Macon County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States

Tennessee

Macon County

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

Tennessee Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Lafayette Organized: January 18, 1842 Parent County(s): Smith, Sumner Neighboring Counties Allen (KY) • Clay • Jackson • Monroe (KY) • Smith • Sumner • Trousdale See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

Macon County was named the late Revolutionary War veteran and United States Senator, Nathaniel Macon. The county is located in the north-central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Macon County Courthouse
106 County Courthouse
Lafayette, TN 37083
County Courthouse Phone: 615-666-2000
County Clerk Phone: 615-666-2333
Circuit Court Clerk Phone: 615-666-2354
Register of Deeds Phone: 615- 666-2353

County Clerk has birth record 1908-1912, marriage record from 1901; probate record from 1900
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records
Register of Deeds has land records

Macon 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 Government County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1908	1901	1925	1843	1901	1900	1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1908 (1913 missing). General compliance by 1927.

Record Loss

1860, 1901, and 1932 Most pre-1900 records have been lost in courthouse fires. Lost land records Lost marriage records: 1842 to 1900 Lost probate records: 1842 to 1939 Because of three courthouse fires, the records stored there prior to 1901 are mostly destroyed. The Macon County Historical Society website, is working to restore these lost records through several different means. To learn what records are now available, it is worthwhile to contact the Macon County Historical Society at P.O. Box 231, Lafayette, Tennessee 37083-0231. Surviving chancery court records act as a substitute to the lost land and probate records. 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. List of counties in the United States with Record Loss

Boundary Changes

1842--Macon County was created 18 January 1842 from Smith and Sumner Counties. County seat: Lafayette Tennessee Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Tennessee Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Tennessee county boundary changes

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
Lafayette	Red Boiling Springs
Unincorporated communities
Beech Bottom Beech Hill Enon	Galen Hillsdale Rocky Mound	Siloam Willette

History Timeline

Additional Information

Sen. Nathaniel Macon (1758-1837)

Middle Tennessee county established in 1842. Macon County's land belonged to the pioneer Cumberland Settlements.

The county is named after U.S. Senator Nathaniel Macon (1758-1837).

Resources

Biographies

• Douthat, James L. Macon County, Tennessee Biographies. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press. Mountain Press provides online surname list.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Macon County, Tennessee online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Findagrave.com TNGenWeb TNGenWeb Archives Tombstone Project TNGenWeb Cemeteries BillionGraves
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com Gravestones
See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information.

Additional Cemetery Resources

• Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	6,948	—
1860	7,290	4.9%
1870	6,633	−9.0%
1880	9,321	40.5%
1890	10,878	16.7%
1900	12,881	18.4%
1910	14,559	13.0%
1920	14,922	2.5%
1930	13,872	−7.0%
1940	14,904	7.4%
1950	13,599	−8.8%
1960	12,197	−10.3%
1970	12,315	1.0%
1980	15,700	27.5%
1990	15,906	1.3%
2000	20,386	28.2%
2010	22,248	9.1%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of Macon 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 Macon 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 ($)

1850

• Cothron, Judy M., ed. Macon County Tennessee, 1850 & 1860 Census. Lafayette, Tennessee: Macon County Historical Society, 1997. FS Catalog 976.8484 X2c
• Porch, Deane. Macon County, Tennessee, 1850 Census. Franklin, Tennessee: L.G. Lynch, 19-?. FS Catalog 976.8484 X2p 1850

1860

• Cothron, Judy M., ed. Macon County Tennessee, 1850 & 1860 Census. Lafayette, Tennessee: Macon County Historical Society, 1997. FS Catalog 976.8484 X2c

1870

• Cothron, Judy M., ed.Macon County, Tennessee, 1870 & 1880 Census.Lafayette, Tennessee Macon County Historical Society, 1995. FS Catalog 976.8484 X2m 1870-1880

1880

• Cothron, Judy M., ed.Macon County, Tennessee, 1870 & 1880 Census.Lafayette, Tennessee Macon County Historical Society, 1995. FS Catalog 976.8484 X2m 1870-1880
• Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1880 census, Macon County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee B. Sistler & Associates, 1993. FS Catalog 976.8484 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. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 X2r v. 6 1891. Macon County is included in Vol. 6.
• 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.

1891 Male Voters

• Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry ($)

1900

• Crumpton, Barbara. 1900 Census, Macon County, Tennessee.Duncan, Oklahoma: Creative Copies, 1988. FS Catalog 976.8484 X2c 1900
• Pryor, Mary C. Macon County, Tennessee 1900 & 1910 Census. Lafayette, Tennessee: Macon County Historical Society, 2004. FS Catalog 976.8484 X2pm 1900-1910

1910

• Pryor, Mary C. Macon County, Tennessee 1900 & 1910 Census. Lafayette, Tennessee: Macon County Historical Society, 2004. FS Catalog 976.8484 X2pm 1900-1910

1920

• Young, Denise, ed. Macon County, Tennessee Census, 1920 (database on-line). Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1999. Available at Ancestry ($).
• Macon County, Tennessee Census, 1920 at Ancestry ($)

Church Records

Church records include baptisms, marriages and burials, as well as information about family members and clues about family migration. For additional information about church records, religions, and religious archives in Tennessee, see Tennessee Church Records.

• Macon County Church Records

• FamilySearch Catalog - Macon County Church Records

• Church histories tell when a church started in the area, who the early members were, give data about church leaders, etc.

• FamilySearch Catalog - Macon County Church History

• If the records you need are not through the FamilySearch Library, contact the church(es) in the area where your ancestor lived. Two sites that give information about churches in Macon County are:

• List of Macon County churches with addresses and phone numbers (Yellowbook)
  
• List of Macon County churches (TN HomeTownLocator)

Baptist

• 1831-1928 - Hillsdale Baptist Church Records. Macon County, 1831-1928. Manuscript. TSLA Reel #215. FS Catalog 570855 Item 3. Formerly the East Fork of Goose Creek Church.
• 1831-1900 - Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Vital Statistics from 19th Century Tennessee Church Records. Nashville: Sitler and Associates, 1979. vol. 1 FS Catalog 976.8 K29s Index to original Hillsdale Baptist Church Records. Macon County, 1831-1928.
• 1841-1883 Hastings, Patricia G. Into His Marvelous Light: the Minutes of the Siloam Missionary Baptist Church, 1841-1883. Nashville, Tennessee: P.G. Hastings, 1988. FS Catalog 976.8484 K2h

Court Records

• 1844-1860 SourtheasternGenealogy.com Chancery Court Minutes ($)
• 1845-1855 SourtheasternGenealogy.com Superior Court Records - Execution Docket ($)

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

Funeral Homes

Anderson & Son Funeral Homes & Memorial Park in Lafayette Anderson & Son Funeral Homes & Memorial Park in Red Boiling Springs Sellars Funeral Home in Lafayette

Genealogies

• Macon County Tennessee Historical Society. Macon County, Tennessee: History and Families. Paducah, Ky.: Turner Pub. Co., 2001. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8484 H2m.
• Macon County Historical and Genealogical Society. Macon Roots: A Record of the Families of Macon County, Tennessee in 1850. n.p.: Ridge Runner, 2008. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8484 D2m.
• Masters, Jack and Bill Puryear. Founding of the Cumberland Settlements: The First Atlas 1779-1804: Showing Who Came, How They Came, and Where They Put Down Roots. Gallatin, Tenn.: Warioto Press, 2009. FS Library US/CAN Large Q Book 976.8 E7d. Supplements: FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 E7d supp. 1 ff.

• Ballew - Ballew, David L. Ancestors of Leonard Ballew. West Palm Beach, Fla.: D.L. Ballew, 1987? FS Library FAM HIST Book 929.273 B212b.
• Cragon - Cragon, Henry D., Harvey Allen Cragon, Miller Murray Cragon, and James Alexander Cragon. Tennessee Cragons and Their Kinfolk. [Birmingham, Alabama?: H.D. Cragon], 1974. FS Library FAM HIST Book 929.273 C843c.
• Doss - Murphy, Nathan W. Descendants of Azariah Doss and His Wife Lydia (Ayres) Doss. Hanson, Ky.: David W. Murphy and Associates, 1998. FS Library FAM HIST Book 929.273 D741m

Land and Property Records

• Land Grants. Online index to 1500+ Pioneer Cumberland Settlements Land Grants at Cumberland Pioneer Settlers. The Cumberland Settlements region covered what is now this county. FS Library US/CAN Large Q Book 976.8 E7d.

Online Land Indexes and Records

• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Local Histories

• Blankenship, Harold G. History of Macon County, Tennessee. n.p.: H.G. Blankenship, 1986. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8484 H2b.
• Roddy, Vernon On the early story of Red Boiling Springs, Tennesse with selected supporting materials Hartsville, Tennessee V. Roddy, 1991 (Murfreesboro, Tennessee Ambassador Print) FS Library US/CAN book 976.8484 H2rv

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)

Military Records

War of 1812

• Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jan. 1961):20-23. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at Ansearchin' News archives at Tennessee Genealogical Society. Includes Macon County pensioners (p. 21).

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
• 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 Macon 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 Macon County:

Confederate Soldiers

• 20th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA
• 24th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company C.
• 30th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company G.
• 44th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company H.
• 55th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (McKoin's) - CSA- Henry B. Day, unlettered company

Union Soldiers

• 1st Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry - Company E.
• 8th Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry - Companies A and D.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Macon County:

• McMurray, William Joseph. History of the 20th Tennessee Regiment Volunteer Infantry, C.S.A. Nashville, Tennessee: s.p., 1904. Free digital copy.
• USGenWeb Archives, Macon County Tennessee Archives. Military Pensions.
• Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Macon 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. Macon County, page 361-362.
  

Newspapers

• Gregory, Charles Cal's Column-Macon County Times. Transcription Cal's Column.
  • 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 Macon County click on the following cities:

• Lafayette
• Red Boiling Springs

• 1794-1851 - Lucas, Silas Emmett. Marriages from Early Tennessee Newspapers 1794-1851. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978. FS Catalog 976.8 V2L.
• 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. 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. (Largely Methodist?)
• 1800s-Current Tennessee, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)

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.
• Makin' History: Newsletter of the Macon County, Tennessee, Historical Society: The FamilySearch Library hasVolume 1- present. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8484 B2n
  Indexed in PERiodical Source Index

• The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History: Quarterly magazine of the Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society. For surnames, use the volume-by-volume index, or do a keyword search of the Article Index. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.85 D25m.

Probate Records

The Macon County Court and County Clerk have responsibility for probate records.

Online Records and Indexes

• 1779-2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry ($)
• 1946-1977 Macon 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.
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• Macon County (Tennessee) County Clerk and Tennessee State Library and Archives (Nashville, Tennessee) Macon County, Tennessee wills, ca. 1946-1977 Nashville, Tennessee Filmed by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, 1988. FS Library US/CAN film 1928767 item 6

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

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1789 Cumberland Settlements, Tax List, 1789, The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Fall 1990). For possible FS Library and online access, as well as indexes, seePeriodicals. Includes area that later became Macon County.
• 1868 Taxpayers, 3rd District, 1868, Macon County Historical Society Newsletter, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Summer 1992).

Vital Records

Birth

• 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 ($)
• 1780-2002 - Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 ($).
• 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 ($)
• 1980-2014 Marriage Records Index 1980-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1901-1994 Macon County, Tennessee Bonds and Marriages. FS Library Book 976.8484 V2m 2 volumes

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
• 1914-1933 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
• 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 Digital Library

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Macon 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

• Bowling Green Kentucky FamilySearch Center
• Cookeville Tennessee FamilySearch Center
• Madison FamilySearch Center
• Sulphur Well FamilySearch Center
• Tompkinsville Kentucky FamilySearch Center
• Art Circle Public Library - an affiliate library.
• Tennessee State Library and Archives - an affiliate library.

Libraries

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

Macon County Public Library
311 Church St.
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: 615-666-4340
Fax: 615-666-8932
Website

Red Boiling Springs Branch Library
335 East Main Street
Red Boiling Springs, TN 37150
Phone: 615-699-3701

Societies

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

Macon County Historical Society
111 East Locust Street
P.O. Box 231
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: 615-688-6247
Email: mcths2019@gmail.com
Website
Facebook

Websites

• Cumberland Pioneer Settlers Cumberland Compact Signers, Pioneer Land Grant Recipients, Publication Descriptions, Free Book Indexes
• Macon County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
• Rootwalker: Genealogy Pages for Northern Middle TN Free Genealogy Resources for the Region
• Macon 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

• "Research in Macon County," The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Winter 1993). For possible FS Library and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.

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