Sullivan County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States

Tennessee

Sullivan County

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

Tennessee Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Blountville Organized: October 18, 1779 Parent County(s): Washington District Neighboring Counties Carter  • Hawkins  • Johnson  • Scott (VA)  • Washington  • Washington (VA) See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption Adopt-a-wiki page This page adopted by: TNGenWeb Project who welcome you to contribute. Adopt a page today Governor John Sullivan (1740-1795)

County Information

Description

The County was named for John Sullivan, a general in the Revolutionary War. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse

Sullivan County Courthouse
3411 Highway 126
Blountville, TN 37617
County website Phone: 423-323-6428
County Register of Deeds Suite 101, Phone: 423-323-6420

Sullivan County Department of Archives & Tourism
P.O. Box 3179
Blountville, TN 37617
Website Phone: 423-323-4660

County Clerk has marriage records from 1863, birth records 1908-1912, and death records 1925-1938
Clerk and Master has probate records
Register of Deeds has land records

County Pronunciation

Hear it spoken (female) Hear it spoken (female) Hear it spoken (male)

Sullivan County, Tennessee Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1908	1863	1925	1861	1775	1830	1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1914. General compliance by 1927.

Record Loss

1863 - Fire damaged courthouse records. Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820 Lost marriage records: 1780 to 1863 Lost probate records: 1780 to 1838 Lost court records: 1780 to 1850s/1860s For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.

Boundary Changes

18 October 1779: Sullivan County was created from Washington District and territory formerly claimed by Virginia. County seat: Blountville For animated maps illustrating Tennessee county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed at the MapofUS.org website.

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
Bluff City Bristol	Johnson City	Kingsport
Unincorporated communities
Arcadia Buffalo Hickory Tree	Holston Valley Morrison City Piney Flats	Sullivan Gardens Vinegar Hill
Census-designated places
Bloomingdale Bountville	Colonial Heights Spurgeon	Walnut Hill

History Timeline In the 1780s, this county's land fell within the bounds of the State of Franklin Genealogy 1779 - Created by the North Carolina legislature from part of Washington County. 1784 - Sullivan joined two neighboring counties in declaring their independence from North Carolina. 1785 - These counties applied for admission to the United States Genealogy as the State of Franklin Genealogy. 1786 - In March 1786 the Franklin legislature created Spencer County from the western part of Sullivan County. Meanwhile, North Carolina created a duplicate of Spencer County but named it Hawkins County. 1789 - Hopes for Franklin statehood faded. North Carolina refused to recognize Franklin's counties, so it is the Hawkins name that remains in use today. 1796 - All the land in these counties became part of the new State of Tennessee. Additional Information East Tennessee county established in 1779. Originally part of the North Holston Settlement, from 1784 to 1788, this land was claimed by the abortive, short-lived State of Franklin Genealogy. The county is named after Revolutionary War General and New Hampshire Governor John Sullivan (1740-1795).

Resources

Business, Commerce, and 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 Sullivan County.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Sullivan County, Tennessee online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Findagrave.com TNGenWeb TNGenWeb Archives Tombstone Project TNGenWeb Cemeteries Billion Graves
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	Family History Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com TNGravestones
See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information.

 

Additional Cemetery Resources

• Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator
  

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	4,447	—
1800	10,218	129.8%
1810	6,847	−33.0%
1820	7,015	2.5%
1830	10,073	43.6%
1840	10,736	6.6%
1850	11,742	9.4%
1860	13,552	15.4%
1870	13,136	−3.1%
1880	18,321	39.5%
1890	20,879	14.0%
1900	24,935	19.4%
1910	28,120	12.8%
1920	36,259	28.9%
1930	51,087	40.9%
1940	69,085	35.2%
1950	95,063	37.6%
1960	114,139	20.1%
1970	127,329	11.6%
1980	143,968	13.1%
1990	143,596	−0.3%
2000	153,048	6.6%
Source: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau.

1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Sullivan 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 Sullivan County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. The USGenWeb Census Project^®.

1790: Lost, only statistics survive , but substitutes are available:

• Eakle, Arlene. Tennessee Research. 2010. Purchase information at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Genealogy Blog. Includes a reconstructed 1790 census, sources: "Contemporary lists–tax lists, militia rolls, land grants and deeds, claims for pre-emption lands, names recorded in diaries and journals. And numerous histories compiled by local historians from records that we have not seen or read ourselves."
• Jackson, Ronald Vern. Ohio, 1790, Volume Two. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1986. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 977.1 X2o 1790. Includes "Territory Southwest of the River Ohio," i.e. East Tennessee.
• McGhee, Lucy Kate. Partial Census of 1787 to 1791 of Tennessee as Taken from the North Carolina Land Grants. 3 Parts. Microfilmed in 1990. FHL Collection US/CAN Films 1728882 Item 4 and 1683130 Item 3.

1800: Lost, but a substitute is available, see Sullivan.

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 Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1810; Google Books.

1810-1891

• Tennessee, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1891 at Ancestry $

1820: Lost

1820 Manufactures:

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

The following book is a useful aid for finding the original records. Aonline 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 Collection US/CAN Book 973 X2m 1820]; digital version at Lineages. Covers this county.

1830:

• Sistler, Byron H. 1830 Census, East Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: n.p., 1969. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 X2p 1830.
• Hunt, Shelia Steele. 1830 and 1840 Sullivan County, Tennessee Censuses. Kingsport, Tenn.: S.S. Hunt, 1997. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 X2hs.

1840:

• Hunt, Shelia Steele. 1830 and 1840 Sullivan County, Tennessee Censuses. Kingsport, Tenn.: S.S. Hunt, 1997. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 X2hs.

1840 Revolutionary War Pensioners:

• A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. WorldCat 2648500 ▲ FHL Collection US/CAN Book 973 X2pc 1840; US/CAN Film 2321. 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. See Tennessee, Eastern District, Sullivan County on page 154.

1850:

• Burgner, Marion Keith. Population Schedule of the United States Census of 1850 for Sullivan County, Tennessee. Knoxville, Tenn.: Clinchdale Press, 1963. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 X2p 1850.
• Hunt, Shelia Steele. 1850 Sullivan County, Tennessee Census. Kingsport, Tenn.: S.S. Hunt, 1997. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 X2h 1850.

1850 Slave Schedule:

• 1850 Slave Schedules, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 5, No. 1 ():15-. See Sullivan.

1860

• Hunt, Shelia Steele. 1860 Sullivan County, Tennessee Census. Kingsport, Tenn.: S.S. Hunt, 1997. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 X2h 1860].

1870:

• Holston Territory Genealogical Society. 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Sullivan County, Tennessee. Bristol, Va.: Holston Territory Genealogical Society, 1994. FHL Collection FHL US/CAN Book 976.896 X29us 1870.

1880:

• Sistler, Byron and Samuel D. Sistler. 1880 Census, Sullivan County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler & Associates, 1992. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 X2s 1880.

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 Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 X2r v. 7 1891. Sullivan County is included in Vol. 7.
• Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1890 Civil War Veterans Census, Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: Byron Sister and Associates, 1978. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1890.

1891 Male Voters

• 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry $

1900:

• Wagner, Fred L. 1900 Sullivan County, Tennessee Census Surname Index. [Blountville, Tenn.]: F.L. Wagner, 2002. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 X22w 1900.

1910:

• Wagner, Fred L. 1910 Sullivan County, Tennessee Census Surname Index. [Blountville, Tenn.]: F.L. Wagner, 2002. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 X22w 1910.

1920:

• Wagner, Fred L. 1920 Sullivan County, Tennessee Census Surname Index. [Blountville, Tenn.]: F.L. Wagner, 2003. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 X22w 1920.

Church Records

• Sullivan County Historical Society. Foundations of Faith in Sullivan, 1777-1935. Blountville, Tenn.?: Sullivan County Historical Society, 1986. A history of the early churches and religious organizations of Sullivan County in existence for more than fifty years.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Kingsport

Court Records

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

Emigration and Immigration

During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 7 British aliens, many of whom had families, living in Blountville and Sullivan County.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African American
Some "colored" marriages appear in published abstracts of nineteenth-century Sullivan County marriage books. See Vital Records.

Genealogies

More than 75 genealogies have been published about Sullivan County, Tennessee Genealogy families. To view a list, visit Sullivan County Compiled Genealogies

Land and Property Records

Deeds

The original Sullivan County Deed Books are held at the Sullivan. TSLA microfilmed Deed Books 1-58 (1775-1894) and Indexes (1781-1930) in the 1970s. FHL copies: FHL Collection US/CAN Films 972701-972726.

Online Records and Indexes

• 1775-1789 Deed Book 1: 1775-1789 Strictly By Name - Index only
• 1788-1796 Deed Book 2: 1788-1796 Strictly By Name - Index only
• 1775-1836 - Austin, Susan Hardin. Sullivan County, Tennessee Deeds. 11 vols. (1775-1836) n.p.: S.H. Austin, 2002-2004. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 R2a v. 1-4 ff. Digital versions at BYU Family History Archives: (volume numbers refer to the publication and not to the original deed books) Vol. 1 (1775-1789); Vol. 2 (1789-1795); Vol. 3 (1795-1802); Vol. 4 (1802-1808); Vol. 5 (1809-1815); Vol. 6 (1815-1820); Vol. 7 (1820-1824); Vol. 8 (1824-1826); Vol. 11 (1833-1836). Vol. 9 (1826-1830) and Vol. 10 (1830-1833) not found online.

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1775-1835 - Edwards, Shelby Ireson. Sullivan County, Tennessee, Deed Books: Abstracted from the Original Records. 10 vols. (1775-1835) Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1984-1985. FHL Collection US/CAN Books 976.896 R2e ff. Free Surname Indexes and purchase details for several volumes, courtesy: Mountain Press website.
• 1775-1815 - Historical Records Project. Deeds, 1775-1815, Sullivan County, Tennessee. Typescript, TSLA, Nashville, Tenn. FHL Collection US/CAN Film 24836 Items 1-7.
• 1775-1789 - Willis, Laura and Betty Sellers. Sullivan County, Tenn. Deeds. Mayfield, Ky.: Willis Historical, 1998. FHL Collection US/CAN& Book 976.896 R2w.

Local Land Entries Issued by North Carolina
The original Sullivan County land entries issued by North Carolina are kept at the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh. On their website, users can bring up a list of land entries issued in Sullivan County, both before and after its land became a part of the state of Tennessee. Years covered: 1770-1798.

Instructions:

1. Follow this link to conduct a "Call Number Search" using the MARS Catalog on their site.
2. Using the pull down window, change "Call Numbers starting" to "A MarsID matching."
3. Type 12.14.2 (Windows Vista users may need to include a period after the last digit, for example 12.14.2.) and click Search. This is the specific MarsID for Sullivan County.
4. Click on the entry that is returned: "Tennessee, Sullivan County."
5. In the window that pops up, click Show List of Child Records and a list of Sullivan County land entries will be produced. Browse to find abstracts of the original records.

N.B. You can also search by name through the Basic Search, but it lacks soundex capabilities.

Local Histories

• Taylor, Oliver. Historic Sullivan: A History of Sullivan County, Tennessee with Brief Biographies of the Makers of History. Bristol, Tenn.: The King Printing Co. (Le Roi Press), 1909. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 H2t and Index: FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 H2t index; digital version at Google Books.

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• 1777-1985 - Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)
• 1779 Reeves, Charles A. Sullivan and Washington Counties [Tennessee], the County Bounds in 1779. Published 2000. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.
• 1832 Creekmore, Pollyanna. Early East Tennessee Taxpayers. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1980. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 R4cp and Silas Emmett Lucas's Revised Index FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 R4cp index. Includes 1832 map of the county.
• 1912 Mortimore, Thaddeus. Aero View of Bristol Virginia and Tennessee. Originally published 1912. Purchase at ReevesMaps.com; website includes a scaled-down version of the map.

Military Records

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

• 1835 Pension Roll
• 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions
• Militia Lists of companies which were from areas which now are located in Sullivan county.
  The 1774 and 1779 Militia List of Capt. Shelby
  The 1776 Militia List of Capt. Womack
  The 1778 Militia list of Capt. Thomas Vincent of Sullivan county
  The Battle of Kings Mountain
• A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. WorldCat 2648500 ▲ FHL Collection FHL US/CAN Book 973 X2pc 1840; FHL US/CAN Film 2321. 1841 edition digitized by the U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. See Tennessee, Eastern District, Sullivan County on page 154.
• 1840 Census Index, Military Pensioners, Ansearchin' News, Vol. 26 (1979). Available online, see see Periodicals.
• Census of Pensioners, 1840, Eastern District (sel.), Sullivan County Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Spring 2004).

Additional resources include:

• Allen, Penelope Johnson. Tennessee Soldiers in the Revolution: A Roster of Soldiers Living During the Revolutionary War in the Counties of Washington and Sullivan. n.p.: Tennessee Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, 1935. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.89 M23a.
• Long Island Flats Battle, 1776, Appalachian Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Mar. 2001).
• Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." Digital version at Ancestry. Tennessee entries abstracted online at Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War, courtesy: TNGenWeb. Includes veterans from this county; Tennessee section begins on page 381.
• Rejected or Suspended Revolutionary War Pensions, June 7, 1832, Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin, Vol. 36, No. 1 (2007).
• Revolutionary War Petitioners Rejected, Holston Pastfinder, Vol. 7, No. 25 (Dec. 1988).
• Revolutionary War Stub Indents Books, 1782, North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Apr. 1975).
• Soldiers in Battle of Kings Mountain, Holston Pastfinder, Issue 70 (Mar. 2000).
• Soldiers of the Revolution, Holston Pastfinder, Vol. 16, No. 2 (Dec. 1997).

Indian Wars

• Service against Chickamaugas, 1790 Claims, Tennessee Ancestors, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Dec. 1989).

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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at journal website. Includes Sullivan County pensioners (p. 96).
• 1813 Petition to Relocate Muster Ground, Ansearchin' News, Vol. 36 (1989). Available online, see Periodicals.
• 1812 Sullivan County, Tennessee Tax List of Capt. Everitt's Company Courtesy:TNGenWeb

Civil War

Online Records

• 1861-1865 - Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1861-1865 - Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free)
• 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free)
• 1861-1865 - U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
• 1891-1965 - Tennessee, Confederate Pension Applications, Soldiers and Widows, 1891-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System

Regiments. Men in Sullivan County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a large regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Sullivan County:

Confederate Soldiers

• 1st Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Carter's) - CSA - Company M.
• 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Ashby's) - CSA
• 3rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company K.
• 3rd Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Lillard's) - CSA - Company K.
• 4th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Murray's) - CSA - Company C.
• 5th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (McClellan's) - CSA - Company F.
• 8th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Smith's) - CSA - Company B.
• 19th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Companies C and G.
• 26th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (3rd East Tennessee Volunteers) - CSA - Company K.
• 34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Witcher's Battalion, Virginia Mounted Rifles) (Confederate). Company F (Walker's Battalion).
• 59th Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Cooke's) (Eakin's 1st Battalion) - CSA - Company F.
• 60th Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Crawford's) (79th Infantry) - CSA - Company E and G.
• 61st Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Pitts') (81st Infantry) - CSA - Companies E, K, and 2nd H.
• 63rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (Fain's) (74th Infantry) - CSA

Union Soldiers

• 4th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Company B.
• 8th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Company G.
• 9th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Company L.
• 13th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Company M.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Sullivan County:

• Worsham, William J. Old Nineteenth Tennessee regiment, C.S.A. June, 1861-April, l865. Knoxville, Tennessee: Press of Paragon Printing Co., 1902. Free digital copy.
• Tennessee 63rd Infantry.
• USGenWeb Archives, Sullivan County Tennessee Archives. Civil War Records.
• Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Sullivan 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. Sullivan County, page 377-378.
• TNGenWeb, Sullivan County and the Civil War.
• CWSAC, Battle Summaries, Blountsville. Located in Sullivan County.

Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battle was fought in Sullivan County:

• September 22, 1863 - Blountsville

Map showing Civil War battles in Tennessee.

Newspapers

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 Sullivan County click on the following cities or towns:

• Blountville
• Bluff City
• Bristol
• Kingsport
• Union
• The Kingsport Times (Kingsport, Tennessee) at Ancestry $
• Kingsport News (Kingsport, Tennessee) at Ancestry $
• Kingsport Times News (Kingsport, Tennessee) at Ancestry $

• 1847 - 1851 - 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. (Largely Methodist?)

Other Records

Historic Residences

• Blountville: Historic House, Ansearchin' News, Vol. 49 (2002). Available at FHL, see Periodicals.

Prisons

• 1831-1850 - Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1831-1850 at Tennessee State Library and Archives
  
• 1851-1870 - Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1851-1870 at Tennessee State Library and Archives

Periodicals

Genealogical periodicals can contain unique sources and can be local, regional, or statewide. The following periodicals cover this county:

• Ansearchin' News: Quarterly magazine of the Tennessee Genealogical Society. For a keyword search, go to the county index. Read previous issues on their website; FHL Book 976.8 B2a.
• East Tennessee Roots: Published by East Tennessee Roots The table of contents for some issues are available on their website FHL Book 976.8 D25e.
• Holston Pastfinder: Published by Holston Territory Genealogical Society, Dec 1982-June 2003. FHL Book 975 D25hp.
• Sullivan County Historical and Genealogical Society Journal: Published by Sullivan County Historical and Genealogical Society since 1997. US/CAN Book 976.896 D25s
• Sullivan County Historical Society Newsletter (1977-1993): published by Sullivan County Historical and Genealogical Society. US/CAN 976.896 B2n
• Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin: Published by Watauga Association of Genealogists. The table of contents for some issues are found on their website; FHL US/CAN Books 976.897 B2w; Bulletin Subject Index: The First Thirty Years, 1972-2001 (Johnson City, Tenn.: Watauga Association of Genealogists, 2002) FHL Book 976.897 B2w index 1972-2001.

Probate Records

The original Sullivan County Will Books are held at the Sullivan. The earliest records have been lost. TSLA microfilmed Will Books 1-2 (1838-1915) in the 1970s. FHL copies: FHL Collection US/CAN Film 972700].

Online Records and Indexes

• 1779-2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry $
• 1830-1942 Sullivan County portion of Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; handwritten indexes may be found at the front or back of some volumes.

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1830-1870 - Historical Records Project (Tennessee). Will Books, 1830-1870, Sullivan County, Tennessee. Typescript, TSLA, Nashville, Tenn. FHL Collection US/CAN Film 24836 Item 9].
• 1838-1861 - Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Tennessee Wills and Administrations 1779-1861. Nashville, Tenn. Byron Sistler & Associates, Inc., 1990. FHL Collection FHL US/CAN 976.8 P22s. Includes an index to this county's wills. Free Lookups Available!

Though the original will itself was destroyed in 1863, a copy made in 1829 survives and been published:

• Tilton, Leroy W. "Will of Col. David Looney of Sullivan County, Tennessee," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 34, No. 1 (Mar. 1946):25-26. FHL CollectionUS/CAN Book 973 B2ng v. 34 (1946)];digital abstract at Early Looney in America, by Leroy W. Tilton website.

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.

• 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

The original Sullivan County Tax Books, 1877-1895, are held at the Sullivan. TSLA microfilmed these records in the 1970s. FHL copies: FHL Collection US/CAN Film 972728-972731.

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1796 Creekmore, Pollyanna. Early East Tennessee Taxpayers. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1980. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 R4cp and Silas Emmett Lucas's Revised Index FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 R4cp index. Includes 1796 tax list.
• 1796-1797, 1812 - Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Early Tennessee Tax Lists. Evanston, Ill.: B. & B. Sistler, 1977. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 R4s. Includes 1796-1797, and 1812 tax lists.
• 1796-1797, 1812 - Mary Barnett Curtis, Early East Tennessee Tax Lists (Fort Worth, Texas: Arrow Printing Company, 1964), FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.8 R4c. Includes 1796-1797, and 1812 tax lists.
• 1796 Bralley, Edgar M. "1796 Sullivan County, Tennessee Tax List," available online, courtesy: TNGenWeb. Source: TSLA Microfilm Reels #8 and #12 Early Tennessee Tax Lists.

Muriel Clark Spoden's abstracts of the 1811 and 1812 tax lists were published in two periodicals. Some users might find the Watauga version easier to use, as the article was not serialized.

• 1811-1812 - Spoden, Muriel Clark. "Sullivan County, Tennessee Tax Lists, 1811-1812," Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer 1972):51-62. FHL US/CAN Book 976.897 B2w v. 1. For further access, see Sullivan. Source: TSLA manuscript.
• 1811-1812 - Spoden, Muriel Clark. "Sullivan County, Tennessee Tax Lists, 1811-1812," Holston Pastfinder, Vol. 15, No. 57 (Dec. 1996):38-39; Vol. 15, No. 58 (Mar. 1997):38-39; Vol. 15, No. 59 (Jun. 1997):38-39; Vol. 16, No. 60 (Sep. 1997):43-44; Vol. 16, No. 61 (Dec. 1997):40-41. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 975 D25hp no. 56-59 (1996-1997); FHL Collection US/CAN Book 975 D25hp v. 16 (1997-1998); indexed in FHL US/CAN Book 975 D25hp index v. 15-16. For further access, see Sullivan. Source: TSLA manuscript.
• 1814 - "Direct Federal Tax-Delinquent Property Owners Listed for 1814," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 43, No. 3(Fall 1996):115-120. For further access, see Sullivan. Includes Sullivan County.
• 1837 - Spoden, Muriel M.C. and Pollyanna Creekmore, "Sullivan County, TN Tax List 1837," Holston Pastfinder, Vol. 1, No. 9 (Dec. 1984):27-28; Vol. 1, No. 10 (Mar. 1985):31-34; Vol. 1, No. 11 (Jun. 1985):23-26; Vol. 1, No. 14 (Mar. 1986):35-38; Vol. 1, No. 15 (Jun. 1986):29-32; Vol. 1, No. 16 (Sep. 1986):31-34; Vol. 1, No. 17 (Dec. 1986):25-28. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 975 D25hp no. 6-10 (1984-1985)] ff. For further access, see Sullivan.
• 1862 - Smith, Wilma McGarry. "List of Delinquent Taxpayers from Sullivan County, Tennessee Court Minutes December, 1862," Holston Pastfinder, Vol. 15, Issue 59 (Jun. 1997):37. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 975 D25hp no. 56-59 (1996-1997)]; indexed in FHL US/CAN Book 975 D25hp index v. 15-16. For further access, see Sullivan. Marked with "Gone to War" or "Dead."

Vital Records

Birth

• 1828-1939 - Tennessee Births and Christenings 1828-1939 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1869-1909 - Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry $
• 1881-1882, 1908-1912 - The original Sullivan County Birth Register (1881-1882, 1908-1912) is kept at the Sullivan. In the 1970s, the TSLA microfilmed these records. FHL copies: FHL Collection US/CAN Film 972699.
• 1908-1912 - Tennessee, Birth Records (ER Series), 1908-1912 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Marriage

Online indexes and Records

• 1625-1966 - Tennessee, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
• 1780-2002 - Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 at Ancestry $
• 1780-2002 - Tennessee State Marriage Index 1780-2002 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1790-1962 - Tennessee County Marriages, 1790-1950 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection. Covers all counties in Tennessee.
• 1796-1950 - Tennessee Marriages 1796-1950 (Indexes only) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1838-1888 - Tennessee Civil Marriages, 1838-1888 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1851-1900 - Tennessee Marriages 1851-1900 at Ancestry $
• 1861-1870 - Marriage Records, 1861-1870, Sullivan County, Tennessee FHL Film 24836 Item 8 (Click camera to view)
• 1863-1895 - Sullivan County Marriage Index 1863-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
• 1881-1882 - Sullivan County Marriage Index 1881-1882 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
• 1980-2014 - Marriage Records Index 1980-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1863-1893 - Simmons, Dessie L. Marriage Books 1-2-3, Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin, Vol. 20, No. 1; Vol. 20, No. 2; Vol. 21, No. 1; Vol. 21, No. 2; Vol. 22, No. 1; Vol. 22, No. 2; Vol. 23, No. 1; Vol. 23, No. 2; Vol. 24, No. 1; Vol. 24, No. 2; Vol. 25, No. 1; Vol. 26, No. 1; Vol. 26, No. 2; Vol. 27, No. 1; Vol. 27, No. 2; Vol. 28, No. 1; Vol. 28, No. 2; Vol. 29, No. 1; Vol. 29, No. 2; Vol. 30, No. 1; Vol. 30, No. 2; Vol. 31, No. 1; Vol. 31, No. 2; Vol. 32, No. 1; Vol. 32, No. 2; Vol. 33, No. 1; Vol. 33, No. 2; Vol. 34, No. 1; Vol. 34, No. 2; Vol. 35, No. 1; Vol. 35, No. 2; Vol. 36, No. 1. FHL Book 976.897 B2w Abstracts names of brides, grooms, and officiators, dates of license and marriage, and citations to the original volume and page numbers. Includes "colored" marriages.

• 1863-1893 - Sullivan County, Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1863-1893. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 V2h. Indexes marriage record books 1, 2, and 3; also at Tennessee State Library & Archives: (microfilmed)
• 1880-1899 - Sullivan County, Tennessee, Marriage Bonds, 1880-1899 FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 V2hs. Indexes marriage bond books 1, 2, and 3; also at Tennessee State Library & Archives: (microfilmed)
• Some "colored" marriages appear in published abstracts of nineteenth-century Sullivan County marriage books.

Death

• 1874-1955 - Tennessee Deaths and Burials 1874-1955 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1881-1882 - Sullivan County Death Records May 1881-June 1882, Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin, Vol. 35, No. 2. For FHL availability or to order back issues, see Sullivan.
• 1908-1933 - Tennessee Deaths, 1908 - 1933 at MyHeritage ($) — index
• 1908-1958 - Tennessee Death Records 1908-1958 at Ancestry $
• 1908-1912 - Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
• 1914-1933 - Tennessee Death Records 1914-1933 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
• 1914-1966 - Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1949-2014 - Death Records Index 1949-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1908-1925 - Nikazy, Eddie M. Sullivan County, Tennessee, Death Records (1908-1925). 2 vols. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1994. FHL Collection US/CAN Book 976.896 V28n ff.

Divorce

Online Records

• 1796 - 1850 - Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
• 1980-2014 - Divorce Records Index 1980-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index

Online Titles

• W.P.A. Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessee Historical Records Survey, 1941. FamilySearch Books Online

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Sullivan County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.

Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism, Regional History Center
P.O. Box 3179
3425 Hwy. 126, Suite 100
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: 423-323-4660
E-mail: hunt@sullivancounty.org
Facebook page
Website

Archives houses massive historical and genealogical holdings including original county records, vital records, cemetery abstracts, genealogy library, manuscripts collection, census records, guardianship records, tax records, maps, wills, estate settlements, thousands of surname files, massive Civil War research center, Bible records, chancery records, deeds and land records, artifacts, military collection, Native American records, newspapers, photographs, and more.

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Libraries

• Kingsport Tennessee Family History Center

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Sullivan County. For state-wide library facilities, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.

Kingsport Public Library
400 Broad St.
Kingsport, TN 37660
Phone: 423-229-9465
Website

Library holds the Kingsport Community and Municipal Manuscript Collection which includes documents created by various departments in the Kingsport Government as well as city directories, marriage and death indexes, census, maps, newspapers from 1916 to the present and family histories.

Sullivan County Public Library
1655 Blountville Boulevard
P.O. Box 510
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: 423-279-2714
Website

Genealogy Online resources: Vital, cemetery, census, guardian, immigration, military and Native American records as well as deeds, court minutes, obituaries, tax lists and wills. Also, several resources are available on CD-ROM. See a list of the online resources].

Charles C. Sherrod Library, East Tennessee State University
P.O. Box 70665
Johnson City, TN 37614
Information desk: 423-439-4307
Hours vary depending on the time of year because of school sessions.
Website

The Sherrod Library has genealogical information concerning the East Tennessee Region.

Societies

Listed below are societies in Sullivan County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Tennessee Societies.

Sullivan County Historical and Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 568
Blountville, TN 37617
Facebook page
Website

East Tennessee Historical Society
601 S. Gay St.
P.O. Box 1629
Knoxville, TN 37901-1629
Phone: 865-215-8824
E-mail: eths@east-tennessee-history.org
Website

Websites

• Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism
• Sullivan County, Tennessee (American Local History Network) Resources to help you place your ancestors within the context of their local history.
• Sullivan County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• Sullivan County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
• Sullivan County TN Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
• FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

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

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

Family History Library