Obion County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Obion County West Tennessee county. Established 1823.





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

.*W.P.A. abstracts begin 1824

County Courthouse


Obion County Courthouse 2 Bill Burnett Circle Union City, TN 38261 Phone: 1-731-885-2562

Obion County Clerk Marriage and probate records 2 Bill Burnett Circle Union City, TN 38261 Phone: 1-731-885-3831

Obion County Register of Deeds Land records P.O. Box 514 Union City, TN 38261 Phone: 1-731-885-9351

Obion County Circuit Court Clerk Court records 2 Bill Burnett Circle Union City, TN 38261 Phone: 1-731-885-1372

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

History


The county is named after the Obion River.

Parent County
1823--Obion County was established 24 October 1823 from Chickasaw Indian Lands. County seat: Union City

County Pronunciation

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

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

Record Loss
1842--Earthquake damaged records


 * Lost census: 1890
 * Marriage records are lacking 1823 to 1838
 * Lost probate records: 1823 to 1834

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 Obion County biography, court, and marriage 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: Obion County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)

African American
United States African Americans Tennessee African Americans

Cemeteries
Tennessee cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.


 * Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone.  May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.


 * Find A Grave also gives a list of cemeteries in Obion County linking to the information about the people buried there,


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


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


 * The Family History Library Catalog lists some records of cemeteries in Obion county. Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Obion County cemeteries


 * Charles A. Reeves Jr. has created a detailed map showing the locations of Putnam County cemeteries. It may be purchased for a small fee through his website.

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

1840


 * Scanned census images [in the USGenWeb Archives]

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. 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, Western District, Obion County on page 159.]

1850


 * Porch, Deane Obion County, Tennessee 1850 census Franklin, Tennessee : Louise G. Lynch, 1973 FHL US/CAN book 976.813 X2p 1850


 * 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. [Obion County is included in Vol. 1.]

1860


 * Scanned census images [in the USGenWeb Archives]

1870


 * Full name index linked to appropriate scanned census image [in the USGenWeb Census Project®]

1880


 * Scanned census images [in the USGenWeb Archives]
 * Sistler, Barbara and Samuel D. 1880 census Obion County, Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee: Byron Sistler and Association, 2002 FHL US/CAN book 976.813 X28

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. 3 1891. [Obion County is included in Vol. 3.]
 * 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. Digital version, by Johanna Thompson, at TNGenWeb.

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

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


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

General

As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Obion, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 45,000 entries.


 * Hillis, L.B. Illustrated, Historic, Industrial - Biographical Book of Obion County. Obion, Tenn.: Obion County Enterprise, 1911. FHL US/CAN Film 204871.

Bibliography


 * [Bell] Ross, John Kelly. Edwards/Bell Family History: The Ancestors and Descendants of Ira "Papa" Edwards and Eula "Mama" Bell Edwards of Obion County, Tennessee, and Fulton County, Kentucky. Clinton, Ky.: J.K. Ross, 1994. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Ed95r.
 * [Boon] Boone, Merritt Anderson. Descendants of Henry Harrison Boon: Including Partial Histories on Curtner and Burgess Families. 1971. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B644i.
 * [Brown] Dodson, Ralph Harris. The Browns of Obion County, Tennessee and Their Kin. 1977. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B812j.
 * [Bryant] Green, Virginia Pearson, Thomas Nash Green Sr., Thomas Nash Green Jr., and Martha Green. As I Have Been Told, 3: Frances Elizabeth Bryant 1859-1951. San Diego, Calif.: V.P. Green, 1998. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B841gr.
 * [Burress] Burress, Charles G. The Family of William Burress (ca. 1799-1850?) of Tennessee. Phoenix, Ariz.?: unknown, 1971. Available at FHL US/CAN Film 962162 Item 4; digital version at Ancestry ($); and Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Caruthers, Carruthers] Wright, E. M. A Brief of John Caruthers, a Pioneer. [Springfield, Mo.?: Unknown, 1944. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C252w; and FHL US/CAN Film 896750 Item 5; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Harrison] Roberts, Harry D. Harrison Family Research. Malibu, Calif.: H.D. Roberts, 1975. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 A1 no. 301.
 * [Harrison] Griffin, Frances C. Harrison Family Research. Chesapeake, Va.: F.C. Griffin, 1985. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 A1 no. 4879.
 * [Harrison] Bianchi, Ann Herod. A Working Report on Robert Henry Harrison: And His Descendants. Conroe, Tex.: A.H. Bianchi, 2000. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 H247ba.
 * [Snow] Boaz, Thurmond DeWitte. The Family of Mrs. J.B. Snow: A Record of the Descendants of Nancy Adeline (Boaz) Snow (1833-1902). McLean, Va.: T.D. Boaz, Jr., 1974. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Sn61bt.
 * [Valliant] Lane, Elise Denison Brown. Certain Descendants of Robert Spencer Valliant and His Wife, Martha Hurlock: Through Their Eldest Child, James Valliant (1759-1838) and His Wife, Margaret Thompson. San Antonio, Tex.: n.p., 1953. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 A1 no. 2241. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 A1 no. 2241.

Land

 * Obion County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1824 and is located at the Courthouse, 2 Bill Burnett Circle, Union City, TN 38261; Telephone: (731) 885-2562. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries.
 * Willis, Laura. Obion County Deed Books Feb 1825-Feb 1831. Simmons Historical Publications, 2001. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * The Family History Library has microfilm copies of deds and trust deeds 1824-1900 with indexes 1824-1904; land entries and land surveys 1820-1904.

Law and Legislation

 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850: Index to Names. January 25, 2005. [In addition to creating new laws, legislative acts were often required to obtain a divorce, grant legitimacy to a child, or for appointments to or grant payments for public service.] TSLA has created an index to names that appear in these acts covering the years 1796 to 1850. To read more about this valuable resource Click here. The searchable index is available at TSLA; another version is available at World Vital Records.

Military
Revolutionary War

The following Obion 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, Western District, Obion 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.]

War of 1812


 * Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Apr. 1961):49-52. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. [Includes Obion County pensioners (p. 49).]

Civil War


 * Lynn, H.M. H.M. Lynn Papers, 1858-1882. Southern Historical Collection, Manuscripts Dept., Wilson Library, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Free digital copy.  9th Tennessee Regiment, Company C.
 * Pruett, Joan (abstracts) Abstracts of Civil War Questionnaires Includes biographical information.

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 Obion County click on the following cities and towns:


 * Kenton
 * Obion
 * Troy
 * Union City

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. FHL US/CAN 976.8 U2man. Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes Obion 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 Obion County, Tennessee records 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.
 * Family Findings
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of Obion 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 FHL US/CAN 976.8 B2f.
 * 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.
 * Obion Origins
 * The Family History Library has Volume 1 - 23 (1983 - Oct 2005) FHL US/CAN 976.813 D25o Indexed at PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) Volume 1 - 23 (May 1983 - Oct 2005) See website for further information: http://www.tngenweb.org/obion/library/hsociety.htm
 * West Tennessee Historical Society Papers
 * Family History Library has Volumes 1 - 16 and 30 FHL US/CAN Book 976.81 B5w. 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

Prisons
Learn if your Obion 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.

Private Papers

 * Bowers - Abington - Guerrant - Cobb Bible Records, ca. 1801-1991. MSS., FHL US/CAN Film 1697941 Item 18.
 * Daughters of the American Colonists. Union City Chapter (Tennessee). Bible Records: Union City, Obion County, Tennessee, 1788-1964. 1979. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 A1 no. 73.
 * Daughters of the American Colonists. Union City Chapter (Tennessee). Family Bible Records of Obion County Tennessee and Fulton County Kentucky. 1982. FHL US/CAN Book 976 D2f.
 * Morris - Collier - Martin Family Bible Records, ca. 1770-1958. MSS., FHL US/CAN Film 325876 Item 9.

Probate
Probate records are court records created after an individual’s death that relate to a court’s decisions regarding the distribution of the estate to the heirs or creditors and the care of any dependents. You may find the names of married daughters or other relatives and their residences; or information about the adoption or guardianship of minor children and dependents. Probate records do not always give an exact date of death, but the death usually occurred within a few months of probate. These documents are important to family history researchers, because they usually exist for time periods before civil birth and death records were kept.

The County Court and Chancery Court have responsibility for the probate records of Obion County.

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


 * [1833-1861] 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.]
 * [1834-1842] Willis, Laura, Betty Sellers, and Wilda Jetton. Obion County, Tenn., Wills, Adm. &amp; Bonds [1834-1842]. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 2001. 3 volumes. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 976.813 P2w; selected volumes can also be found at World Vital Records ($): Volume 3 1840-1842; and Volume 4 1842-1843. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.

Taxation
The original Obion County Tax Books 1825-1885 are kept at the County Courthouse. TSLA microfilmed these records in 1976. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Film 1007354-1007359.

The original Obion County Tax Records 1856-1919 are kept at the County Courthouse. GSU microfilmed these records in 2002: FHL US/CAN Films 2293653 Item 2-2293654.

A variety of miscellaneous Obion County tax records are included in the collection Obion County, Tennessee Civil Cases, 1823-1900; Indexes, 1823-1885. The original records are kept at the County Courthouse. In 2000-2001, GSU microfilmed these records: FHL US/CAN Film 2209029 Item 1 ff.

The following Obion County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1824-1825] Dennis. "Tax List: 1824 and 1825, Obion County, Tennessee," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
 * [1826] Dennis. "Tax List: 1826, Obion County, Tennessee," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
 * [1827] Dennis. "Tax List: 1827, Obion County, Tennessee," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
 * [1828] Dennis. "Tax List: 1828, Obion County, Tennessee," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
 * [1829] Dennis. "Tax List: 1829, Obion County, Tennessee," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
 * [1837] Davis, Bettie Brandon. "Obion County, Tennessee Tax List 1837," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Spring 1978):39-44. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals; digital version of District 8 at RootsWeb.
 * [1851] Poll Tax Records, 1851, Obion Origins, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Aug. 1988).
 * [1871-1897] Powell, Jane N. "[Partial Misc. Tax Lists for Obion Co., TN District 6 &amp; 7 from 1871-1897,"] available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. [Mainly surnames that begin with initial letters A, B, C.]

Marriage
Marriages were not officially recorded in Obion County during the first few years of its existence. In 1838, 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 Obion County marriage records have been abstracted and/or indexed:


 * [1824-1877] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early West Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler &amp; Associates, 1989. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 V2sb v. 1 ff. [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]
 * [1824-1860] Historical Records Project and Historical Records Survey Marriage records, 1824-1860, Obion County, Tennessee Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1940. FHL US/CAN Film 24780 items 4 and 9-10. Free lookups available
 * [1824-1877] Grace Dietzel Gary, Carolyn West Stricklin, Daughters of the American Revolution, Reelfoot Chapter (Union City, Tennessee) Obion County, Tennessee, marriage records, 1824-1877 FHL US/CAN Book 976.813 V2g
 * [1838-1952] Obion County, Tennessee County Court Clerk Marriages (Obion County, Tennessee), 1838-1952 Nashville, Tennessee : Tennessee State Library and ArchivesFHL US/CAN Film 1007235 items 3-7 to 1007239, 1928794-99
 * [1870-1900] Obion County, Tennessee Justice of the Peace Obion County, Tennessee miscellaneous records, 1870-1900 Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2002. FHL US/CAN Film 2315552 item 2
 * [1900, 1931-1950] Tennessee County Court (Obion County) Obion County, Tennessee, marriage licenses, and marriage, 1900, 1931-1950 Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1998, 2002. FHL US/CAN Film 2114756 items 1-2, 2114757, 2114941-42, 2114951, 2293654 item 2.
 * 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 titled Discover Your Ancestors; indicate a surname, marriage "event" and a county name (i.e. Obion, 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 all counties.

Divorce
In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of Obion 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

 * Hays, Tony. West Tennessee Death Records [ca. 1823-1852]. 2 vols. n.p.: Kitchen Table Press, 1987. FHL FAM HIST Book 976.8 V2ht v. 1-2. [Obion County is included in Vol. 1]

For deaths of Methodists in Obion 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.]

Web Sites

 * Family History Library Catalog (FamilySearch)
 * Obion County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Obion County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Obion County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNOBION-L (Obion County, Tennessee List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TN-NEWMADRID-QUAKE-L (1811 New Madrid Earthquake Genealogy List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: WEST-TNCHAT-L (West Tennessee Chat List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: WESTTN-L (West Tennessee List)