By
Andrea Zielke
Maybe
it is the time of the season, the shorter days or just my age but I’ve become
more interested in learning about my family tree. I’m from Wisconsin but
now a Tennessee resident so I’ve had search for new resources available from my
new home state. Through the Tennessee Electronic Library and the Tennessee State
Library and Archives, there are a number of free resources available to
Tennesseans who want to learn more about their family history.
Beginner and professional genealogists can use HeritageQuest Online to trace family histories and American culture from the comfort of their home. This resource includes the digitized U.S. Federal Censuses from 1790 through 1940, genealogy and local history books, Revolutionary War records, Freedman’s Bank Records, and U.S. Congressional Serial Set records.
HeritageQuest
Online can be used to answer questions including:
- Where did my family live in the United States between
1790 and 1940?
- Where can I find information about my African American
ancestors?
- Some of my ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War.
What records are available?
- I am writing a story set in Knoxville, TN in 1930. How
can I find information about the families and businesses found there
during that time?
- How did county boundaries appear when each census was
taken?
In
my initial family search, I have found some ancestors that lived and died in
Tennessee. In partnership with Ancestry.com,
the Tennessee State Library and Archives provides access to several important
collections of Tennessee records.
- Tennessee, Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909
- Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958
- Tennessee, City Birth Records, 1881-1915
- North Carolina and Tennessee, Early Land Records,
1753-1931
- Tennessee, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895
- Tennessee, Enumeration of Male Voters, 1891
- North Carolina and Tennessee, Revolutionary War Land
Warrants, 1783-1843
- Tennessee, Early Land Registers, 1778-1927
- Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923
- Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008
- Web: Tennessee, Supreme Court Case Index, 1809-1950
While
searching the Tennessean, I have found that some of my ancestors that have made
news! Through TEL, Tennesseans can now search the full archive of the newspaper
back to 1812. Full scans of each page of the paper are available to search
including the articles, wedding announcements, death notices, ads and
classifieds. I even found Minnie Pearl’s engagement announcement!
If
you are from a smaller town and your ancestors did not make Nashville news,
there are other resources available to search online. Chronicling America, a project of the Library of Congress, has digitized 125 Tennessee
newspapers (1690-present) that are available to the public.
Additional resources
Beyond
just newspapers, the Tennessee Virtual Archive (TeVA) is a digital repository of Tennessee history and culture featuring historical
records, photographs, documents, maps, postcards, film, audio and other
original materials of enduring value. TeVA contains a subset of the
Library & Archives materials and is updated monthly with new content. Plus,
it is free and available to everyone!
The
Tennessee State Library and Archives also provides indexes to some collections
and county genealogical fact sheets. Although the indexes do not provide access
to the records themselves, you can submit order forms, request materials
through interlibrary loan, or plan a visit to the Tennessee State Library and
Archives to dig into the collections!
If you cannot find a digitized version of what you are looking for, the Tennessee State Library and Archives have amazing staff that can help aid you on your search. If you can’t come to the library in person, you can call, email, or even chat live with a librarian if you have questions!
Don’t
forget to check out what resources are available at your local public library or local archive.
Many libraries and archives have additional genealogy resources about their
community.
Editor's Note: The author is grateful for research and editorial assistance provided by Library and Archives staff members Trent Hanner, Allison Griffey, Jennifer Randles, and Lisa Walker
The
Tennessee State Library and Archives is a division of the Office of Tennessee
Secretary of State Tre Hargett
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