Dickson County, Tennessee Genealogy

Guide to Dickson County, Tennessee ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for William Dickson, a Nashville physician then serving in the United States Congress. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Dickson County Courthouse 4 Court Square Charlotte, Tennessee 37036 Phone: 615-789-4171 County Clerk Phone: 615-789-5093 Circuit Court Clerk Phone: 615-789-7010 Dickson County Website  County Clerk has birth and death records 1908-1912 and 1925-1939, Marriage records from 1817 and probate records from 1977 Register of Deeds has land records from 1804 and military records from 1946

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

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

History Timeline
Additional Information The county is named after "U.S. Representative William Dickson (1770-1816)."

Biographies

 * Douthat, James L. Dickson County, Tennessee Biographies. 1887; reprint, Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press. Free Surname Index at Mountain Press.

Business, Commerce, and 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. . Purchase at Genealogical.com. Includes Dickson County.

Census Records
1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of Dickson 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 Dickson County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. The USGenWeb Census Project®

1810-1891


 * Tennessee, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1891 at Ancestry ($)

1810 Lost - 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


 * Scanned census images in the USGenWeb Archives.
 * Bentley, Elizabeth P. Index to the 1820 Census of Tennessee. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981.

1820 African Americans
 * Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census," available online, courtesy: Free African Americans website.

1820 Manufactures

The original manufactures schedules for the Eastern and Western Districts of Tennessee are kept at the NARA, Washington, D.C. FHL copies:.

The following book is a useful aid for finding the original records. Aonline 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. ; digital version at Lineages. Covers this county.

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, Middle District, Dickson County on page 155.

1850


 * Finley, Nina. Census of Houston County Area. Erin, Tennessee Friends of Houston County Library, 19-?. Volume 6 includes 1850 Western Dickson County.

1860


 * Scanned census images in the USGenWeb Archives.
 * Baker, Georgia. 1860 Census for Dickson County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: Richland Press, 1998.
 * Finley, Nina. Census of Houston County Area. Erin, Tennessee Friends of Houston County Library, 19-?. Volume 7 includes 1860 Western Dickson County.

1870


 * Finley, Nina. Census of Houston County Area. Erin, Tennessee Friends of Houston County Library, 19-?. Volume 8 includes 1870 Western Dickson County.

1880


 * Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census Dickson County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: B. Sistler and Associates, 1993.

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. . Dickson County is included in Vol. 8.
 * Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1890 Civil War Veterans Census, Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: Byron Sister and Associates, 1978..

1891 Male Voters


 * Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry ($)

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

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census," available online, courtesy: Free African Americans website.

Genealogies
DNA
 * Brown - Descendant of Charles Brown, b. 1826 Dickson County, Tennessee, d. 1909 Weakley County, Tennessee. Y-DNA 67 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 68374). Genetic signature available online (labeled Group No. 20), genealogical description available online, courtesy: Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study. Matches have been found.
 * Brown - Descendant of John A. Brown, Esq., b. 1770 North Carolina, d. 1850 Dickson County, Tennessee. Y-DNA 67 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 18696). Genetic signature available online (labeled Group No. 20), genealogical description available online, courtesy: Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study. Matches have been found.

Genealogy More than half a dozen genealogies have been published about Dickson County, Tennessee families. For more information visit Dickson County, Tennessee Compiled Genealogies.

Land and Property Records

 * Dickson County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1804 and is located at 4 Court Square, Charlotte, TN 37036; (615) 789-4171. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries.
 * Willis, Laura and Betty Sellers. Dickson County, Tennessee Deeds. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 1998. 9 volumes. Available at FHL is missing volume 4. Digital versions of selected volumes available at World Vital Records ($). v. 1-1804-1808; v. 2 - 1808-1812; v. 4 - 1815-1818; and v. 6 - 1820-1823. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * The Family History Library has microfilm copies of deeds 1804-1966 and trust deeds 1875-1966 with a general index; estate and guardianship settlements 1800-1898; land entries 1824-1962; platt books 1899-1962; register of probate deeds 1894-1938; and road minutes 1998-1891.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)

Military Records
Revolutionary War The following Dickson County Revolutionary War records are available online through TNGenWeb:


 * 1835 Pension Roll
 * 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions
 * and Military Pensioners in 1840 of Dickson County, Tennessee''

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. . 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. See Tennessee, Middle District, Dickson County on page 155.

War of 1812
 * Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Apr. 1960):40-45. ; digital version at journal website. Includes Dickson County pensioners (p. 43)

Civil War

Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
 * 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
 * 1861-1865 - U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
 * 1891-1965 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System

Confederate Soldiers 


 * 2nd Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Woodward's) - CSA - Company A.
 * 11th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Companies C, E, and K.
 * 49th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Companies B and D.
 * 50th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company A.
 * 50th Consolidated Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company A.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Dickson County:


 * TNGenWeb, Dickson Tennessee Civil War Information. Links to Baxters Artillery, 11th Infantry Volunteers 1861, Tidwell CW Letters, etc. Scroll down on page to "Military" where there are several Civil War links.
 * Dickson County, Tennessee 1890 Civil War Veterans Census. Listed alphabetically - All spelling is as it was written.
 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Dickson County. 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. Dickson County, page 332.

Newspapers

 * Willis, Laura and indexed by Betty Sellers. Dickson County, Tennessee Newspaper Abstracts. Melber, KY: Simmons Historical Pub., 1998, 2001, 2003. 8 volumes. Available at . Digital versions of select volumes available at World Vital Records ($). v. 1 - 7 Jan 1910-22 Apr 1910; v. 2 - 22 Apr 1910-15 Jul 1910; v. 3 - 15 Jul 1910-6 Jan 1911; and v. 4 - 23 Dec 1910-31 Mar 1911. Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.

For deaths of Methodists in Dickson County between the 1830s and the 1920s, try:
 * 1794-1851 - Lucas, Silas Emmett. Marriages from Early Tennessee Newspapers 1794-1851. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978..


 * 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.


 * Many Tennessee newspapers are filmed and available at the 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 Dickson County click on the following cities or towns:


 * Burns
 * Charlotte
 * Dickson
 * Ruskin Cave
 * White Bluff

Prisons

 * 1831-1850 - Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1831-1850 at Tennessee State Library and Archives
 * 1851-1870 - Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1851-1870 at Tennessee State Library and Archives

Periodicals

 * Ansearchin' News: Quarterly magazine of the Tennessee Genealogical Society. For a keyword search, go to the county index. Read previous issues on their website;


 * The Dickson County Genealogical Society was organized in June of 1983 and dissolved in December of 1987. The Family History Library has Volume 1, no. 1 (Jan - Mar 1984) - Volume 4, no. 4 (December 1987). FHL US/CAN Book


 * The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History:Genealogical articles with abstracts of records of Dickson 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 (1988-2016). 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.

Probate Records
The Dickson County Court and County Clerk have responsibility for probate records. Many records are found as the Dickson County Archives.

Online Records


 * 1779-2008 - Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1800-1950 - Dickson County portion of at FamilySearch - images only; handwritten indexes may be found at the front or back of some volumes.- How to Use this Collection

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


 * 1803-1856 - Will Book B: 1803-1856

Book Abstracts and Indexes


 * 1803-1856 - Strictly by Name
 * 1804-1861 - 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 probate records.
 * 1838-1847 - Dickson County Will Books Vol. 1-1838-1847. Kentucky. Simmons Historical Publications, s.d. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * 1848-1868 - Dickson County Will Books Vol. 2-1848-1868. Kentucky. Simmons Historical Publications, s.d. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * 1866-1895 - Dickson County Will Books Vol. 3-1866-1895. Kentucky. Simmons Historical Publications, s.d. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * 1895-1914 - Dickson County Will Books Vol. 4-1895-1914. Kentucky. Simmons Historical Publications, s.d. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * 1914-1929 - Dickson County Will Books Vol. 5-1914-1929. Kentucky. Simmons Historical Publications, s.d. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
 * 1804-1856 - Works Progress Administration. Dickson County, TN Will Book A 1804-1856. 1936. Reprint with new index by Samuel Sistler, Nashville, Tennessee: Byron Sistler and Associates, 1998. (FHL book 976.844 P2s.)

See also:


 * Garrett, Jill Knight. Dickson County Handbook. Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1984. Indexed. Contains a variety of Dickson County resources, including wills and estate settlements. (FHL book 976.844 A3g.)

Tax Records
Book Abstracts and Indexes


 * 1812 Tax Lists, 1812, Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History. Nashville TN: Spring 2003. Vol. 16 Iss. 4.
 * 1813 "Dickson County Land Sold for 1813 Taxes," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 48, No. 4 (Winter 2001):57. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 48 (2001). For access, see Dickson.
 * 1814 "Some Dickson County Property Subject to Double Taxes in 1814," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 49, No. 2 (Summer 2002):21. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 49 (2002). For access, see Dickson.
 * 1815 Petition by Inhabitants Concerning Tax Complaint, 1815, Hickman County Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin. Centerville TN: 2005. Vol. 12 Iss. 2.
 * 1817 "U.S. Holds 1817 Public Sale of Federal Tax-Delinquent Properties in Tennessee," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 43, No. 2 (Summer 1996):63-68. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 43 (1996). For access, see Dickson. Includes Dickson County.
 * 1839-1839 Tax List Dickson County, Tennessee, Ansearchin' News, Vol 27, No. 3 (Fall 1980). FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 27 (1980);digital version at society's website. For further access, see Dickson.

Birth

 * 1828-1939 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1869-1909 - Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1908-1912 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1908-1930 - Dickson County Birth Index 1908-1930 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch

Marriage
Online Indexes and Records
 * 1625-1966 - Tennessee, United States Marriages at FindMyPast ($)
 * 1780-2002 - Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1780-2002 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1790-1962 - [1790-1962] - at FamilySearch. index and images. Covers all counties in Tennessee.- How to Use this Collection
 * 1796-1950 - (Indexes only) at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1817-1933 - Dickson County Marriage Index 1817-1933 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1838-1848 - ''Marriage Records, 1838-1848, Dickson County, Tennessee. Typescript. FHL film 24640 (Item 3)+++
 * 1838-1888 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1850-1870 - Dickson County, Tennessee Marriages, 1850-70 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1851-1900 - Tennessee Marriages 1851-1900 at Ancestry ($)

Book Abstracts and Indexes
 * 1783-1870 - 35,000 Tennessee Marriage Records and Bonds 1783-1870. 3 vols. FHL book 976.8 V2t. Abstracts include names of brides, grooms, bondsmen, marriage bond dates, and officiators for weddings in this county.
 * 1817-1879 - Dickson County, Tennessee, Marriage records, 1817-1879. FHL book 976.844 V2e, CD no. 620.
 * 1838-1873 - Early Middle Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. ff. Indexes names of brides, grooms, marriage dates for this county for the specified years.
 * Southern states Genealogical Records: Bible records, Tombstone Inscriptions, Historical records, Southern States Mission Records.
 * Dickson County Handbook. Contains marriage record information. FHL book 976.844 A3g

Death

 * 1874-1955 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
 * 1908-1930 - Dickson County Death Index 1908-1930 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch
 * 1908-1958 - Tennessee Death Records 1908 - 1958 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1914-1966 - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection

Divorce

 * W.P.A. Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessee Historical Records Survey, 1941. FamilySearch Books Online; - Inventory stating where divorce records are housed.

Archives
Dickson County Archives 4 Public Square Charlotte, TN 37036 Phone: 615-789-4171

Family History Centers

 * Dickson Tennessee Family History Center:100 Brown Road Burns, TN 37029 Phone: 615-441-1006 E-Mail: TN_Dickson@familyhistorymail.org Website

Libraries
Dickson County Public Library 206 Henslee Drive Dickson, TN 37055 Phone: 615-446-8293 Website

Societies
Dickson County Historical & Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1922 Dickson, TN 37056 Facebook
 * For current contact information regarding genealogist, historian and other officers of the Society click here. Dickson County Historian is H. Alan Ragan 204 North Main St. Dickson, TN 37055 Phone: 615-446-2359 E-mail: Alan.Ragan@Ragans.biz

Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society PO Box 330948 Nashville, TN, USA 37203-7507 Website
 * The society serves the 40 counties of middle Tennessee of which Dickson 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

Websites

 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
 * Dickson County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Dickson County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)

Research Guides

 * Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: Dickson County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)