Sevier County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States   Tennessee    Sevier County







East Tennessee county in the Great Smoky Mountains region. Established 1794. In the 1780s, this land belonged to the State of Franklin.

County Courthouse
Sevier County Courthouse 125 Court Avenue Sevierville, TN 37862 Phone: 865-453-4654

Sevier County Clerk Marriage and probate records 125 Court Avenue, Suite 202E Sevierville, TN 37862 Phone: 865-453-5502

Sevier County Register of Deeds Land records 125 Court Avenue, Suite 209W Sevierville, TN 37862 Phone: 865-453-2758

Sevier County Circuit Court Clerk Court records 125 Court Avenue, Room 204E Sevierville, TN 37862 Phone: 865-774-3693

Hours: Monday - Thursday 8 am - 4 pm Friday 8 am - 6 pm

History


The county is named after Revolutionary War General Gov. John Sevier (1745-1815).

Parent County
1794--Sevier County was established 28 September 1794 from Jefferson County. Early records may be found under Jefferson County. County seat: Sevierville

Record Loss
1856--Fire damaged records


 * The three earliest federal censuses (1800, 1810, and 1820) do not survive.

Research Guides

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

Cemeteries
The Smoky Mountain Historical Society published records of more than 350 Sevier County cemeteries in the following book:


 * In the Shadow of the Smokies: Sevier County, Tennessee Cemeteries. Sevierville, Tenn.: Smoky Mountain Historical Society, 1984. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8893 V3i. A free surname index is available online. Purchase the book and its supplement at Smoky Mountain Historical Society Data.

Census
1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population censuses of Jefferson 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, these indexes are often more accurate than those available online.

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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1810.

1820 - Lost

1830


 * Fox, George and Juanita Fox. Sevier County, Tennessee: 1830-1840 Federal Censuses, 1814-1837-1838 Tax Lists. n.p.: G.&amp;J. Fox, 2004. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8893 X2f.
 * Sistler, Byron H. 1830 Census, East Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: n.p., 1969. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2p 1830.

1840


 * Fox, George and Juanita Fox. Sevier County, Tennessee: 1830-1840 Federal Censuses, 1814-1837-1838 Tax Lists. n.p.: G.&amp;J. Fox, 2004. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8893 X2f.

1850 Agricultural Census
 * Green, Linda L. Tennessee 1850 Agricultural Census. 2 vols. Woodbridge, Va.: L.L. Green, 2000. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2g v. 1 ff. [Sevier County is included in Vol. 2.]

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. 1 1891. [Anderson County is included in Vol. 1.]
 * 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.

Church
Methodist Episcopal


 * Green, William. Life and Papers of A.L.Pl Green, D.D.. Nashville, Tennessee: Southern Methodist Pulblishing House, 1877. Free digital copy.

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


 * Reagan, Donald B. Smoky Mountain Clans. 3 vols. Knoxville, Tenn.: D.B. Reagan, 1978-1983. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273R22b 1978. [Discusses the Bradley, Conner, Emert, Huskey, McCarter, Reagan, Shultz, Trentham, Watson, and Whaley families.]

Bibliography


 * [Barnes] See Longley.
 * [Cantrell] See Longley.
 * [Cates] Dawson, Aurelia Cate. Our East Tennessee Kinsmen: Cate, Henry and related families. Seaford, DE: Unknown, 1962. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C282d; for an index see FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C282d index or FHL US/CAN Film 874417 Item 7; digital version at Heritage Quest Online.
 * [Curd] See Longley.
 * [Gaut] McWilliam, Judly L. and Roberta B. Pierson. Jones/Gaut: James &amp; Jerusha: Arno, Wayland, Weber, Mabel. Sacramento, Calif.: J.L. McWilliams, 1987. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 J71mp.
 * [Gist] Dorsey, Jean Muir. Christopher Gist of Maryland and Some of His Descendants, 1679-1957, Chicago, IL: J.S. Swift Co., 1958. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 G447; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Green] Green, William. Life and Papers of A.L.P.Green, D.D.. Nashville, Tennessee: Southern Methodist Pulblishing House, 1877. Free digital copy.
 * [Henry] See Cates.
 * [Langley] See Longley.
 * [Lawson] Lawson, Fred Raulston. The Lawsons of East Tennessee. Decatur, Ga.: Looking Glass Books, 1999. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 L444Lf.
 * [Link] Link, Paxson. The Link Family: Antecedents and Descendants of John Jacob Link, 1417-1951. Paris, IL?: Unknown, 1951. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 L648L; FHL US/CAN Film 1036535 Item 1; digital version at Ancestry ($); and Heritage Quest Online ($). For the 1988 supplement to this book see FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 L648d.
 * [Longley] Matthews, Addah Longley. Genealogy, Curd-Longley, Cantrell-Barnes. North Newton, KS: Mennonite Press, 1966. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 C922g; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).
 * [Mattox] Lawson, Fred Raulston. The Lawsons of East Tennessee. Decatur, Ga.: Looking Glass Books, 1999. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 L444Lf.
 * [Porter] Barnett, Bobby D. Descendants of Mitchell Porter: Revolutionary War Soldier. [South Pasadena, Fla.]: B.D. Barnett, 2000. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 P834bb.
 * [Shields] Shields, John Arthur. The Shields family : particularly the oldest and most numerous branch of that family in our America; an account of the ancestor and descendents [sic] of The ten brothers of Sevier County, in Tennessee (1917). Free digital copy.

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 Tennessee State Library and Archives 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 Tennessee State Library and Archives; another version is available at World Vital Records.

Local Histories

 * Crozier, E.W. The White-Caps: A History of the Organization in Sevier County. Knoxville, Tenn.; Bean, Warters and Gaut, 1899

Occupations

 * 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 Sevier 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 Sevier 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 FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a.

East Tennessee Roots

Genealogical articles with abstracts of Sevier 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 FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 D25e.

Smoky Mountain Historical Society Newsletter

Genealogical articles with abstracts of Sevier County, Tennessee records were published in the Smoky Mountain Historical Society Newsletter (33 vols., 1977-2007), the journal of the Smoky Mountain Historical Society. Tables of contents for most issues are available online. Back issues are available for purchase. The Family History Library has acquired a complete collection FHL US/CAN Book 976.889 B2s, as well as Journal Contents and Index of Names: 1977 thru 1996 FHL US/CAN Book 976.889 B2s index.

Prisons
Learn if your Sevier County ancestors went to prison!


 * Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1831-1850, free index available online, courtesy: Tennessee State Library and Archives.
 * Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1851-1870, free index available online, courtesy: Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Taxation
The original Sevier County Tax Books 1864-1872 are kept at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, the Tennessee State Library and Archives microfilmed these records. A copy of their film is also available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Film 969988.


 * [1799] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Early Tennessee Tax Lists. Evanston, Ill.: B. &amp; B. Sistler, 1977. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4s. [Includes 1799 tax list.]
 * [1803] Unpaid Taxes -- 1803 (Blount, Cocke, Sevier Cos.), Smoky Mountain Historical Society Newsletter, Vol. 10, No. 3 (1984). For FHL access, or to purchase back issues, see Periodicals. [Abstract of The Knoxville Gazette, Aug. 8, 1803.]
 * [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 Sevier County.]
 * [1814, 1837-1838] Fox, George and Juanita Fox. Sevier County, Tennessee: 1830-1840 Federal Censuses, 1814-1837-1838 Tax Lists. n.p.: G.&amp;J. Fox, 2004. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8893 X2f.
 * [1817] "U.S. Holds 1817 Public Sale of Federal Tax-Delinquent Properties in Tennessee," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 43, No. 2 (Summer 1996):63-68. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals. [Includes Sevier County.]
 * [1820, 1822] Edwards, Olga Jones. The Montgomery Papers, 1817-1913. Tacoma, Washington: O.J. Edwards, 1964. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 M766e. [Includes a partial transcripts of 1820 and 1822 tax lists.]
 * [1837] Linn, Beulah D. "1837 Sevier County Tax List," Smoky Mountain Historical Society Newsletter, Vol. 11, No. 4 (1985); Vol. 12, No. 1 (1986). For FHL access, or to purchase back issues, see Periodicals.

Vital Records
Death

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


 * Smith, Jonathan K.T. Genealogical Abstracts from Reported Deaths, the Nashville Christian Advocate. [1847-1914] 10 vols. [Jackson, Tenn.]: J.K.T. Smith, 1997-2003. FHL US/CAN Books 976.855/N1 V48s 1847-1851 ff; digital versions at David Donahue Memorial: Tennessee Records Repository. [Website expands upon the publications and includes deaths from the 1830s, 1840s, 1910s and 1920s.]

Societies and Libraries
Smoky Mountain Historical Society PO Box 5078 Sevierville, TN 37864-5078 Email: smhs@SmokyKin.com

Family History Centers
Sevierville Tennessee 401 Hardin Ln Sevierville, Sevier, Tennessee, United States Telephone: 865-428-8550

This is not a mailing address. Due to limited staff, Family History Centers are unable to respond to mail inquiries.

Web Sites

 * Family History Library Catalog (FamilySearch)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNSEVIER-L (Sevier 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: SE-TN-L (Southeast Tennessee List)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: UPPEREASTTN-L (Upper East Tennessee List)
 * Sevier County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Sevier County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Sevier County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * Smoky Mountain Ancestral Quest Compiled Genealogies of Local Families