Decatur County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States

Tennessee

Decatur County

Guide to Decatur 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: Decaturville Organized: November 1845 Parent County(s): Perry Neighboring Counties Benton • Carroll • Hardin • Henderson • Perry • Wayne • See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

Decatur County was named for Stephen Decatur, Jr., who gained national recognition in the First Barbary War, the Second Barbary War, and the War of 1812 by his leadership and achievements at sea. The county is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Decatur County Courthouse
PO Box 488
Decaturville, TN 38329-0488
Decatur County Website Phone: 731-852-3417
County Clerk Phone: 731-852-3417
Clerk Master Phone: 731-852-3422
Circuit Court Clerk Phone: 731-852-3125
Register of Deeds Phone: 731-852-3712

Court records
Marriage records from 1869
Register of Deeds has land records.

Decatur 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
1881	1869	1908	1860	1846	1869	1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1908 (1913 missing). General compliance by 1927.

Record Loss

1869 and 1927 Courthouse burned and many records were damaged. Marriages lost 1845 to 1869 Probate lost 1845 to 1869 Nearly all records, except deeds, lost in 1869 fire. 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

1845--Decatur County was created November 1845 from Perry County. County seat: Decaturville 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
Parsons
Towns
Decaturville	Scotts Hill
Unincorporated communities
Bath Springs Bible Hill Darden	Holladay Lick Skillet	Perryville Sugar Tree

History Timeline

Additional Information

U.S. Naval Officer Stephen Decatur (1779-1820)

The county is named after U.S. naval officer Stephen Decatur (1779-1820).

Resources

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

• West Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1821 to 1889. 2006. By Alan N. Miller. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company. FS Library US/CAN 976.8 U2man. Online at MyHeritage ($). Includes Decatur County.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Decatur 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)	WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com Gravestones FamilySearch Places
See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	6,003	—
1860	6,276	4.5%
1870	7,772	23.8%
1880	8,498	9.3%
1890	8,995	5.8%
1900	10,439	16.1%
1910	10,093	−3.3%
1920	10,198	1.0%
1930	10,106	−0.9%
1940	10,261	1.5%
1950	9,442	−8.0%
1960	8,324	−11.8%
1970	9,457	13.6%
1980	10,857	14.8%
1990	10,472	−3.5%
2000	11,731	12.0%
2010	11,757	0.2%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of Decatur 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 Decatur County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. The USGenWeb Census Project^®

Church Records

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

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.

• Decatur County Church Records

- FamilySearch Catalog - Decatur County Church Records

• Church histories tell when a church started in the area, who the early members were, give data about church leaders, etc.
• If the records you need are not found in the FamilySearch Library collection, contact the church(es) in the area where your ancestor lived.Two sites that give information about churches in Bedford County are:

- List of Decatur County churches with addresses and phone numbers (Yellowbook)

- List of Decatur County churches (TN HomeTownLocator)

• In 1936, a helpful guide to early Decatur County church records (Guide to Church Vital Statistics in Tennessee, also FS Catalog 976.8 K23w) was published by the Works Project Administration. Use this guide to locate which church records exist and where they were housed in 1936. The Tennessee State Library and Archives has filmed some of these records. To locate which records are available at the TSLA, go to the appropriate "county fact sheet" on the TSLA Web site and scroll down to "selected manuscript material". All filmed church records at the TSLA for Decatur County are listed. Many of these filmed records are also available at the FamilySearch Library.

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

Funeral Homes

Oakdale Funeral Home in Parsons Pafford Scotts Hill Funeral Home in Scotts Hill Parsons Mortuary in Parsons Reed's Chapel Funeral Home in Decaturville

Genealogies

More than a dozen genealogies have been published about Decatur County, Tennessee families. For more information visit Decatur County, Tennessee Compiled Genealogies.

Land and Property Records

Decatur County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1846 and is located at 22 West Main Street, Decaturville, Tennessee 38329, or P.O. Box 488, Decaturville, TN 38329-0488; Telephone: 731-852-3712. Land and property records may include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries.
The FamilySearch Library has microfilmed deed records 1846-1896 with indexes to 1926 and survey books 1891-1918.

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

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 Decatur County pensioners (p. 43).

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 Decatur 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 Decatur County:

Confederate Soldiers

• 10th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (DeMoss') - CSA - Company C.
• 27th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company E.
• 31st Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (A. H. Bradford's) - CSA - Company H.
• 51st Consolidated Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, Companies A and E.
• 52nd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company A, D, and I.
• Cox's Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry, Company C

Union Soldiers

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

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Decatur County:

• Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications: Decatur County. Index 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. Decatur County, page 331.

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 Decatur County click on the following cities or towns:

• Decaturville
• Parsons

• 1794-1851 - Lucas, Silas Emmett. Marriages from Early Tennessee Newspapers 1794-1851. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 V2L.

For deaths of Methodists in Decatur 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

• USGenWeb Archives

Other Records

Prisons

• Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1831-1850
• Inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary 1851-1870

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.
• 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.
• West Tennessee Historical Society Papers: Occasional publication of the West Tennessee Historical Society. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.81 B5w. To view Table of Contents and complete articles from 1947 - 2005 see Shelby County Register of Deeds

Probate Records

The County Court has responsibility for the probate records of Decatur County.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1779-2008 Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008 at Ancestry ($)
• 1869-1975 -Decatur 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

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

Tax Records

The original Decatur County Tax Books 1888-1889, 1896-1898 are kept at the County Courthouse. In the 1970s, the TSLA microfilmed these records. FS Library copies: FS Library US/CAN Film 979664.

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1848 "1849 Land Sales Held in 3 West Tennessee Counties for Unpaid Taxes," [1848 taxpayers in Decatur, Carroll, and Henderson counties], Ansearchin' News, Vol. 44, No. 4 (Winter 1997):12. For FS Library and online access, as well as indexes, see Decatur.
• 1852-1882 - Hill, Phyllis. "Decatur County, TN - Misc - Tax Receipts of W.G. Riggs," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives. Abstracts of receipts Riggs received for paying his taxes, various years between 1852 and 1882.
• 1888 Hill, Phyllis. "Decatur County, TN - Land - Property Tax Records, District 12, 1888," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
• 1889 Hill, Phyllis. "Decatur County, TN - Land - Property Tax Records, District 12, 1889," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
• 1896 Hill, Phyllis. "Decatur County, TN - Land - Property Tax Records, District 12, 1896," available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.

Vital Records

Birth

• 1828-1939 Tennessee Births and Christenings 1828-1939 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
• 1850 Porch, Deane Decatur County, Tennessee, 1850 census Nashville, Tennessee: D. Porch, 1970. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.832 X2
• 1869-1909 Tennessee Delayed Birth Records 1869-1909 at Ancestry ($)
• 1880 Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara 1880 Census, Decatur County, Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee B. Sistler and Associates, c1993. FS Library US/CAN book 976.832 X2
• 1881-1903 - Decatur County Birth Index 1881-1903 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch. Batch C710351
• 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- [Tennessee Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records|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 ($)
• 1869-1898 - Marriage records, 1869-1898, Decatur County, Tennessee FS Library US/CAN Film 24638 items 3-7,11 +++
• 1869-1895 - Decatur County Marriage Index 1869-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
• 1980-2014 Marriage Records Index 1980-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1869-1921, 1927-1992 - Early marriage records of Decatur County, Tennessee FS Library US/CAN Book 976.832 V2a volume 1 and 2 Book covers all recorded marriages from 1869 to 1921. A fire on March 25, 1927 destroyed all records between March 23, 1921 and March 25, 1927. Book then begins the records following the fire through the year 1992.

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
• 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

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 Decatur 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

• Jackson Tennessee FamilySearch Center
• Paris Tennessee FamilySearch Center
• Chester County Public Library - an affiliate library.
• Lawrence County Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries

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

Decatur County Public Library
20 W Market St
Decaturville, TN 38329
Phone: 731-852-3325
Email: dcldsl@tds.net
Website
The Tennessee Room holds birth and marriage records, census records, cemetery records, county histories, military records, county deeds, court minutes, newspapers, etc.

Parsons Public Library
535 Tennessee Ave South
Parsons, TN 38363
Phone: 731-847-6988
Email: parsonslib@netease.net

West Tennessee Heritage Study Center
Paul Meek Library
10 Wayne Fisher Dr.
Martin, TN 38238
Phone: 731-881-7065
Website
Houses 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 Decatur County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Tennessee Societies.

Decatur County Historical Society
P.O. Box 700
Decaturville, TN 38329-0700
Email: dctnhistsoc@hotmail.com
Website

Websites

• Decatur County, TN Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• Decatur County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)
• Decatur County Archives, USGenWeb Archives
• Yesterday's Tennessee
• 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: Decatur County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)