Lincoln County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Lincoln County





Middle Tennessee county in the Chestnut Ridge region. Established 1809.

County Courthouse
Lincoln County Courthouse P.O. Box 577 112 Main Street South Fayetteville, TN 37334 Phone: 931-433-2454

Lincoln County Clerk Marriage records 112 Main Avenue South, Room 102 Fayetteville, TN 37334 Phone: 931-433-2454

Lincoln County Clerk and Master Probate records 112 Main Avenue South, Room B-109 Fayetteville, TN 37334 Phone: 931-433-1482

Lincoln County Circuit Court Clerk Court records 112 Main Avenue South, Room 203 Fayetteville, TN 37334 Phone: 931-433-2334

Lincoln County Register of Deeds 112 Main Avenue South, Room 104 Fayetteville, TN 37334 Phone: 931-433-5366

Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm

History


The county is named after U.S. Secretary of War Benjamin Lincoln (1733-1810).

Parent County
1809--Lincoln County was created 14 November 1809 from Bedford County. County seat: Fayetteville

Record Loss

 * Lack of marriage records: 1809 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

Research Guides

 * Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: Lincoln 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.)

General Advice
A good place to start is Byron and Samuel Sistler's Every Name Index to 18 Middle Tennessee County Record Books (Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, Inc., 1992) FHL US/CAN 976.8 P22sb. It indexes multiple books about Lincoln and nearby Bedford and Giles counties.

African Americans
Census takers found no free African Americans living in Lincoln County, Tennessee in 1820.

Bible Records

 * Tucker, Mabel Abbott and Waller, Jane Warren Lincoln County, Tennessee Bible records Batavia, Illinois : Lincoln County Tennessee Pioneers, c1972. FHL US/CAN book 976.8624 D29t v. 1-6. Free lookups available!

Cemeteries

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


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


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


 * Lincoln County cemetery information with transcriptions on TNGenweb Project


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


 * ePodunk list of Lincoln County cemeteries


 * Marsh, Helen Crawford and Timory Richard Cemetery records of Lincoln-Moore counties, Tennessee Greenville, South Carolina : Southern Historical Press, c1983, c1996. FHL US/CAN book 976.862 V3m Free lookups available!

Census
1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Lincoln 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 Lincoln County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. [The USGenWeb Census Project®]

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


 * __. 1820 Lincoln County, TennesseeS.l.: s.n., 19-?.
 * Bentley, Elizabeth P. Index to the 1820 Census of Tennessee. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981.
 * Waller, Jane W. 1820 Census, Lincoln County, Tennessee.Fayetteville, Tennessee: Lincoln County Genealogical Society, 1973.

1820 Manufactures

The original manufactures schedules for the Eastern and Western Districts of Tennessee are kept at the NARA, 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, 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; digital version at Lineages. [Covers this county.]

1830


 * __. Tennessee Census, Lincoln Co., 1830.Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974. Item 3

1840


 * Waller, Jane W. Lincoln County, Tennessee, 1840 Census. S.p., 1970.

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, Middle District, Lincoln County on page 156.]

1850


 * Porch, Deane. Lincoln County, Tennessee 1850 census. S.p., 1970.

1880


 * Sistler, Byron. 1880 Census Lincoln County, Tennessee.Nashville, Tennessee : Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, 1998.

Church

 * First Presbyterian Church of Fayetteville 19-? Free lookups available!

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


 * The Heritage of Lincoln County, Tennessee. Fayetteville, Tenn.: Lincoln County Heritage Book Committee, 2005. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8624 D2h.

Bibliography


 * [Ashby]Metzger, Noveda Ashby Some descendants of Halifax Ashby, Sr. Washington [District of Columbia]: Library of Congress, Photoduplicatoin Service, 1992?] FHL US/CAN film 1843177 Free lookups available!
 * [Denton] Hereford, Kenneth M. and Gray, Leland W. The Hiram King Denton family 19??. Free lookups available!
 * [Dollins] Dollins, John Lewis. Dollins - The Descendants of Hugh A. Dollins (1800-1836), Born Albemarle Co., Virginia, Died Lincoln Co., Tennessee; the Youngest Son of Presley Dollins. Orlando, Fla.: J.L. Dollins, 1983. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 D393d.
 * [Duckworth] Smith, Presley. Family History of the Alexander Paidan Duckworth family and related families. Dallas, Texas : P.E. Smith, 1997 FHL book 929.273 D858. Digital version available at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Hines] True, Charles Wesley. Thomas Jefferson Hines and Mary Ross Moores: of Fayetteville, Tennessee then Waxahachie, Texas. Hamilton, Texas: C.W. True, 1995. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 H589t.
 * [Jean] Malone, Royleta Clayton. David Jean Sr. of Stokes County, North Carolina and Lincoln County, Tennessee: and Many of His Descendants. Salt Lake City, Utah: R. Malone, 1991. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 A1 no. 6433.
 * [King]King, Tom From wagons to spaceships:personal and family history of Thomas Jackson King and his ancestors San Diego, California : T.J.King, c1993. FHL US/CAN book 921.73 K587k Free lookups available!
 * [Little] The Little Family of Lincoln County, Tennessee. [Denver, Colo.: T.S. Little, 198-?]. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 L721Li.
 * [McAlister] Perry, Christine Curlee. McAlister Family of Lincoln County, Tennessee. Typescript, microfilmed in 2000. FHL US/CAN Film 1425264 Item 13.
 * [McKinney] See Young
 * [Reeve] See Rives.
 * [Rives] Rives, Jno. R. T. Green Rives of Dinwiddie County, Virginia and Lincoln County, Tennessee and his Descendants. Birmingham, AL: Printed by A.H. Cather Pub. Co., 1958. Available at Ancestry ($); and Heritage Quest Online ($). Free lookups available!
 * [Shelton]Taylor, Hugh L. and Taylor, Ida Greenhaw Some early Sheltons: Lincoln County, Tennessee 1972. Free lookups available!
 * [Shelton]Shelton, Frank Harvey Shelton-roots through Tennessee F.H. Shelton, 1979. Free lookups available!
 * [Smith] Perry, Christine Curlee. Family of John and Mary Clementine Caton Smith of Lincoln County, Tennessee. Typescript, microfilmed in 2000. FHL US/CAN Film 1425264 Item 14.
 * [Spencer] Spencer, Donald and D. William Neal. Spencer Family of Lincoln County, Tennessee. Cullman, Ala.: Gregath, 1991. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Sp33sd; Supplement: FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Sp33sd supp.
 * [Turner] Perry, Christine Curlee. Turner Family of Lincoln County, Tennessee. Typescript, microfilmed in 2000. FHL US/CAN Film 1425264 Item 12.
 * [Wallace] Wallace, Richard E. The Children of William Wallace of Lincoln County, Tennessee. [Overland Park, Kansas]: R.E. Wallace, 2001. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 W155wre; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Warren] Waller, Jane W. Descendants of Daniel Warren (1788-1876) Lincoln County, Tennessee Waller, 1972. Free lookups available!
 * [Young]Young, Richard Wilson Two less doors to rattle s.n., 1993. Free lookups available!

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

 * Goodspeed firm, publishers, Chicago. History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Giles, Lincoln, Franklin and Moore counties.Nashville, Tenn., The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1886. Free digital copy.  Free lookups available.
 * Edmiston, William C. The fat of the land Record Press, 1958. Free lookups available!

Military
Revolutionary War

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


 * 1835 Pension Roll
 * 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, Middle District, Lincoln County on page 156.]
 * 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.]

Newspapers
Many Tennessee newspapers are filmed and available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. 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 Lincoln County click on the following city:


 * Fayetteville

Occupations

 * Miller, Alan N. Middle Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1784 to 1902. Baltimore, Md.: Printed for Clearfield Company, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2004. FHL US/CAN 976.8 U2ma. Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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.

Lincoln County, Tennessee Pioneers

Edited by Jane Warren Waller, Lincoln County, Tennessee Pioneers ran for 26 volumes (1970-1997). A few additional issues were published online in 1997 and 1998. FHL has acquired most volumes: FHL US/CAN Book 976.8624 B2L. Tables of contents are available online, courtesy: Lincoln County, Tennessee Archives (USGenWeb Archives). Free lookups available!

The Lincoln Lineage

"The Lincoln County Genealogical Society is a non-profit society, charted under the laws of the State of Tennessee, for the purpose of preserving and recording family histories and all vital records, providing a genealogical library of Lincoln County, the State of Tennessee and surrounding counties for genealogical research." The Family History Library has Volume 1 (1998) through the present. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8624 D25L See Lincoln County Genealogical Society website for further information: http://www.lincolncountytn.com/genealogy/index.htm

The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History

Several genealogical articles with abstracts of records of Lincoln County, Tennessee have been published in The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, the quarterly of the Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society (23+ Vols.). To view a list of these articles, visit their online Index to Articles (1988-2005). Surname indexes are also available online for Vols. 2-22. The website also offers back issues for sale in paper and on CD. The Family History Library has a complete collection of this quarterly FHL US/CAN Book 976.85 D25m.

Volunteer

Published by the Lincoln County Historical Society P.O. Box 435 Fayetteville, TN Indexed at the PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) Spring 1977 - Spring 2006

Prisons
Learn if your Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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) Will Book A: 1809-1824
 * 2) Will Book 1: 1826-1850
 * 3) Will Book 2: 1850-1861

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


 * [1809-1861] Strictly By Name (see above).
 * [1810-1861] 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.]
 * [1864-1871] Lincoln County Will Books Vol. 7 1864-1871. Simmons Historical Publications. Digital version available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * [1871-1880] Lincoln County Will Books Vol. 8 1871-1880. Simmons Historical Publications. Digital version available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * [1880-1889] Lincoln County Will Books Vol. 9 1880-1889. Simmons Historical Publications. Digital version available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * [1889-1895] Lincoln County Will Books Vol. 10 1889-1895. Simmons Historical Publications. Digital version available at World Vital Records. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.

Taxation
The following Lincoln County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1810-1811] Tax List, 1810-11, Lincoln County Tennessee Pioneers, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Sep. 1977).
 * [1811] Tax Collectors, 1811, Volunteer (Fall 1998).
 * [1812] 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 1812 newspaper tax list (Fayetteville only).]
 * [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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln County.]
 * [1836] Douthat, James L. Lincoln County, 1836 Tennessee, Civil Districts and Tax Lists. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1993. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8624 R4d.
 * [1836] Civil Districts and Tax List, 1836, Tennessee Genealogy and History, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Aug. 1998); Vol. 2, No. 3 (Dec. 1998).
 * [1860] Tax List, 1860, Volunteer (Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2004, Fall 2004, Spring 2005).
 * [1868] Taxpayers, 1868, Lincoln County Tennessee Pioneers, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Jan. 1981).
 * [1870] Tax List District 1, 1870, Lincoln County Tennessee Pioneers, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Jun. 1978).
 * [1880] List of Privileges, 1880, Lincoln County Tennessee Pioneers, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Jun. 1978).

Vital Records
Marriage

The original Lincoln County marriage records are kept at the County Courthouse. Marriages were not officially recorded in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County marriage records are microfilmed:


 * [1838-1987] Available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Marriages 1838-1890 are available for interlibrary loan.
 * [1888-1898] Tennessee State Library and Archives. Marriage bonds.
 * [1834-1954] Available at the Family History Library. Chandery Court licenses and bonds; index in first 2 films.
 * [1838-1969] Marriage Records. Indexes in each volume.First film in group is 1888-1898 marriage bonds.

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


 * [1838-1866] Marriage Records, 1838-1860, Lincoln County, Tennessee. Nashville: TSLA, Historical Records Project, 1940.  Typescript.  Item 1
 * [1838-1880] Marsh, Helen C. and Timothy R. Marsh. Lincoln County, Tennessee Official Marriage Records, 1838-1880 : Compiled from Original Marriage Licenses and Bonds, Family Records and Newspaper Accounts. Shelbyville, Tennessee: Marsh Historical Publications, 1974.
 * [1838-1871] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early Middle Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1988. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 V2sb v. 2 ff. [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]
 * [1838-1843] Waller, Jane W. and Polly L. Murphy. Marriage Records of Lincoln Co., Tennessee, 1838-1843. Batavia, Illinois: J. W. Waller, 1986.
 * Casey, Joe M. and Jewel D. Marriage records of Lincoln County, Tennessee 1911-1920. Tullahoma, Tennessee: J &amp; J Pub., 1995-1996. 3 Vols. Free lookups available!
 * RecordSearch at FamilySearch now includes indexed Tennessee marriages. This is a free pilot site and still under construction.  At this time, it is best to search from the home page, Discover Your Ancestors: indicate a surname, marriage "event", no date, and a county name (i.e. Lincoln, Tennessee).  Browse through the results for that surname. You may need to supply any variant spellings of the surname in separate searches.
 * 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 many counties.

Death

For deaths of Methodists in Lincoln 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
Lincoln County Genealogical Society 1508 West Washington Street Fayetteville, TN 37334 Hours: Weekends from 1 pm - 5 pm

Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society PO Box 330948 Nashville, TN, USA 37203-7507 The society serves the 40 counties of middle Tennessee of which Lincoln County is one. It publishes The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, a quarterly containing articles of genealogical and historical interest. Little-known Tennessee records are published and indexed, along with family genealogies, Bible records and material submitted by members. There is an alphabetical Index to articles in the Journal 1988-summer 2005

Fayetteville-Lincoln County Public Library 400 Rocky Knob Lane Fayetteville, TN 37334 Phone: 931-433-3286

Family History Centers
Fayetteville Tennessee 40 Hilltop Rd Fayetteville Lincoln, Tennessee, United States Telephone: 931-433-6296

This is not a mailing address. Due to limited staff, Family History Centers are unable to respond to mail inquiries.

Web Sites

 * Chestnut Ridge Cousins Genealogy Records, Surname Exchange, Maps, Obituaries, Photos, History
 * Family History Library Catalog (FamilySearch)
 * Lincoln County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Lincoln County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Lincoln County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TN-CHESTNUTRIDGECOUSINS-L (Chestnut Ridge Region Genealogy List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TN-SOUTHCENTRAL-L (South Central Tennessee List)