White County, TennesseeEdit This Page

From FamilySearch Wiki

United States Gotoarrow.png Tennessee Gotoarrow.png White County


White County, Tennessee genealogy and family history research page. Guide to White County (established 1806) 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.

Hand and keyboard.jpg Tennessee
Online Records


White County, Tennessee
Map
Boundary map of White County, Tennessee
Map of Tennessee highlighting White County
Location in the state of Tennessee
Map of the U.S. highlighting Tennessee
Location of Tennessee in the U.S.
Facts
Founded: September 11, 1806
County Seat Sparta
Courthouse
Adopt-a-wiki page
TGW 45x45.jpg This page adopted by:
TNGenWeb Project
who welcome you to contribute.
Adopt a page today

Contents

Quick Dates

White County's civil records start the following years:[1]

Birth Marriage Death Census Land Probate
1908 1806  1881  1820  1801  1806 

County Courthouse

White County Courthouse, Sparta, Tennessee
White County Courthouse
1 East Brockman Way
Sparta, TN 38583
Phone: 1-931-836-3203

White County; County Courthouse; Rm 205; Sparta, TN 38583; Ph. 9831.836.3203 Details: (Co Clk has m rec from 1838 with a few from 1809, pro & land rec from 1806)


White County Clerk
Marriage, probate and land records
1 East Brockman Way
Sparta, TN 38583
Phone: 1-931-836-3712

Hours:
Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sat. 8 a.m.-noon

History

Middle Tennessee county.

The county is named after "John White, Revolutionary War soldier and the first European-American settler in the county."[2]

Parent County

1806--White County was established 11 September 1806 from Smith County. Early records may be found under Smith County.
County seat: Sparta [3]

County Pronunciation

  1. Hear it spoken[4] (female)
  2. Hear it spoken[5] (male)

Boundary Changes

"Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed for free at the My Tennessee Genealogy website. They rely on AniMap 3.0 software.

Record Loss

  • Census loss: 1810, 1890
  • Marriage record loss: Records starting in 1809, but incomplete.
  • Probate record loss:  Records starting in 1806, but incomplete.[6]

Although these are not burned records, applying strategies used for burned counties may aid in compensating for their loss. For further information on researching in burned counties, see the following:

Places/Localities

Populated Places

Bakers Crossroads Doyle Macedonia Shady Grove
Bethesda Drop (hist.) Methodist (hist.) Sparta
Black Oak Eastland Mobra Spring Hill
Board Valley Elijah (hist.) Mount Pisgah Stringtown
Bon Air Fanchers Mills Old Zion Taylors
Cassville Findlay Oliveville (hist.) Walling
Center Point Foot (hist.) Peeled Chestnut Yankeetown
Clarktown Grace (hist.) Perilla (hist.) Yateston
Clifty Gum Spring Pollard (hist.) Young (hist.)
Darkey Springs Heads (hist.) Quebeck
De Rossett Joppa Ravenscroft
Dodson Lost Creek River Hill

Neighboring Counties

Resources

Tnwhite.png

Getting Started

Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published White County biography and court 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

African American

United States African Americans Gotoarrow.png Tennessee African Americans

  • Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census," available online, courtesy: Free African Americans website. [Includes free African Americans in this county.]

Cemeteries

Tennessee cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.

The Tennessee Cemeteries page provides explanations of the following online resources:

Bibliographies Online Gravestone Transcriptions Cemetery Gazetteers
FHLC Find A Grave | national search | county list ePodunk
WorldCat TNGenWeb Cemetery Database  
  USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project  

Cemetery Map and Book 

-Charles A. Reeves Jr. has created a detailed map showing the locations of White County cemeteries. It may be purchased for a small fee through his website.
-Williamson County Historical Society (Tenn.) Directory, Williamson County Tennessee:burials, Volume 1 The Society, 1975. Free Lookups Available!

Census

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1810 4,028 —
1820 8,701 116.0%
1830 9,967 14.6%
1840 10,747 7.8%
1850 11,444 6.5%
1860 9,381 −18.0%
1870 9,375 −0.1%
1880 11,176 19.2%
1890 12,348 10.5%
1900 14,157 14.7%
1910 15,420 8.9%
1920 15,701 1.8%
1930 15,543 −1.0%
1940 15,983 2.8%
1950 16,204 1.4%
1960 15,577 −3.9%
1970 17,088 9.7%
1980 19,567 14.5%
1990 20,090 2.7%
2000 23,102 15.0%
Source: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau.
1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population censuses of White 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 White County, Tennessee census assignments, including links to transcribed files and scanned images of census microfilm. [The USGenWeb Census Project®].

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

  • Bentley, Elizabeth P. Index to the 1820 Census of Tennessee. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981. FHL 976.8 X22b 1820
  • Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census," available online, courtesy: Free African Americans website. [Includes free African Americans in this county.]

1820 Manufactures

The original manufactures schedules for the Eastern and Western Districts of Tennessee are kept at the NARA, Washington, D.C. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 1024517-1024518.

The following book is a useful aid for finding the original records. A free online index, provided by Lineages, will help researchers determine if this resource can be of assistance:

  • National Archives. Indexes to Manufactures Census of 1820. 1920; reprint, Knightstown, Ind.: Bookmark, 1977. FHL US/CAN Book 973 X2m 1820; digital version at Lineages. [Covers this county.]

1870

  • McComb, Joyce B. White County, Tennessee, 1870 Federal Census. Lexington, South Carolina: J.B. McComb, 1990. FHL 976.866 X2m 1870

1880

  • Sistler, Barbara and Byron H. Sistler. 1880 Census White County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: B. Sistler and Associates, 1999. FHL 976.866 X2s 1880

1920

  • Young, Denise, ed. White County, Tennessee Census, 1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Church

Court

Free online index to the court records transcribed by the WPA, created by Steve Carson, courtesy: GSC Associates Historical Records Products (the pages may load slowly). For a small fee, the company sells a set of five White County CDs, which include a digitized version of these court records, and a variety of other local records. The court records that are included are:

  1. County Court Minute Book 1806-1811
  2. County Court Minute Book 1812-1814
  3. County Court Minute Book, Parts 1 & II 1814-1817
  4. Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, Minutes 1817-1819
  5. Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, Minutes 1819-1820
  6. Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, Minutes 1820
  7. Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, Minutes, Vol. 6, Part I 1820-1823
  8. Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, Minutes, Parts I, II & III 1824-1827
  9. Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, Minutes, Parts I & II 1835-1841

DNA

DNA Double Helix.png
DNA has been collected from men claiming descent from the following White County residents. Attempts have not been made to verify the lineages of those tested.
  • [Brown] Descendant of Dempsey Brown, b. 1836 White County, Tennessee. Y-DNA 25 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 103773). Genetic signature available online (labeled Group No. 10), genealogical description available online, courtesy: Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study. Matches have been found.
  • [Brown] Multiple descendants of Richard Brown, b. 1785 North Carolina, resident of White County, Tennessee 1800s-1828, d. 1850 Polk County, Missouri. Y-DNA 25 and 37 Marker Tests, FTDNA (Kits 5292, 5233). Genetic signatures available online (labeled Group No. 6), genealogical description available online, courtesy: Brown/Browne/Braun DNA Study. A match has been found.

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

As of August 2010, a query for persons born in White, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 80,000 entries.

  • Heritage of White County, 1806-1999. [Sparta, Tenn.]: White County History Book Committee, 1999. FHL 976.866 H2h

Bibliography

  • [Allen] Bailey, Chris. H. Eliakim Potter's Bible. Microfilmed 1995. FHL 1750789 Item 98. 1 page.
  • [Austin] Boyd, Larry C. and Austin Family Association of Lost Creek. Austin Family Association of Lost Creek Annual Reunion. Newsletter. McMinnville, Tenn.: Austin Family Association of Lost Creek, 1965-1991. FHL 929.27305 Au76b
  • [Austin] Sampson, Douglas H. Some Inter-related Families of Livingston County, Missouri. Boulder, Colo.: D.H. Sampson, 1985. FHL 929.273 Au76s
  • [Austin] Moore, Mabel Joyce Austin. John Austin, Sr. Family 1779-1999. Sparta, Tenn.: M.J.A. Moore, 1999. digital version at FamilySearch Books Online; FHL 929.273 Au76mm.
  • [Boyd] Boyd, R. Vernon. The Boyds of Sequatchie Valley, Tn. Typescript, microfilmed in 1993. FamilySearch Books Online; FHL 1750733 Item 37.
  • [Cameron] Cameron, James Griffith. The Story of our Cameron, Freeman, Griffith, Masterson and Allied Families in America. Bellevue, Wash.: J.G. Cameron, 1983. FHL 929.273 C145cj
  • [Charles] Smith, Sybil Roberts. The Charles Branch of My Sunshine Tree. [Grove, Okla.]: S.R. Smith, 1983. FHL 929.273 C38s
  • [Connelly] Wallace, Anita Margie Bailey. Connelly History: with Branches of Platte, McConnell, Pennington, Evans, Simpson, Gallagher. Tulsa, Oklahoma: A.M.B. Wallace, 1973. FHL 929.273 B151wa
  • [Cope] Barry, Fredrick M. and Geneva Barry. The Family of Isaac Denton Cantrell and Sindrilla Cope. Franklin, N.C.: Genealogical Pub. Service, 1993. FHL 929.273 C169bf
  • [Crain] Crain, Solon P. and Marguerite Starr Crain. Ten Sons of Oliver. Midland, Texas: S.P. & M.S. Crain, 1972. FHL 929.273 C846cs
  • [Creech] Heinemann, Martha. Creeches Who were Legal Heirs of Thomas Robertson of White County, Tennessee. Typescript. Microfilmed in 2000. FHL 1425281 Item 6.
  • [Defreese] Gart, Jeanne Brooks. John Defreese and His Descendants. [Mitchellville, Md.]: J.B. Gart, 2002. FHL 929.273 D362g
  • [Derossett] Daniels, Jeanette K.B. The Derossett Family and Allied Lines. [Salt Lake City, Utah?]: Know Your Heritage Organization, [1990]. FHL 929.273 D447dj
  • [Dibrell] McMahan, Mary Louise and Marian Carter. Descendants of James Crockett Dibrell and Margaret Virginia Mooney Dibrell. McKinney, Texas: M.L. McMahan & M. Carter, 1998. FHL 929.273 D546m
  • [England] Austin-Raichart, Deb and Jan Fodrocy. Descendants of Aaron England. Sparta, Tenn.: D. Austin-Raichart, [199?]. FamilySearch Books Online; FHL 929.273 En34a.
  • [Evett] Baer, Frank L. The McNew Family of Washington Co., Va. Typescript, National Library, DAR. Microfilmed 1971. FHL 874716 Item 4.
  • [Fergus] Fergus-O'Brien, Adele. Fergus, Loos, Snyder Histories: Photocopies of Original Publications by Other Authors. n.p.: A. Fergus-O'Brien, 1945, 1959, 1964. FHL 929.273 F38fo
  • [Gillentine] Miller, Lynne D. Texas Ballards. Lincolnton, N.C.: L.D. Miller, 2000. FamilySearch Books Online; FHL 929.273 B212mtx.
  • [Glenn] Glenn, Wayne. The Glenn Family of Lancaster County, Pa., Orange County, N.C., Caswell County, N.C., Lincoln County, N.C., White County, Tenn., Marshall County, Tenn., and Christian County, Mo.: Related Families Include Ramsay, Simpson, Reynolds, Wilson, Simmons, Clark, Grigg, Phillips, Beard, Collins. Nixa, Missouri: W. Glenn, 1985. FHL 929.273 G487gw.
  • [Goad] Worland, Wanda June Goad. Goad: Including Descendants of James Isham Goad, 1842-1989 and Related Families. Hemet, Calif.: W. Worland, 1992. FHL 929.273 G534w
  • [Hinesly] Nicolaides, Ray. Hinesly Family History. Typescript, microfilmed 1978. FHL 1036741 Item 19.
  • [Howard] Landis, Carolynn Butler. The Ancestors & Dependants [i.e. Descendants] of William Thomas Howard and Missouri Isabelle Hampton of Hamilton County, Illinois: and Allied Families of Brown, Burch, Buttery, Crouse, Hamilton, Harrington, Melton & Others. [Fort Jones, Calif.]: C.B. Landis, 1984. FHL 929.273 A1 no. 4381
  • [Jackson] Jackson, Michael Stephen. A Jackson Family History: Putnam County, Tennessee and Beyond... Freeburg, Ill.: M.S. Jackson, 1993. FHL 929.273 J132jm
  • [Johnson] England, Ruth Helon Johnson. Johnson and Related Families. Sparta, Tenn.: R.H.J. England, 1988. FHL 929.273 J633er
  • [Ketcherside] Ketcherside Family Association et al. Ketcherside Newsletter. Maryville, Tenn.: N.E.K. Howard, 1990-present. FHL 929.27305 K494k
  • [Ketcherside] Ketchersid, Burrell Monroe, Harry Lee Howard and Nancy Ellen Ketchersid Howard. Thomas Ketcherside and His Descendants, 1745-1995. Maryville, Tenn.: Ketchersid Family History Project, 1995. FHL 929.273 K494k
  • [McGowen] Love, Terry M. The Descendants of William McGowen of Tyrrell County, North Carolina [sic]. Lakeville, Minn.: T.M. Love, 1998. FHL 929.273 M177L
  • [McPeak] McPeak, Hugh Ray and Carroll Leroy. The William McPeak Family History [S.I.:s.n.], 1967. FamilySearch Books Online; FHL 929.273 M24.
  • [Martin] Boyd, Harold L. and Shirley R. Martin Boyd. Footprints to the Past: Boyd--Martin Genealogy, 1415-1993. Clay Center, Kansas: H.L. & S.M. Boyd, [1993?]. FamilySearch Books Online; FHL 929.273 B692bh.
  • [Ogle] Reagan, Donald B. Smoky Mountain Clans. 3 vols. Knoxville, Tenn.: D.B. Reagan, 1978-1983. FHL 929.273R22b 1978. [The Ogle family is discussed in Vol. 1.]
  • [Parker] Parker, Gladys Harris, Anna Beth Heffernan and Pearl Scott Rattan. Robert Arthur Parker, a Texas Pioneer: Ancestors, Descendants, Related Families. Irving, Texas: A. B. Heffernan, 1985. FHL 929.273 P228p
  • [Pennington] Barnes, Josephine Auner and Irma Beghtol Kate. Genealogies of Kate--Beghtol--Vance--Boone--Pennington Families. West Des Moines, Iowa: J.A. Barnes, 1986. FHL 929.273 K156b
  • [Pennington] Jones, Marvin T. Some Descendants of Ephraim Pennington of Rowan County, North Carolina: Including those of Pennington's Point, McDonough County, Illinois. Wyndmere, North Dakota: M.T. Jones, 1994. FHL 929.273 P384j
  • [Plumlee] Houp, J. Randall. The Descendants of Isaac & Margaret (Bradshaw) Plumlee, White County, Tennessee. Alma, Ark.: J. Randall Houp, 1991. FHL 929.273 P735h.
  • [Porter] Keenan, Gene and Frances. Eight Generations of Porters: from 1750 in Tennessee to 1922 in California. Sparks, Nevada: E. and F. Keenan, 1992? FamilySearch Books Online; FHL 920.273 P833k.
  • [Robertson] Robertson, Frank Allen. William Crockett Robertson, Ancestors - Descendants & Related Families. Houston, Texas: F.A. Robertson, 1984. FHL 929.273 R549rf
  • [Robertson] Heinemann, Martha. Thomas Robertson of Gum Springs, White County, Tennessee. Microfilmed in 1992. FHL 1697742 Item 32.
  • [Robertson] Heinemann, Martha. John Robertson. Typescript. Microfilmed in 1992. FHL 1697742 Item 27.
  • [Robertson] Heinemann, Martha. Creeches Who were Legal Heirs of Thomas Robertson of White County, Tennessee. Typescript. Microfilmed in 2000. FHL 1425281 Item 6.
  • [Scarbrough] Scarbrough, John Frederick. The Scarbrough's and Houlette's of the Cumberlands. Murfreesboro, Tenn.: J.F. Scarbrough, [1994?]. FHL 929.273 Sca72sj
  • [Stewart] Stewart, Larimore. Dempsey Stewart of South Carolina and Tennessee. Sparta, Tenn.: L. Stewart, [198-?]. FHL 929.273 St49st
  • [Walling] Davis, Betty Smith. Our Walling Family: Texans, Tennesseans and Others. Humble, Texas: B.S. Davis, 1991. FHL 929.273 W158d.
  • [Webb] Webb, Charles C. The Webb Family of White County, Tennessee. 195-?. FHL 929.273 W381wc.
  • [Whitaker] Swafford, William Bryson and Jeannette Lain Swafford. The Swafford--Whitaker Connection. [Fort Smith, Ark.: W.B. & J.L. Swafford, 199-]. FHL 929.273 Sw12sw
  • [Whiteley] Graves, Francis Marie. Isaac Whiteley Descendants. MSS., Carroll County Historical Society, Berryville, Ark. Microfilmed 1981. FHL 1035368 Item 3

Land

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early White County land records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:

  1. Deed Book A: 1801-1809
  2. Deed Book B: 1807-1809
  3. Deed Book C: 1810-1811
  4. Deed Book D: 1811-1812
  5. Deed Book E: 1812-1817
  6. Deed Book F: 1817-1820
  7. Deed Book G: 1820-1828
  8. Deed Book N: 1842-1844
  9. Deed Book O: 1844-1849

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.] 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 TSLA; another version is available at World Vital Records.

Local Histories

Maps

Military

Revolutionary War

The following White County Revolutionary War records are available online through TNGenWeb:

  1. 1835 Pension Roll
  2. 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions

Additional resources include:

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; Vol. 8, No. 4 (Oct. 1961):122-124. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. [Includes White County pensioners (p. 123).]

Civil War

Civil War service men from White County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from White County.

Confederate Soldiers

Union Soldiers

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from White County:

Newspapers

  • The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Sparta, White County, Tennessee newspapers. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:
  1. 1824 Sparta Review - Sparta, Tennessee
  2. 1825 Sparta Review - Sparta, Tennessee
  3. 1829-1831 Miscellaneous Newspapers - Sparta, Tennessee
  4. 1832-1833 Miscellaneous Newspapers - Sparta, Tennessee
  5. 1841-1855 Miscellaneous Newspapers - Sparta, Tennessee
  • 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 White County click on the following cities or towns:

Occupations

  • Miller, Alan N. Middle Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1784 to 1902. Baltimore, Md.: Printed for Clearfield Company, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2004. FHL US/CAN 976.8 U2ma. Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes White 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 White County, Tennessee records 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.
The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History
Genealogical articles with abstracts of records of White County, Tennessee have been published in The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, the quarterly of the Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society (23+ Vols.). To view a list of these articles, visit their online Index to Articles (1988-2005). Surname indexes are also available online for Vols. 2-22. The website also offers back issues for sale in paper and on CD. The Family History Library has a complete collection of this quarterly FHL US/CAN Book 976.85 D25m.
The Past Finder
Quarterly published by the White County Genealogical-Historical Society. Table of Contents available on the website.
Indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI).
The Upper Cumberland Researcher
Genealogical articles with abstracts of records of White County, Tennessee have been published in The Upper Cumberland Researcher, the journal of the Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association, Inc. To view a list of the first 17 years of these articles, visit their online Seventeen Year Index to The Upper Cumberland Researcher (Vols. 1-17, 1975-1992). The Index contains a "Counties" section beginning on page 19. The Family History Library has most issues through the present FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2u (1975-1993) and FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2u (1994-present).

Prisons

Learn if your White County, Tennessee ancestors went to prison!

Probate

The White County Court and County Clerk have responsibility for the probate records.Many records are held by the White County Archives (click here for more information.)

FamilySearch has placed scans of the following records online in the Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 collection. These are browse-only collections. Handwritten indexes may be found at the front or back of some volumes:

  • Inventories, Wills, 1810-1840 (2 vols.)
  • Settlements, Wills, 1831-1967 (Vols. B-O)
  • Wills, 1944-1965
  • Bonds, 1886-1967 (4 vols.)
  • Bonds, Letters, 1866-1967 (6 vols.)
  • Claims against estates, 1930-1961
  • Guardian records, 1854-1875
  • Inventories, 1841-1966 (3 vols.)
  • Letters, 1886-1915

Free online index to the probate records transcribed by the WPA, created by Steve Carson, courtesy: GSC Associates Historical Records Products (the pages may load slowly). For a small fee, the company sells a set of five White County CDs, which include a digitized version of these probate records, and a variety of other local records. The probate records that are included are:

  1. Inventories and Will Book A 1810-1828
  2. Inventories and Will Book B (not complete) 1831-1840

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early White County probate records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:

  1. Wills and Inventories: 1810-1828

The following White County probate records have been abstracted, indexed, or both:

  • [1841-1855] Hickerson, Elma Lee. Tennessee Records of White County Wills, 1841-1855. 2 volumes. Nashville, Tennessee: Filmed by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1968. Volume 1 is an indexed, volume is not. (FHL film 464153-464154 Item 1.)
  • [1810-1861] 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 probate records.]
  • [1810-1828] Strictly By Name (see above).

Taxation 

The original White County tax records are held at the County Courthouse. Julia Cauble Smith's "White County Tax Districts -- Overview," hosted online by TNGenWeb, will help researchers understand how the county was divided into tax districts.

Images of White County's original tax records have been reproduced multiple times:

  • [1811-1815] White County Tax Book 1811-1815. TSLA Reel #123, Nashville, Tenn.
  • [1811-1876] Haston, Wayne. 1811-1876 Tax Lists: White County, Tennessee. CD-ROM. Purchase at The Heritage of Daniel Haston. Free transcripts of Militia/Civil District for Caney Fork-Cane Creek Area 1811-1839, taken from this resource, are available online.
  • [1811-1965] White County Tax Books 1811-1865. FHL 507969 28 microfilm reels
  • [1816-1829] White County Tax Books 1816-1829. FHL 464154 Items 2-4
  • [1832-1836] White County Tax Books 1832-1836. FHL 464155 Item 1
  • [1955-1966] Federal tax liens for White County, Tennessee, 1955-1966. Nashville: TSLA, 1967. FHL 507938 Item 2

The following White County tax records have been abstracted:[7]

  • [1811-1815] 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 White County Tax Book, 1811-1815 as a source.]
  • [1811] Hughes, T.P.. "White County, Tennessee 1811 Tax List," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 18, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1971):106-118. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
  • [1811-1815] Historical Records Survey.Tax books, 1811-1815, White County, Tennesssee. Nashville: TSLA, Typescript. FHL 24870
  • [1811, 1825] 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 1811 and 1825 tax lists.]
  • [1811-1826] Select abstracts of White County, Tennessee Tax Lists 1811-1826, available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. (Source: FHL US/CAN Film 507969.)
  • [1812] "White County, Tennessee: Census of Taxable Inhabitants, 1 Jan. 1812," The Upper Cumberland Researcher, Vol. 12, No. 4 ():189-. For access, see Periodicals.
  • [1812] Gant, Wanda. "White County, TN 1812 Tax List," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives. [Source: TSLA Roll# 123 Book 1812.]
  • [1813] "White County Sheriff Reports Some Unpaid 1813 Taxes," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Fall 1999):39. For possible FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
  • [1813] Sheriffs Report, Unpaid Taxes, 1813, Past Finder, Vol. 6, No. 5 (Sep. 1999).
  • [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 White County.]
  • [1820-1821] Road Docket, 1820/21, Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association Bulletin, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Winter 1991).
  • [1826] "A List Containing the Names and Number of Free Male Inhabitants of the Age of Twenty-one Years and Upwards. Resident Citizens of White County, Tennessee, on the 1st Day of January 1826," The Upper Cumberland Researcher, Vol. 9, No. 2 ():42-. For access, see Periodicals.
  • [1836] "White County, Tennessee Civil District Boundaries 1836," The Upper Cumberland Researcher, Vol. 9, No. 3 ():80-; Vol. 10, No. 1 ():7-. For access, see Periodicals.
  • [1844] "White County, Tennessee: District 9 Taxpayers 1844," The Upper Cumberland Researcher, Vol. 12, No. 2 ():92-. For access, see Periodicals.
  • [1848] "White County, Tennessee: Delinquent Taxpayers 1848," The Upper Cumberland Researcher, Vol. 13, No. 2 ():77-. For access, see Periodicals.
  • [1851] "White County, Tennessee: Eligible Voters as of 1 January 1851," The Upper Cumberland Researcher, Vol. 17, No. 2 ():68-; Vol. 17, No. 3 ():101-. For access, see Periodicals.
  • [1854] "White County, Tennessee: A List of Some White County, TN Voters, 1854," The Upper Cumberland Researcher, Vol. 10, No. 3 ():83-. For access, see Periodicals.
  • [1860s] "White County, Tennessee: Civil War Tax List," The Upper Cumberland Researcher, Vol. 3, No. 5 ():3-. For access, see Periodicals.
  • [1862] Assessments, 1862, Past Finder, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Jul. 1999).
  • [1862] Persons Released from Paying Taxes, 1862, The Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association Bulletin, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1987). For access, see Periodicals.

Vital Records

  • For free lookups of White County, Tennessee vital statistics 1914-1925 click here.
Birth
Marriage

The original White County marriage records are kept at the County Courthouse. Marriages were not officially recorded in White County until 1809. However, the early marriage records are incomplete until 1838 when a law was passed mandating the practice.[6] The following publication, based on early newspapers, helps to alleviate this genealogical obstacle:

  • Lucas, Silas Emmett. Marriages from Early Tennessee Newspapers 1794-1851. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978. FHL 976.8 V2L.


The following White County marriage records are microfilmed:

  • [1838-1994] Available at the TSLA. 1838-1910 can be interlibrary loaned.
  • [1838-1967] Available at the Family History Library. Each volume is indexed. FHL 507886

The following White County Courthouse marriage records have been indexed:

  • [1809-1859] Mitchell, Mary Fancher. White County, Tennessee Oldest Marriage Book, 1809-1859. [S.l.]: Doliante, J. Sharon Johnson, c1977. Available at FHL 976.866 V25m Digital version available at World Vital Records ($).
  • [1809-1870] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early Middle Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler & Associates, 1988. FHL 976.8 V2sb v. 2 [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage or marriage bond dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]
  • 1838-1933 - White County Marriage Index 1838-1933 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.[8]
  • [1838-1860] Marriage Records, 1838-1860, White County, Tennessee.  Nashville: TSLA, Historical Records Project, 1940.  Typescript. FHL 24865 Item 1
  • [1859-1881] Rhinehart, Margaret. White County Marriage Records: Part of book 1, January 11, 1859 to June 11, 1881. Spencer, Tennessee : Van Buren County Historical Society, 1985. FHL 976.866 V2w
  • [1921-1957] Austin-Raichart, Deb, Jan Fodrocy and Mary W. Holland. White County, Tennessee, Marriages March 1921-August 1957. Sparta, Tennessee : D.Austin-Raichart, 199-?. FHL 976.866 V28a
  • Tennessee County Marriages, 1790-1950 - covers all counties in Tennessee.
  • Many county marriage records are indexed with images at Ancestry's Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. ($)  Be aware that this index is not complete for many counties.
  • [1812-1843] Marriage Records. [9]
  • [1809-1850] Marriage Records: Early–1850. [10]
Divorce

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

  • 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

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

Libraries

  • White County Public Library
    11 North Church St.
    Sparta, TN 38583
    Telephone: 1-931-836-3613
    Web site: http://wtclibrary.org/wcplibrary.php
    Hours: Mon. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tues.  8 a.m.-8 p.m.
    Wed.-Saturday 8:00 a.m.-5 p.m.
    Genealogical resources include regional history books, family history books, and White County records on microfilm.
    A computer provides Internet access and the full texts of obituaries from The Expositor in recent years, with an index for each year. It's catalog is online.

Societies

  • White County Genealogical-Historical Society
    1 E. Bockman Way, Room 304 Courthouse
    Sparta, TN 38583-2035
    Web site: http://web.blomand.net/~wcolley/wcghs.html
    Publication: PastFinder. Quarterly since 1994. Table of Contents online.
    The society collects material  to establish or illustrate the genealogies and history of the area: its exploration, settlement, development, and activities in peace and in war; it's progress in population, wealth, education, arts, science, agriculture, manufacturing, trade and transportation. It collects printed histories, genealogies, biographies, descriptions, gazetteers, directories, newspapers, pamphlets, catalogs, circulars, handbills, programs, and posters; manuscript material such as letters, diaries, journals, memoranda, reminiscences, rosters, service records, account books, charts, surveys, and field books; and museum material such as pictures, photographs, paintings, portraits, scenes, aboriginal relics, and material objects illustrative  of life, conditions, events, and activities of the past and the present.
  • Bon Air Mountain Historical Society
    9479 Crossville Hwy
    Sparta, TN 38583
    Phone: 1-931-935-6463
  • Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society
    PO Box 330948
    Nashville, TN, USA 37203-7507
    The society serves the 40 counties of middle Tennessee of which White County is one. It publishes The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, a quarterly containing articles of genealogical and historical interest. Little-known Tennessee records are published and indexed, along with family genealogies, Bible records and material submitted by members. There is an alphabetical Index to articles in the Journal 1988-summer 2005

LDS Family History Centers

  • McMinnville Tennessee
    183 Underwood Road
    McMinnville, Warren, Tennessee, United States
    Phone: 931-473-1053
    Hours: W 6pm-9pm, Th 9am-5pm
    Closed: Other times by appointment  
  • See also Putnam and Warren Counties

White County Tennessee Genealogy Websites

Wikipedia
 Wikipedia has more about this subject: White County, Tennessee

White County Tennessee Genealogy References

  1. ↑ Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessee Historical Records Survey (W.P.A.), 1941; "Earliest County Records," Tennessee State Library and Archives.
  2. ↑ "List of counties in Tennessee," Wikipedia.
  3. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), 645. (FHL Collection Ref Book 973 D27e 2002). WorldCat entry.
  4. ↑ Voice of Lynnae Weller, Kingsport, Tenn. (2010).
  5. ↑ Voice of Gene Black, FamilySearch employee, former resident of Bristol, Tenn. (2010).
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Robert M. McBride, Tennessee County Data (Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee States Library and Archives, 1966), 49.
  7. ↑ The Heritage Quest Online version of PERSI aided in the compilation of this list.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/6/64/Igitennessees.pdf.
  9. ↑ Orem, Utah: Automated Archives, 1994. (Family History Library compact disc number 9 part 2.) Does not circulate to Family History Centers.
  10. ↑ Orem, Utah: Automated Archives, 1992. (Family History Library compact disc number 9 part 229.) Does not circulate to Family History Centers.
v • d • e
Links to Tennessee-related articles
Topics
Counties
Anderson · Bedford · Benton · Bledsoe · Blount · Bradley · Campbell · Cannon · Carroll · Carter · Cheatham · Chester · Claiborne · Clay · Cocke · Coffee · Crockett · Cumberland · Davidson · Decatur · DeKalb · Dickson · Dyer · Fayette · Fentress · Franklin · Gibson · Giles · Grainger · Greene · Grundy · Hamblen · Hamilton · Hancock · Hardeman · Hardin · Hawkins · Haywood · Henderson · Henry · Hickman · Houston · Humphreys · Jackson · Jefferson · Johnson · Knox · Lake · Lauderdale · Lawrence · Lewis · Lincoln · Loudon · McMinn · McNairy · Macon · Madison · Marion · Marshall · Maury · Meigs · Monroe · Montgomery · Moore · Morgan · Obion · Overton · Perry · Pickett · Polk · Putnam · Rhea · Roane · Robertson · Rutherford · Scott · Sequatchie · Sevier · Shelby · Smith · Stewart · Sullivan · Sumner · Tipton · Trousdale · Unicoi · Union · Van Buren · Warren · Washington · Wayne · Weakley · White · Williamson · Wilson
Extinct
Counties
Major
Repositories
Migration
Routes
Cumberland River · Mississippi River · Tennessee River · Avery's Trace (or Cumberland Trace) · Black Fox Trail · Bolivar and Memphis Trail · Butterfield Overland Mail · Catawba Trail · Chattanooga-Willstown Road · Cisca and St. Augustine Trail (or Nickajack Trail) · Cisco and Middle Tennessee Trail · Cumberland and Great Lake Trail · Cumberland and Ohio Falls Trail · Georgia Road (or Federal Road) · Great Indian Warpath · Great South Trail · Great Trading Path · Great Valley Road · Jackson's Military Road · Jonesboro Road · Kentucky Road · Lower Warpath (or West Tennessee Trail) · Maysville Turnpike · Memphis, Pontotoc and Mobile Trail · Mississippi and Tennessee River Trail · Nashville Road · Nashville-Saline River Trail · Natchez Trace (or Chickasaw Trail) · Old Cherokee Path · Tennessee, Ohio and Great Lakes Trail · Unicoi Trail · West Tennessee Chickasaw Trail · Wilderness Road · Illinois Central Railroad


Retrieved from "https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/White_County,_Tennessee"

 

Need additional research help? Contact our research help specialists.

Need wiki, indexing, or website help? Contact our product teams.


Did you find this article helpful?

You're invited to explain your rating on the discussion page (you must be signed in).

  • This page was last modified on 24 May 2013, at 17:17.
  • This page has been accessed 13,552 times.