Hamblen County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States

Tennessee

Hamblen County

Guide to Hamblen County, Tennessee ancestry, family history and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Tennessee Online Genealogy Records

Hamblen County, Tennessee
Map
Location in the state of Tennessee
Location of Tennessee in the U.S.
Facts
Founded:	June 9, 1870
County Seat	Morristown
Courthouse
Website: www.courtreference.com/hamblen-County-Tennessee-Courts.htm
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Description

The County was named for Hezekiah Hamblen (1775–1854), an early settler, landowner, attorney, and member of the Hawkins County Court for many years. Governor Dewitt Clinton Senter, a resident of the county, used his influence to assist in its establishment. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

Hamblen County, Tennessee Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1909	1863	1909	1870	1870	1870	1810
Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1914. General compliance by 1927.

County Courthouse

Hamblen County Courthouse, Morristown, Tenn.

Hamblen County Courthouse
 511 W 2nd N Street
Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: 423.586.9112 

County Clerk has marriage and probate records from 1870.
Clerk and Master has divorce records.
Clerk Circuit Court has court records.
Register of Deeds has land records.

Hamblen County Courthouse
511 West Second North Street
Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: 1-423-586-9112

Hamblen County Clerk
Marriage records
511 West Second North St.
Administrative Building, 2nd floor
Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: 1-423-586-1993

Hamblen County Chancery Court Clerk
Probate records
511 West Second North St.
Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: 1-423-586-9112

Hamblen County Circuit Court Clerk
Court records
Hamblen County Justice Center
510 Allison St.
Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: 1-423-586-5640

Hamblen County Register of Deeds
Land records
511 West Second North St.
Administrative Building, 3rd floor
Phone: 1-423-586-2505

Hours:
Mon.-Thurs. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

History

In the 1780s, this county's land fell within the bounds of the State of Franklin

East Tennessee county established in 1870. From 1784 to 1788, this land was claimed by the abortive, and short-lived State of Franklin.

Hamblen County is named after Tennessee pioneer Hezekiah Hamblen.

The land which eventually became Hamblen County was first organized by the State of Franklin in March 1786 from parts of Greene and Sullivan counties under the name of Spencer later Hawkins County, and from part of Greene County under the name Caswell County.)., However, the Franklin statehood effort faded by 1789. Spencer and Caswell counties existed only briefly, their legality is questionable, and little trace remains.

The records of lost Spencer County are now found on the Wiki
The records of lost Caswell County are now found on the Wiki

North Carolina and the Southwest Territory did not recognize any of Franklin's new counties. Later in 1786 the North Carolina legislature created a parallel-county of Franklin's Spencer County and called it Hawkins County. It was known by both county names while Frankln's statehood efforts lasted up to 1788. Since then the land on which the lost county of Spencer County was located has been called Hawkins County, Tennessee.

In 1792 the Southwest Territory using land from its Greene and Hawkins counties erected a new county named Jefferson County. In 1796 all these lands also became part of the new State of Tennessee, and Grainger County was split off from Hawkins County.

In 1870 Tennessee used parts of Hawkins, Grainger, and Jefferson counties to form Hamblen County.

Parent County

1870--Hamblen County was created 8 June 1870 from parts of Grainger, Jefferson, and Hawkins Counties.
County seat: Morristown

County Pronunciation

1. Hear it spoken (female)
2. Hear it spoken (male)

Boundary Changes

For animated maps illustrating Tennessee county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places / Localities

Populated Places

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:

Cities
Morristown
Unincorporated communities
Alpha Barton Springs Fernwood Havley Springs Hillcrest Lakemoore Lakeview Lawrence Mills Lowland Marguerite	Needmore New Line Noe's Mill Ridgeview Roe Rolling Hills Russellville Silver City Springvale	Statem Gap Sulphur Spring Sunset Hills Susong Talbott Union Heights Valley Home Whitesburg Witt

Neighboring Counties

Cocke Grainger

Greene Hawkins

Jefferson

Resources

Getting Started

Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Hamblen County biography, cemetery, and marriage 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

• Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: Hamblen County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)

African American

United States African Americans Tennessee African Americans

Cemeteries

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

Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Tombstone Transcriptions in Print	List of Cemeteries in the county
Findagrave.com	Family History Library	Findagrave.com
TNGenWeb	WorldCat	BillionGraves
TNGenWeb Archives		Linkpendium
Tombstone Project		TN Gravestones
TNGenWeb Cemeteries		Interment
BillionGraves
See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information.

Census

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	10,187	—
1890	11,418	12.1%
1900	12,728	11.5%
1910	13,650	7.2%
1920	15,056	10.3%
1930	16,616	10.4%
1940	18,611	12.0%
1950	23,976	28.8%
1960	33,092	38.0%
1970	38,696	16.9%
1980	49,300	27.4%
1990	50,480	2.4%
2000	58,128	15.2%
2010	62,544	7.6%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of Hamblen 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.

1810 - 1891

• Tennessee, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1891 at Ancestry.com — index $

1880

• Scanned census images. USGenWeb Archives

• Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census Hamblen County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler & Associates, 1993. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8923 X2s 1880.

1891 Male Voters

• 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry.com — index $

Church

Baptist

• 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?. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8932 K2d.

Family Histories

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 Hamblen, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 6,800 entries.

Bibliography

• Flagg - Descendants of Josiah Flagg of Berkeley County, W. Va.; with Sketches of the Flagg, Keyes, Foss, Shively, Hughes, Slemons and Campbell Ancestries. Boston: Press of T.R. Marvin, 1920.  Free digital copy, courtesy: Internet Archive.
• King - History of the King Family of Hamblen County, Tennessee. Typescript, TSLA, Nashville, Tenn. Microfilmed in 1939. FHL US/CAN Film 24670 Item 4.
• Lee - Lee Family Collection, ca. 1613-1924. Typescript. FHL US/CAN Film 1550782.
• Miller - Wine, Cecil J. The Michael Miller Family. Radford, VA: Commonwealth Press, 1964. Available at FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 M612w; digital version at Heritage Quest Online ($).

Land

The original Hamblen County Deed Books are held at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, the TSLA microfilmed Deed Books 1-10 (1870-1891) and Indexes (1870-1952). Copies of their films are available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Films 969627-969633.

Maps

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)

Military

Revolutionary War

• Russellville, Brief History of Soldiers, 1776+, Tennessee Ancestors, Vol. 18, No. 2 (Aug. 2002).

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 Hamblen County pensioners (p. 66)]

Civil War

Online Records

• 1861-1865 - Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
• 1861-1865 - Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
• Civil War Research Database $
• Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System

Regiments. Civil War service men from Hamblen 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 Hamblen County:

Confederate Soldiers

• 12th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (Day's) - CSA - Company D.
• 59th Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Cooke's) (Eakin's 1st Battalion) - CSA - Company I.
• 60th Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Crawford's) (79th Infantry) - CSA - Company H.
• 61st Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Pitts') (81st Infantry) - CSA - Company G.

Union Soldiers

• 8th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Company D.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Hamblen County:

• TNGenWeb, Hamblen County Civil War Page.
• USGenWeb Archives, Hamblen County Tennessee Archives. Civil War Records.
• CWSAC Battle Summaries, Bull's Gap. Located in Hamblen and Greene Counties.
• Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Hamblen 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. Hamblen County, page 340.
• The Civil War & Morristown.

Civil War Battles

The following Civil War battle was fought in Hamblen County:

• November 11-13, 1864 = Bull's Gap[12]

Map showing Civil War battles in Tennessee.

Newspapers

Many Tennessee newspapers are filmed and available at the 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 Hamblen County click on the following cities or towns:

• Morristown
• Whitesburg

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 Hamblen County.]
• Blomquist, Ann Kicker Cheek's Cross Roads, Tennessee, store journal 1802-1807 Baltimore, Maryland : Gateway Press, c2001 FHL book 976.8923 U3b. Digital version available at FamilySearch Digital Library.

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 Hamblen 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

A genealogical article with abstracts of Hamblen County, Tennessee records has been published in East Tennessee Roots (10 vols.). A subject index to this publication's 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.

Hamblen Heritage

Family History Library has Volume 1 - 13 (1986 - 1998) FHL US/CAN book 976.8923 B2h
Hamblen Heritage is indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI)

Private Papers

• Diary and Scrapbook of Catherine (Kate) Livingston, 1857-1868, Hamblen County, Tennessee. Typescript, Tennessee State Library, Nashville, Tenn. FHL US/CAN Film 24670 Item 3.

Probate Records

The original Hamblen County Loose Wills are held at the County Archives. In 2007, the Genealogical Society of Utah microfilmed these records, date range: 1870 to 1974: FHL/VAULT US/CAN Film 1669931-1669932, 1669941 Item 1.

Online Records

• 1779 - 2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

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:

• Wills 1870-1974

Taxation

The original Hamblen County Tax Books 1877-1889 (gaps) are held at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, the TSLAmicrofilmed these records. A copy of their film is also available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Film 969637.

The following Hamblen County tax resources have been abstracted:

• 1860 - Morristown Property Tax, 1860, Hamblen Heritage. Morristown TN: Spring 2000. Vol. 15 Iss. 2.
• 1890 - 1890 Tax Book - Hamblen County, Tennessee. Purchase through Hamblen County Archives.
• 1896 - Delinquent Tax Payers Notice, 1896, Hamblen Heritage. Morristown TN: Summer 2007. Vol. 22 Iss. 3.

Vital Records

See also How to order Tennessee Vital Records or order electronically online.

Birth

• 1828 - 1939 Tennessee Births and Christenings 1828-1939 at FamilySearch.org — index

• 1869 - 1909 Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Marriage

• 1625-1966 - Tennessee, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
• 1871 - 1895 - Hamblen County Marriage Index 1871-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

• 1780 - 2002 Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 at Ancestry.com — index $

• 1780 - 2002 Tennessee State Marriage Index 1780-2002 at FamilySearch.org— index

• 1790 - 1950 Tennessee County Marriages 1790-1950 at FamilySearch.org — index and images

• 1796 - 1950 Tennessee Marriages 1796-1950 at FamilySearch.org — index

• 1851 - 1900 Tennessee Marriages 1851-1900 at Ancestry.com— index and images $

Divorce

In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of Hamblen County divorce papers in diverse manuscript collections, see the following:

• 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

• 1874 - 1955 - Tennessee Deaths and Burials 1874-1955 at FamilySearch.org — index

• 1908 - 1958 - Tennessee Death Records 1908 - 1958 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

• 1914 - 1966 - Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966 at FamilySearch — index and images

• Tennessee Death Certificates 1908-1952 Free lookups available
• Williams, Marguerite White and Hamblen County Genealogical Society. Death Records of Hamblen County, Tennessee, 1902-1950. Morristown, Tenn.: Hamblen County Genealogical Society, 1995. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8923 V2h.

For deaths of Methodists in Hamblen County (or what later became Hamblen County) between the 1830s and the 1920s, try searching the following records:

• 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

See also a List of Tennessee Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies

Hamblen County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 1213
Morristown, TN 37816-1213
Phone: 423-586-1961

East Tennessee Historical Society
601 S. Gay Street
P.O. Box 1629
Knoxville, Tennessee 37901-1629
Phone: 865-215-8824
Email: eths@east-tennessee-history.org

Morristown-Hamblen Public Library
417 West Main Street
Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: 423-586-6410
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat. 9 am - 5:30 pm
Tuesday and Thursday 9 am - 8 pm

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.

• For current information about a center near you, go to the Family History Center Map
• Introduction to Family History Centers

• Morristown Tennessee Family History Center
  6301 Hiawatha Rd
  Morristown, Hamblen, Tennessee, United States
  Telephone: 423-586-0901
  Hours: Wed 6pm-8:30pm;
  

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

Websites

• FamilySearch Catalog (FamilySearch) — The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
• Hamblen County, TN Family History and Genealogy Message Board (Ancestry)
• Hamblen County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
• RootsWeb Mailing List: TNHAMBLE-L (Hamblen 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: UPPEREASTTN-L (Upper East Tennessee List)

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

Family History Library