Unicoi County, Tennessee Genealogy

Unicoi County, Tennessee ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Guide to Unicoi County (established 1875) genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

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

County Courthouse
Unicoi County Courthouse 100 Main St. Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1-423-743-9541

Many historic records are currently being rehoused and prepared for public usage. They will be available in the fall of 2011. The Register of Deeds is currently open (July 26, 2010).

County Clerk has marriage and probate records from 1875. Clerk Circuit Court and Chancery Court has divorce and court records. Register of Deeds has land records from 1875.

Unicoi County Clerk Birth, marriage and probate records P.O. Box 340 100 Main St., Suite 100 Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1- 423-743-3381

Unicoi County Register of Deeds Land records P.O. Box 305 Unicoi County Courthouse,Suite 202 Attn: Register of Deeds 100 Main Ave. Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1-423-743-6104

Unicoi County Circuit Court Clerk Court records P.O. Box 2000 Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1-423-743-3541

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.-noon (County Clerk)

History


East Tennessee county established in 1875. Originally part of the pioneer Watauga Settlements, from 1784 to 1788, this land was also claimed by the abortive, short-lived State of Franklin.

Unicoi is a Native American Cherokee term for the Appalachian Mountains. It is believed to mean "white or fog-draped."

In August 1784 delegates from Washington County (including land that eventually became Unicoi County) and other western North Carolina counties which had split off from Washington County (all now in Tennessee), declared their Independence from North Carolina because of perceived neglect, and misuse by North Carolina’s legislature. By May 1785 they petitioned to be admitted to the United States as the new State of Franklin. The Franklin statehood request was denied. By 1789 the hopes for a State of Franklin faded. North Carolina became a state in 1789 and ceded her westernmost counties to the United States. The ceded counties, including most of Washington County (and eventually Unicoi), became the Southwest Territory. In 1796 the Southwest Territory was admitted to the United States as the new State of Tennessee.

Parent County
1875 - Unicoi County was established 23 March 1875 from Washington and Carter Counties. Early records may be found under Washington and Carter Counties. County seat: Erwin

County Pronunciation

 * 1) Hear it spoken (Voice of Unicoi County Mayor Greg Lynch, 2010)
 * 2) Hear it spoken (female)

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Tennessee county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Getting Started
Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Unicoi County biography and cemetery 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: Unicoi 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
Additional Cemetery Resources


 * Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator

Census
1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of Unicoi 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.

1810 - 1891
 * Tennessee, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1891 at Ancestry.com — index $

1880

1890
 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1880 Census. Erwin, Tenn.: H.B. Padgett, 1995..
 * Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census, Unicoi County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler &amp; Associates, 1996..
 * Veterans Census. Southeastern Genealogy ($)

1890 Lost 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. . Unicoi 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..

1891 Male Voters


 * 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry.com — index $

1900


 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1900 Census. Erwin, Tenn.: H.B. Padgett, 1995..

1910


 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1910 Census. Erwin, Tenn.: H.B. Padgett, 1995..

1920


 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1920 Census. Erwin, Tenn.: H. Padgett, 1996..

1930


 * Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee 1930 Census. (n.p.: n.p.), 2002..

Court
Many of your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can establish family relationships and places of residence, occupations, and other family history information.


 * Circuit Court: Court minutes of Unicoi County, 1876-1890, FHL film 972733.
 * County Court: Court minutes, 1875-1905, FHL films 972736 and 972737.
 * Chancery Court: Court minutes, v. 1-2, 1876-1908, FHL film 972732.
 * Tennessee Supreme Court Cases at TSLA

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


 * Vinson - Descendant of Vinson family, migrated from Russell Co., VA to Unicoi Co., TN at the turn of twentieth century. Y-DNA 12 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 23453). Genetic signature available online (labelled V-2 in Haplogroup J), courtesy: The Vinson DNA Project, World Families Network.

Family Histories
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 Unicoi, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 9,000 entries.


 * Hensley, Benny E. Beneath the Oaks at the Foot of Meadow Creek Mountain, Oak Hill, Parrottsville, TN..

Bibliography


 * Beckelhimer - Kerns, Gloria Lambert and Diane Sims. Beckelhimer: Family Records..
 * Moore - Fobes, Lawrence G. Moore. 1976?..
 * Tilson - Bicentennial Register of The Society of Mayflower Descendants in the District of Columbia, 1978. Washington, D.C., 1976.
 * Tilson - Alderman, Pat. Tilson Grist Mill, Mountain Folklore Genealogy. Johnson City, Tenn.: The Overmountain Press, 1981..

Land
The original Unicoi County Deed Books are held at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, TSLA microfilmed Deed Books 1-7 (1876-1903), Trust Deed Book 1 (1876-1899), and Index to Deeds and Mortgages (1876-1920). FHL copies:.

Maps

 * Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)
 * TSLA Historical Map Collection

War of 1812

 * Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Jul. 1961):95-98. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. Includes Unicoi County pensioners (p. 97.)

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1891-1965 - at FamilySearch — images
 * Civil War Research Database $
 * Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Unicoi County:
 * Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Unicoi 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). Online at Internet Archive. Unicoi County, page 379-380.

Newspapers
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 Unicoi County click on the following town:


 * Erwin

Obituaries
Obituaries may mention birth, marriage, spouse, parents, and living family members. Obituaries for residents may be found in:


 * FamilySearch, United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014

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 Unicoi 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
 * East Tennessee Roots
 * Genealogical articles with abstracts of Unicoi 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 Unicoi 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).

Probate Records
The original Unicoi County wills are held at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, TSLA microfilmed wills covering the date range 1876-1947. FHL copies:.

Online Records
 * 1779-2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Images of Wills 1878-1887; Minutes of the Court 1875-1886; 1886-1892; 1892-1898; 1898-1905. Southeastern Genealogy ($)


 * Wills, 1876-1947
 * Wills, 1947-1963, Vol. 2
 * Bonds, 1876-1937, Vol. 1
 * Bonds, 1837-1957, Vol. 2

Taxation
The original Unicoi County Tax Books 1876-1899 are kept at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, TSLA microfilmed these records. FHL copies:.

The following Unicoi County tax records have been abstracted:


 * 1798 - 1798 Tax List, Carter County, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 9, No. 4. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals. Includes digital images of the original source; covers area that later became Unicoi County.

Vital Records
See also How to order Tennessee Vital Records or order electronically online

Birth

 * 1828-1939 - at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1869-1909 - Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry.com — index and images $


 * 1908-1912 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Delayed Births
When the Social Security Administration was created in 1935, the agency asked for birth certificates as proof the applicant qualified for entry into the program. Most Tennesseans who wished to apply were born prior to the 1908 state law that first required the issuing of birth certificates. Beginning in 1935, Tennessee began to issue Delayed Birth Certificates thru an application process that required supporting documents.

Ancestry.com, in partnership with the Tennessee State Library and Archives, has added an index to and scanned images of the 1869-1909 delayed birth records of Tennessee. The indexes to these records at Ancestry.com's Tennessee State Library and Archives web page are free to search at TSLA on Ancestry - indexes are free, images require subscription.

Marriage
The original Unicoi County Marriage Books are kept at the County Courthouse and TSLA. In the 1970s and 1980s, the TSLA microfilmed Marriage Books 1 to 16 (1876-1955). FHL copies:.

State Marriage Records


 * 1625-1966 - Tennessee, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $


 * 1780-2002 - Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * 1780-2002 - at FamilySearch.org— index


 * 1790-1950 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * 1796-1950 - at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1838-1888 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1851-1900 - Tennessee Marriages 1851-1900 at Ancestry.com— index and images $
 * 1884 - 1892; 1892 - 1898; 1898 - 1904 Southeastern Genealogy ($)

The following Unicoi County marriage records have been indexed:


 * 1876-1895 - Unicoi County Marriage Index 1876-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.org - free. Batches and.


 * 1876-1904 - Padgett, Hilda Britt. Unicoi County, Tennessee Marriages, 1876-1904. Erwin, Tenn.: H.B. Padgett, 1989..

Divorce
In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of Unicoi County divorce papers in diverse County Courthouse records, see the following resources:


 * 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

 * 1874-1955 - at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1908-1958 - Tennessee Death Records 1908 - 1958 at Ancestry.com — index and images $


 * 1914-1955 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images


 * 1908-1936 - Nikazy, Eddie M. Unicoi County, Tennessee Death Record Abstracts 1908-1936. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1997..

For deaths of Methodists in Unicoi County (or what later became Unicoi County) between the 1830s and the 1920s, try searching the following records:


 * 1847-1914 - 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 1830's, 1840's, 1910's and 1920's.

Societies and Libraries
See also a List of Tennessee Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

The Unicoi County Historical Society 405 Ohio Ave. Erwin, TN 37650 Phone: 1-423-743-6307 Located at Unicoi County Public Library Facebook page

Watauga Association of Genealogists Upper East Tennessee P.O. Box 117 Johnson City, TN 37605-0117 Publications: The Bulletin (May and October)

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

Unicoi County Public Library 201 Nolichucky Avenue Erwin, TN 37650-1239 Phone: 1-423-743-6533 Fax: 423-743-0275 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Unicoi County Tennessee Genealogy Websites

 * (FamilySearch) — The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
 * Mailing List: TNUNICOI-L (Unicoi County, Tennessee List)
 * Mailing List: ETN-L (East Tennessee List)
 * Mailing List: ETN-OZ-L (East Tennessee Migrants to Ozarks Region List)
 * Mailing List: FRANKLIN-STATE-L (State of Franklin 1784-1788 List)
 * Unicoi County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Unicoi County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Unicoi County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * Unicoi County TN Genealogy  (LDS Genealogy)