Tennessee, Gibson County Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection consists of images of county births, deaths, marriages and divorces from Gibson County for the years 1825 to 1900.

Record Content
Tennessee Vital Records may contain the following information:

Birth records may contain the following information:


 * Birth date
 * Name at birth
 * Parents’ names
 * Parents’ residence

Death records may contain the following information:


 * Name of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Date and place of birth
 * Sex
 * Age
 * Cause of death
 * Marital status
 * Parents’ names
 * Name of the informant
 * Date and place of burial
 * Occupation

Marriage records may contain the following information:


 * Name of bride and groom
 * Marriage place
 * Marriage date
 * Parents’ names
 * Residence

Divorce records may contain the following information:


 * Names of couple divorcing
 * Date of marriage
 * Date of divorce
 * Residence
 * Age
 * Names of children

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Your ancestor's full name
 * Other identifying information such as residence, estimated date of birth, death, marriage and/or divorce, age or names of other family members

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the "Record Category" ⇒ Select the appropriate "Record Type, Volume, and Year Range" which takes you to the images.

Many of these volumes have indexes at the beginning or end. You should search these first.
 * Check the index for the family name (surname) and then the given name. Indexes enable you to access records quickly by searching for the names of the primary individuals. Realize that some entries in earlier years may have been missed. Indexes may also contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings or misinterpretations.
 * Make a list of the volumes and page numbers for each deed you wish to check.
 * For each deed, search the noted volume and page number.

If you do not find your ancestor in the index, look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example use the names and residences to locate the family in census, land and church records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * You may need to compare the information of more than one person or family to make this determination.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify other relatives.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.

Related Websites

 * Gibson County GenWeb Project
 * Tennessee State Library and Archives
 * Tennessee GenWeb Project
 * Gibson County, TN History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Gibson County, Tennessee Cemeteries

Related Wiki Articles

 * Gibson County, Tennessee Genealogy
 * Tennessee Genealogy
 * Tennessee Vital Records
 * Tennessee Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Tennessee Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Tennessee County Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Tennessee Death Certificates Index Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Tennessee Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

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