Hawkins County, Tennessee Genealogy
Guide to Hawkins County, Tennessee ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Benjamin Hawkins, a U.S. Senator from North Carolina, the state which it was a part of at that time. In 1797, French King Louis Philippe visited Armstrong's estate. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Hawkins County Courthouse
100 E. Main St.
Rogersville, TN 37857
County Courthouse Phone: 423-272-8150
County Clerk Phone: 423-272-7002
Hawkins County Circuit Court Clerk
115 Justice Center Drive, Suite 1237
Rogersville, TN 37857
Circuit Court Clerk Phone: 423-272-3397
Hawkins County Archives
951 E McKinney Avenue, Suite A
Rogersville, TN 37857
Hawkins Archives Phone: 423-921-0904
County Clerk has marriage records from 1789 and probate records
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records.
Hawkins County, Tennessee Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1914 | 1789 | 1914 | 1810 | 1787 | 1786 | 1810 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1863 Fire damaged courthouse records.[4]
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Tennessee county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[6]
Cities | ||
Towns | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
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Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
- 1785-1789 Originally known as the Carter's Valley Settlement.
- March 1786 First organized by the State of Franklin Genealogy from parts of Sullivan and Greene counties under the name Spencer.[7]
- 1789 The Franklin statehood effort collapsed. Spencer county existed only briefly, its legality is questionable, and little trace remains.
- 1790 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.[8]
- 1796 Hawkins County (formerly Spencer County) became part of the new State of Tennessee.
Additional Information
The county is named after North Carolina Senator Benjamin Hawkins (1754-1816).[9]
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 Franklin's statehood efforts lasted.[10]Now the land on which the lost county of Spencer County was located is known as Hawkins.
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.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
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. FHL US/CAN Film 1550780.
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
- 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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 U3g v. 1 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. FHL US/CAN 976.8 U2m. Digital version at World Vital Records ($). Purchase at Genealogical.com. Includes Hawkins County.
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information. |
Additional Cemetery Resources
- Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1800 | 6,563 | — |
1810 | 7,643 | 16.5% |
1820 | 10,949 | 43.3% |
1830 | 13,683 | 25.0% |
1840 | 15,035 | 9.9% |
1850 | 13,370 | −11.1% |
1860 | 16,162 | 20.9% |
1870 | 15,837 | −2.0% |
1880 | 20,610 | 30.1% |
1890 | 22,246 | 7.9% |
1900 | 24,267 | 9.1% |
1910 | 23,587 | −2.8% |
1920 | 22,918 | −2.8% |
1930 | 24,117 | 5.2% |
1940 | 28,523 | 18.3% |
1950 | 30,494 | 6.9% |
1960 | 30,468 | −0.1% |
1970 | 33,726 | 10.7% |
1980 | 43,751 | 29.7% |
1990 | 44,565 | 1.9% |
2000 | 53,563 | 20.2% |
2010 | 56,833 | 6.1% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 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[11], 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. FHL US/CAN Book 977.1 X2o 1790. Includes "Territory Southwest of the River Ohio," i.e. East Tennessee.[12]
- McGhee, Lucy Kate. Partial Census of 1787 to 1791 of Tennessee as Taken from the North Carolina Land Grants. 3 Parts. Microfilmed in 1990. FHL US/CAN Films 1728882 Item 4 and 1683130 Item 3.
1800 Lost, but a substitute is available, see Hawkins.
1810 Lost, but a substitute is available:
- Sherrill, Charles A. The Reconstructed 1810 Census of Tennessee: 33,000 Long-lost Records from Tax Lists, Court Minutes, Church Records, Wills, Deeds and Other Sources. Mt. Juliet, Tenn.: C.A. Sherrill, 2001. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1810.
1820 Lost[13]
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: FHLUS/CAN Films 1024517-1024518.
These records have also been abstracted:
- 1820 Census of Manufactures: Hawkins County, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 6, No. 4 ():174. For availability, see Hawkins.
1810-1891
1830
- Sistler, Byron H. 1830 Census, East Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: n.p., 1969. FHLUS/CANBook 976.8 X2p 1830. Free Lookups Available!
- Lawson, Rowena. Hawkins County, Tennessee, 1830-1850 Censuses. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1987. FHLUS/CANBook 976.895 X2L.
1840
- Lawson, Rowena. Hawkins County, Tennessee, 1830-1850 Censuses. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1987. FHLUS/CANBook 976.895 X2L.
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. 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, Eastern District, Hawkins County on page 153.
1850
- Lawson, Rowena. Hawkins County, Tennessee, 1830-1850 Censuses. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1987. FHLUS/CANBook 976.895 X2L. Free Lookups Available!
1880
- Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census, Hawkins County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler & Associates, 1996. FHLUS/CANBook 976.895 X2s 1880. 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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2r v. 7 1891. 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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1890.
1891 Male Voters
- 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry ($)
Church Records[edit | edit source]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
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?. FHLUS/CANBook 976.8932 K2d.
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.
Court Records[edit | edit source]
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.
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 9 British aliens, many of whom had families, living in Hawkins County.[14]
- Kenneth Scott. British Aliens in the United States During the War of 1812. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1979, 372-378 (see East Tennessee). FHL US/CAN 973 W4s; digital version at Ancestry ($)
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African American
Rogers, Louise F. The Older Black Families of Rogersville, (Hawkins County) Tennessee. [Rogerville, Tenn.:Rogers] 1976. Lib. of Congress: F444.R83 R63
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
More than 75 genealogies have been published about Hawkins County, Tennessee families. For more information visit Hawkins County, Tennessee Compiled Genealogies.
- 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.[15]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
The original Hawkins County Deed Books are held at the Hawkins County Courthouse. TheTSLA 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: FHL US/CAN Films 972798-972815.
Online Records and Indexes
- 1788-1800 - Historical Records Project (Tennessee). Deed Books, 1788-1800, Hawkins County, Tennessee. Typescript, Tennessee State Library, Nashville, Tenn. FHL US/CAN Film 24686 Item 3.
- 1788-1861 - Historical Records Survey (Tennessee). General Index to Deeds, 1788-1861, Hawkins County, Tennessee. Typescript, Tennessee State Library, Nashville, Tenn. FHLUS/CANFilm 24687.
- 1801-1819 - Murray, Joyce Martin. Hawkins County, Tennessee, Deed Abstracts, 1801-1819. Dallas, Texas: J.M. Murray, 1998. FHLUS/CANBook 976.895 R2m.
- 1802-1860 - Hawkins County Genealogical and Historical Society (Rogersville, Tennessee). Hawkins County Deeds 1802-1860(Selected). n.p.: Hawkins County Genealogical & Historical Society, 2008. FamilySearch Catalog D-ROM no. 5624.
- 1824-1835 - Entry Book A: 1824-1835 Strictly By Name - Index only
- 1836-1860 - Entry Book B: 1836-1860 Strictly By Name - Index only
- 1830-1837, 1869 - 1902, 1824 - 1828 - Entry Books C-D: 1830-1837, 1869-1902; Surveyors Book: 1824-1828 Strictly By Name - Index only
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. You can search by name through the Basic Search.
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: FHL US/CAN Film 2421541 Items 1-2.
- 1787-1819 - McNamara, Billie R. Hawkins County, Tennessee Land Grant Books 1 & 2, 1787-1819. Knoxville, Tenn.: B.R. McNamara, 1996. FHLUS/CAN Book 976.895 R29m. Available from the author.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
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)
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- 1777-1985 - Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)
- 1786 Reeves, Charles A. Hawkins & 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.
- 1911 Reeves, Charles A. Hawkins County RFD [Rural Free Delivery], showing houses and mail delivery information for the entire county, as published by the U. S. Postal Service. Published 2013, facsimile of the original map. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
- FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this couinty - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War
The following Hawkins County Revolutionary War records are available online through TNGenWeb:
- 1835 Pension Roll
- 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions
- 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, 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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 7 (1960); 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
Online Records
- 1861-1865 - Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 - Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 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
- 1891-1965 - Tennessee, Confederate Pension Applications, Soldiers and Widows, 1891-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
Regiments. Men in Hawkins County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a large regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Hawkins County:
Confederate Soldiers
- 2nd Battalion, Kentucky Mounted Rifles (Confederate) - CSA - Company B.
- 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.
- 16th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (Neal's) - CSA - Company F.
- 19th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company K.
- 29th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Companies E and K.
- 39th Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (W. M. Bradford's) (31st Infantry) - CSA - Companies D and G.
- 43rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (Gillespie's) (5th East Tennessee Volunteers) - CSA - Company E.
- 60th Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Crawford's) (79th Infantry) - CSA - Companies B and L.
- 61st Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Pitts') (81st Infantry) - CSA - Company B.
- 63rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (Fain's) (74th Infantry) - CSA - Company D.
Union Soldiers
- 8th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Companies C, D, and E.
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 & Gray from Hawkins County Tennessee, by Sheila Weems Johnston. A large assortment of Civil War links.
- Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Hawkins 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. Hawkins County, page 344-346.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
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
- Kingsport.
- The Kingsport Times (Kingsport, Tennessee) at Ancestry ($)
- Kingsport News (Kingsport, Tennessee) at Ancestry ($)
- Kingsport Times News (Kingsport, Tennessee) at Ancestry ($)
- Rogersville
For deaths of Methodists in Hawkins County between the 1830s and the 1920s, try searching the following resources:
- 1847 - 1851 - 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. (Largely Methodist?)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Prisons[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
Genealogical periodicals can contain unique sources and can be local, regional, or statewide. The following periodicals cover this county:
- Ansearchin' News: Quarterly magazine of the Tennessee Genealogical Society. For a keyword search, go to the county index. Read previous issues on their website; FHL Book 976.8 B2a.
- Distant Crossroads: Publication of Hawkins County (TN) Genealogical & Historical Society. Family History Library has Volumes 1 (1983) to present FHL US/CAN Book 976.895 B2d.
- East Tennessee Roots: Published by East Tennessee Roots The table of contents for some issues are available on their website; FHL Book 976.8 D25e.
- Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin: Published by Watauga Association of Genealogists. The table of contents for some issues are found on their website; FHL US/CAN Books 976.897 B2w; Bulletin Subject Index: The First Thirty Years, 1972-2001 (Johnson City, Tenn.: Watauga Association of Genealogists, 2002) FHL Book 976.897 B2w index 1972-2001.
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
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: FHL Film 972797. In 2007, GSU microfilmed wills (1779-1975) and an index covering the same years: FHL/VAULT Films 1572779 Items 2-3, 1572794, 1572795, 1572805 Item 1.
Online Records and Indexes
- 1779-2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry ($)
- 1797-1972 - Hawkins County portion of Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; handwritten indexes may be found at the front or back of some volumes.
- 1797-1826 - Will Book 1: 1797-1826 Strictly By Name - Index only
- 1797-1826; 1864-1878; 1885-1910 SourtheasternGenealogy.com Images of Wills ($)
- 1828-1921 - Will Books 2-3: 1826-1921 Strictly By Name - Index only
Book Abstracts and Indexes
- 1786-1864 -Eugenia Lauderdale Messick's book Hawkins County, Tennessee Wills, 1786-1864 (FHL US/CAN Book 976.895 P2m Vol 1) contains complete TRANSCRIPTIONS of the surviving wills that were copied by the County Court Clerk sometime after the Civil War, as the original will books of Hawkins County, Tennessee were destroyed by fire in 1863. The every name index makes her book a powerful starting point in researching the wills of Hawkins County, Tennessee.
- 1786-1851 - Bell, Annie W.B. Hawkins County, Tennessee Marriages and Wills, 1786-1851. 1934. FHL US/CAN Film 896967 Item 3.
- 1786-1886 - Gardner, Carolyn S. and Sheila W. Johnston. Wills of Hawkins County, Tennessee. Rogersville, Tenn.: Hawkins County Genealogical & Historical Society, 1991. FHL US/CAN Book 976.895 P2g v. 1.
- 1797-1886 - Historical Records Project (Tennessee). Will Books, 1797-1886, Hawkins County, Tennessee. Typescript, The TSLA, Nashville, Tenn. FHL US/CAN Film 24689.
- 1797-1861 - Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Tennessee Wills & Administrations 1779-1861. Nashville, Tenn. Byron Sistler & Associates, Inc., 1990. FHL US/CAN 976.8 P22s. Includes an index to this county's wills. Free Lookups Available!
- McGhee, Lucy Kate. Hawkins County, Tennessee, Marriages and Wills. Free digital copy available online, courtesy: Internet Archive.
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
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: FHL US/CAN Film 972820-972821.
Book Abstracts and Indexes[16]
- 1799, 1801 Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Early Tennessee Tax Lists. Evanston, Ill.: B. & B. Sistler, 1977. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4s. Includes 1799, 1801 tax lists.
- 1799, 1801, 1809-1812 Curtis, Mary Barnett. Early East Tennessee Tax Lists. Fort Worth, Texas: Arrow Printing Company, 1964. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4c. 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 Hawkins.
- 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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4cp and Silas Emmett Lucas's Revised Index FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4cp index. Includes 1809-1812 tax lists.
- 1809-1812 Hawkins County, Tennessee, 1809-1812 Tax List. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 A1 no. 95.
- 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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1810. 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 Hawkins. 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 Hawkins.
- 1822 List of Insolvencies for 1822, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 8, No. 4. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Hawkins.
- 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 Hawkins.
- 1832 List of Insolvencies for 1832, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 8, No. 4. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Hawkins.
- 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 Hawkins.
- 1836 Douthat, James L. 1836 Hawkins County, Tennessee Civil Districts and Tax Lists. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1994. FHL US/CAN Book 976.895 R4d; online: 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).
For missing years, an alternative resource to consider is "Tennessee Legislative Petitions".
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1828-1939 - Tennessee Births and Christenings 1828-1939 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1869-1909 - Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry ($)
- 1891 - Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry ($)
- 1908-1912 - Tennessee, Birth Records (ER Series), 1908-1912 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Online Indexes and Records
- 1625-1966 - Tennessee, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($)
- 1780-2002 - Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 at Ancestry ($)
- 1780-2002 - Tennessee State Marriage Index 1780-2002 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1789-1866 - Hawkins County Marriage Records 1789-1866. Free Lookups Available!
- 1790-1962 - Tennessee County Marriages, 1790-1950 [1790-1962] - at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection. Covers all counties in Tennessee.
- 1796-1950 - Tennessee Marriages 1796-1950 (Indexes only) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1819-1895 - Hawkins County Marriage Index 1819-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch[17]
- 1838-1888 - Tennessee Civil Marriages, 1838-1888 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1851-1900 - Tennessee Marriages 1851-1900 at Ancestry ($)
- 1866-1899 - Hawkins County Marriages 1866-1899. Free Lookups Available!
- McGhee, Lucy Kate. Hawkins County, Tennessee, Marriages and Wills. Free digital copy, courtesy: Internet Archive.
- 1980-2014 - Marriage Records Index 1980-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index
Book Abstracts and Indexes
- 1789-1865 - Early East Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. FHL US/CAN 976.8 V2s v. 1. Indexes names of brides, grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for specified years.
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1874-1955 - Tennessee Deaths and Burials 1874-1955 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1908-1912 - Hawkins County Death Certificates 1908-1912. Free Lookups Available!
- 1908-1912 - Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
- 1908-1958 - Tennessee Death Records 1908 - 1958 at Ancestry ($)
- 1914-1933 - Tennessee Death Records 1914-1933 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
- 1914-1966 - Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1949-2014 - Death Records Index 1949-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1796 - 1850 - Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
- 1980-2014 - Divorce Records Index 1980-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Hawkins County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Kingsport Tennessee Family History Center
- Morristown Tennessee Family History Center
- Johnson City Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Knox County Public Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Hawkins County. For state-wide library facilities, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.
H. B. Stamps Library
407 East Main Street
Rogersville, TN 37857
Phone: 423-272-8710
Website[18]
Church Hill Public Library
412 East Main Blvd.
Church Hill, TN 37642
Phone: 423-357-4591
Website
Surgoinsville Public Library
120 Old Stage Road
Surgoinsville, TN 37873
Phone: 423-345-4805
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Hawkins County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Tennessee Societies.
Hawkins County Genealogical and Historical Society
P.O. Box 429
Rogersville, TN 37857-0429
Phone: 423-921-0904
Email: hcghs429@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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.
- Hawkins County, Genealogy & History (TNGenWeb Project / USGenWeb affiliate)
- TNGenWeb Project Group on Facebook
- Hawkins County TN Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
The Hawkins County Genealogy & History Web Site, affiliated with the TNGenWeb Project, has been online since 1996. The volunteer-driven site provides genealogical research guidance and resources to site visitors.
- 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.)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tennessee.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hawkins, Tennessee" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawkins_County,_Tennessee accessed 21 Dec 2018
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tennessee.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Lost Records: Courthouse Fires and Disasters in Tennessee in Tennessee State Library and Archives in Tennessee Secretary of State (accessed 13 March 2016).
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tennessee.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hawkins County, Tennessee," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawkins_County,_Tennessee, accessed 18 November 2019.
- ↑ “State of Franklin” in The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture at http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=F061 (accessed 27 June 2010).
- ↑ William Thorndale, and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publ., 1987), 314.
- ↑ "List of counties in Tennessee," Wikipedia.
- ↑ Robert M. McBride, "Lost Counties of Tennessee," East Tennessee Historical Society's Publications 38 (1966): 4-6.
- ↑ Arlene Eakle, "Reconstructing the 1790 Census of Tennessee," Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Genealogy Blog, 20 May 2010.
- ↑ Arlene Eakle, "Territory Southwest of the River Ohio," Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Genealogy Blog, 5 June 2009.
- ↑ Mary Barnett Curtis, Early East Tennessee Tax Lists: a compiled list of residents of the area covered in 22 east Tennessee counties for which there is (sic) no census records prior to 1830 (Fort Worth, Texas: Arrow Printing, 1964) [FHL Book 976.8 R4c].
- ↑ Kenneth Scott. British Aliens in the United States During the War of 1812. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1979, 372-378 (see East Tennessee). FHL US/CAN 973 W4s; digital version at Ancestry ($) .
- ↑ "Original Virginia Records Imaged and Indexed Online," Arlene Eakle's Virginia Genealogy Blog, 12 October 2008.
- ↑ The Heritage Quest Online version of PERSI aided in the compilation of this list.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/d/d3/Igitennesseef.pdf.
- ↑ 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.