Perry County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States

Tennessee

Perry County

Guide to Perry 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: Linden Organized: November 14, 1818 Parent County(s): Hickman Neighboring Counties Benton • Decatur • Hickman • Humphreys • Lewis • Wayne See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

Perry County was named for the War of 1812 naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry and is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Perry County Courthouse
121 East Main Street
P.O. Box 16
Linden, TN 37096
County Courthouse Phone: 931-589-2216
County Clerk Phone: 931-589-2219

Perry County Register of Deeds
P.O. Box 625865
Highway 412 West
Linden, TN 37096
County Register of Deeds Phone: 931-589-2217
County Clerk has birth records 1908-1912 and 1925-1939 and marriage records from 1899.
Register of Deeds has land records.

Perry 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	1865	1881	1826	1820	1863	1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1908 (1913 missing). General compliance by 1927.

Record Loss

1863 and 1928 Fires damaged courthouse records. Lost marriage records: 1819 to 1864 Lost probate records: 1819 to 1862 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

1818--Perry County was established 14 November 1818 from Hickman County. County seat: Linden 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
Lobelville
Towns
Linden
Unincorporated communities
Beardstown Bethel Blue Sky Bunker Hill Chestnut Grove	Crooked Creek DePriest Bend Flat Woods Horner Howard	Pine View Pope Spring Creek Sugar Hill

History Timeline

Additional Information

U.S. Naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry 1785-1819

Middle Tennessee county. Established 1818.

The county is named after U.S. Naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819).

Resources

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

• Middle Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1784 to 1902. 2004. By Alan N. Miller. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company. FS Library US/CAN 976.8 U2ma. Includes Perry County.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Perry 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 FamilySearch Places
See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information.

 

Additional Cemetery Resources

• Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator

Census Records

1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of Perry 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 Perry 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 — index $

1820

• Bentley, Elizabeth P. Index to the 1820 Census of Tennessee. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981. FS Catalog 976.8 X22b 1820. Online at Ancestry ($).
• Houston, Martha Lou. 1820 Census of Perry County, Tennessee. Washington, D.C.: s.p., 1900. Online at Internet Archive.
• Presley, Mrs. Leister E. Census, Lawrence, Perry, Shelby Counties, Tennessee, 1820. Searcy, Arkansas: Presley, 198-?. FS Catalog 976.8 X2p 1820
• Census takers found no free African Americans living in Perry County, Tennessee in 1820.

1840 Pensioners

• A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. FS Library US/CAN Book 973 X2pc 1840; FS Library US/CAN Film 2321. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Tennessee, Western District, Perry County on page 159.

1850

• Glaser, Linda K.J. 1850 Census for Perry County, Tennessee, Taken by R. M. Thomas, 2 Sept. 1850 to 4 Oct. 1850. Lansdowne, Pennsylvania L.J.K. Glaser, 1966. FS Catalog 976.838 X2p 1850

1860

• Malone, Royleta C. and Patricia A. Sherzinger. 1860 Perry County, Tennessee Census : Including Slave Schedule and Mortality Schedule, with Full Name Index. Salt Lake City, Utah : R. C. Malone, 1988. FS Catalog 976.838 X2m 1860

1870

• Bridges, Alec F. 1870 Federal Census, Perry County, Tennessee. Gallatin, Tennessee: A.F. Bridges, 1997. FS Catalog 976.838 X29b 1870

1880

• Sistler, Barbara and Byron Sistler. 1880 Census Perry County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: B. Sistler & Associates, 1999. FS Catalog 976.838 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. 8 1891. Perry County is included in Vol. 8.
• 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

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

1900

• Bridges, Alec F. 1900 Federal Census, Perry County, Tennessee. S.p., 1996 . FS Catalog 976.838 X2b 1900

1910

• Bridges, Alec F. 1910 Federal Census, Perry County, Tennessee. Gallatin, Tennessee: A.F. Bridges, 1997 . FS Catalog 976.838 X29b 1910

1920

• Bridges, Alec F. 1920 Federal Census, Perry County, Tennessee. Gallatin, Tennessee: A.F. Bridges, 1996 . FS Catalog 976.838 X29b 1920

Church Records

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

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

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans
Census takers found no free African Americans living in Perry County, Tennessee in 1820.

Funeral Homes

Young Funeral Home in Linden

Genealogies

• Denton - Whitley, Edythe Johns Rucker. Some of the Descendants of Rev. Richard Denton. McMinnville, TN: Womack Print. Co., 1959. Available at FS Library FAM HIST Book 929.273 D435. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; available at some libraries through HeritageQuest Online.
• Moffitt - Young, Laurie M. Family Notes on Keith, Lott, Sketoe, Donahoo and Arnold of Muhlenberg: Lear and Sheffield of Christian, Todd and Muhlenberg County, Kentucky; Smith and Beck, Spencer County, Indiana; Moffitt, Randolph County, North Carolina, Perry, Hickman and Humphries Co., Tn. Boise, Idaho: L.M. Young, 1990. FS Catalog 929.273 K269y
• Norman - Hemphill, Patricia M. Normans of Tennessee and Missouri their Descendants and Ancestors 1776-1995 (including Blair, Coffey, Grammer and Leeper.) Decorah, Iowa : Anundsen Publishing Company, 1995. FS Catalog 929.273 N781h. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• Talley - Acker, W.L. The Talley Families of Tennessee and Texas: Descendants of the American Revolutionary Soldier, John Talley, Jr., of Perry County Tennessee. Mesquite, Texas: W.L. Acker, 1998. FS Library FAM HIST Book 929.273 T145aw.
• White - Sibley, Marilyn McAdams. Hester White McAdams (1818-1849) of Walker County, Texas: and Her Ancestors. Houston, Texas: M.M. Sibley, 1988. FS Catalog 929.273 A1 no. 5508
• Whitfield - Whitfield, Vallie Jo Fox. Whitfield History and Genealogy of Tennessee. Walnut Creek, CA: Unknown,, 1964. Available at FS Library US/CAN Film 879642 Item 1; digital version available at some libraries through HeritageQuest Online.

Land and Property Records

Online Land Indexes and Records

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

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)
• FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

Revolutionary War

• 1835 Pension Roll at TNGenWeb
• 1852 Rejected or Suspended Pensions at TNGenWeb.
• Perry County, Tennessee American Revolution at TNGenWeb. Includes Perry County area Revolutionary War soldier project and select pension applications.

Additional resources include:

• A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. FS Library US/CAN Book 973 X2pc 1840; FS Library US/CAN Film 2321. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Tennessee, Western District, Perry County on page 159.
• 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 at TNGenWeb. Includes veterans from this county; Tennessee section begins on page 381.

War of 1812

• Embry, Hermione D. "War of 1812 - Tennessee Pensioners on List - January 2, 1883," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Apr. 1961):49-52. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at Ansearchin' News. Includes Perry County pensioners (p. 50).
• Perry County, Tennessee War of 1812 at TNGenWeb. Includes War of 1812 Perry County soldier project and select pension applications.

Mexican War

• Perry County, Tennessee Mexican War (1846-1848) at TNGenWeb. Includes Perry County Mexican War Soldier project.

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 — index (free)
• 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (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 Perry 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 Perry County:

Confederate Soldiers

• 2nd Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (Biffle's) - CSA - Company C.
• 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (DeMoss') - CSA - Companies A, B, C, H, and K.
• 19th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Biffle's) - CSA - Companies F and H.
• 20th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company G.
• 23rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (Martin's) - CSA-2nd Company G.
• 42nd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company G.
• 53rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company F.
• Cox's Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry- CSA- Companies A and E.

Union Soldiers

• 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry - Company E.
• 6th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Companies G and H.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Perry 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, Perry County Tennessee Archives, (accessed 1 Feb 2012). Civil War Records.
• Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Perry County, (accessed 1 Feb 2012). 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. Perry County, page 368.
  

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 Perry County click on the following town:

• Linden

• 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 at Ansearchin' News. FS Library Book 976.8 B2a.
• Family Findings: Quarterly of the Mid-West Tennessee Genealogical Society. For tables of contents and online access to issues, see TNGenWeb Project. Also try this specialized Google search. FS Library US/CAN 976.8 B2f.

• Volumes 1-10 (1969-1978)
• Volumes 11-20 (1979-1988)
• Volumes 21-24 (1989-1992)
• Volumes 32-35 (2000-2003)

• Perry County Quarterly: Perry County Historical Society

• The River Counties Quarterly: (14 vols.) edited by Jill K. Garrett. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 B2rc.

• 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 Perry County Court has responsibility for the probate records.

Online Records and Indexes

• 1779-2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry $
• 1863-1959 Images of Wills 1863-1900; 1892-1959 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
• 1863-1959 Perry County portion of Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; handwritten indexes may be found at the front or back of some volumes.
• 1877-1893 Images of Settlements, Guardians, Administrations 1877-1893 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

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

• 1837 - Tatum, Ausborn C. "Perry County, Tennessee 1837 Tax List," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 29, No. 2 (Summer 1982):77-81; Vol. 29, No. 3 (Fall 1982):131-132. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 29-30 (1982-1983); digital version at Ansearchin' News. For further access, see Periodicals.
• 1884-1885 - Tax Receipts, 1884-85, Perry County Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1997).

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 ($)
• 1881-1882; 1908-1912 Images of Births and Deaths 1881-1882; 1908-1912 at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
• 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 $
• 1865-1919 - Perry County Marriage Index 1865-1919 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
• 1980-2014 Marriage Records Index 1980-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index

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 Perry 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

• Columbia Tennessee FamilySearch Center
• Dickson Tennessee FamilySearch Center
• Brentwood Public Library - an affiliate library.
• Chester County Public Library - an affiliate library.
• Lawrence County Public Library - an affiliate library.
• Spring Hill Public Library - an affiliate library.
• Tennessee State Library and Archives - an affiliate library.
• Williamson County Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries

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

Perry County Library
104 College Rd.
Linden, TN 37096
Phone: 931-589-5011
Fax: 931-589-6210
Website

West Tennessee Heritage Study Center
Paul Meek Library
10 Wayne Fisher Dr.
Martin, TN 38238
Phone: 731-881-7065
Website
Holds a variety of genealogical resources including materials relating to the following counties in Tennessee: Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Houston, Humphreys, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry, Shelby, Stewart, Tipton, Wayne, Weakley and Carlisle (KY), Fulton (KY), and Hickman (KY) counties in Kentucky.

Societies

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

Perry County, Tennessee Historical Society
c/o Perry County Library
104 College St.
Linden, TN 37096
Phone: 931-589-5011
Email: PerryHS3@gmail.com
Website

Websites

• Perry County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
• Yesterday's Tennessee
• Perry 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: Perry County at TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)