Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Montgomery County

Montgomery County

Montgomery County was formed in 1796 from Tennessee County

(Acts of Tennessee 1796 [1st Session], Chapter 30)

The county seat is Clarksville.

There were fires at the Montgomery County
courthouse in 1878 & 1900, and a tornado in 1999.

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Montgomery County Formation Act

ACTS OF TENNESSEE 1796 (First Session), CHAPTER 30:

"An act to divide the county of Tennessee into two distinct counties, taking also a part of the west end of Sumner County."

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, That the county of Tennessee be divided by a line as follows, viz. Beginning at the upper end of the first bluff above James McFarlin's, on Red River, near Allin's Cabbins, running from thence a direct course to the Sulphor Fork, one quarter of a mile below Elias Fort's, thence up the creek, as its meanders, to the mouth of Brush Creek, thence up the same, as it meanders, to the head, thence a direct course to the Davidson County line, at the mouth of Sycamore Creek, thence up said Sycamore Creek, with the Davidson County line, to the Sumner County line, thence with the extreme height of the dividing ridge, eastwardly to the Kentucky road, leading from Nashville, thence northwardly, with said road, to the Kentucky state line, thence west with said line, to such place as a south east course, leaving Joseph French in the lower county, will strike the beginning; And all that part contained in the said boundary, henceforth be erected into a new and distinct county, by the name of Robertson; and the other part thereof be and remain a separate and distinct county, by the name of Montgomery.

SECTION 2. BE IT ENACTED, That William Johnston,  sen. James Norflet,  John Young,  John Donelson, and Samuel Crocket, be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners, and authorized to appoint and lay off a place the most central and convenient on said county of Robertson, for the purposes of erecting a court house, prison, and stocks.

SECTION 3. BE IT ENACTED, That the aforesaid commissioners are hereby authorized and required, as soon as may be, after agreeing on the place whereon the court house, prison and stocks are to be erected in said county of Robertson, to contract and agree with suitable workmen, for erecting and building, at the place aforesaid, a court house, prison, and stocks, for the use and benefit of said county.

SECTION 4. And the better to enable the commissioners aforesaid, to carry this act into effect,  BE IT ENACTED, That a tax not exceeding twelve and an half cents on each hundred acres of land – a tax not exceeding twenty five cents on each town log – a tax not exceeding twenty five cents on each slave, between the age of ten and fifty years – and a tax not exceeding twelve and an half cents on each white male, between the age of twenty on and fifty years, shall be collected in the said county of Robertson, for two years, by the sheriff or collector of the same, and accounted for, and paid to the said commissioners, at the same time, and the same manner, and under the like penalties and restrictions, as is or may be directed for the collecting, accounting for, and paying public taxes.

SECTION 5. BE IT ENACTED, That before the said commissioners shall take into their hands any of the monies directed to be collected by this act, they shall enter into bond, in the sum of one thousand dollars, payable to the governor and commander in chief for the time being, and his successors, conditioned for the faithful discharge of the trust reposed in them.

SECTION 6. And for the due administration of justice, BE IT ENACTED, That the court for the said county of Robertson shall be held constantly by the justices of said county, on the third Mondays in Jannary [sic], April, July, and October, in every year:  And the justices for said county of Robertson, are hereby authorized and empowered to hold the first court for the same, at the house of Jacob M’Carty:  And all subsequent courts for said county, on the days above-mentioned for holding c0urts therein, at any place to which the said justices shall from court to court adjourn themselves, until a court-house shall be built for the said county of Robertson; and then all causes, matters and things depending in the said court, and all manner of process returnable to the same, shall be adjourned to such court-house; and all courts, held in and for the said county of Robertson, shall be held by commission to the said justices, in the same manner, and under the same rules and restrictions, and shall have an exercise the same powers and jurisdiction, as are, or shall be prescribed for the courts for the several counties in this state.

SECTION 7. BE IT ENACTED, That the aforesaid county of Robertson, shall be, and is hereby declared to compose a par of the district of Mero, in the same manner, and for all purposes, civil and military, as it did, when it stood undivided:  PROVIDED, Nothing in this act contained shall be so construed as to prevent the sheriff or collector of the taxes of the county of Tennessee, from collecting the same, both public and county, within the limits of the said county of Robertson, which are, at this time, in arrearages, in the same manner as if this act had not been passed; and the said county of Robertson, from and after the passing of this act, shall furnish six, and the county of Montgomery, six jurors, to the superior court of law and equity, for the district of Mero aforesaid.

SECTION 8. BE IT ENACTED, That Barclay William Pollock and Joseph Carmack, be appointed commissioners, who are authorized to run the dividing lines between the aforesaid counties, that is, where they are not already run, or particularly pointed out by natural boundaries; for which services each of the commissioners shall be allowed two dollars per day, and the markers each one dollar per day, the expenses to be equally paid by the aforesaid counties.

SECTION 9. BE IT ENACTED, That all proceedings, now pending in the county court of Tennessee, shall be proceeded on, and determined in that part of said county, now called Montgomery, in the same manner as if this law had not passed.

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Montgomery County Bibliography

PLEASE NOTE that the Tennessee State Library and Archives does not hold copies of all of the items listed in this bibliography. Please check the Tennessee State Library and Archives Online Catalog or visit the Ask Us a Question! web page to contact the Library and Archives and verify we have an item in our collection. We will respond to e-mail requests promptly; response time may vary, depending on the amount of research required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If you need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person.

Subjects :

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• Alley, Ann E. Economic development of Montgomery County between 1800- 1820. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1986. 116 pp.
• Allred, Charles E. Business cycles & age of operators as factors in the progress of TN farmers. Knoxville, TN Ag. Exp. Sta., 1938. 30 pp. (its Rural research series monograph #87)
• Allred, Charles E. Education of farmers' wives & children in four counties of TN. Knoxville, TN Ag. Exp. Sta., 1937. 43 pp. (its Monograph #27)
• Allred, Charles E. Farm housing in TN, with regional comparisons. Knoxville, TN Ag. Exp. Sta., 1937. 45 pp. (its Monograph #26)
• Allred, Charles E. Home conveniences on TN farms, with regional comparisons. Knoxville, TN Ag. Exp. Sta., 1937. 41 pp. (its Monograph #30)
• Allred, Charles. E. Inheritance as a factor in the progress of TN farmers. Knoxville, TN Ag. Exp. Sta., 1938. 38 pp. (its Rural research series monograph #88)
• Allred, Charles E. Rural credit in TN, 1923. Knoxville, TN Ag. Exp. Sta., 1938. 48 pp. (its Rural research series monograph #82)
• Allred, Charles E. Why farmers move or change tenure status. Knoxville, TN Ag. Exp. Sta., 1943. 40 pp. (its Rural research series monograph #159)
• Ash, Stephen V. "A community at war: Montgomery County, 1861-1865. " THQ 36 (1977), pp. 30-43.
• Ash, Stephen V. "Postwar recovery: Montgomery County, 1865-1870. " THQ 36 (1977), pp. 208-221.
• Barge, Waggoner & Sumner. Clarksville-Montgomery County water & sewage facilities; a comprehensive analysis, plan, & program to 1989. Nashville, n.p., 1970. 109 pp.
• Batson, Marilyn D. Attitude of part-time farmers toward farming & their off- farm employment in Montgomery County, TN. TSU thesis, 1984. 71 pp.
• Beach, Ursula S. Along the Warioto: or a history of Montgomery County, TN. By Ursula Smith Beach in cooperation with the Clarksville Kiwanis Club & the THC. Nashville, McQuiddy, 1964. 390 pp.
• Beach, Ursula S. A literary history of Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1954. 184 pp.
• Beach, Ursula S. Montgomery County. Memphis, MSU Press, 1988. 135 pp.
• Benthall, Joseph L. "The Meeks site excavation, Montgomery County, TN. " TN Arch. 34 (1978), pp. 1-72. (reprinted 1980)
• Bicentennial focus: Clarksville/Montgomery County. Clarksville, n.p., 1976. 128 pp.
• Biographical directory, TN General Assembly, 1796-1969 (Montgomery County, Preliminary # 17). Nashville, TSLA, 1970. 62 pp.
• Chamber of Commerce of Clarksville & Montgomery County, TN. Cleveland, OH, Bryan, n.d. 26 pp.
• Clarksville-Montgomery County fact book, 1989. Clarksville, Leaf Chronicle, 1989. 156 pp.
• Clarksville-Montgomery County Regional Plann. Comm. A housing analysis & plan for Clarksville & Montgomery County. Nashville, Mid-Cumberland Council of Governments, 1977. 129 pp.
• Claxton, Calvin P. Survey of rural schools, Montgomery County, TN, including agricultural, economic, social conditions. Knoxville, UT Dept. Rural Education, 1934. 5 vols.
• Corn sheller. Vol. 1, 1978- 1989. (monthly) Montgomery County Hist. Soc.
• Crowder, Joan W. An annotated checklist of the insects of Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. research paper, 1974. 49 pp.
• Davis, Jerilee S. The charcoal iron industry of Montgomery & Stewart counties, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1976. 87 pp.
• Davis, Michael L. Water quality of the lower Red River, Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1981. 102 pp.
• Dodson, Frank E. A vegetational study of Long Pond Slough, Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1973. 35 pp.
• Duncan, Sue H. An analysis of certain woody flora of Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1965. 50 pp.
• Flood insurance study: Montgomery County, TN, unincorporated areas. Washington, D.C., FEMA, 1983. 23 pp.
• Freemasons, TN. Committee on the Location of the Masonic College. Report of Committee on the Location of the Masonic College, & the address of Rev. Brothers Crane & Erwin, delivered 24th June, 1848, before the masonic bodies in Clarksville. Clarksville, Charles Faxon, 1848. 27 pp.
• Goodpasture, Albert V. "Beginnings of Montgomery County. " AHM 8 (1903), pp. 193-215.
• Goodpasture, Albert V. "Colonel John Montgomery. " THM 5 (1919), pp. 145- 150.
• Goodpasture, Albert V. "William Little Brown. " AHM 7 (1902), pp. 97-111.
• Goodspeed's history of TN (Montgomery County, pp. 749-827, 999-1124). Goodspeed, 1886.
• Gordon, Caroline. The women on the porch. NY, Scribners, 1944. 316 pp. (fiction; reprinted by Cooper Square, 1972)
• Hodgson, Frank M. The growth & development of the public school movement in Montgomery County, TN, 1806-1913. George Peabody College dissertation, 1984. 256 pp.
• Hodgson, Frank M. "Northern missionary aid societies, the Freedmans Bureau & their effect on education in Montgomery County, TN. " WTHSP 43 (1989), pp. 28-43.
• It's a black thing! A compilation of historical facts about Clarksville- Montgomery County citizens of African-American descent. Clarksville, "Kids in Control," 1991. 100 pp.
• Jerles, Brenda. The socio-economic characteristics of part-time farmers in Montgomery County, TN. TSU thesis, 1984. 70 pp.
• Kemmerly, Phillip R. Sinkhole collapse in Montgomery County, TN: an overview for the planning process. Nashville, TN Div. Geol., 1980. 42 pp.
• Killebrew, Joseph B. Montgomery County: its agricultural & mineral wealth, its topography & geology, its healthfulness & desirableness; also a description of Clarksville, together with an address delivered before the Montgomery County Farmers Club. Clarksville, Ingram & Doak, 1870. 61 pp.
• Life & times of Elder Reuben Ross by his son, with introduction & notes by J.M. Pendleton. Philadelphia, PA, Grant, Faires & Rogers, 1882. 427 pp.
• Lumpkin, Ben G. "Remedies. " TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 42 (1976), pp. 65-69.
• Lumpkin, Ben G. "The steam arm: a curious story. " TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 41 (1975), pp. 32-33.
• Lumpkin, Ben G. "Stories from Montgomery County. " TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 41 (1975), pp. 126-127.
• Lupton, Emma J.H. Story of Madison Street Methodist Church, 1825-1946. Clarksville, the author, 1947. 1 vol.
• McWhirter, Andrew J. The relation of agriculture to other industries; address of Hon. A. J. McWhirter, to the Montgomery County Agricultural Association, at Clarksville, TN, February 16, 1884. Nashville, Lumberman Pub. & Mailing Co., 1884. 7 pp.
• Miller, Harriet P. Pioneer colored Christians. Clarksville, W.P. Titus, 1911. 103 pp.
• Morgan, A.C. Tobacco insects of TN. Knoxville, TN Ag. Exp. Sta., 1911. 4 pp. (its Bulletin #93)
• Page, Marion T. "Child ballads from Montgomery County. " TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 37 (1971), pp. 9-14.
• Perry, Woodford J. Availability of water for industry in Montgomery County. Nashville, TN. Div. Water Resources, 1965. 17 pp.
• Pulley, Timothy W. History of the Clarksville-Montgomery County public library, 1894-1994. N.p., 1994. 77 pp.
• Richardson, Larry R. Distribution of the beaver of Montgomery County, TN, with notes on forest utilization. Austin Peay State U. research paper, 1970. 20 pp.
• Scott, Arthur F. A survey of the herpetofauna of Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1967. 65 pp.
• Scott, David L. A floristic survey of the summer & fall vascular flora of Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1967. 266 pp.
• Shelby, Carolyn. "Folklore of Jordan Spring, TN. " TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 25 (1959), pp. 6-17.
• Smith, Arthur G. "Paleo-Indian tools from Ringgold Creek, Montgomery County, TN. " TN Arch. 12 (1956), pp. 11-15.
• Smith, Samuel B. Joseph Buckner Killebrew & the new south movement in TN. Vanderbilt U. dissertation, 1962. pp.
• Soil survey, Montgomery County, TN. Washington, D.C., US GPO, 1901, 1975.
• Stewart, Montgomery, Robertson County solid waste management plan. Clarksville, SMR Regional Planning Board, 1994. var. pp.
• TN Dept. Transportation [county maps ] issued periodically.
• TN Taxpayers Assn. A report with recommendations covering a survey of the finances & administrative methods of the government of Montgomery County, TN. Nashville, the association, 1947. 209 pp.
• Transportation by waterway, Montgomery County. Nashville, TN Dept. Transportation, 1976. 143 pp.
• US Congress. Report on survey of Red River, TN. Washington, D.C., 1881. 18 pp. (House Ex. Doc. #57, 46th Congress, 3d session, vol. 18, Jan. 25, 1881)
• US Geol. Survey [topographic maps ] issued periodically. Quadrangles: Roaring Spring, Herndon, Oak Grove, Hammacksville, Guthrie, Millersville, Indian Mound, Woodlawn, New Providence, Clarksville, Sango, Adams, Needmore, Palmyra, Excell, Henrietta, Pleasant View, Ellis Mills, Slayden, Cumberland Furnace, Cheatham Dam.
• US Soil Conservation Service. Soils interpretations, Montgomery County, TN. Nashville, Mid-Cumberland Council of Governments, 1977. 31 pp.
• Williams, Eleanor S. A child's history of Clarksville & Montgomery County, TN. Clarksville, Old Town Print. Co., 1986. 8 pp.
• Winters, Samuel J. A history of the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville RR in Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1959. 43 pp.
• Woolwine, Charles C. A study of a gray squirrel (sciurus carolinesis) population located in Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1977. 91 pp.
• Wright, Daniel F. "Antiquities of TN. " (In Smithsonian Institution Annual report , 1874, pp. 371-374)
• Yarbrough, Howard L. A taxonomic investigation of the spring & early summer vascular flora of Montgomery County, TN. Austin Peay State U. thesis, 1966. 187 pp.

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Austin Peay State University

• Farewell & hail. (annual) Austin Peay State University yearbook.
• Zone 3. vol. 1, 1986-. (three/year) Austin Peay State University Center for Creative Arts.

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Clarksville

• Beach, Ursula S. A commemorative history of the First Christian Church, Clarksville, TN, 1842-1972. Clarksville, Cristoph, 1972. 65 pp.
• Beach, Ursula S. & Eleanor Williams. Clarksville, TN. Oxford, MS, Guild Bindery Press, 1989. pp.
• Beach, Ursula S. & Eleanor Williams. Nineteenth century heritage, Clarksville, TN. Oxford, MS, Guild Bindery Press, 1989. 274 pp.
• Caldwell, Joshua W. A survey of the cabinets (mineralogical, geological & conchological) of the Southwestern Presbyterian University, Clarksville, TN. Clarksville, Neblett & Titus, 1879. 23 pp.
• Caroland, Emma J. "A collection of folk tales from sophomores in Clarksville, TN High School. " TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 27 (1961), pp. 8-11.
• Caroland, Emma J. "Popular beliefs & superstitions known to students of Clarksville High School. " TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 28 (1962), pp. 37-47.
• Clarksville MSA, 1980-1987: an economic analysis. Nashville, TN Dept. Emp. Sec., 1988. 12 pp.
• Clarksville Presbyterian Church. A Presbyterian's practice vs. a Presbyterian's professions; or, W.H. Marquess, exposed, by the session of the Clarksville Presbyterian Church. Clarksville, Clarksville Chronicle Office, 1849. 16 pp.
• Clarksville sesquicentennial historical book, 1784-1934, June 10-13. Clarksville, n.p., 1934. 60 pp.
• Daniel, Mrs. William M., et al. History of Madison Street Methodist Church. Clarksville, n.p., 1960. 79 pp.
• Flood insurance study: city of Clarksville, TN, Montgomery County. Washington, D.C., FEMA, 1983. 20 pp.
• Gildrie, Richard P., et al. Clarksville, TN, in the Civil War: a chronology. Clarksville, Austin Peay State U. Dept. Hist., 1984. 54 pp.
• Gildrie, Richard P. Heirs through hope: a history of Trinity Parish, Clarksville, TN, 1832-1982. Clarksville, Trinity Episcopal Church, 1983. 141 pp.
• Gildrie, Richard P. "Lynch law & the great Clarksville fire of 1878: social order in a new south town. " THQ 42 (1983), pp. 58-75.
• A guidebook for accessibility: Clarksville-Hopkinsville SMSA. Clarksville, n.p., 1980. 113 pp.
• Halliburton, John H. Clarksville architecture. Nashville, the author, 1977. 100 pp.
• Henry, Gustavus A. Reminiscences of the Clarksville bar. Nashville, n.p., 1877.
• Hodgson, Julia. A comparison of three TN urban centers: Goodlettsville, Franklin & Clarksville. George Peabody College thesis, 1939. 15 pp.
• Hyatt, Lewis P. The Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, 1808-1956: a history. George Peabody College thesis, 1957. pp.
• Johnson, Polk G. Clarksville boys of 1861. Clarksville, n.p., 1865. 18 pp.
• Loughry, Ronald L. Clarksville during the Civil War: with an emphasis upon the Fort Defiance/Fort Bruce restoration project. N.p., 1986. 42 pp.
• Lyons, Sidney E. & Glenn Koons. "Preliminary report on Sherd-lined stone- box graves in the Clarksville area. " TN Arch. 20 (1964), pp. 1-5.
• McCord, Franklyn. "J.E. Bailey: a gentleman of Clarksville. " THQ 23 (1964), pp. 246-268.
• Morris, Wentworth S. "The Davie home & the register of the federal military prison at Clarksville. " THQ 8 (1949), pp. 248-251.
• Morrow, Jean J.W. Historical notes, Clarksville, TN, 1784-1865. Clarksville, Leaf Chronicle, 1934. 30 pp.
• The national trade review: devoted to commercial, educational, manufacturing & agricultural interests, Clarksville, TN, edition, May, 1895. Limited edition. Clarksville, n.p., 1895. 75 pp. (facsimile reprint 197-?, U.S. Beach)
• O'Connor, Cornelia J. Immaculate Conception Church: its history, its people. Clarksville, the church, 1980. 180 pp.
• Throckmorton, H. Bruce. "The first woman's bank in TN. " THQ 35 (1976), pp. 389-392.
• Titus, William P. Picturesque Clarksville, past & present: a history of the city of the hills. Clarksville, n.p., 1887. 543 pp. (reprinted 1973)
• Waters, Charles M. Historic Clarksville: the bicentennial story, 1784-1984. Clarksville, Historic Clarksville Pub. Co., 1983. 232 pp.
• Whittle, Arthur E. The first hundred years: a history of Trinity Church, Clarksville, TN. Nashville, Baird-Ward, 1932. 99 pp.
• Whittle, Arthur E. Through the mist of years, presented at the sesquicentennial of Clarksville, TN, June 10-13, 1934. Clarksville, the author, 1934. 60 pp. (historical drama)
• Williams Clarksville directory, city guide & business mirror, 1859-1860-1861. Clarksville, C.O. Faxon, 1859. 72 pp.
• Williams, Eleanor S. Cabins to castles: Clarksville, TN. Oxford, MS, Guild Bindery Press, 1992. 305 pp.
• Williams, Eleanor S. & Ursula S. Beach. Homes & happenings. Narration by Eleanor S. Williams; photographs by Ursula S. Beach. Oxford, MS, Guild Bindery Press, 1989. 140 pp.
• Williams, Nannie H. History of the Clarksville Female Academy. Clarksville, W.P. Titus, 1899. 32 pp.
• Williams, Samuel C. "The Clarksville Compact of 1785. " THQ 3 (1944), pp. 237-247.
• Winn, Thomas H. "Liquor, race & politics: Clarksville during the progressive period. " THQ 49 (1980), pp. 207-217.

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Port Royal

• Brehm, H.C. Port Royal: an early TN town. Nashville, the author, 1982. 24 pp.
• Winters, Ralph L. Historical sketches of Adams, Robertson County, & Port Royal, Montgomery County, TN, from 1779-1968. Clarksville, the author, 1968. 280 pp. (reprinted 1978 by S.J. Winters)

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