Ayers] Gart, Jeanne Brooks. The Families of Joseph and Charlotte (Shelton) Ayers: Knox County, Tennessee and Macon County, Missouri, Including Ralph Shelton, Middlesex County, Virginia and Reuben M. Dunnington. Boston, Mass.: Newbury Street Press, 1997?. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Ay24g.
 * [Bates] Bates, Madison C. Bates, a Brief History and Genealogy of Joseph Harrison Bates. Galesburg, Ill.: Wagoner Printing Co., 1915. FHL/VAULT US/CAN Film 1145782 Item 3; digital version at Google Books.
 * [Belieu] Rust, Elma Sprague. Belieu: Micajah Belieu and Some of His Descendants, 1795 Wilkes County, NC, to 1990. Blachly, Oregon: E.S. Rust, 1999. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B412r.
 * [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.
 * [Blackley] Perry, Gregory M. The Charles Blackley Family of Knox County, Tennessee. Decorah, Iowa: Anundsen, 1991. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B565p.
 * [Blount] Wright, Marcus Joseph. Some Account of the Life and Services of William Blount.... Washington,D.C.: E.J.Gray, 1884. Free digital copy.
 * [Bracken]See Alldredge-Aldridge.
 * [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.
 * [Campbell] Daughters of the American Revolution. Campbell Family of Knox Co., Tenn. [ca. 1800-1900]. Typescript, National Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, D.C. Microfilmed in 1971. FHL US/CAN Film 872778 Item 3.
 * [Campbell] Fassnacht, Grace Spencer. Campbell Kith and Kin: Descendants of Archibald Campbell and Elizabeth Baker Who Came from Campbell County, Virginia to Knox County, Tennessee, 1796. Chattanooga, Tenn.: G.S. Fassnacht, [198-?]. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C152fg.
 * [Campbell] Schlotterbeck, Mrs. W.K. Archibald Campbell. Typescript, Dallas, Texas. Microfilmed 1991. FHL US/CAN Film 1787180 Item 15.
 * [Chapman] Ristau, Patricia. Chapman Family History and Genealogical Records, 1796-1926. Typescript, microfilmed 1986. FHL US/CAN Film 1321077 Item 24.
 * [Chesney] Orcutt, Joel Thomas. Our Tennessee Chesneys: A Genealogy of the Families of John Chesney 1794-1876 Early Settler of Grainger County, Tennessee &amp; Nathaniel Richard Chesney 1796-1885 Early Settler of Knox County, Tennessee. Terlton, Oklahoma: J.T. Orcutt, 2006. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C425o.
 * [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 ($); and Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Clark] Spoden, Muriel Millar Clark. An American Ancestry of the Clark--Morton and Tayman--Millar--Adams Families. [Kingsport, Tenn.]: M.M.C. Spoden, 1995. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C547sm.
 * [Claybourn] Claybourn, Verner Marvin and Harriette Pinnell Threlkeld. The Claybourn Family: The Descendants of Ephraim Claybourn of Tennessee and William Divine Claybourn of Jefferson County, Illinois. McKinney, Texas: H.P. Threlkeld, 1969. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C579t.
 * [Davis] Valgardson, Florence Davis. James Jordan Davis Family History: Consisting of Biographical Sketches of James Jordan Davis, His Posterity and Ancestry. Provo, Utah: J. Grant Stevenson, 1970. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 D29j.
 * [England] Austin-Raichart, Deb and Fodrocy, Jan Descendants of Aaron England Sparta, Tennessee : D. Austin-Raichart, [199?] FHL book 929.273 En34. Digital version available at BYU Family History Archives
 * [Eppes] Johnson, Mary Lou Shoemaker. Family of Edward Eppes of Knox County, Tennessee. Fountain City, TN?: Unknown, 1951. Available at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Ferguson] Steiger, Grace Ferguson. The John Miller Ferguson Family History. Perrysburg, New York: G.F. Steiger, 1976. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 F381s.
 * [Gist] Dorsey, Jean Muir. Christopher Gist of Maryland and Some of His Descendants, 1679-1957, Chicago, IL: J.S. Swift Co., 1958. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 G447; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Goodpasture] Goodpasture, Albert Virgil; Goodpasture, William Henry. Life of Jefferson Dillard Goodpasture.Cumberland Presbyterian Publishing House, 1897.
 * [Graves] Neal, Thomas Howe R. Harbison, Graveston, Knox County, Tennessee and Graves Genealogy. Knoxville, Tenn.: Neal, 1973. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 G783n; Index: FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 G783n index.
 * [Gredig] Dockter, Albert W. A Family History and Descendants of Jeremiah Gredig: With Roots in Knox County, Tennessee. [Alcoa, Tenn.]: A.W. Dockter, 1991. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 G799d.
 * [Green] Adams, Edward Ewing. Green Family Historical Collections, a History of James Green (or Greene) and His Descendants: A Resident of Old Tryon and Rutherford Counties, North Carolina; Knox County, Tennessee and Madison and Bond Counties, Illinois. Springfield, Ill.: Midwest Microfilm Co., 1967. FHL US/CAN Film 477574.
 * [Hansard] Bell, Annie W.B. Hansard-Christian Family History Records. Knoxville, Tenn.: Hansard Family Register, 1978. FHL US/CAN Film 1445967.
 * [Harmon] Burris, Gloria Fay Harmon. The Descendants of Hiram Harmon &amp; Sarah York, &amp; Oda Agee Harmon. [Lake City, Tenn.]: G.F. Burris, 2000. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 H228bg.
 * [Harris] Harris, Madison M. Family History of Col. John Sawyers and Simon Harris and Their Descendants. Knoxville, Tenn.: Knoxville Lithographing Co., 1913. FHL US/CAN Film 1421635 Item 4; digital versions at Ancestry ($), Google Books, and Internet Archive.
 * [Hewitt] Tompkins, Norma Louise Pritchett Hewitt:three hundred years form Jamestown to Wyatt Switch [Dallas, Texas] : N.L. Tompkins, c1992 FHL book 929.273 H497. Digital version available at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Johnson] Johnson, Katherine Baker. The Family of the Reverend William Johnson of Virginia and Knox County, Tennessee. Typescript, 1971. FHL US/CAN Film 877505 Item 2.
 * [Lane] Williams, Lyle Keith. The Lane-Robertson Families of Amherst County, Virginia and Descendants. Fort Worth, Texas: L.K. Williams, 1991.
 * [Lovell] Steed, Cecilia Giauque. Sketch and Record of Mary Ann Lovell, Born 1852, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee. MSS., 1924. FHL US/CAN Fiche 6018518.
 * [McCampbell] McCampbell, Nellie Pearl, David Babelay, and Marian W. McCampbell. Samuel Shannon McCampbell [and] Sarah Prudence Smith McCampbell, Ancestors and Descendants. Knoxville, Tenn.: N.P. McCampbell, 1965. FHL US/CAN Film 982117 Item 3.
 * [Nesmith] See Alldredge-Aldridge.
 * [Park] The Family Record of James Park, Deceased, from His Marriage in 1804 Down to March, 1907. 1907?. FHL US/CAN Fiche 6017361.
 * [Plumlee] Houp, J. Randall. The Descendants of Isaac &amp; Margaret (Bradshaw) Plumlee, White County, Tennessee. Alma, Ark.: J. Randall Houp, 1991. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 P735h.
 * [Pritchett] Horlacher, Doris Melissa Pritchett. Edward &amp; Catherine (Scroggins) Harner Pritchett of Wake Co. NC; Knox Co and Roan Co, TN; Camden Co, MO. Salt Lake City, Utah: D. Horlacher, 2001. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 P939hdp; Supplement: FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 P939hdp supp.
 * [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.]
 * [Robbins] Gray, Shawn Descendants of Isaac Robbins Muncie, Indiana : S. Gray, [2003] FHL book 929.273 R535. Digital version available at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Russell] Pencin, Gaye Phipps. Russell, James H.: Born ca. 1780, Prob. North Carolina, to Odin Township, Chicot Co., Ark. by 1828, to Texas in May 1837, Died ca. 1840. (Possibly Son of William Russell, Sr. of North Carolina and Later Knox Co., Tennessee.). Woodland, Calif.: G.P. Phipps, 1986. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 R914p.
 * [Sawyers] Harris, Madison M. Family History of Col. John Sawyers and Simon Harris and Their Descendants. Knoxville, Tenn.: Knoxville Lithographing Co., 1913. FHL US/CAN Film 1421635 Item 4; digital versions at Ancestry ($), Google Books, and Internet Archive.
 * [Schenck] Schenck, Harry A. Schenck Family History: Henry Schenck and Meta Flemming Family: From Tennessee and Wisconsin to San Diego, California. n.p.: H.A. Schenck, 2009. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Sch27shh.
 * [Sevier]Turner, Francis Marion. Life of General John Sevier New York: The Neale Publishing Co., 1910. Free digital copy.
 * [Smith] McCampbell, Nellie Pearl, David Babelay, and Marian W. McCampbell. Samuel Shannon McCampbell [and] Sarah Prudence Smith McCampbell, Ancestors and Descendants. Knoxville, Tenn.: N.P. McCampbell, 1965. FHL US/CAN Film 982117 Item 3.
 * [Tarwater] Tarwater, Charles B. A Brief History of the Tarwater Family. Knoxville, Tenn.: C.B. Tarwater, 1957. FHL US/CAN Film 1206499 Item 47. Supplement: FHL US/CAN Film 1206499 Item 48.
 * [Thomas] "Abram Thomas, Welsh Ironmaster," Tennessee Ancestors, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Aug. 1991).
 * [Toole] Craig, Joe Mason and Mary Marcie. John Toole, Ruth Ann Rankin, and Their Descendants. Oceanside, Calif.: J.M. and M. Craig, c1984 (Natchitoches, La.: Mayfield Printing). FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 T618c; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Walker] Bowman, G. Ralph. Some Descendants of Captain George Walker, 1745-1833: of Fauquier, Virginia; Burke County, North Carolina; Knox, Rhea &amp; Bledsoe Counties, Tenn. n.p.: G.R. Bowman, 1978, 2004. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 W152bg.
 * [Walker] Walker, Mary and David Walker. Ballard Ira Walker's Family. Tenn.?: M.B. Walker, 1988. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 W151wm.
 * [Wallace] Seivers, Edna Wallace. The Ancestors and Descendants of Robert Wallace. Knoxville, Tenn.: E. Seivers, 1989. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 W155se.
 * [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.

Immigration
During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 33 British aliens, many of whom had families, living in Knoxville and Knox County.

Additional resources:


 * Babelay, David, Charles F. Bryan Jr., Leo Schelbert, and J. Michael Clark. They Trusted and were Delivered: The French-Swiss of Knoxville, Tennessee. 2 vols. Knoxville, Tenn.: Vaud-Tennessee, 1988. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885 F2b.

Land
Deeds

The original Knox County Deed Books are held at the County Courthouse. In 1966, TSLA microfilmed these records for the years 1791 to 1966, resulting in 1564 microfilms. FHL copies.

Local Land Entries Issued by North Carolina

The original Knox County land entries issued by North Carolina are kept at the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh. On their website, users can bring up a list of land entries issued in Knox County, both before and after it became a part of the state of Tennessee. Years covered: 1779-1803.

Instructions:


 * 1) Follow this link to conduct a "Call Number Search" using the MARS Catalog on their site.
 * 2) Using the pull down window, change "Call Numbers starting" to "A MarsID matching."
 * 3) Type 12.14.11 (Windows Vista users may need to include a period after the last digit, for example 12.14.11.) and click Search. This is the specific MarsID for Knox County.
 * 4) Click on the entry that is returned: "Tennessee, Knox County."
 * 5) In the window that pops up, click Show List of Child Records and a list of Knox County land entries will be produced. Browse to find abstracts of the original records.

N.B. You can also search by name through the Basic Search, but it lacks soundex capabilities.

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.

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.

Maps

 * [1792] Reeves, Charles A. Knox &amp; Jefferson Counties [Tennessee] - Created June 11, 1792 from Greene &amp; Hawkins Counties. Published 2000. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1871] Ruger, A. Bird's Eye View of the City of Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee. Originally published 1871. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1886] Wellege, Henry. Knoxville, County Seat of Knox County, Tennessee. Originally published 1886. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1890] Sanborn Map. Map of Knoxville, 1890. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1895] 1895 Knox County, Tennessee Property Owners Map. Includes: property owners, churches, schools, roads, communities, cities, towns, and an index. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1895] Ogden Brothers Map. Map of Knoxville, 1895. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1917] Sanborn Map. Map of Knoxville, 1917. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1939] Viking Press for the WPA. A Map of Knoxville. Originally published 1939. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1948] Knoxville, Tennessee. Originally published 1948. Includes streets and a few landmarks. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.

Military
Indian Wars


 * Persons Killed, Wounded &amp; Taken Prisoner, 1791, Montgomery County Genealogical Journal, Vol. 9, No. 3 (Mar. 1980).

Revolutionary War

The following Knox 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, Eastern District, Knox County on page 153.]
 * 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.]

War of 1812


 * Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Oct. 1960):90-93. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 7 (1960); digital version at journal website. [Includes Knox County pensioners (pp. 91-92).]

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

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 Knox County click on the following cities:


 * Fountain City
 * Knoxville

Published Knox County newspaper abstracts:


 * McGinnis, Robert A. Tidbits of the Past: Death Notices, Obituaries &amp; Interesting Articles Taken from Knoxville Newspapers 1868-1885. n.p.: R.A. McGinnis, 2004. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885/K1 V4m.

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

Probate
The Family History Library has not acquired microfilm copies of original Knox County Will Books. When researching in that facility, it is necessary to rely upon published abstracts of the records.

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Knox County probate 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

Knox County's Will Books have been abstracted and/or indexed multiple times:


 * [1792-1831] Bell, Annie W.B. Knox County, Tennessee, Wills, 1792-1831: Estate and Guardian Book, "O" Will's, 1792-1803; Guardians, 1792-1821. Original at Court House, Knoxville, Tennessee. 1934. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885 P2b.
 * [1792-1803] Historical Records Project (W.P.A.). Will Books, 1792-1803, Knox County, Tennessee. Typescript, TSLA. Microfilmed in 1941. FHL US/CAN Film 24719 Item 3.
 * [1792-1861] 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!
 * [1792-1824] Knox County, Tennessee Estate Book [1792-1824]. 2 vols. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 199-?. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885 P28k ff.
 * [1792-1824] Strictly By Name (see above).

Taxation
The original Knox County Highway Tax Book, dated 1888, is kept at the County Courthouse. In 1978, GSU 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.]
 * [1796] "Delinquent Tax List, 1796," East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Summer 2005).
 * [1801] "Delinquent Taxes, 1801," Jefferson County Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 9, No. 3 (Fall 1993).
 * [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.
 * [1812] "Tax List, 1812," Tennessee Ancestors, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Apr. 1986); Vol. 2, No. 2 (Aug. 1986); Vol. 2, No. 3 (Dec. 1986).
 * [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.]
 * [-1830] "Tax Lists, Pre-1830," Tennessee Ancestors, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Aug. 1992).
 * [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; online: free surname index and purchase details.
 * [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.

Marriage
The original Knox County marriage records are kept at TSLA. They have been microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah:


 * 1) Index to Marriages Vols. 1 to 4 (1838-1922). FHL US/CAN Film 1020950.
 * 2) Marriage Records Vols. 1 to 8 (1793-1894). FHL US/CAN Films 1020951-1020952.
 * 3) Licenses, Bonds 1792-1915. FHL US/CAN Films 1025064-1025100, 1020953-1020968.

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

Knox County's marriage records have been abstracted several times. Each editor was selective in the amount of detail he or she abstracted.


 * [1792-1864] Historical Records Project (W.P.A.). Marriage Records, 1792-1864, Knox County, Tennessee. Typescript, TSLA. Microfilmed in 1940. FHL US/CAN Films 24721 Items 2-4, 24718 Items 4-5.
 * [1792-1900] d'Armand, Roscoe Carlisle and Virginia Carlisle d'Armand. Knox County, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1792-1900: Compiled from Original Marriage Licenses and Bonds, Marriage Register, W. P. A. Knoxville, Tenn.: D'Armand Family Record Society, 1970. FHL US/CAN Book 976.885 V25d.
 * [1792-1870] 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 the TSLA. Authors do not specify whether or not the card index completely indexes this county's marriages.]
 * [1792-1865] 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!
 * [1793-1819] Strictly By Name (see above).

Divorce
In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of Knox 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 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.]
 * Obituary Index at Knox County Library (McClung Historical Collection)

Libraries
East Tennessee Historical Center 601 South Gay Street Knoxville, TN 37901-1629 Phone: 1-865-215-8801 Web site: http://www.easttnhistory.org/ E-mail: eths@east-tennessee-history.org Hours: (Eastern Time): Mon. and Tues. 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Wed., Thurs., and Fri. 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 1 p.m.-5 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 Ave. Knoxville, TN 37902 Phone: 865-215-8750 Internet: http://knoxlib.org Hours: Mon. and Tues. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Wed. 10 a.m-5 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. and Sun. 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

The Knox County Public Library offers materials on local 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 Phone: 1-865-974-4351 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 St. PO Box 1629 Knoxville, TN 37901-1629 Phone: 1-865-215-8824

Family History Centers
Grove Park Tennessee 6024 Grove Dr NE Knoxville, TN Phone: 1-865-688-7411

Knox County Public Library 500 West Church Ave. Knoxville, TN Phone: 1-865-215-8808

Knoxville Tennessee 400 Kendall Rd NW Knoxville, TN Phone: 1-865-693-8252

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)