Hawkins County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Hawkins County East Tennessee county established in 1786. Originally known as the Carter's Valley Settlement, from 1785 to 1789, this land was also claimed by the abortive, short-lived State of Franklin.

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

County Courthouse


Hawkins County Courthouse 100 E. Main St. Rogersville, TN 37857 Phone: 1-423-272-8150

Hawkins County Clerk Marriage and probate records P.O.Box 790 100 E. Main St., Suite 204 Rogersville, TN37857 Phone: 1-423-272-7002

Hawkins County Register of Deeds Land records 110 E. Main St., Room 202 Rogersville, TN 37857 Phone: 1-423-272-8304

Hawkins County Circuit Court Clerk Court records 115 Justice Center Drive, Suite 1237 Rogersville, TN 37857 Phone: 1-423-272-3397

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

History


The county is named after North Carolina Senator Benjamin Hawkins (1754-1816).

The land of Hawkins County was first organized by the State of Franklin in March 1786 from parts of Sullivan and Greene counties under the name Spencer County. It seems to have included at least the present area of Hawkins County. However, the Franklin statehood effort collapsed by 1789. Spencer county existed only briefly, its legality is questionable, and little trace remains.

The research of René Jordan shows that a small segment of present-day Hawkins County was inhabited by people who considered themselves Virginians, not North Carolinians. Their wills and other records can be found in Washington County, Virginia.

Later in 1786 the North Carolina legislature reconstituted a parallel-county of Franklin's Spencer County and called it Hawkins County. It was known by both county names while Frankln's statehood efforts lasted. Now the land on which the lost county of Spencer County was located is known as Hawkins County, Tennessee. By the time of the 1790 census of the Southwest Territory (proto-Tennessee), the County of Hawkins also included parts of modern Claiborne, Hancock, Union, Grainger, Hamblen, Anderson, Knox, Jefferson, Roane, and Loudon counties.

Early boundaries of Hawkins County, as researched by René Jordan, extended from the Virginia border to the Georgia border, overlapping lands released by applicable treaties. (See map and timetable at TNGenWeb site.)

In 1796 the land of Hawkins County (formerly Spencer County) became part of the new State of Tennessee. This area is where many Melungeons are believed to have settled. The Melungeon page identifies surnames believed to be associated with this group.

Parent County
1786--Hawkins County was created 18 November 1786 from parts of Sullivan County, and Greene County. County seat: Rogersville

County Pronunciation

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

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

Record Loss
1863--Fire damaged records.


 * Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1890
 * Early marriages beginning in 1820, but incomplete due to damage

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

Timelines
A timeline of events in Hawkins County, Tennessee before 1790 is found on page 48, Vol 21 No 2 (Apr 2004) of Distant Crossroads, the quarterly publication of Hawkins County (TN) Genealogical and Historical Society. (FHL US/CAN Book 976.895 B2d)

Getting Started
Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Hawkins County biography, cemetery, court, 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: Hawkins 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

Bible Records
Transcripts of various family bibles are found in scattered issues of Distant Crossroads, the quarterly publication of the Hawkins County Genealogical and Historical Society.


 * Reynolds--Smith--Sanders Family Bible Records, ca. 1789-1957 in Old Family Records Collection, ca. 1754-1966: Hawkins County, Tennessee..

Cemeteries
Tennessee cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation. A great place to start Hawkins County cemetery searches is:


 * Hawkins County Genealogical and Historical Society. Hawkins County, Tennessee, Cemeteries: Civil Districts. 4 vols. Rogersville, Tenn.: Hawkins County Genealogical &amp; Historical Society, 1988. FHL is missing Vol. 2. FHL US/CAN Book 976.895 V3c v. 1 ff. Free Lookups Available!

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

Published Hawkins County cemetery records:


 * Montgomery, Mary Alice Hurt. Cemetery Census for Hawkins County, Tennessee, Sullivan County, Tennessee and Washington County, Virginia. Kingsport, Tenn.: M.A.H. Montgomery, [2002?]..

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

1790- Lost, only statistics survive, but substitutes are available:


 * Eakle, Arlene. Tennessee Research. 2010. Purchase information at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Genealogy Blog. [Includes a reconstructed 1790 census, sources: "Contemporary lists–tax lists, militia rolls, land grants and deeds, claims for pre-emption lands, names recorded in diaries and journals. And numerous histories compiled by local historians from records that we have not seen or read ourselves."]
 * Jackson, Ronald Vern. Ohio, 1790, Volume Two. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1986. . [Includes "Territory Southwest of the River Ohio," i.e. East Tennessee. ]
 * McGhee, Lucy Kate. Partial Census of 1787 to 1791 of Tennessee as Taken from the North Carolina Land Grants. 3 Parts. Microfilmed in 1990..

1800 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.

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..

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:.

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. ; indexed at Lineages. [Covers this county.]

These records have also been abstracted:


 * 1820 Census of Manufactures: Hawkins County, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 6, No. 4 :174. For availability, see Periodicals.

1830


 * Sistler, Byron H. 1830 Census, East Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: n.p., 1969. . Free Lookups Available!
 * Lawson, Rowena. Hawkins County, Tennessee, 1830-1850 Censuses. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1987..

1840


 * Lawson, Rowena. Hawkins County, Tennessee, 1830-1850 Censuses. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1987..

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. . 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. [See Tennessee, Eastern District, Hawkins County on page 153.]

1850


 * Lawson, Rowena. Hawkins County, Tennessee, 1830-1850 Censuses. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1987. . Free Lookups Available!

1880


 * Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census, Hawkins County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, 1996. . Free Lookups Available!

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. . [Hawkins County is included in Vol. 7.]
 * Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1890 Civil War Veterans Census, Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: Byron Sister and Associates, 1978..

BAPTISTS
The memberships records for Richardson Creek Missionary Baptist Church (near Byrd Creek, Tate Cem, and Chestnut Grove) for 1847-1857, 1874-1875 are transcribed on page 52 of the Jan 1998 edition of Distant Crossroads, the quarterly publication of the Hawkins County (TN) Genealogical and Historical Society.


 * DeBoard, George Mitchell et al. Personal Records of a Minister: Rev. George Mitchell DeBoard, Grainger County, Tennessee; Includes Many People from Hancock, Hawkins and Hamblen Counties, Tennessee). Dallas, Texas: H.P. Garner, 2001?..

METHODISTS
Carter Valley - A list of those promising to pay for the securing of ground and building of a parsonage house for the Carter Valley Circuit is found on page 75, Vol 19, No. 3 of Distant Crossroads, the quarterly publication of the Hawkins County (TN) Genealogical and Historical Society, 2002.

DNA
DNA has been collected from men claiming descent from the following Hawkins 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

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 Hawkins, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 150,000 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. . [Identifies families that had settled in Tennessee before it achieved statehood in 1796.]
 * Hawkins County Genealogical and Historical Society. Families of Hawkins County, Tennessee. 2 vols. Rogersville, Tenn.: n.p., 1999. ff.
 * Old Family Records Collection, ca. 1783-1966: Hawkins County, Tennessee. MSS.,.
 * Trent, William S. Across the Mountain, Over on Clinch: A Folk History. Talbott, Tenn.: W.S. Trent, 2008. . [Includes Brown, Cole, Collins, Cope, Hardin, Martin, Stapleton, Trent and other families.]

Bibliography


 * [Acuff] McNamara, Billie R., Acuff Family Archives and Acuff-Ecoff Family Archives. Acuff Ancestors: Quarterly Journal of the Acuff Family Archives. Knoxville, Tenn.: Acuff Family Archives, 1995-[2001]..
 * [Arnote] Arnote, James Samuel. James Samuel Arnote, His Life: The Arnote Family or Clan. n.p.: J.S. Arnote, 1959..
 * [Ballard] Miller, Lynne D. Tennessee Ballards. Lincolnton, Tenn.: L.D. Miller, 2000. ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Barrett] Pyron, Ron. John Clinton Barrett, Tennessee Settler in the Ozarks: The Life and Times of John C. Barrett, His Family and Descendants: With Notes and Excerpts of Findings on the Families of Wm. C. Baldwin and Thomas F. Allen. Greeneville, Tenn.: R. Pyron, 1980..
 * [Barrett] Pyron, Ron. The Descendants of Thomas and Winnie Barrett: With Notes on the Origins of the Hawkins County-Tennessee Barretts, Newspapers Clippings, Selected Letters, Wills, Bible Records, and Complete Index. Greeneville, Tenn.: R. Pyron, 1981..
 * [Beal] Bounds, Eleanor Poe. Biehl/Beal--Kuefer Descendants. Effingham, Illinois: E.P. Bounds, 1997..
 * [Bean] Garner, Hallie. The Bean Tree: Descendants of John Bean of Hawkins County, Tennessee. Dallas, Texas: Garner Services, 2009..
 * [Beatty] Beatty, Marvin P. The Beatty Connection: A Genealogical Account of the Beattys Who Came from the Mountains of East Tennessee into the Hills of Southern Indiana. [Morris, Illinois]: M.P. Beatty, 2002..
 * [Booker] Caldwell, Kay Tunnell. Davis S. Booker: A Confederate Soldier from the Cumberland Gap to Vicksburg, 1834-1912. Surgoinsville, Tenn.: K.T. Caldwell, 1994..
 * [Buren] Buren, Dorothy. The Buren Story. Colorado Springs, Colo.: D. Buren, 1961..
 * [Byrd] Minter, Elbert J., Maxine Newton Gibson and Drinkard Funeral Home (Hartselle, Ala.). The Elbert Minter Collection. MSS., Morgan County Archives, Decatur, Ala.,.
 * [Caldwell] Caldwell, Kay Tunnell. The Andrew Caldwell Family of Hawkins County, Tn. Surgoinsville, Tenn.: K.T. Caldwell, 1994..
 * [Campbell] Campbell, C.W. Descendants of Robert Campbell. Vandalia, Missouri: C.W. Campbell, 1894. Item 13
 * [Campbell] Campbell Family Information, ca. 1718-1915. MSS., Clan Campbell Society, Baton Rouge, La..
 * [Campbell] Derby, William B. Draft of Outline Checklist Partly Substantiating a Campbell Legend. . [Research of professional genealogical firm Institute of Family Research, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah.]
 * [Cantwell] Belknap, Donald F. Cantwell Family. MSS., 1945..
 * [Charles] Smith, Sybil Roberts. The Charles Branch of My Sunshine Tree. [Grove, Oklahoma]: S.R. Smith, 1983..
 * [Church] Murray, James Lawrence. Church - Edens Families of Hawkins and Hancock Counties, Tennessee. El Paso, Tex.: J.L. Murray, 1960..
 * [Criner] The Criner Family. 199-?..
 * [Crockett] Jones, Kathryn E. Crockett Cousins. Graham, Texas: K.E. Jones, 1984. and Supplement:.
 * [Dodson] Lehmann, Joy Deal. The Descendants of Elijah Dodson of Yamhill County, Oregon: Six Generations of Descendants Since His Arrival in Oregon Territory in 1847. Novato, Calif.: J. Lehmann, 1993..
 * [Dyer] Dyer Family. Typescript..
 * [Dykes] Rowland, Elaine. The William Dykes Family of Hawkins County, Tennessee, 1745-1985. Dallas, Texas: E. Rowland, 1985..
 * [Edens] Murray, James Lawrence. Church - Edens Families of Hawkins and Hancock Counties, Tennessee. El Paso, Tex.: J.L. Murray, 1960..
 * [Feazel] McCarley, LaJoy DeShane. George L. Feazle of Spring Valley, His Ancestors and Descendants: A Biographical &amp; Historical Genealogy. Fort Worth, Texas: J.D. McCarley, 1980..
 * [Feazel] Gritzbaugh, Sherry Gresham. John O. Feazel of Louisiana: His Ancestors and Descendants. Bellaire, Texas: S.G. Gritzbaugh, 199_?]..
 * [Finley] Finley, Carmen J. "John and Mary Finley of Montgomery (Wythe) County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 34, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1990):243-255; Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1991):18-33; Vol. 35, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1991):122-135; Vol. 35, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1991):173-185; Vol. 35, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1991):251-262. Digital version at American Ancestors ($)..
 * [Flagg] Descendants of Josiah Flagg of Berkeley County, W. Va.; with sketches of the Flagg, Keyes, Foss, Shively, Hughes, Slemons and Campbell ancestries. Boston: Press of T.R. Marvin, 1920. Free digital copy.
 * [Gardner] Myers, Nella Smith. The Gardner Family of East Tennessee. Knoxville, Tenn.: N.S. Myers, 1986..
 * [Gideon] Gideon, Thomas Jefferson and Gertrude Cleghorn Josserand. Chronological and Biographical History of the Gideon Family of America. Pratt, Kansas: G.C. Josserand, 1949?..
 * [Greer] Shanks, Mary Jo. The Family of Joel Stacy Greer of Hawkins County, Tennessee. n.p.: M.J. Shanks, 1996..
 * [Grigsby] Grigsby Family Genealogical Collection, ca. 1789-1960. MSS.,.
 * [Grigsby] Grigsby Family Records. MSS.,.
 * [Grigsby] Compton, William H. Descendants of Nathaniel Grigsby, 1806-1859. Knoxville, Tenn.: W. Compton, 198-..
 * [Gulley] Shockey, Amanda Rudder Taylor. Rudder &amp; Relatives. Camden, Ohio: A.R. Shockey, 1993?..
 * [Hileman] Garner, Hallie. Adam Trevey Hileman Family of Hawkins County, Tennessee. Dallas, Texas: H. P. Garner, 2007..
 * [Huffmaster] Huffmaster, James T. Huffmaster-Hoffmeister Family Records. [Galveston, Texas: Oscar Springer Print], 1922. ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Hutchisson] Hutchisson, Elmer. Family of Benjamin Hutchisson, 1765-1852. Portola Valley, Calif.: E. Hutchisson, 1976..
 * [Jones] Cook, Margaret W. and Rosella Dykes Faulk. Daniel Jones and His Descendants. Tennessee: Hawkins County Genealogical &amp; Historical Society, 2001..
 * [Jones] Garner, Hallie. Keeping Up with the Joneses: The Descendants of Peter Paul Jones of Hawkins County, Tennessee. Dallas, Texas: H. P. Garner, 2009..
 * [Lawson] Lawson, Fred Raulston. The Lawsons of East Tennessee. Decatur, Ga.: Looking Glass Books, 1999..
 * [Lee] Johnston, Weldon. Some of the Descendants of Capt. Thomas Lee of Hawkins Co., Tennessee. Loudon, Tenn.: n.p., 1972..
 * [Livingston] Bass, Elise Livingston, Joanna Livingston Matthews and Leonard Livingston. The Livingston Cousins of Tennessee: A History of the Jacob Livingston Family, His Descendants and Their Cousins. Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Company Publishers, 1994. and.
 * [Long] Long--Batchelor--Purcell Families, ca. 1776-1957. MSS.,.
 * [Looney] Tompkins, Norma L. Looney, Hawkins County. Dallas, Tex.: N. Tompkins, 2000..
 * [Love] Love, Robert A. General Thomas Love of Western North Carolina and Western Tennessee and His Brothers Robert and James. St. Petersburg, Fla.: R.A. Love, 194?.
 * [Maddox] Thompson, Paul Terry. Fathers &amp; Sons of Thomas Maddox. Stockton, Calif.: P.T. Thompson, 1987..
 * [Mallory] Boyett, Woodrow W. Mama's Tennessee and Virginia Mallorys (with Index). Tuscaloosa, Ala.: W.W. Boyett, 1991..
 * [Manis] Spencer Owen Public Library (Spencer, Ind.). Manis--Maners Family Information. Typescript.,.
 * [Manis] Breazeale, E.V. and Ruth Ellen Maness. Manes, Maness, Mainess, Manis, Manus, Maners, Menees and Related Surnames: (The E. V. Breazeale Collection)..
 * [Manis] Breazeale, E.V. Descendants of Jacob Wilson Manes. Springfield, Mo.: E.V. Breazeale, 1977..
 * [Miller] Wine, Cecil J. The Michael Miller Family. Radford, VA: Commonwealth Press, 1964. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 M612w; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Moneyhun] Eppard, Sarah Elizabeth. The Moneyhuns of Copper Ridge, Hawkins County, Tennessee: John and Pharaba (Sizemore) Moneyhun and Some of Their Many Descendants. Indianapolis, Ind.: S. E. Eppard, 1974. ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Mosley] McCloskey, Cheryl Moore. Descendants of William Mosley, Sr. Early Resident, Floyd County, Kentucky, via Hawkins County, Tennessee, via Rockingham County, North Carolina: Allied Families, Boggs, Bolen, Boyd, Calhoun, Castell/Steel/Steele, Gearheart/Gayhart, Hale, Hicks, Hignite, Kitchen, Moore, Scutchfield, Stephens, Thornsbury. Villa Hills, Ky.: C.M. McCloskey, 2004..
 * [Phillips] Phillips, Helen L. and James R. Shults. Jonas Phillips and Descendants: Children of the Mountains. Cosby, Tenn.: H. Phillips, 1993. ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Price] Garner, Hallie. The Ancestry and Descendants of Henry Price, Jr. of Hawkins Co., Tennessee. Dallas, Texas: Garner Services, 2001..
 * [Reynolds] Reynolds, John Hughes (b. 1846). Reynolds. Rome, Ga.?: J.H. Reynolds, 1900?..
 * [Riddle] Plum, Fred W. Genealogy of the Riddle Family, 1760 to 1965: 205 Years. Texas?: F.W. Plum, 1965..
 * [Riddle] Plum, Fred W. History &amp; Genealogy of the Riddle Family from 1760-1973, 213 Years. Mt. Pleasant, Tex.: Jack Firmin, 1973. ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Riddle] Riddle, Chauncey Cazier and Bertha Allred Riddle. Isaac Riddle and His Family. Provo, Utah: C.C. &amp; B.A. Riddle, 1990..
 * [Riddle] Hill, Mary E. Vassel. William Riddle, 1740-1781. Provo, Utah: M.E.V. Hill, 1997..
 * [Riddle] Riddle, Chauncey Cazier and Bertha Allred Riddle. The Descendants of John Riddle, 1803-1887. 3 vols. Provo, Utah: C.C. Riddle, 1997-2003. ff.
 * [Risner] Gausel, Kurt. The Risner Family of Eastern Kentucky. 4 vols. + index. Salyersville, Ky.: Magoffin County Historical and Genealogical Society, 1993. ff.
 * [Rogers] Huskey, Allan. The Joseph Rogers Papers. 2 vols. St. Louis, Missouri: A. Huskey, 1990. ff.
 * [Shelton] Casey, Harold and Robert Brooks Casey. Shelton, Wininger and Pace Families. Stillwater, Oklahoma: H. Casey, 1988..
 * [Shultz] Reagan, Donald B. Smoky Mountain Clans. 3 vols. Knoxville, Tenn.: D.B. Reagan, 1978-1983. . [The Shultz family is discussed in Vol. 2.]
 * [Sizemore] Parrish, Verle H. Who's Who in My Sizemore Family. Georgetown, Ky.: V.H. Parrish, 1989..
 * [Skelton] Skelton, Earl F. "The Skeltons of Colonial Virginia," Tidewater Virginia Families: A Magazine of History and Genealogy, Vol. 3, No. 2 (August/September 1994):86-100; Vol. 3, No. 3 (November/December 1994):151-162. 975.51 D25t
 * [Smith] Smith, Leland L. Gone to Texas; Texas and Tennessee Smiths: and Related Breeding, Burleson, Burris, Chamblee, Fincher, Graves, Green, Grigsby, Haynes, Hill, Hobgood, Jones, King, Lewis, McMinn, Owen, Powell, Ridley, Shipman, Spears, Strickland, Taylor, and Turner Families of the South. 3 vols. Austin, Texas: Historical Pub., 1999-2000. ff [FHL lacks v. 2].
 * [Spears] Spears, Helen R. Families of Samuel Spears, 1761-2001. Fountain Valley, Calif.: Joy Pub., 2002..
 * [Thompson] Caldwell, Kay Tunnell. Davis S. Booker: A Confederate Soldier from the Cumberland Gap to Vicksburg, 1834-1912. Surgoinsville, Tenn.: K.T. Caldwell, 1994..
 * [Vaughan] Frandsen, Margaret Walter Croom and Jean Knight Whalen. The History of William Vaughan and Related Families. [Las Vegas, Nevada?]: M.A. Frandsen, 1989..
 * [Webb] Webb, Earl F. The Webb Genealogy: This is a Record of the Men Who were Born Webbs, as Well as the Women They Chose to Begat More Webbs; Also the Girls Who were Born Webbs and the Husbands They Married to Father the Children of the Allied Families, Who Carried On and Perpetuated the Long Line. Dayton, Ohio: E.F. Webb, 1982..
 * [Williams] Williams, Deward C. Our Yankee Kinfolk: Our Cumberland Mountain Kinfolk, Our Noble English Ancestry of Three PK's, Preacher's kids, Deward Charles Williams, Jr., Donald Eugene Williams, Betty Marie Williams Spitze. [Sesser?, Ill.: D.C. Williams, 193-?]..
 * [Winegar] Doane, Lillian. Wineinger--Wininger--Winegar, ca. 1781-1981. MSS.,.
 * [Witt] Fisher, William Scott and Julieann Witt Fisher. Tales of Witt: The Lives and Times of Our Witt Family Ancestors. Fruit Heights, Utah: W.S. Fisher, 1996. ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.

Immigration
During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 9 British aliens, many of whom had families, living in Hawkins County.

Land
Deeds

The original Hawkins County Deed Books are held at the Hawkins County Courthouse. The TSLA microfilmed Deed Books 1-39 (1787-1894) and General Indexes (1787-1906) in 1974. Copies of these films are also available at the Family History Library:.

Some of these records have been abstracted:


 * [1788-1800] Historical Records Project (Tennessee). Deed Books, 1788-1800, Hawkins County, Tennessee. Typescript, Tennessee State Library, Nashville, Tenn..
 * [1788-1861] Historical Records Survey (Tennessee). General Index to Deeds, 1788-1861, Hawkins County, Tennessee. Typescript, Tennessee State Library, Nashville, Tenn..
 * [1801-1819] Murray, Joyce Martin. Hawkins County, Tennessee, Deed Abstracts, 1801-1819. Dallas, Texas: J.M. Murray, 1998..
 * [1802-1860] Hawkins County Genealogical and Historical Society (Rogersville, Tennessee). Hawkins County Deeds 1802-1860 (Selected). n.p.: Hawkins County Genealogical &amp; Historical Society, 2008..

Local Land Entries Issued by North Carolina

The original Hawkins 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 Hawkins County, both before and after it became a part of the state of Tennessee. Years covered: 1778-1804.

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 12.14.9 (Windows Vista users may need to include a period after the last digit, for example 12.14.9.) and click Search. This is the specific MarsID for Hawkins County.
 * 4) Click on the entry that is returned: "Tennessee, Hawkins County."
 * 5) In the window that pops up, click Show List of Child Records and a list of Hawkins 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.

Land Entries

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Hawkins County land records. They offer a research service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:


 * 1) Entry Book A: 1824-1835
 * 2) Entry Book B: 1836-1860
 * 3) Entry Books C-D: 1830-1837, 1869-1902; Surveyors Book: 1824-1828

Land Grants

The original Hawkins County Land Grant Books are held at the Hawkins County Archival Project in Rogersville, Tenn. The Genealogical Society of Utah microfilmed Land Grant Books 1-2 (1784-1819) in 2007:.

Billie R. McNamara abstracted, indexed, and published these records:


 * McNamara, Billie R. Hawkins County, Tennessee Land Grant Books 1 &amp; 2, 1787-1819. Knoxville, Tenn.: B.R. McNamara, 1996. . Available from the author.

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 TSLAhas 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.

Maps

 * [1786] Reeves, Charles A. Hawkins &amp; Sumner Counties [Tennessee] - Created in 1786. Published 2000. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
 * [1790] Reeves, Charles A. Hawkins County, Territory of Tennessee, County Bounds as they existed in 1790. Published 1998, based on an earlier map of unknown provenance. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.

Military
Revolutionary War

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


 * 1) 1835 Pension Roll
 * 2) 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions

The 1840 Census of Pensioners has been abstracted multiple times:


 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. . 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. [See Tennessee, Eastern District, Hawkins County on page 153.]
 * Census of Pensioners, 1840, Hamblen Heritage, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Winter 1995).
 * Census of Pensioners, 1840, Eastern District (sel.), Sullivan County Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Spring 2004).
 * Soldiers in Census, 1840, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Winter 1999).

Additional resources include:


 * 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.]
 * Revolutionary Soldiers, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan. 1984); Vol. 1, No. 2 (Apr. 1984); Vol. 1, No. 3 (Jul. 1984); Vol. 1, No. 4 (Oct. 1984); Vol. 2, No. 1 (Jan. 1985); Vol. 2, No. 2 (Apr. 1985); Vol. 2, No. 4 (Oct. 1985); Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan. 1986); Vol. 3, No. 2 (Apr. 1986); Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jul. 1986); Vol. 3, No. 4 (Oct. 1986).
 * Revolutionary War Soldiers Buried in County, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 21, No. 3 (2004).
 * Joshua Walker, Rev. War Pension, 1834, Holston Pastfinder, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Jun. 1998).

Militia and Indian Wars


 * Roster of Soldiers, 1788, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jan. 1994).
 * Service against Chickamaugas, 1790 Claims, Tennessee Ancestors, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Dec. 1989).

War of 1812


 * Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Jul. 1960):65-68. ; digital version at journal website. [Includes Hawkins County pensioners (pp. 66-67)]
 * Soldiers of War of 1812 Buried in TN, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Jan. 1987).
 * War of 1812 Soldiers, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Apr. 1987).
 * War of 1812 Soldiers of Co. Bur. Ft. Williams Cem., Distant Crossroads, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Jan. 1990).

Civil War


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

Civil War service men from Hawkins County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Hawkins County.

Confederate Soldiers

 * 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Ashby's) - CSA - Company C.
 * 4th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (Branner's) - CSA - Company D.
 * 5th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (McClellan's) - CSA - Company D.
 * 5th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (McKenzie's) - CSA
 * 12th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (Day's) - CSA - Companies A and C.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Hawkins County:

 * 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.
 * The Blue &amp; Gray from Hawkins County Tennessee, by Sheila Weems Johnston, (accessed 30 Jan 2012). A large assortment of Civil War links.
 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications : Hawkins County, (accessed 30 Jan 2012). Includes soldier's name, county, pension #, unit or widow.
 * United States Pension Bureau, List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883: Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for ...(Washington Printing Office; 1883), (accessed 30 Jan 2012). Online at Internet Archive. Hawkins County, page 344-346.

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 Hawkins County click on the following cities or towns:


 * Church Hill
 * Rogersville

Occupations

 * Gump, Lucy Kennerly and Thomas Amis. Amis Ledger: Interpretive Transcription of an East Tennessee Business Record Book. 2 vols. Johnson City, Tenn.: L.K. Gump, 1996. ff.
 * 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. . Digital version at World Vital Records ($). Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes Hawkins County.]

Periodicals
Tap into the minds of local experts. Editors of genealogical periodicals publish unique sources that researchers who are new to their area would not likely discover. This type of material may be found in local, regional, or statewide genealogical society journals. The following periodicals cover this county:


 * Ansearchin' News
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of records of Hawkins 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
 * Distant Crossroads
 * Family History Library has Volumes 1 (1983) to present . Indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI). For further information see Web page: http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnhcghs. For indexes for back issues of Distant Crossroads(1997 - present) click here. For index of surnames in Distant Crossroads (1998 - 2008) and index of surnames in Families of Hawkins County, Tennessee 1786 - 1999 click here. For a digital version of Distant Crossroads Volumes 23 and 24 at BYU Family History Archives click here.
 * East Tennessee Roots
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of Hawkins 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.
 * Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of Hawkins County, Tennessee records have been published in the Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin (39+ vols., 1972-present), the journal of the Watauga Association of Genealogists. The organization has posted tables of contents for most volumes on their website. Back issues are available for purchase. The Family History Library has a complete collection, including Margaret W. Hougland and Betty Jane Hylton's Bulletin Subject Index: The First Thirty Years, 1972-2001 (Johnson City, Tenn.: Watauga Association of Genealogists, 2002).

Prisons
Learn if your Hawkins 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 original Hawkins County Wills are held at the County Archives. In the 1970s, TSLA microfilmed some of these records covering the years 1797-1910. FHL copy:. In 2007, GSU microfilmed wills (1779-1975) and an index covering the same years:.

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Hawkins County probate records. They offer a research service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:


 * 1) Will Book 1: 1797-1826
 * 2) Will Books 2-3: 1826-1921

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


 * [1786-1864] Eugenia Lauderdale Messick's book Hawkins County, Tennessee Wills, 1786-1864 ( Vol 1) contains complete TRANSCRIPTIONS of the surviving wills that were copied by the County Court Clerk sometime after the Civil War, as the original will books of Hawkins County, Tennessee were destroyed by fire in 1863. The every name index makes her book a powerful starting point in researching the wills of Hawkins County, Tennessee.
 * [1786-1851] Bell, Annie W.B. Hawkins County, Tennessee Marriages and Wills, 1786-1851. 1934..
 * [1786-1886] Gardner, Carolyn S. and Sheila W. Johnston. Wills of Hawkins County, Tennessee. Rogersville, Tenn.: Hawkins County Genealogical &amp; Historical Society, 1991..
 * [1797-1886] Historical Records Project (Tennessee). Will Books, 1797-1886, Hawkins County, Tennessee. Typescript, The TSLA, Nashville, Tenn..
 * [1797-1861] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Tennessee Wills &amp; Administrations 1779-1861. Nashville, Tenn. Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, Inc., 1990. . [Includes an index to this county's wills.] Free Lookups Available!
 * McGhee, Lucy Kate. Hawkins County, Tennessee, Marriages and Wills. Free digital copy available online, courtesy: Internet Archive.

Taxation
The original Hawkins County Tax Books (1879-1880, 1886, 1892-1893) are held at the Hawkins County Courthouse. TSLA microfilmed these records in the 1970s. FHL copies:.

The following Hawkins County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1799, 1801] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Early Tennessee Tax Lists. Evanston, Ill.: B. &amp; B. Sistler, 1977. [Includes 1799, 1801 tax lists.]
 * [1799, 1801, 1809-1812] Curtis, Mary Barnett. Early East Tennessee Tax Lists. Fort Worth, Texas: Arrow Printing Company, 1964. . [Includes 1799 and 1801 petitions and 1809-1812 tax lists.]
 * [1801] "Hawkins County Land Sold for 1801 Taxes," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 44, No. 4 (Winter 1997):41. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1809-1812] Creekmore, Pollyanna. "Early East Tennessee Taxpayers: Hawkins County Tennessee Tax Lists 1809-1812," East Tennessee Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 32 (1960):117-131.
 * [1809-1812] Creekmore, Pollyanna. Early East Tennessee Taxpayers. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1980. and Silas Emmett Lucas's Revised Index . [Includes 1809-1812 tax lists.]
 * [1809-1812] Hawkins County, Tennessee, 1809-1812 Tax List..
 * [1809-1812] 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. . [Cites Creekmore's Early East Tennessee Taxpayers publications as a source.]
 * [1810] Tax List, Capt. Nathaniel Smith's Company, 1810, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Oct. 1989).
 * [1811] Welder, Kathy. "1811 Hawkins Co. Tax List (Partial)," available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.
 * [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 Hackins (Hawkins) County.]
 * [1816] List of Unpaid Taxes for 1816, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 8, No. 4. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1822] List of Insolvencies for 1822, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 8, No. 4. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1825-1826] List of Delinquent Taxes for 1825 and 1826, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 8, No. 4. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1832] List of Insolvencies for 1832, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 8, No. 4. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1833] Tax List for Capt. Frost Company, 1833, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Jul. 1989).
 * [1836] Barham, Eleanor Riggins. "Hawkins County, Tennessee 1836 Tax List," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 31, No. 3 (Fall 1984):115-120; Vol. 32, No. 4 (Winter 1984):163-169. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
 * [1836] Douthat, James L. 1836 Hawkins County, Tennessee Civil Districts and Tax Lists. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1994. ; online: free surname index and purchase details.
 * [1855-1856] Revenue Docket, 1855-56, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr. 1998); Vol. 15, No. 4 (Oct. 1998).
 * [1862] U.S. Direct District Tax, 1862, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Jan. 1997); Vol. 14, No. 2 (Apr. 1997); Vol. 14, No. 3 (Jul. 1997); Vol. 14, No. 4 (Oct. 1997); Vol. 15, No. 1 (Jan. 1998); Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr. 1998); Vol. 15, No. 3 (Jul. 1998); Vol. 15, No. 4 (Oct. 1998); Vol. 16, No. 1 (Jan. 1999); Vol. 16, No. 2 (Apr. 1999); Vol. 16, No. 3 (Jul. 1999); Vol. 17, No. 1 (Jan. 2000); Vol. 17, No. 2 (Apr. 2000); Vol. 17, No. 3 (Jul. 2000); Vol. 17, No. 4 (Oct. 2000).
 * [1868-1869] Delinquent Tax List, 1868-1869, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Apr. 1986).
 * [1886] Tax Books, District 5, 1886, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jan. 1991).
 * [1899] Tax Books, 1899, Distant Crossroads, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Jul. 1995); Vol. 12, No. 4 (Oct. 1995); Vol. 13, No. 1 (Jan. 1996); Vol. 13, No. 2 (Apr. 1996); Vol. 13, No. 3 (Jul. 1996); Vol. 13, No. 4 (Oct. 1996).

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


 * [1789-1865] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early East Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, Inc., 1987. . [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]
 * [1789-1866] Hawkins County Marriage Records 1789-1866. Free Lookups Available!
 * [1866-1899] Hawkins County Marriages 1866-1899. Free Lookups Available!
 * McGhee, Lucy Kate. Hawkins County, Tennessee, Marriages and Wills. Free digital copy, courtesy: Internet Archive.

Death

 * Hawkins County Death Certificates 1908-1912. Free Lookups Available!

For deaths of Methodists in Hawkins County between the 1830s and the 1920s, try:


 * Smith, Jonathan K.T. Genealogical Abstracts from Reported Deaths, the Nashville Christian Advocate. [1847-1914] 10 vols. [Jackson, Tenn.]: J.K.T. Smith, 1997-2003. ff; digital versions at David Donahue Memorial: Tennessee Records Repository. [Website expands upon the publications and includes deaths from the 1830s, 1840s, 1910s and 1920s.]

Societies and Libraries
H. B. Stamps Library 407 East Main Street Rogersville, TN 37857 A guide to the Genealogy Room at the H. B. Stamp Library is found on pages 76-77, Vol 19 No 3 (2003) of Distant Crossroads, the quarterly publication of the Hawkins County (TN) Genealogical and Historical Society.

Hawkins County, Tennessee Genealogical and Historical Society PO Box 429 Rogersville TN 37857-0429

East Tennessee Historical Society 601 S. Gay St. P.O. Box 1629 Knoxville, TN 37901-1629 Phone: 1-865-215-8824 E-mail: eths@east-tennessee-history.org

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Websites

 * (FamilySearch)
 * Genealogical "Fact Sheets About Tennessee Counties: Hawkins County (TN State Library and Archives)
 * Hawkins County, Tennessee Genealogy, Facts and Records Resources (n2genealogy)
 * Hawkins County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Hawkins County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Hawkins County, TN GenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNHAWKIN-L (Hawkins 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: FRANKLIN-STATE-L (State of Franklin 1784-1788 List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: UPPEREASTTN-L (Upper East Tennessee List)