Blount County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States Tennessee  Blount County







East Tennessee county in the Great Smoky Mountains region. Established 1795. In the 1780s, this land had belonged to the State of Franklin.

County Courthouse


Blount County Courthouse 345 Court Street Maryville, Tennessee 37804-5906 Phone: 865-273-5800

Blount County Clerk Marriage and Probate records

Blount County Register of Deeds Land Records dating back to the early 1700's

Blount County Clerk of Circuit Court Court Records

All above at the same address and phone number as the County Courthouse.

Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm

History


The county is named after Tennessee Senator William Blount (1749-1800) who played an instrumental role in the formation of the state.

Parent County
1795--Blount County was created 11 July 1795 from Knox County. County seat: Maryville

Record Loss
1879 and 1906 -- Courthouse burned and many records were damaged.

Most of the pre-Civil War will books were destroyed.

For further information on researching in burned counties, see the following:


 * Burned Counties Research in FamilySearch Wiki
 * Michael John Neill, Burned Counties in Family History Circle

Populated Places
Cities and Towns:

Neighboring Counties
Graham County, North Carolina 

Knox

Loudon

Monroe

Sevier

Swain County, North Carolina

Research Guides

 * Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: Blount 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
For a list of cemeteries in Blount county, click here

Census
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

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


 * Edwards, Olga Jones and Izora Waters Frizzell. The "Connection" in East Tennessee. 1969; reprint, Johnson City, Tenn.: Overmountain Press, 1978. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8885 D2e 1978.

Bibliography


 * [Abbott] McCarter, Elizabeth Davis. The Records of Rev. Absalom A. Abbott and Descendants. MSS.; FHL US/CAN Film 1035780 Item 2.
 * [Abbott] Lansford, Delores Caylor. Abbott Family History. Orange Park, Fla.: P &amp; D Publications, 1993. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Ab22L 1993.
 * [Bell] Bell, Eldon Raymond. Bells History: of Shenandoah Valley, VA and Knox County, TN. Springdale, Ala.: E.R. Bell, 1994. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 B413ber.
 * [Biard] Smith, Maud Biard. The Biard Family. Paris, Texas: M.B. Smith, 1954. FHL US/CAN Film 1033942 Item 8; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Greer] Hart, Charles Coffin. Joseph Hart and His Descendants. St. Louis, Mo.: R.P. Studley &amp; Co., 1901. FHL US/CAN Film 928166 Item 4.
 * [Hart] Hart, Charles Coffin. Joseph Hart and His Descendants. St. Louis, Mo.: R.P. Studley &amp; Co., 1901. FHL US/CAN Film 928166 Item 4.
 * [Tedford] Detty, Victor Charles. A Tedford Family History. Carlisle, PA: The author: 1956. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 T228d; digital version at Heritage Quest Online. ($).
 * [Woods] Stein, Nancy Hawlick et al. Documenting "Joseph Woods (1745-1835) and His Lineal Descendants": Mary (Hamilton) Woods, Wife and Mother of Children, Albermarle Co. VA; Blount Co. TN; Gibson and Warrick Co., IN; Rockbridge Co., VA: 1909 Edition Compiled by Mary Ann Eliza Woods Hudelson, Melville S. Woods &amp; Robert Archer Woods. Buffalo Grove, Ill.: N.H. Stein, 2002. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 W864s.
 * [Young] Stein, Carl F. Some Descendents of James Pickens Young 1815: of Polk, Rhea, Hamilton, Blount, &amp; Knox Counties, Tenn., Cherokee, &amp; Gaston Counties, North Carolina. Family Group Sheets. FHL US/CAN Film 2055385 Item 2.

Land
The original Blount County Deed Books are held at the County Courthouse. In 1971, the Tennessee State Library and Archives microfilmed Deed Books 1 to HH (1794-1881) and indexes. Copies of these microfilms are also available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Films 888879-888889.

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
US GenWeb offers a "Times Past" page which has photos and histories of Blount County.

Maps

 * [1795] 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 1795 map of Blount County and East Tennessee.]

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 Blount 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 Blount 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.

Blount Journal

East Tennessee Roots

Genealogical articles with abstracts of Blount 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.

The Pellissippian

Genealogical articles with abstracts of Blount County, Tennessee records were published in the The Pellissippian (25 vols., 1980-2004), the quarterly of the Pellissippi Genealogical and Historical Society. The society has posted tables of contents for all 25 volumes on their website. They also have back issues available for purchase. The Family History Library has acquired the first 20 volumes FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 D25p.

Smoky Mountain Historical Society Newsletter

Genealogical articles with abstracts of Blount 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.

Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin

Genealogical articles with abstracts of Blount 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 FHL US/CAN Books 976.897 B2w, 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) FHL US/CAN Book 976.897 B2w index 1972-2001.

Prisons
Learn if your Blount 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.

Probate
Most of the early original Blount County Will Books were destroyed. In 1869, all known records not lost in a fire were transcribed. In 1971, the Tennessee State Library and Archives microfilmed the 1869 transcript and the records that were left. Copies of their microfilms are also available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Films 888877-888878.

Taxation
The original Blount County Tax Books (Districts 1-17), 1846-1856 and 1864-1867 are held at the County Courthouse. The Tennessee State Library and Archives microfilmed these records in 1971. A copy of their film is also available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Film 888892.

The following Blount County tax records have been abstracted:


 * [1800-1801] Curtis, Mary Barnett. Early East Tennessee Tax Lists. Fort Worth, Texas: Arrow Printing Company, 1964. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 R4c. [Includes 1800-1801 tax lists.]
 * [1800-1801, 1805] 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 1800-1801 and 1805 tax lists.]
 * [1801] 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 1801 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.]
 * [1805] Taxables, 1805, Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin. Johnson City TN: Winter 1973. Vol. 2 Iss. 1.
 * [1805] Tax List, 1805, Blount Journal. Maryville TN: May 1986. Vol. 2 Iss. 1.
 * [1808] Delinquent Tax Records, 1808, Blount Journal. Maryville TN: Nov 1985. Vol. 1 Iss. 1-2.
 * [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 Blount County.]
 * [1836] Douthat, James L. Blount County, Tennessee, 1836 Tennessee Civil Districts and Tax Lists. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1993. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8885 R4d 1836.
 * [1840] "Land On Top of Old Smoky Sold for Taxes in 1840," [Blount County] Ansearchin' News, Vol. 44, No. 4 (Winter 1997):23. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.

Vital Records
US GenWeb offers an alphabetical Marriage Index 1798-1858

Web Sites

 * Blount County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
 * Blount County, TN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Blount County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
 * Family History Library Catalog (FamilySearch)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: TNBLOUNT-L (Blount 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)
 * Smoky Mountain Ancestral Quest Compiled Genealogies of Local Families