Cumberland County, Tennessee Genealogy
Guide to Cumberland County, Tennessee ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Cumberland County was named for the Cumberland Mountains. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Cumberland County Courthouse
2 North Main Street
Crossville, TN 38555
Cumberland County Website Phone: 931-484-6165
County Clerk Phone: 931-484-6442
Circuit Court Clerk Phone: 931-484-5852
Clerk and Master Phone: 931-484-4731
Register of Deeds Phone: 931-484-5559
County Clerk has marriage and probate records from 1905.
Clerk and Master and Clerk of the Circuit Court have divorce records.
Register of Deeds has land records.[3]
Cumberland 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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1914 | 1905 | 1914 | 1897 | 1854 | 1904 | 1810 |
Record Loss
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1905 Courthouse burned and many records were damaged.[5]
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes
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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:[8]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline
Additional Information
The county is named after the Cumberland Mountains.[9]
Border county between East and Middle Tennessee. Part of the Sequatchie Valley.
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- Tennesse Bureau of Agriculture, Statistics and Mines. Coal Mines and Mining--Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: A.B. Travel, 1883. Free digital copy.
- Tennessee Post Office and Postmaster Appointments 1789-1984 Free lookups available!
Cemeteries
| See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information. | |
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 3,460 | — |
| 1870 | 3,461 | 0.0% |
| 1880 | 4,538 | 31.1% |
| 1890 | 5,376 | 18.5% |
| 1900 | 8,311 | 54.6% |
| 1910 | 9,327 | 12.2% |
| 1920 | 10,094 | 8.2% |
| 1930 | 11,440 | 13.3% |
| 1940 | 15,592 | 36.3% |
| 1950 | 18,877 | 21.1% |
| 1960 | 19,135 | 1.4% |
| 1970 | 20,733 | 8.4% |
| 1980 | 28,676 | 38.3% |
| 1990 | 34,736 | 21.1% |
| 2000 | 46,802 | 34.7% |
| 2010 | 56,053 | 19.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of Cumberland 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 Cumberland County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. The USGenWeb Census Project®
1810-1891
Tennessee, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1891 at Ancestry ($)
1860
- Kirkeminde, Patricia Barclay. 1860 Census of Cumberland County, Tennessee. n.p.: n.p., 198?. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.875 X2ki.
1870
- Kirkeminde, Patricia Barclay. 1870 Census of Cumberland County, Tennessee. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1984. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.875 X2k.
1880
- Sistler, Byron and Samuel D. Sistler. 1880 Census, Cumberland County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler & Associates, 1992. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.875 X2s.
1890 Lost, but substitutes are available:
- Reed, Sue S. Enumeration of Male Inhabitants of Twenty-one Years of Age and Upward, Citizens of Tennessee, January 1, 1891, as Provided for by an Act of General Assembly of Tennessee, Passed January 15, 1891, and Approved January 22, 1891. 8 vols. Houston, Texas: S.S. Reed, 1989. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 X2r v. 5 1891. Cumberland County is included in Vol. 5.
- Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1890 Civil War Veterans Census, Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: Byron Sister and Associates, 1978. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1890.
Male Voters
- 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry ($)
Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- Hedgecoth, Carolyn Hamby Antioch Church Record Book 1850-1905 C.H. Hedgecoth, 1997 Free lookups available!
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. Online searchable index at TSLA.
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
General
- Compendium of Local Biography, Cumberland, County, Tennessee. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1997?. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.875 D3c.
Bibliography
- Copeland - Halsell, Orpha Ancestors and descendants of Solomon Addison Copeland Oklahoma City, Oklahoma P.C. Fletcher, 1988 FS Catalog book 929.273 C79h. Digital version available at FamilySearch Digital Library
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
- In 1969, the TSLA microfilmed the original Cumberland County Deed Books A to H (1854-1884) and Deed Index Books A to C (1854-1939). Copies of their films are also available at the FamilySearch Library: FS Library US/CAN Film 590305-590308.
- Cumberland County (Tennessee) Entry Taker Entry taker's book, 1856-1904 Nashville, Tennessee Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1969. FS Library US/CAN Film 1012524 Free lookups available!
- Historical Records Project (Tennessee) Journal, 1856-1860, Cumberland County, Tennessee Salt Lake City, Utah Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1940. FS Library US/CAN Film 24626 item 3 Free lookups available!
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
- Krechniak, Helen Bullard and Joseph Marshall Cumberland County's first hundred years Crossville, Tennessee Cumberland County Centennial Committee, 1956. FS Library US/CAN book 976.875 H2 Free lookups available!
- Parsons, Barbara B. Facts, folks and photos of Cumberland County, Tennessee Evansville, Indiana Wipporwill Pub., c1988 FS Library US/CAN book 976.875 H2 Free lookups available
- Raulston, J. Leonard and James Weston Livingood. Sequatchie: A Story of the Southern Cumberlands. Knoxville, Tenn.: University of Tennessee Press, 1974. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.87 H2r.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)
- FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
War of 1812
- Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Apr. 1960):40-45. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 7 (1960); digital version at Ansearchin' News. Includes Cumberland County pensioners (p. 41)
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
- 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
- 1891-1965 Tennessee, Confederate Pension Applications, Soldiers and Widows, 1891-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- Civil War Research Database
- Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
Regiments. Men in Cumberland 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 Cumberland County:
Confederate Soldiers
- 28th Consolidated Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Companies B and K.
- 28th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (2nd Tennessee Mountain Volunteers) - CSA - Companies A and B.
Union Soldiers
- 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - Company D.
Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Cumberland County:
- TNGenWeb, Cumberland County and the Civil War. Information for Union and Confederate Soldiers.
- Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Cumberland 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. Cumberland County, page 328.
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- Newspapers on Microfilm at the Library & Archives at TSLA; some may be accessed via interlibrary loan to libraries within Tennessee
- See Interlibrary Loan Policies for more information
For a list of newspapers available at the archives for Cumberland County click on the following city:
- Boniol, Michael W. Genealogical and Historical Notes from Crossville, TN Newspapers, Vol. I, 1878- 1899 Crossville, Tennessee M.W. Boniol, c1995 FS Library US/CAN book 976.875/C1 B2Free lookups available!
For deaths of Methodists in Cumberland County (or what later became Cumberland County) between the 1830s and the 1920s, try:
- 1847-1914 - 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. FS Library 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.
- 1800s-Current Tennessee, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
Other Records
Prisons
- 1831-1850 Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1831-1850 at Tennessee State Library and Archives
- 1851-1870 Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1851-1870 at Tennessee State Library and Archives
Periodicals
Genealogical periodicals can contain unique sources and can be local, regional, or statewide. The following periodicals cover this county:
- Ansearchin' News: Quarterly magazine of the Tennessee Genealogical Society. For a keyword search, go to the county index. Read previous issues on their website; FS Library Book 976.8 B2a.
- East Tennessee Roots: Published by East Tennessee Roots The table of contents for some issues are available on their website; FS Library Book 976.8 D25e.
- Overton County, Tennessee Kin: Publication of the Overton County Genealogical Society, covering all the area in Overton, Fentress, and Pickett County, TN along with Monterey in Putnam County, and Clinton, Wayne and Cumberland County in Kentucky. FS Library US/CAN 976.8684 B2n
Probate Records
Early Cumberland County Will Books were destroyed. In 1969, the TSLA microfilmed surviving Will Books 1 to 3 (1904-1969). A copy of this film is also available at the FamilySearch Library: FS Library Film 1012523.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1779-2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry ($)
- 1904-1969 Cumberland County portion of Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 at FamilySearch - images only; handwritten indexes may be found at the front or back of some volumes.- How to Use this Collection
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
The original Cumberland County Tax Books 1904-1968 are kept by the Trustee's Office at the County Courthouse. TSLA microfilmed these records.
Book Abstracts and Indexes
- 1857-1858 - Unpaid Property Taxes, 1857 and 1858, Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association Bulletin. Cookeville TN: Summer 1986. Vol. 11 Iss. 3.
- 1858 Taxpayers, 1858, Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association Bulletin. Cookeville TN: Winter 1986. Vol. 11 Iss. 1.
- Delinquent Railroad Taxes, Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association Bulletin. Cookeville TN: Spring 1986. Vol. 11 Iss. 2.
Vital Records
Birth
- 1828-1939 Tennessee Births and Christenings 1828-1939 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1869-1909 Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry ($)
- 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 [1790-1962] - at FamilySearch. index & images. Covers all counties in Tennessee.- How to Use this Collection
- 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 ($)
- 1980-2014 Marriage Records Index 1980-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index
Book Abstracts and Indexes
- 1905-1962 - Marriage records of Cumberland County, Tennessee : vol. 1, 1905-1962. FS Library US/CAN book 976.875 V2m. Free lookups available!
Death
- 1874-1955 Tennessee Deaths and Burials 1874-1955 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1908-1933 Tennessee Deaths, 1908 - 1933 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- 1908-1958 Tennessee Death Records 1908 - 1958 at Ancestry ($)
- 1908-1912 Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
- 1914-1925 - Wiefering, Edna and Cleveland Public Library. Cumberland County, Tennessee, Vital Statistics, 1914 through 1925. Cleveland, Tenn.: Cleveland Public Library, 199-?. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.875 V2w.
- 1914-1933 Tennessee Death Records 1914-1933 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
- 1914-1966 Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1949-2014 Death Records Index 1949-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index
Divorce
Online Records
- 1796-1850 Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
- 1800-1965 - Tennessee. Tennessee Divorce and Other Records, 1800-1965. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Available at Ancestry ($)
- 1980-2014 Divorce Records Index 1980-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Cumberland County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Cookeville Tennessee FamilySearch Center
- Crossville Tennessee FamilySearch Center
- Art Circle Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Knox County Public Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Cumberland County. For state-wide library facilities, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.
Art Circle Public Library
154 East First Street
Crossville, TN 38555
Phone: 931-484-6790
Fax: 931-484-2350
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Cumberland County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Tennessee Societies.
Cumberland County Archives and Family Heritage Center
95 E. First St.
Crossville, TN 38555
Phone: 931-456-2006
Email: archives@artcirclelibrary.info
Website
Facebook
Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 575
Cookeville, TN 38503-0575
Email: info@ucga.info
Website
Websites
- Cumberland County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Cumberland County TN Genealogy
- Cumberland County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
- Rootwalker: Genealogy Pages for Northern Middle TN Free Genealogy Resources for the Region
- 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: Cumberland County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tennessee.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Cumberland, Tennessee" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumberland_County,_Tennessee accessed 17 Dec 2018
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002) Cumberland County, Tennessee, p.639
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tennessee.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Lost Records: Courthouse Fires and Disasters in Tennessee in Tennessee State Library and Archives in Tennessee Secretary of State (accessed 13 March 2016).
- ↑ Robert M. McBride, Tennessee County Data (Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee States Library and Archives, 1966), 19.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tennessee.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Cumberland County, Tennessee," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumberland_County,_Tennessee, accessed 11 November 2019.
- ↑ "List of counties in Tennessee," Wikipedia.