Roane County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Roane County

East Tennessee county. Established 1801.





County Courthouse
Roane County Courthouse P.O. Box 546 200 E. Race Street Kingston, TN 37763-0546 Phone: 865-376-2487

Roane County Clerk Marriage and probate records P.O. Box 546 Kingston, TN 37763 Phone: 865-376-5556

Roane County Register of Deeds Land records P.O. Box 181 Kingston, TN 37763 Phone: 865-376-4673

Roane County Circuit Court Clerk Court records P.O. Box 73 Kingston, TN 37763 Phone: 865-376-2390

Hours: Monday 8:30 am - 6 pm Tuesday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

History
The county is named after Tennessee Governor Archibald Roane (1759/60-1819).

Parent County
1801--Roane County was established 6 November 1801 from Knox County. Early records may be found under Knox County. County seat: Kingston

Boundary Changes
1807 Rhea County formed from Roane County lands. (Meigs County formed from Rhea County in 1836)

1817 Morgan County formed from Roane County lands.

1870 Loudon County formed from parts of Roane, Monroe, and Blount County lands.

Record Loss

 * Lost censuses: 1810, 1820, 1890

Research Guides

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

Census
1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population censuses of Roane County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see Tennessee Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts, these indexes are often more accurate than those available online.

1810 - Lost, but a substitute is available:
 * Sherrill, Charles A. The Reconstructed 1810 Census of Tennessee: 33,000 Long-lost Records from Tax Lists, Court Minutes, Church Records, Wills, Deeds and Other Sources. Mt. Juliet, Tenn.: C.A. Sherrill, 2001. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1810.

1820 - Lost

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

1850 Agricultural Census
 * Green, Linda L. Tennessee 1850 Agricultural Census. 2 vols. Woodbridge, Va.: L.L. Green, 2000. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2g v. 1 ff. [Roane County is included in Vol. 1.]

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. 5 1891. [Roane County is included in Vol. 5.]
 * 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.

Family Histories
It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:


 * Locate publications about direct ancestors
 * Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
 * Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]

General

Bibliography

Land
The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Roane County land records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:
 * 1) Deed Book A: 1801-1805
 * 2) Deed Book B: 1805-1808
 * 3) Deed Book C: 1808-1812

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

 * Two Years of Harriman, TennesseeEstablished by the East Tennessee Land Company February 26, 1890. New York :South Publishing Co., [?]. Free digital copy.


 * Wells, Emma Middleton. The History of Roane County, Tennessee 1801-1870. Chattanooga, Tenn.: The Lookout Publishing Company, 1929. Digital version at BYU Family History Archives; and Heritage Quest Online ($).

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 Roane 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 Roane 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 Roane 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 Roane 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.

Roane County Roots

By Robert L. Bailey The Family History Library has volumes 1 - 11 FHL US/CAN 976.8 D25r Indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) For additional information see website: http://www.roanetnheritage.com/

Roane Ramblings

The Family History Library has volumes 1 - 17 (1985 - 2001) FHL US/CAN 976.884 B2r Indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) For additional information see web site: http://www.roanetnheritage.com/

Prisons
Learn if your Roane 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.

Taxation
The original Roane County Tax Lists 1846-1849 were microfilmed by the Tennessee State Library and Archives in the 1960s. A copy of their film is also available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Film 570818 Item 1.

The original Roane County Tax Books 1858-1878 were microfilmed by the Tennessee State Library and Archives in 1968. Copies of their films are also available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Films 1013616-1013617.


 * [1801-1830] Thornton, Mabel Harvey. Pioneers of Roane County, Tennessee, 1801-1830: Tax Lists, Muster Rolls, Election Lists, Petitions, etc. c1965. FHL US/CAN Book 976.884 N2t.
 * [1805] Thornton, Mabel H. "[Annotated] Roane County, Tennessee Tax List - 1805," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Jul. 1963):111-118. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1805] Roane County Tax List for 1805, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 9, No. 3. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals. [Includes digitized images of the original source.]
 * [1805] 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 1805 tax list.]
 * [1805] Mary Barnett Curtis, Early East Tennessee Tax Lists (Fort Worth, Texas: Arrow Printing Company, 1964), FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4c. [Includes 1805 tax list.]
 * [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 Roane County.]
 * [1814-1821] Hutcherson, Willis, Marilyn N. McCluen, and Mable Harvey Thornton. Tax Lists of Roane County, Tennessee: 1814-1821. n.p.: Roane County Records Commission, 1969. FHL US/CAN Book 976.884 R4h.
 * [1822-1851] Bailey, Robert L. Roane County, Tennessee Tax List. [1822-1851 (gaps)] 5 vols. Kingston, Tenn.: Roane County Genealogical Society, 1994. FHL US/CAN Book 976.884 R4b v. 1 ff.
 * [1837] Tatum, A.C. "Roane County, Tennessee 1837 Tax Lists," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 54, No. 2 (Summer 2007):99-104; Vol. 54, No. 3 (Fall 2007):169-172; Vol. 54, No. 4 (Winter 2007):221-224; Vol. 55, No. 1 (Spring 2008):28-31. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.

Vital Records
Death

For deaths of Methodists in Roane 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
The Roane County Heritage Commission 119 Court Street P.O. Box 738 Kingston, Tennessee 37763 Phone: 865-376-9211 Email: rchcarchives@yahoo.com

Roane County Archives Library and Museum 119 Court Street Kingston, Tennessee 37763 865-376-9211 Hours: Monday 8:30 am - 6 pm Tuesday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm The Archives and Museum sponsors The Roane County Archives Library Research Room (online) "The Research room is just a small sample of the original documents found at the Roane County Archives Library and Museum in The Old Roane County Courthouse."

Web Sites

 * Family History Library Catalog (FamilySearch)
 * Roane County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Roane County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Roane County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNROANE-L (Roane County, Tennessee List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: ETN-L (East Tennessee List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: ETN-OZ-L (East Tennessee Migrants to Ozarks Region List)