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Obion County, Tennessee

County Court, Probate, Land & Tax Records  •  County Census Records  •  County Published Records
County Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records and Death Records
County Cemeteries & Graveyards  •  County Church & Bible Records
Obion County Tennessee Map
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Created on October 24, 1823, and organized on January 19, 1824, Obion County included what is now Lake County until 1870. The county took its name from the Obion River; the word Obion is thought to be an Indian word meaning "many forks." Situated in the rolling hills of northwest Tennessee, Obion County has earned the nickname "Land of Green Pastures."

Many early settlers were Scots-Irish from the Carolinas and Virginia. The first known white settler was Elisha Parker, who arrived in the area in 1819. In 1820 Colonel W. M. Wilson settled three miles southwest of the future town of Troy; organization of Obion County took place in his cabin. Davy Crockett was among those present on March 16, 1825, when the county seat of Troy was laid out. Crockett's association with the history of Obion County is well known; he served the area in the U.S. House of Representatives, and his claim of a record kill of 103 bears was made in Obion County.

The history of Union City, the present county seat, was tied to the railroads. Laid out in 1854 by General George Gibbs on land he received in 1829, the town derived its name from the intersection of the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad with the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.

Newspapers were published in Kenton, Obion, Troy and Union City. Scattered early issues are available from 1876, and a complete run begins in 1929.

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Obion County Court and Probate Records

See Also Tennessee Court, Land, Tax & Probate Records and Marriage Records

Obion County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1824 and Probate Records from 1824 and is located at Courthouse, 2 Bill Burnett Circle, Union City, TN 38261; Telephone: (731) 885-2562.

Obion County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1824 and is located at Courthouse, 2 Bill Burnett Circle, Union City, TN 38261; Telephone: (731) 885-2562.

Obion County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1824 and is located at Courthouse, 2 Bill Burnett Circle, Union City, TN 38261; Telephone: (731) 885-1372.

Below is a list of online resources for Obion County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Obion County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Obion County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Vital Records in Tennessee

Contact the Obion County Clerk For County Marriage Divorce Records (See Obion County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where Certificate was granted.

Tennessee State Vital Records, is located at Central Services Building, 1st Floor, 421 5th Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee 37243; Phone (615) 741-1763, FAX (615) 741-9860. The Tennessee Office of Vital Records registers and maintains the original certificates of births, deaths, marriages and divorces that occur in Tennessee. They have the following records:

  • Birth Certificates: Records are available beginning with January 1914, for Nashville since June 1881, for Knoxville since July 1881, and for Chattanooga since January 1882. Records of some births that occurred in the major cities from 1881-1913 are also available. A certified photocopy of the original record may be obtained at a fee of $12.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time. For persons born from 1949 to the present, a certified copy produced by computer is also available at a fee of $7.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time. For Earlier Records See Tennessee State Library and Archives Below.
  • Death Certificates: Death records are available for the past 50 years (1957). The fee is $7.00 per certified copy. The cause of death is not normally included on a certified copy unless specifically requested and then is available only to certain family members or legal representatives. For Earlier Records See Tennessee State Library and Archives Below. Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Marriage and divorce records are available for the past 50 years at a fee of $12.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time. For Earlier Records See Tennessee State Library and Archives Below.

Ordering Vital Records - You can also order

  • Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Certificates to mail. Order Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records or Death Records.

    Ordering Vital Records by Mail - Make certified checks and money orders should be made payable to "Tennessee Vital Records". Please do not send cash or checks. Fees are non refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service. Mail all Applications to: Tennessee State Vital Records, Central Services Building, 1st Floor, 421 5th Avenue North, Nashville, TN, 37243. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates, Death Certificates, Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificate.

    Below is a list of online resources for Obion County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Obion County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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    Obion County Census Records

    See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Census Links for Tennessee

    Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

    Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Obion County, Tennessee are 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1910, 1920 and 1940. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Obion County, Tennessee are Industry and Agriculture Schedules available for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.

    Below is a list of online resources for Obion County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Obion County Census Records by clicking the link below:

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    Obion County Maps & Atlases

    Below is a list of online resources for Obion County Maps. Email us with websites containing Obion County Maps by clicking the link below:

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    Obion County Military Records

    See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Tennessee

    Below is a list of online resources for Obion County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Obion County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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    Obion County Tax Records

    The 1796 Constitution levied taxes on “every freeman of the age of twenty-one years and upward possessing a freehold in the county wherein he may vote, and being an inhabitant of this State, and every freeman being an inhabitant of any one county in the State six months immediately preceding the day of the election, shall be entitled to vote....”

    Many early surviving tax records were published in an effort to replace the missing federal censuses. Original extant tax records are preserved in the respective county courthouse as well as in the Tennessee State Library and Archives, where a card index exists for tax records in its collection pre-dating 1835, arranged by county, date, and district.

    Original tax schedules for most Tennessee counties for 1836 through 1839 are available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

    The 1891 tax lists of male inhabitant voters in each county were recently found. Available on microfilm at the Tennessee State Library and Archives, these nine reels are arranged alphabetically within each district in each county. Tax records from trustees office in counties are available on microfilm as well.

    Below is a list of online resources for Obion County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Obion County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

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    Obion County Genealogical Addresses

    See Also Other Tennessee Genealogical Addresses

    Below is a list of online resources for Obion County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Obion County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

    • Submit a website for Obion Co. Genealogical Addresses
    • Obion County Historical Society, P.O. Box 241, Union City 38261
    • Obion County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 241, Union City, TN 38261
    • Obion County Museum, 1004 Edwards Street, Union City, TN 38261 731-885-6774
    • Obion County Public Library, 1221 East Reelfoot, Union City, TN 38261 731-885-7000
    • Tennessee State Library and Archives, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243-0312; Phone: (615) 741-2764, Fax (615) 741-6471
    • Tennessee Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3343, 9114 Davies Plantation Rd, Brunswick, TN 38014, (901) 381-1447; [EMAIL]
    • Tennessee Historical Society, 300 Capital Boulevard, Nashville 37243
    • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
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    Obion County Church & Cemeteries

    See Also Statewide Cemetery Links for Tennessee

    There are many churches and cemeteries in Obion County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Obion County Tombstone Transcription Project. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches and cemeteries free for viewing or download here.

    Although few histories for Tennessee churches have been published, there are church records for almost every county in the state. Baptist, Presbyterian, and Methodist were the principal religions of early settlers in the state, and documents from these groups make up the largest number of records available. Other representative religions include Lutheran, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Roman Catholic, and Jewish. Most early Tennessee churches only kept minutes and membership records. Church records could, however, include records of baptism, marriage, burial, membership, or removal, but it is rare to find all or several of these categories maintained by one church.

    A large collection of transcripts of Tennessee cemetery records has been compiled by members of chapters of the DAR. Records collection available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives and through the FHL. The state library and archives has notebooks containing listings of cemetery records.

    County genealogical and historical societies and local citizens have collected, compiled, and published numerous volumes of cemetery records.

    Below is a list of online resources for Obion County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Obion County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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    County Church & Bible Records

    See Also Statewide Church & Bible Links for Tennessee

     

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    Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

     

    Below is a list of online resources for Obion County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Obion County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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    Obion County Published Records

    • 1880 Census Obion County, Tennessee (Sistler, 2002)
    • Cemeteries of Obion County, Tennessee [2 vols.] (Obion County Genealogical Society, 1986)
    • Dyer Co., Tennessee, Gibson Co., Tennessee, Lake Co., Tennessee, Obion Co., Tennessee, Weakley Co., Tennessee : Enumeration of Male Inhabitants of Twenty-One Years [1891 enumeration of male voters] (Reed, 1990)
    • Indexes, First Circuit Court Minute Book, Volume 1 : Knox County Tennessee, February 1810-August 1817 : Obion County, Tennessee (Daughters of the American Colonists, 1988)
    • Minute Book [Circuit Court], 1826-1839 [vol. 1. 1826-1832; vol. 2 1832-1834; vol. 3 1835-1839] (WPA, 1937-1938)
    • Obion County, Tenn., Court Minutes, October 1849-September 1861 (Paessler, 2000)
    • Obion County, Tenn., Wills, Adm. & Bonds [vol. 1 Oct. 1834-Mar. 1837; vol. 2 June 10, 1837-Dec, 7, 1839; vol. 3 Jan. 20, 1840-Mar. 7, 1842; vol. 4 Mar. 1842-Aug. 1843; vol. 5 Aug. 1843-Nov. 1844] (Willis & Sellers)
    • Obion County, Tennessee, 1850 Census (Porch, 1973)
    • Obion County Tennessee cemeteries : Elbridge Cemetery, Mason Hall Cemetery, Zion Cemetery (2003)
    • Obion County, Tennessee, Court Minutes, 1824-1828, Index (WPA, 19??)
    • Obion County, Tennessee, Court Minutes, 1824-1848 (WPA, 1940)
    • Obion County, Tennessee Deed Book [1824-1834] (Crumpton, 2003)
    • Obion County, Tennessee, Marriage Records (Loose), 1824-1860 [bound with: Marriage Book, 1838-1845] (WPA, 1940)
    • Obion County, Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1824-1877 (Gary & Stricklin, 1978)
    • Obion County, Tennessee, Will Book, Vol. 1 or A, 1833-1861 (WPA, 1936)
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