Van Buren County, Tennessee Genealogy
Guide to Van Buren 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
Van Buren County was named for President Martin Van Buren, an American lawyer and statesman who served as the 8th president of the United States from 1837 to 1841.[2] The county is located in the east-central area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse
Van Buren County Courthouse
Veterans' Square P O box 126
Spencer, TN 38585
County Courthouse Phone: 931-946-2121
County Clerk Phone: 931-946-2121
County Register of Deeds Phone: 931-946-7363
County Circuit Court Clerk Phone: 931-946-2153
County Elected Officials Phone: 931-946-2314
County Clerk has birth records 1925-1938, death records 1926-1938, marriage andprobate records from 1840.
Clerk and Master has divorce records from 1840.
General Sessions Court has court records from 1840.
Register of Deeds has land records from 1840.[4]
Van Buren 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 |
| 1925 | 1840 | 1926 | 1840 | 1840 | 1840 | 1810 |
Record Loss
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
This county suffered a catastrophic fire 8 Jan 2015 and the original records were destroyed by fire. The courthouse is still standing because it is a tiny historic structure and was not the repository for the records any more. Bad News & Good News -- Van Buren County TN Office Destroyed By Fire & Microfilmed Copies of Many Records Available |
Boundary Changes
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Populated Places
| Bone Cave | Laurelburg | Olio (hist.) | Sparkman |
| Caneridge (hist.) | Laurel Cove | Phiferes | Spencer |
| Chalybeate | Lonewood | Pine Creek | Sweetgum |
| Cummingsville | McElroy | Pine Grove | Welchland |
| Gillentine (hist.) | Meade (hist.) | Riverview | White Hill |
| Harmony | Mooneyham | Sopha (hist.) |
History Timeline
Additional Information
Middle Tennessee county.
The county is named after President Martin Van Buren (1782-1862).[8]
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
- Douthat, James L. Van Buren County, Tennessee Biographies. 1887; reprint, Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press. Free Surname Index and purchase details at Mountain Press website.
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 Van Buren County.
- Tennessee Bureau of Agriculture, Statistics and Mines. Coal Mines and Mining--Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: A.B. Travel, 1883. Free digital copy.
Cemeteries
| See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information. | |
Additional Cemetery Resources
- Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 2,674 | — |
| 1860 | 2,581 | −3.5% |
| 1870 | 2,725 | 5.6% |
| 1880 | 2,933 | 7.6% |
| 1890 | 2,863 | −2.4% |
| 1900 | 3,126 | 9.2% |
| 1910 | 2,784 | −10.9% |
| 1920 | 2,624 | −5.7% |
| 1930 | 3,516 | 34.0% |
| 1940 | 4,090 | 16.3% |
| 1950 | 3,985 | −2.6% |
| 1960 | 3,671 | −7.9% |
| 1970 | 3,758 | 2.4% |
| 1980 | 4,728 | 25.8% |
| 1990 | 4,846 | 2.5% |
| 2000 | 5,508 | 13.7% |
| Source: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. | ||
1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Van Buren 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 Van Buren, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files and scanned images of census microfilm. The USGenWeb Census Project®.
1810-1891
1850
- Rhinehart, Margaret. United States census Van Buren County, Tennessee, 1850. Spencer, Tennessee: Van Buren County Historical Society, 1982. FS Catalog 976.8657 X2r 1850
1860
- Rhinehart, Margaret. United States census Van Buren County, Tennessee, 1860. Spencer, Tennessee: Van Buren County Historical Society, 1982. FS Catalog 976.8657 X2r 1860
1870
- Rhinehart, Margaret. United States census Van Buren County, Tennessee, 1870. Spencer, Tennessee: Van Buren County Historical Society, 1982. FS Catalog 976.8657 X2r 1870
1880
- Rhinehart, Margaret. United States census Van Buren County, Tennessee, 1880. Spencer, Tennessee: Van Buren County Historical Society, 1983. FS Catalog 976.8657 X2r 1880
- Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census Van Buren County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: B. Sistler and Associates, 1999. FS Catalog 976.8657 X2s 1880
1891 Male Voters
- 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry $
1900
- Rhinehart, Margaret. United States census Van Buren County, Tennessee, 1900. Spencer, Tennessee: Van Buren County Historical Society, 1983. FS Catalog 976.8657 X2r 1900
1910
- Rhinehart, Margaret. United States census Van Buren County, Tennessee, 1910. Spencer, Tennessee: Van Buren County Historical Society, 1984. FS Catalog 976.8657 X2r 1910
1920
- Young, Denise, ed.. Van Buren County, Tennessee Census, 1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Available at Ancestry
Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
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.] 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
Native Americans
- Walker, Opless and Landon D. Medley. Synthesis of Available Data Concerning Indians in Van Buren County, Tennessee. Doyle, Tenn.: Medley Research Group, 1985. FS Library US/CAN Book 970.1 S78. WorldCat
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
- Compendium of Local Biography Van Buren County, Tn. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, (1997?). FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8657 D3c.
Guardianship
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
Local Histories
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
Revolutionary War
The following Van Buren County Revolutionary War records are available online through TNGenWeb:
Additional sources
- 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.
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. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 B2a v. 8 (1961); digital version at Ansearchin' News. Includes Van Buren County pensioners (p. 98).
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 Van Buren 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 Van Buren County:
Confederate Soldiers
- 16th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry- CSA - Company I.
- 22nd Battalion, Tennessee Infantry (Murray's)- CSA - Company E.
- 35th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (5th Infantry) (1st Mountain Rifle Regiment)- CSA-2nd Company C.
Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Van Buren County:
- Head, Thomas A. Campaigns and Battles of the Sixteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers, in the War Between the States, with Incidental Sketches of the Part Performed by Other Tennessee Troops in the Same War. 1861-1865. Nashville, Tennessee: Cumberland Presbyterian Publishing House, 1884. Free digital copy, courtesy: Internet Archive.
- Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Van Buren 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. Van Buren County, page 381.
- TNGenWeb, Civil War in Van Buren County Tennessee.
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
- See Interlibrary Loan Policies for more information
For a list of newspapers available at the archives for Van Buren County click on the following town:
- 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 ($)
Obituaries
Other Records
Prisons
- 1831-1850 Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1831-1850 at Tennessee State Library and Archives
- 1851-1870 Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1851-1870 at Tennessee State Library and Archives
Periodicals
Genealogical periodicals can contain unique sources and can be local, regional, or statewide. The following periodicals cover this county:
- Ansearchin' News: Quarterly magazine of the Tennessee Genealogical Society. Perform keyword searches and read online articles of previous issues at Ansearchin' News. FS Library Book 976.8 B2a.
- The Upper Cumberland Researcher: Quarterly magazine of Upper Cumberland Genealogical Association. Articles include abstracts of records of Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, and White counties. Index of first 17 years, with county list starting on page 19. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 B2u (1975-1993) and FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 B2u (1994-present).
- Van Buren County Journal: Published by Van Buren County Historical Society table of contents. US/CAN 976.8657 H2v
Probate Records
The Van Buren County Court has responsibility for probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1779-2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry ($)
- 1840-1860; 1865-1883; 1884-1899 SourtheasternGenealogy.com Images of Wills & Inventories ($)
- 1840-1968 Van Buren County portion of Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; handwritten indexes may be found at the front or back of some volumes.
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Book Abstracts and Indexes
- 1840-1861 - Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Tennessee Wills & Administrations 1779-1861. Nashville, Tenn. Byron Sistler and Associates, Inc., 1990. FS Library US/CAN 976.8 P22s. Includes an index to this county's probate records.
- USGenWeb's Van Buren County page has some will abstracts.
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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
Book Abstracts and Indexes
- 1812 Combs-Coombs &c. "1812 Warren Co, Tennessee Tax Lists (A Start toward an Annotated List) Index and Search Engine," available online, courtesy: Combs-Coombs &c. Research Group and Warren Co., TNGenWeb. Benjamin Lockhart's District includes the area that later became Van Buren County.
- 1891 Tax List, 1891, Van Buren County Historical Journal, Vol. 6 (1986).
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 - 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
- 1840-1861 - Marriage Records, 1840-1861, Van Buren County, Tennessee. FS Library Film 24846 Item 2 Typescript +++
- 1840-1895 - Van Buren County Marriage Index 1840-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch[9]
- 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
- 1840-1870 - 35,000 Tennessee Marriage Records and Bonds 1783-1870. 3 vols. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 V2t v. 1 ff. Includes names of brides, grooms, bondsmen, marriage bond dates, and officiators for this county for specified years.
- 1840-1875 - Early Middle Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 V2sb v. 2 ff. Indexes names of brides, grooms, marriage dates for this county for specified years.
- 1840-1935 - Van Buren County marriage records: book I through book V, May 21, 1840 to September 2, 1935. FS Library Book 976.8657 V2v
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 Books Online
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Van Buren 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
- McMinnville Tennessee FamilySearch Center
- Art Circle Public Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Van Buren County. For state-wide library facilities, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.
Burritt Memorial Library
P.O. Box 18
427 College St.
Spencer, TN 38585-0018
Phone: 931-946-2575
Fax: 931-946-2575
Facebook
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Van Buren County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Tennessee Societies.
Van Buren Co. TN Genealogy Chat
Facebook
Van Buren County Historical Society
330 Baker Mountain Rd
Spencer, TN 38585
Phone: 931-808-1454
Facebook
Websites
- Van Buren County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Van Buren County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
- Van Buren 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: Van Buren 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 in "Martin Van Buren" in Wikipedia, accessed 22 Jun 2022.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Van Buren, Tennessee" in Wikipedia, accessed 09 Jan 2019
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Robert M. McBride, Tennessee County Data (Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee States Library and Archives, 1966), 47.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Martin Van Buren," Wikipedia.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at Media:Igitennessees.pdf.