CLAIBORNE COUNTY, TN

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

WELCOME

My name is Donna Sims Conner and I am pleased to be the AHGP Coordinator for Tennessee.  The purpose of AHGP is to provide free genealogical and historical data for researchers.  The Claiborne County, TN, website contains transcriptions and abstracts of original records and historical photographs.  If you have questions, please email me.  Thank you for visiting!

VOLUNTEER

The AHGP relies on volunteers to grow and maintain our websites.  There are many other sites that need coordinators.  In addition, we have positions for special projects including transcriber, editor, photographer and more.  You can also submit genealogical or historical data for any of our sites.  We appreciate your contributions!

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COUNTY HISTORY

Claiborne County was formed in 1801 and was named in honor of W. C. C. Claiborne.  Powell's Valley was the scene of the first settlements.  The court of pleas and quarter sessions was organized at the house of John Owens, December 7, 1801, with the following magistratess: Isaac Lane, Joseph Webster, William Trent, James Chisum, Abraham Lenham, John Wallen, Matthew Sims, John Vanbibber, William Rogers, George Read, C. Newport, John Casey, Joseph Nations and James Renfro.  A small frame courthouse was erected in 1804.  The first resident attorney is thought to have been Lew or Luke Bowyer, who is mentioned in the discussion of the first settlements in East Tennessee.  He was a magistrate when the county was organized, and was serving about 1815.  In 1833, the lawyers of Tazewell were: John M. Brabson, James B. Robinson and Gray Garrett.  The first house in Tazewell was erected in 1803.  The first merchant was William Graham, who erected the first church.  As early as Oct. 15, 1802, Bishop Asbury preached "at Hunt's at Claiborne Courthouse."  Source: Will T. Hale and Dixon L. Merritt,  A History of Tennessee and Tennesseans: The Leaders and Representative Men in Commerce, Industry, and Modern Activities (Chicago, Illinois, Lewis Publishing Company, 1913), 781-782. 

LOCAL RECOURCES

Repositories & Organizations

Claiborne County Historical & Genealogical Society

The purposes of the organization are to preserve our heritage, to collect, restore, and maintain all records, concerning the history of Claiborne County and its people.

Claiborne County Public Library

The library has a genealogy section that consists of census records, courthouse records, family histories, and other local histories.  Copies are available at .15 cents per page.

Research Tools

Birth Date Calculator

Ben Buckner developed a free tool to help calculate birth dates from the death date and age (years, months and days) at the time of death.

Genealogy Glossary

When tracing an ancestry it is common to encounter records filled with obsolete, archaic or legal terms that can be difficult to interpret.  A genealogy glossary is helpful for interpreting these documents correctly.

ICD Codes

The International Classification of Diseases is an alpha-numeric code found on death certificates.  It is used to identify the cause of death.

LATEST UPDATE

13 November 2018