Hancock County, Tennessee Genealogy

United States

Tennessee

Hancock County

Guide to Hancock County, Tennessee ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Tennessee Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Sneedville Organized: January 7, 1844 Parent County(s): Hawkins, Claiborne Neighboring Counties Claiborne  • Grainger  • Hawkins  • Lee (VA)  • Scott (VA) See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption Adopt-a-wiki page This page adopted by: TNGenWeb Project who welcome you to contribute. Adopt a page today

County Information

Description

The County was named for the Revolutionary War patriot John Hancock. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse

Hancock County Courthouse
1237 Main St.
PO Box 347
Sneedville, TN 37869
County Courthouse Phone: 423-733-4341
Circuit Court Clerk Phone: 423-733-2954

Hancock County Clerk
418 Harrison Street
P.O. Box 575
Sneedville, TN 37869
County Clerk Phone: 423-733-2519

County Clerk has marriage, divorce
Probate and court records from 1930
Land records from 1875 and military records from 1917.

County Pronunciation

Hear it spoken (female) Hear it spoken (male)

Hancock 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 Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1914	1930	1914	1879	1875	1930	1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1914. General compliance by 1927.

Record Loss

1885 and 1930 Fires damaged courthouse records. Lost marriage records: 1844 to 1930 Lost probate records: 1844 to 1924 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.

Boundary Changes

1844--Hancock County was created 7 January 1844 from Hawkins and Claiborne Counties. County seat: Sneedville For animated maps illustrating Tennessee county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed at the MapofUS.org website.

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:

Towns
Sneedville
Unincorporated communities
Alanthus Hill Kyles Ford	Mulberry Gap Treadway	Xenophon

History Timeline

Additional Information

John Hancock (1737-1793)

The county is named after Founding Father John Hancock (1737-1793).

Resources

Biographies

• Douthat, James L. Hancock County, Tennessee History and Biographies. 1887; reprint, Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press. Free Surname Index and purchase details at Mountain Press website.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Hancock 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)	Family History Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com Gravestones
See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information.

 

Additional Cemetery Resources

• Tennessee Cemeteries - Hometown Locator

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	5,660	—
1860	7,020	24.0%
1870	7,148	1.8%
1880	9,098	27.3%
1890	10,342	13.7%
1900	11,147	7.8%
1910	10,778	−3.3%
1920	10,454	−3.0%
1930	9,673	−7.5%
1940	11,231	16.1%
1950	9,116	−18.8%
1960	7,757	−14.9%
1970	6,719	−13.4%
1980	6,887	2.5%
1990	6,739	−2.1%
2000	6,786	0.7%
2010	6,819	0.5%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Hancock 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 Hancock 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 ($)

1880

• Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. 1880 Census, Hancock County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler & Associates, 1996. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8946 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. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2r v. 6 1891. Hancock County is included in Vol. 6.
• Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1890 Civil War Veterans Census, Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: Byron Sister and Associates, 1978. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1890.

1891 Male Voters

• 1891 Tennessee Enumeration of Male Voters 1891 at Ancestry ($)

1930

• Collins, Betty VanOver. Hancock Co., Tennessee Federal Census, 1930. Knoxville, Tenn.: B.J.V. Collins, 2004?. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8946 X2c 1930.

Church Records

Baptist

• DeBoard, George Mitchell et al. Personal Records of a Minister: Rev. George Mitchell DeBoard, Grainger County, Tennessee; Includes Many People from Hancock, Hawkins and Hamblen Counties, Tennessee). Dallas, Texas: H.P. Garner, 2001?. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8932 K2d.

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. To read more about this valuable resource Click here. The searchable index is available at the TSLA; another version is available at World Vital Records.

Genealogies

• As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Hancock, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 25,000 entries.
• Hancock County Historical and Genealogical Society (Tennessee). Hancock County, Tennessee and Its People. 3 vols. n.p.: Walsworth Pub. Co., 1990-2004. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8946 H2h ff.

Bibliography

• Church - Murray, James Lawrence. Church - Edens Families of Hawkins and Hancock Counties, Tennessee. El Paso, Texas: J.L. Murray, 1960. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 A1 no. 1487.
• Eppes - Johnson, Mary Lou Shoemaker. Family of Edward Eppes of Knox County, Tennessee. Fountain City, TN?: Unknown, 1951. Available at Heritage Quest Online ($).
• Flagg - Descendants of Josiah Flagg of Berkeley County, W. Va.; with Sketches of the Flagg, Keyes, Foss, Shively, Hughes, Slemons and Campbell Ancestries. Boston: Press of T.R. Marvin, 1920.Free digital copy, courtesy: Internet Archive.
• Goins - Rhea, Johnnie Clyde. Alexander Goins Family of Newman's Ridge, Hancock, Tennessee. Sneedville, Tenn.: J.C. Rhea, 1999. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 G561r.
• Greene - McNeil, Jack (John Edward, Jr.) The nine Greene sisters of Benton County, Arkansas Parkin, Arkansas J. McNeil, c1992 FHL book 929.273 G83. Digital version available at FamilySearch Digital Library.

Land and Property Records

The original Hancock County Deed Books are held at the Hancock County Courthouse. The TSLA microfilmed Deed Books J through Q (1879-1902) and the Index (1879-1968) in the 1970s. Copies of their microfilms are also available at the Family History Library: FHL US/CAN Films 968664-968668.

Local Histories

Hancock County Historical and Genealogical Society (Tennessee) Hancock County, Tennessee and its people United States: Walsworth Pub. Co., c1990-2004 FHL US/CAN book 976.8946 H2h v.1-3 Free lookups available

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Tennessee (1777-1985)

Military Records

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
• 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

Regiments. Men in Hancock 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 Hancock County:

Confederate Soldiers

• 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Ashby's) - CSA - Company C.
• 5th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (McClellan's) - CSA - Company D.
• 29th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry - CSA - Company D.
• 25th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company I (Lee Rangers later Lee Greys).

Union Soldiers

• 1st Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Companies A and B.
• 9th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry - Companies L and M.

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Hancock County:

• Carter, William Randolph. History of the First regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry in the Great war of the Rebellion, with the Armies of the Ohio and Cumberland, under Generals Morgan, Rosecrans, Thomas, Stanley and Wilson. Knoxville, Tennessee: Gaut-Ogden Co. Printers, 1902. Free digital copy. Union.
• 1890 Census of Union Veterans and their Widows, Hancock County. TN. Extracted by Hallie Price Garner for Our Mountain Heritage.
• Tennessee State Library and Archives, Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications:Hancock 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. Hancock County, page 342-343.
  

Newspapers

Many Tennessee newspapers are filmed and available at the TSLA. Most of these newspapers may be accessed by interlibrary loan to libraries within Tennessee, although there are some newspapers which are not available in or outside of Tennessee. For further information regarding interlibrary loan policies and newspapers not available for interlibrary loan click here. For a list of newspapers available at the archives for Hancock County click on the following town:

• Sneedville

For deaths of Methodists in Hancock County between the 1830s and the 1920s, try the following resources:

• 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. FHL 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?)

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 on their website; FHL Book 976.8 B2a.

• East Tennessee Roots: Published by East Tennessee Roots The table of contents for some issues are available on their website; FHL Book 976.8 D25e.

• Our Mountain Heritage: Primary emphasis of the quarterly newsletter is on the "publication of local records that are not available elsewhere."(website: www.overhomesneedville.com) Indexed in the PERiodical Source Index

• Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin: Published by Watauga Association of Genealogists. The table of contents for some issues are found on their website; FHL US/CAN Books 976.897 B2w; Bulletin Subject Index: The First Thirty Years, 1972-2001 (Johnson City, Tenn.: Watauga Association of Genealogists, 2002) FHL Book 976.897 B2w index 1972-2001.

Probate Records

Online Records and Indexes

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

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.

Tax Records

Book Abstracts and Indexes

• 1880-1880 Hancock County Tax List, East Tennessee Roots, Vol. 6, No. 1; Vol. 6, No. 2; Vol. 6, No. 3; Vol. 6, No. 4. For access, see Periodical Section.
• 1880 Tax Records, 1880. Our Mountain Heritage, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Spring 2002); Vol. 14, No. 3 (Summer 2002); Vol. 14, No. 4 (Fall 2002); Vol. 15, No. 1 (Winter 2003); Vol. 15, No. 2 (Spring 2003); Vol. 15, No. 3 (Summer 2003); Vol. 15, No. 4 (Fall 2003); Vol. 16, No. 1 (Winter 2004); Vol. 16, No. 2 (Spring 2004); Vol. 16, No. 3 (Summer 2004); Vol. 16, No. 4 (Fall 2004); Vol. 17, No. 1 (Winter 2005); Vol. 17, No. 2 (Apr. 2005); Vol. 18, No. 2 (Apr. 2006). For access, see Periodical Section.

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 [1790-1962] 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 ($)
• 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
• 1908-1958 - Tennessee Death Records 1908 - 1958 at Ancestry ($)
• 1908-1912 - Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
• 1914-1966 - Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1914-1933 - Tennessee Death Records 1914-1933 at Tennessee State Library & Archives - index
• 1914-1925 - Wiefering, Edna and Cleveland Public Library. Hancock County, Tennessee, Vital Statistics, 1914 through 1925. Cleveland, Tenn.: Cleveland Public Library, 199-?. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8946 V2w.
• 1949-2014 - Death Records Index 1949-2014 at Shelby County Register of Deeds - index

Divorce

• 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

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Hancock County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.

Family History Centers

Family History 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 family history center.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Libraries

Libraries

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

Hancock County Public Library
138 Willow St.
Sneedville, TN 37869
Phone: 423-733-2020
Facebook
website

The Hancock Public Library has a genealogy and local history section.

Societies

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

Hancock County Tennessee Historical & Genealogical Society
P O Box 307
Sneedville, TN 37869
Phone: 423-733-0140 or 423-733-4541
Website

East Tennessee Historical Society
601 S. Gay St.
P.O. Box 1629
Knoxville, TN 37901-1629
Phone: 865-215-8824
E-mail: eths@east-tennessee-history.org
Website

Websites

• 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.
• Hancock County TN Genealogy
• Hancock County, TNGenWeb (USGenWeb)

Research Guides

• Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Tennessee Counties: Hancock County, courtesy: TSLA. (Identifies published county histories, published local records, census records, newspapers and local records on microfilm, and select manuscripts.)

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.